Istanbul

In Turkey's metropolitan province of Istanbul, drummers dressed in Ottoman-style attires have been keeping the age-old tradition of Ramadan alive for centuries of beating their drums in the wee hours of the morning to wake residents for their "sahur" meal, the first meal of the day eaten before observing the fast.

Turkey's Supreme Court of Appeals on April 14 overturned a decision on journalists Ahmet Altan and Nazli Ilıcak, who were given jail time for links to the FETÖ.

Ilıcak had been sentenced to eight years and nine months and Altan had gotten 10 years and six months in prison for aiding the terror group, which was behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey

The Kanal Istanbul mega-project will result in greater peace of mind for the Turkish nation, said Turkey's president on April 14.

"The Kanal Istanbul project, which has nothing to do with the Montreux Convention, will bring Turkey greater comfort and peace," said Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, referring to a 1936 agreement on the Turkish Straits, also in the Istanbul province.

Around 1.5 million buildings in Istanbul need to be rebuilt from the ground up for structural integrity, Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum said on March 2.

This year Turkey will open a tender for the mega-project Canal Istanbul, an artificial sea route parallel to the Bosphorus set to connect the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara, a senior Turkish official said on Feb. 26. 

"Canal Istanbul is truly a visionary project," said Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum during a speech in Turkey's central province of Kirsehir.

Turkey's most populated province of Istanbul, which faces an imminent threat of being hit by a magnitude 7 or higher powerful earthquake, is home to 260,000 buildings that were constructed before 1980, a report has said.

Construction of a key bridge in northwestern Turkey connecting Europe and Asia has picked up speed with the completion of a temporary road, according to information received by Anadolu Agency. 

Upon its completion, the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge will become the world's longest mid-span suspension bridge with its unique structural characteristics, colors and other features.

Turkey's largest city was hit with a heavy storm early on Feb. 9, with trees and roofs toppled. 

The storm began with light rain on Istanbul's European districts including Sultangazi, Gaziosmanpaşa, Bakırköy, Bağcılar, Beyoğlu, Kağıthane, Bayrampaşa and Esenler.

A fierce storm hit Turkey's largest metropolis Istanbul early on Feb. 9, damaging dozens of buildings with roofs blown away and trees lying toppled on the streets.

Following light rain, fierce storms hit Istanbul's districts on the European side, including Sultangazi, Bakırköy, Bağcılar, Beyoğlu, Kağıthane, Bayrampaşa and Esenler districts.

Esenyurt has become a diverse crucible for many foreigners escaping war elsewhere in the world or for those who have made Istanbul their home over the years.