NEWS

With the arrival of the summer months, global temperature records continue to be shattered. In particular, thermometers across Europe nearing the 40-degree mark has ignited a new debate on social media and in public discourse. Many people in Turkey, where temperatures in regions like the Southeast and the Mediterranean are reported to reach between 46 and 47 degrees, have started to question why Europeans are making such a fuss about 40 degrees. Kutay Mıhlıardıç, a senior meteorology engineer, shed light on the real situation.

As Europe is being scorched by the 'Omega Blockage' bringing record temperatures, the escalating 'El Nino' alarm in the Pacific has completely reshaped the risk map of Turkey. Prof. Dr. Mikdat Kadıoğlu, a faculty member at Istanbul Technical University, detailed the impacts of this colossal clash in the sky on Turkey and the drastic weather change expected by the end of June.

A new era is unfolding in the economic and commercial relations between Turkey and Germany. Trade Minister Ömer Bolat highlighted a significant decrease in Germany's visa rejection rates, referencing the Schengen visa. On the other hand, Bolat also drew attention to visa-free travel, emphasizing, 'We once again underscored our legitimate demands for visa-free travel for our Turkish citizens.'

A significant development has taken place that will strengthen the cultural and linguistic ties among Turkish states. Kürşad Zorlu, the Deputy Chairman of the AKP and the Head of Relations with Turkish States who is also a Member of Parliament from Ankara, announced that a critical stage has been reached in the work on a common alphabet that will shape the future of the Turkish world. As the final form of the new alphabets to be used by Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan is being given, the said draft has been formally accepted by the commission.

The visa processes, which have recently become a major hassle for citizens wanting to travel abroad, have paved the way for opportunists. Intermediary firms, emerging with promises of 'guaranteed approval' or 'visa assurance' through websites and social media platforms, have come under the radar of the Ministry of Trade. The Advertising Board of the Ministry of Trade has taken a precautionary suspension decision regarding the advertisements of six visa intermediary firms that could potentially mislead consumers.

Stuttgart 21, one of Germany's most contentious transportation projects, is once again in the spotlight due to another delay. The mega train project, which has been a topic of discussion for years due to its cost, construction process, and postponements, is now reported that it may not be completed until 2031. Behind this new delay lies a rather striking issue... Over 1,000 kilometers of cables and cable channels were incorrectly installed.

Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, shared the details of the 'Super High-Speed Train' project for the first time during a television appearance. The project is set to radically shorten the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul. According to the project, the travel time between Ankara and Istanbul will drop to 80 minutes.

The experiences of a young architect who had his phone stolen during a trip to Istanbul shed light on the significant threat facing smartphone users. A professional fraud network, relentlessly pursuing stolen devices, employs an inconceivable method to target victims. The young architect revealed that the thieves send fraudulent messages that appear to be from Apple to the owners of the stolen phones. He further explained that users who click on the link in the message and enter their iCloud information end up losing control over their phones.

With the arrival of June, the weather in Istanbul has completely shifted its course towards summer. According to the latest data shared by the Disaster Affairs Directorate (AKOM) of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, the metropolis will be dominated by sunny and warm skies throughout the week.

Turkish citizens dreaming of Europe are being pushed out of the system, not only in obtaining a Schengen visa, but now even in applying for one. Firuz Bağlıkaya, the President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), made some striking remarks based on the Schengen visa data for 2025 recently published by the European Union (EU) Commission. Bağlıkaya revealed that the limited number of appointments are blocked within seconds by bot accounts, and then sold on the black market at astronomical prices.

A family residing in Bahçelievler neighborhood, a district of Hasköy in Muş, lives in constant fear due to the frequent appearances of snakes in their home. The family reports that snakes often emerge from the toilet drain and cracks in the house, some even measuring up to 3 meters in length. Pleading for assistance, they expressed, 'We can't sleep at night'.

The Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT) has released birth statistics related to the year 2025. According to the latest data, Turkey's total fertility rate has continued its downward trend without interruption, reaching the lowest level in the last nine years. Here are the cities with the highest and lowest fertility rates.

The General Directorate of Meteorology (GDM) has released a critical weather forecast report that will impact the plans of millions of citizens. According to the latest assessments, a wave of cool and rainy weather will prevail throughout the country during the Feast of Sacrifice. The partly cloudy and overcast weather, which will start over the weekend, will give way to intermittent showers and thunderstorms during the holiday period. It is anticipated that the weather temperatures, particularly in the southern, inland, and eastern regions, will drop below the seasonal norms.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has put its signature to a new regulation in order to ensure public health and leave no room for ambiguity in food safety. Under the new legislation, absolutely no 'novel food' products containing insect and pig-derived components, which have been a subject of global debate in recent years, will be approved for the Turkish market. According to the regulation published by the Ministry, all food and beverages that have not been commercially sold in Turkey before December 31, 2025, and do not have widespread consumption, will be evaluated as 'novel food'.

The General Directorate of Meteorology (GDM) has published a crucial weather forecast report for the upcoming week. Across the country, the weather temperatures, which have been hovering around seasonal norms, are set to give way to heavy downpours and strong winds with the onset of the new week. The Meteorology department has disclosed the critical date for the rainfall.

As the possibility of hantavirus turning into a new global pandemic is being debated worldwide, a critical move came from the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO declared a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to a new wave of Ebola, which is rapidly spreading and cannot be controlled on the African continent.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has announced a reward of $200,000 for information leading to the capture of former counterintelligence specialist Witt. After leaving the U.S. Air Force, Witt is alleged to have relocated to Iran and leaked confidential defense information to the Tehran administration. It is claimed that Witt has been operating on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and has played a part in operations targeting former American agents. The Washington administration has declared her a 'national security threat', intensifying the search for her.