Stories from Istanbul · Turkey

Measures were reviewed to increase the presence of the Turkish financial system in global markets. The goal is to establish Istanbul as a leading financial center. Efforts are also underway regarding the opening of branches for public banks abroad.

Traders are reportedly manipulating the weight and purity of gold sold as cheap goods. Consumers and shopkeepers have filed complaints regarding fraudulent sales methods, including deceptive social media advertisements.

Scammers are targeting individuals through fraudulent home packaging job advertisements. Victims are first asked to provide personal identity information and a 500 TL application fee.

A truck stalled due to a malfunction in Beylikdüzü, Istanbul, and subsequently slid down a slope. The driver avoided a major accident by steering the vehicle toward a ravine and jumping out of the truck. The incident occurred at the Beylikdüzü Kavak intersection where the driver attempted to maneuver the truck. The vehicle reportedly began moving on its own after the driver's actions. Workers conducting natural gas excavation in the Eyüp Sultan district of Istanbul discovered a metal object resembling an explosive device. Police and bomb disposal teams arrived at the scene and implemented wide security measures in the street. Authorities identified the object as an explosive similar to a mortar shell that is approximately 100 years old. No injuries or damage were reported during the discovery.

Test drives have commenced for the first phase of the Halkalı-Kapıkule High-Speed Train Project. This project aims to connect Edirne to Istanbul via a high-speed rail network. The development is intended to provide a railway connection between Turkey and Europe.

A 24-year-old woman named Selin Başakşıl Oser, who had traveled from Germany to Turkey for vacation, was reportedly subjected to attempted kidnapping. The victim stated she was being followed and felt she was being kidnapped. The incident occurred on April 20 at a hotel in Fatih. The victim sought help at a market located approximately 400 meters from the Fatih Tebi hotel where she was staying. Witnesses at the market reported the woman arrived in a state of distress and was crying while attempting to contact police. Witnesses stated she told staff that people were attempting to kidnap her. The woman was seen using her phone to contact police officers and describe her location during the incident. Questions remain regarding why security camera footage from the period is missing or was deleted. An autopsy found no signs of physical assault or force on the body.

New communications have emerged involving Celal Altaş and his fugitive son, Umut Altaş. The messages reportedly show Umut Altaş requesting 9,000 dollars from his father.

Bayraktar responded to social media claims by CHP leader Özgür Özel regarding mining enterprises. Bayraktar stated that Özel's comments concerning the ministry and the mining sector are untrue.

Authorities have requested the exhumation of four graves to advance an investigation into a 2000 killing in Şişli, Istanbul. DNA identified by a guard has been compared against 80 individuals without a match. The case is approaching a 26-year statute of limitations. The case involves the 2020 murder of Çağla, who was attacked in her home in Şişli Fulya. The victim's throat was cut during the attack, and no items were reported stolen from the residence. The victim, Cagla, was killed in her home in Fulya, Sisli, in 2020. Tuğaltay was killed in her home in the Fulya neighborhood of Istanbul on June 5, 2000, at age 15. During a struggle with the killer, male DNA was found under her fingernails. Previous comparisons with numerous suspects failed to produce results, according to the source.

Fenerbahçe Beko defeated Zalgiris 89-78 in the first match of the playoff series. The second match is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on Thursday at 20:45. Beşiktaş Geyn lost 73-71 to the French team Borga in the second match of the Euro Cup final series.