In an unusual urban incident, chaos briefly ensued on the streets of Istanbul when a bull escaped from its owner. According to footage and reports circulated on social media, the large animal charged through a commercial district and smashed the glass windows of a local hair salon. The event disrupted daily routines but was contained shortly after the property damage occurred.
Source: X.com / Mario Nawfal
Researchers from the Social Pediatrics Department at Istanbul Medipol University have contributed to a comprehensive study evaluating the use of Artificial Intelligence in pediatric healthcare. The study, published in scientific journals, conducted a comparative analysis of major Large Language Models (LLMs)—including ChatGPT-4o, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Grok-4, and DeepSeek-V2—to test their reliability and readability when dispensing pediatric health advice.
The research assessed how these AI platforms responded to real-world, caregiver-style prompts. The findings revealed that while current LLMs can provide moderately useful health information and avoid overtly unsafe advice, they struggle to meet standard health-literacy targets. Responses often fluctuated between being highly reliable but too complex for average readers (e.g., college-level reading requirements) or highly readable but lacking structural rigor, highlighting the need for refinement before AI can be safely used for routine patient education.
Source: Nature / ResearchGate
Recent architectural classifications highlight the sheer scale of Istanbul's aviation infrastructure. According to World Atlas, the main terminal of Istanbul Airport, which officially opened on April 6, 2019, ranks among the largest buildings in the world based on floor area.
Encompassing approximately 15.5 million square feet (1.44 million square meters) under a single roof, it is currently the largest standalone airport terminal globally. The facility successfully replaced Atatürk Airport as Turkey's primary international hub on its first day of full operation, underscoring the country's massive investment in global transit logistics.
Source: World Atlas
Istanbul's iconic Pera Palace Hotel continues to be celebrated for its profound historical significance. Built in the late 19th century to host passengers of the Orient Express, the hotel's guestbook reads like a chronicle of the 20th century, having accommodated figures ranging from international spies and kings to Hollywood icon Greta Garbo.
Among its many historical milestones, the Pera Palace was the venue for Turkey's first-ever Western-style New Year's Eve party on December 31, 1925. This specific celebration marked a monumental shift in the country's chronology; at the stroke of midnight, Turkey officially abolished the Rumi calendar—which was in the year 1341—and instantly adopted the Gregorian calendar, moving the country forward nearly 600 years overnight.
Source: CNN / Ground News
Inflation and shifting currency valuations are significantly altering tourism patterns across the Aegean Sea this summer. A recent trend indicates that Turkish tourists are increasingly flocking to neighboring Greece, while Greek nationals are deterred from visiting Turkey due to soaring costs.
Historically, Turkey has maintained a reputation as an ultra-bargain destination. However, rising domestic inflation has pushed up daily expenses and hotel rates in several popular Turkish resorts. Conversely, Greek consulates—such as the one in Istanbul—are reportedly issuing over 1,300 visas daily to Turkish citizens. These tourists are crossing the border not only for holidays but also for shopping, as many everyday goods are currently cheaper in Greece. While certain destinations in Turkey remain highly competitive for all-inclusive packages, the traditional price gap between the two Mediterranean destinations has visibly narrowed.
Source: Yahoo! Finance / Euronews
On May 27, millions of Muslim worshippers across the globe gathered to perform Eid al-Adha prayers, marking the beginning of the Feast of Sacrifice. In Istanbul, large congregations assembled at the city's most significant religious landmarks, including the historic Süleymaniye Mosque and the Sultanahmet Mosque (widely known as the Blue Mosque).
These large-scale gatherings in Istanbul mirrored similar early-morning prayers held in major cities worldwide, from Jerusalem and Mecca to Berlin, reflecting the unified global observance of one of Islam's most important holidays.
Source: Reuters Connect | YouTube
Istanbul’s historic Haydarpaşa train station will rise as one of the city’s main cultural and social attractions while preserving its role as a transportation hub once its comprehensive restoration and transformation project is completed, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy has announced.
According to a ministry statement, restoration work is continuing at the iconic waterfront station, which has stood for more than a century as one of Istanbul’s most recognizable landmarks and a key gateway connecting Anatolia to Europe through the historic Anatolia-Baghdad railway line.
