Turkish authorities have scrambled divers, helicopters and coast guard ships in an effort to find and rescue eight crew members missing after a cargo ship sank in a storm off Turkey's Black Sea coast Tuesday night.
With its jumble of Byzantine cathedrals, Ottoman mosques and contemporary tower blocks, Istanbul is one of the world's most historic cities as well as a clamorous modern metropolis. Straddling both Europe and Asia - making it the only city in the world to sit across two continents - Istanbul buzzes with a collision of cultures.
Less than two months before voters are expected to go to the polls in national elections, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan Wednesday announced ambitious plans to dig a new canal through Istanbul that would bypass the existing Bosphorus Strait.
A mother discovers a son she presumed dead; two lovers seek refuge for an illicit affair; a businessman finds joy in a city he once condemned.
Istanbul may be two millennia old, but there's nothing dated about its cultural scene. While the domed city is best known for its ancient attractions, it's also buzzing with a vibrant contemporary arts and design scene.
Turkey is constructing a subway tunnel under the Bosphorus Strait. Engineers have discovered incredible archaeological history.
It's a common sight in the traffic-clogged streets of Istanbul, a city that straddles two continents.
Facetime with Stanley Fischer, Governor, Central Bank of Israel
Staring into a TV camera, I say, "Istanbul is one of the world's great cities, period. For thousands of years, this point, where East meets West, has been the crossroads of civilizations. Few places on earth have seen more history than this sprawling metropolis on the Bosphorus."
Recent visitors to Istanbul could hardly have failed to notice the predominance of flags and banners in blue and yellow stretched out amid the bazaars of Sultanahmet, and fluttering from seafront terraces along the Bosphorus.
SI.com: Grand Turksupdated: Mon May 07 2007 12:38:00
"We are the loudest fans in the world," Engin said as we took our seats in the VIP section of Besiktas Stadium. He pointed across to where the diehards were swaying like a massive black-and-white flag. They were singing about their beloved Black Eagles. Engin's face betrayed his pride. "Normally, I sit over there."
In Istanbul, ancient and modern collide on the banks of the Bosphorus. But it's not just where Europe and Asia meet. I meet Hussein Chalayan at his hotel to talk through the film. He introduces me to his mother, his aunt, his partner and then his personal assistant. They are all coming on the shoot!
Do you agree with Hussein Chalayan's Istanbul selections? Send us your comments and ideas below.
Check out The Scene's recommendations for Turkey's cultural and historic capital and send us your ideas and suggestions below.
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