Istanbul is poised to host Russia and Ukraine delegates on 15 May for peace talks, even though the prospects of President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy meeting directly for the first time in three years are low

Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu, the biggest rival to President Erdogan in the next elections, appeared in court for the first time since his arrest last month; placed in a high-security jail on corruption and terrorism charges, he is trialed on a separate case

Over a thousand people were arrested in the six days of extensive protests following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the main opponent of President Erdogan; despite government bans, protests are ongoing

Air pollution exceeded safe limits for 204 days in 2024 in the region of Antalya, according to measurements taken locally over the year