Huge crowds gather for the first Friday prayers at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

Huge crowds gather for the first Friday prayers at Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia since Turkey’s President Erdogan sparked Christian anger by turning it back into a mosque The prayers, which are first in 86 years at the structure, saw thousands of worshippers travel across country Mr Erdogan is scheduled to attend alongside 500 dignitaries as he … Read more

Istanbul’s Bosphorus is transformed into a dazzling turquoise

Incredible images show Istanbul’s Bosphorus after it transformed from dark blue into bright turquoise as the city remains under coronavirus lockdown.  The jewel-toned waterway glowed due to phytoplankton called Emiliania huxleyi, a species of coccolithophore. The microscopic organisms thrive in water with high levels of sunlight. Turkey had its first coronavirus case on March 11 and since … Read more