Stories from Istanbul · Turkey

A field research study involving 1,306 participants identified weak parental relationships as the primary cause of children being driven into crime, accounting for 81.1 percent of cases.

The charges include forming and managing a criminal organization, bribery, extortion, and money laundering. The investigation into the specific allegations has been completed, according to the report. No specific details regarding the nature of the crimes were provided in the report. Istanbul Deputy Chief Prosecutor Osman Sağlam announced that investigations into match-fixing and dealer activities in football have been paused during the World Cup break. Sağlam stated that despite the detention of 500 club officials, match-fixing continues to occur. He identified morality as the primary issue facing Turkish sports. He said that all judicial and administrative actions will be carried out with determination against any attempt to target the integrity of Turkish sports.

The Turkish Confederation reported membership figures across various sectors. Türk İş has 1,277,000 members, while Hak İş has 827,000 and DİSK has 217,000 members. The largest workforce sectors include trade, office, education, and fine arts with 4,375,000 people.

Temperatures in Istanbul and the surrounding Marmara region are expected to reach 7-8 degrees Celsius.

Istanbul and the Marmara region are experiencing winter-like weather on May 1 despite expectations of sunny and warm conditions. Average temperatures for May in Istanbul are typically 22 degrees Celsius, but current felt temperatures are between 7 and 8 degrees Celsius.

A new defense platform named Mızrak, inspired by the Airo Dynamic structure, will debut at a global defense industry event in 2026. The system features land-to-sea deep operation capabilities, high striking power, and flexible mission profiles.

Game distributors with over 100,000 daily users must maintain a local representative in the country. Regulations also include provisions regarding maternity leave. New measures regarding the storage of firearms are being developed in Turkey. Following school attacks in Sanliurfa and Kahramanmaraş, owners of licensed firearms will be required to store weapons in locked areas within their homes. The source noted that current storage in homes is difficult to manage. The measures aim to require firearms to be kept in locked areas within homes to prevent children from accessing them. This follows reports of individuals, including Isa Aras Mersin, posing with weapons on social media, which led to the arrest of his father, Uhur Mersin. The upcoming regulations are expected to provide more concrete requirements for the storage conditions of licensed weapons.

A fight involving shotguns, pistols, and clubs resulted in five injuries. Two individuals were shot and two others were beaten with clubs. Police arrived at the scene to separate the combatants and have launched an investigation to apprehend the suspects.

The regulation also includes updates to parental leave, requiring mothers seeking 24 weeks of leave to apply within 10 business days. Additionally, paternity leave for fathers subject to CGK has been increased from five days to 10 days. Turkey has implemented new regulations providing support for young people up to age 25 who leave state protection to continue university education. Paternity leave for workers has been increased from 5 days to 10 days, and an additional 8 weeks of maternity leave will be provided. Additionally, donations made to prisons will be fully deductible from income and corporate taxes. It also bans sexual offenders from working near children and allows tax deductions for orphanage donations. The Turkish parliament passed new legislation providing social support and labor rights updates.

Data from the Occupational Health and Safety Council indicates 2,105 workers died in workplace accidents last year. Workplace fatalities in Turkey reached their highest levels since the pandemic in 2025. Additionally, 374 workers died due to crushing and collapses. Data shows 106 workers died in January, 126 in February, and 148 in March. The construction sector accounts for 25% of these incidents, followed by service at 22% and agriculture at 20%. Common causes of death in these incidents include traffic accidents and being crushed under collapsed structures. The report was presented by NTV Radyo. A recent incident in a Kocaeli Dinovası cosmetic factory resulted in seven worker fatalities. Falls from heights in construction represent 25% of fatalities, followed by the service sector at 22% and agriculture at 20%.