Koca

A fire that apparently started in crop stubble spread through settlements in southeast Turkey overnight, killing 11 people and leaving dozens of others requiring medical treatment, officials and news reports have said.

Starting on May 13, public hospitals nationwide will introduce a confirmed appointment system, requiring patients to validate their appointment by 8 p.m. the preceding day, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced.

The announcement came following a comprehensive review during the National Health Evaluation and Coordination Meeting on May 9.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced additional measures against patients who fail to attend their appointments at state hospitals, including a restriction that prevents them from scheduling another appointment in any department for 15 days.

The recent shooting incident during the election campaign event of the ruling Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Küçükçekmece mayoral candidate, Aziz Yeniay, was not the result of a random dispute but a meticulously planned assassination attempt, local media has reported.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced that the significantly high patient density in intensive care units (ICUs), which was observed at the beginning of the month, has returned to normal levels.

A taxi driver has fallen victim to a murder committed by an extortionist who had deceitfully posed as a customer, triggering widespread public outrage and sparked protests among his colleagues.

A 19-year-old assailant identified as Delil Aysal hailed the taxi driven by Oğuz Erge, instructing him to navigate through various neighborhoods around 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 31.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca reported an increase in nationwide intensive care unit occupancy rates compared to the previous year, noting an overall 72 percent rate across Türkiye but a heightened 83 percent rate in Istanbul.

Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has spoken about the surge in upper respiratory tract infections, revealing that Istanbul saw the biggest increase in cases in Türkiye.

Answering the questions of journalists after a cabinet meeting, Koca said that the current increase of infections was expected due to the seasonal conditions of winter months and that there was no cause for worry.

A devastating chain accident in the northwestern Turkish province of Sakarya resulted in a tragic toll this morning. According to reports from the Anatolian Agency, ten individuals lost their lives, while over 50 sustained injuries in the incident on the Northern Marmara highway toward Istanbul.

Hasan Bitmez, a deputy from the Felicity Party (SP), has passed away after collapsing during his speech in the Turkish parliament.

The 22-minute speech on Dec. 12's session, which concluded with the phrase "I greet you all with respect," took a tragic turn when Bitmez collapsed, hitting his head on a marble step behind the lectern.