The debated plans for the mosque on Çamlıca Hill will incorporate the highest minarets in the world, its architect had previously said. DHA photo

Construction works start in Istanbul for giant Çamlıca Mosque

Hurriyet Daily News

Excavation works for a giant mosque on Istanbul’s Çamlıca Hill have started while the plan for another controversial mosque, to be built in Istanbul’s central Taksim, has changed. Ahmet Vefik Alp, the head of a team running the project for the Taksim

Istanbul drowning in traffic chaos, report announces

from Hurriyet Daily News

The world?s second worst city in traffic congestion is Istanbul, according to a study released.

Cinematic Head Start on Istanbul Art Biennial

New York Times (blog)

ISTANBUL ? The 13th Istanbul Biennial ? whose title theme is ”Mom, am I Barbarian?” ? doesn’t officially open until Sept. 14. But you can get a leap on the curator Fulya Erdemci’s views on the public versus private spheres, civility versus

Istanbul highlights contemporary art

Hurriyet Daily News

The 6th Artbosphorus Contemporary Art Fair will open tomorrow at Istanbul’s Haliç Convention Center. This year the fair’s concept is ?Parallel Stories, Constructs, Unknown.? In addition to the participating galleries, the fair will showcase garden

Traveling to Istanbul (II)?the Harem and other delights

Scholars and Rogues

Such was the case with Jason Goodwin’s series about Istanbul in the 1830s, with their protagonist Yashim the eunuch. I picked the first one up one day, and have been hooked ever since. There are four now, all excellent. And one reason they’re excellent

Bankers in Istanbul reel at $620 million fine

Euromoney Magazine

In reaction, the Banks Association of Turkey, based in Istanbul, said the Competition Board had not considered the specific nature of the banking sector: an argument some but not all sections of the government have taken too. Ali Babacan, deputy prime

Hidden treasure: The Quincentennial Turkish Jewish Museum

from Hurriyet Daily News

The Jewish Museum of Turkey, established by the Quincentennial Foundation, that lies in the Karaköy district..

Houston Welcomes Turkish Airways’ Direct Service to Istanbul

News 92 FM

Houston is adding depth to its reputation as an international city of trade with the establishment of direct-service air travel to Istanbul, Turkey via Turkish Airlines. Houston Mayor Annise Parker welcomed an entire delegation of Turkish dignitaries

Unplanned urbanization damages Istanbul’s silhouette irreversibly

GlobalPost

On a similar note, the head of the Istanbul Chamber of City Planners (TMMOB), Tayfun Kahraman, says Turkey continues to build the new bridge on the Golden Horn despite the ?warning of UNESCO to include Istanbul’s silhouette on a list of threatened

Istanbul Jewelry Show Attracts Record 27000 Attendees

Rapaport

RAPAPORT… UBM Rotaforte, through the sponsorship of Turk Ekonomi Bankasi (Turkish Economy Bank), concluded its 36th Istanbul Jewelry Show in March, attaining record attendance at nearly 27,000, up 30 percent from one year ago. UBM determined

“Borsa Istanbul” registered as sole exchange entity of Turkey

Anadolu Ajansı

Turkey’s Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said the main agreement for “Borsa Istanbul” was registered on April 3, disincorporating Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE) and Istanbul Gold Exchange (IAB). In a written statement Babacan stated that the New

Turkey: Istanbul taxi drivers prefer to maintain the benefits of instant cash

Balkans.com Business News

Istanbul municipality is set to launch a new scheme that will enable taxi customers to use credit or pre-paid electronic transportation cards while paying their cab fare, but the system has sparked strong opposition among taxi drivers who would prefer

The Life and Death on the Bosphorus

from The Istanbulian by Emre Kızılkaya

A few years ago, I had written here that I don’t like Orhan Pamuk very much, except his works Black Book andIstanbul: Memories and the City, because I find his usage of Turkish problematic and I think he just tries to imitate my favorite writer Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar. Tanpinar’s Turkish was just perfect, but unfortunately, his English-language translators and PR agents were not as successful as Pamuk’s.

Veiled Beauties of Constantinople by Frederick Arthur Bridgman

from Mavi Boncuk

First gong of Istanbul’s new bourse to be banged

from Hurriyet Daily News

The sole exchange entity of Turkey, Borsa Istanbul, which has combined the Istanbul Stock Exchange.

Universal Studios to invest $3 billion in project in Istanbul