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.

An information technologist and amateur scholar from Turkey claims that the Holy Grail is hidden in Saint Sophia Museum in Istanbul ,Turkey. He claims that he solved the Shepherds Monument Code in England. He released the solution of the code in his website http://www.gradale.comTurkish newspapers released the news in last week.

Two people were lightly injured when a small device exploded in Turkey's largest city Istanbul on Tuesday, CNN Turk television said, quoting Dogan News Agency.

Istanbul (AsiaNews) –A XVII century chapel dedicated to Our Lord’s Transfiguration, which lies in front of the Haliki School of Theology, was almost completely destroyed yesterday by Forest Guards. The Church had been recently restored with the permission of local authorities. Demolishers had begun tearing down the building without any prior warn

Rapid Fire News=Ankara-Baghdad-Teheran Watch - West Asia Theatre: Ankara Receives Full Regional Support for its Invasion of Northern Iraq Against PKK Bases-Iran Will Increase its Attacks Against Kurdish Groups on Iran Border and Also Commit Troops - British Colonel States UK Defence Secretary Des Browne Unqualified

Rapid Fire News=Ankara - Baghdad - Teheran Watch - Opening Moves of Turkey's Action Plan Offensive - Istanbul to Host Major International Conferences Nov. 1-3 - Trilateral Meeting Between Foreign Ministers of China-Russia-India