Istanbul (Turkish: İstanbul, historically Byzantium and later Constantinople; see Names of Istanbul) is Turkey's and Europe's most populous city, (the world's 4th largest), and its cultural and financial center. The city covers 25 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait, and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country. It extends both on the European (Thrace) and on the Asian (Anatolia) side of the Bosphorus, and is thereby the only metropolis in the world which is situated on two continents. In its long history, Istanbul served as the capital city of the Roman Empire (330-395), the Byzantine Empire (395-1204 and 1261-1453), the Latin Empire (1204-1261), and the Ottoman Empire (1453-1922). The city was chosen as joint European Capital of Culture for 2010. The historic areas of Istanbul were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.

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At least 19 people were killed in an explosion in Turkey's largest city of Istanbul on Thursday, Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler said.

CarrefourSA, joint venture between Carrefour (Paris:CA) and Sabanci in Turkey, announces the sale of its land located in Merter (Istanbul) to a joint venture between Apollo Real Estate and Multi Turkmall, who will develop one of the largest shopping centers in the country. A Carrefour hypermarket will be built on this site and should open in 2010.

ISTANBUL, Turkey - Turkey's ruling party agreed with an opposition party Monday to lift a decades-old ban on Islamic head scarves in universities of the mainly Muslim but secular nation.

The prime minister's office says at least eight people are dead and 21 injured, but NTV television, citing officials at the scene, says nine bodies have been recovered so far, and CNN Turk television puts the injury toll at 50. Two cars fell over when the train from Istanbul derailed near the city of Kutahya with more than 700 people aboard.