The week at a glance...International

International

Istanbul

Tunnel to Europe: Four years late and still unfinished, the world’s deepest underwater train tunnel opened this week, linking the continents of Europe and Asia. Construction was often delayed as workers kept encountering Byzantine and even older ruins under the Bosporus strait, and archaeologists had to be called in. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan opened the route to coincide with Turkey’s 90th birthday, saying the tunnel was part of an “iron Silk Road” that will revive ancient trade routes. But many say the tunnel is not properly fortified to withstand the region’s many earthquakes. Suleyman Solmaz of the Chamber of Architects and Engineers said, “It would be murder to open it under these conditions.”

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