Istanbul | featured news

A court here handed down a suspended 10-month jail term on Monday for Fazil Say, an internationally acclaimed Turkish pianist and composer convicted of insulting Islam and offending Muslims in postings on Twitter.

Six cities from Europe, Asia and the Middle East are competing to host the 2020 Olympics. Submitting bids to the International Olympic Committee by Friday's deadline were Rome; Madrid; Tokyo; Istanbul; Doha, Qatar; and Baku, Azerbaijan.

Today’s travel photo brings us to Istanbul, again courtesy of New York-based writer and photographer, Jennifer Pinkowski. It depicts fire dancing done in recognition of the Hidirellez Festival, an annual event beginning May 5. It’s a five-day, Roma-inspired street festival with music and food near Ahirkapi, a gypsy neighborhood not too far from the Topkapi Palace and the Hagia Sophia.

American basketball star Diana Taurasi has had her contract terminated by Turkish club Fenerbahce after her "B" sample tested positive for doping. The Istanbul club says the decision was made Thursday following the results announcement by the Turkish Basketball Federation. Taurasi faces a ban of up to two years, putting in jeopardy her chances of playing for the United States at the 2012 London Olympics.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hit a strident tone on a variety of topics during a press conference on the sidelines of an Asian security summit in Istanbul on Tuesday.