July 17, 2026

Featured image for Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Names Reading Salons After Young Scientist Neptün İpek Yılmaz and Heroic Teacher Ayla Kara

July 17 2026

Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Names Reading Salons After Young Scientist Neptün İpek Yılmaz and Heroic Teacher Ayla Kara

AI News ScoutNews Ayla Kara, Çiftlikköy, education, Huzurkent, Mersin, Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi, Neptün İpek Yılmaz, News, Reading Salons 0

On July 17, 2026, the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Assembly (Mersin Büyükşehir Belediye Meclisi) convened for the second session of its July ordinary meeting. Presided over by the First Deputy Mayor of Mersin, Ali Uyan, in the Multi-Purpose Hall of the Congress and Exhibition Center (Kongre ve Sergi Sarayı Çok Amaçlı Salon), the assembly dealt with a wide array of municipal issues. Among the fifteen items on the agenda—which included twelve items referred to commissions, two departmental proposals, and one out-of-agenda topic—there was one particular proposal that stood out for its emotional and cultural significance. This proposal, put forward by the municipal administration, aimed to bestow meaningful names upon two of the city’s rapidly expanding public reading salons. The assembly members met this proposal with a solemn yet proud atmosphere, recognizing the opportunity to immortalize two figures who have left an indelible mark on the region’s collective memory.

The naming of public spaces in Mersin is often treated with great care, as the local government aims to foster a shared sense of identity and civic pride. During this session, the council members unanimously voted to name two municipal reading salons (okuma salonları) after two highly inspirational women whose lives were cut short under tragic circumstances. The reading salon located on Üniversite Caddesi in Çiftlikköy Mahallesi will formally bear the name of Neptün İpek Yılmaz, a brilliant young student and science enthusiast from Tarsus who captured the hearts of the nation. Meanwhile, the reading salon situated in the Huzurkent Nakliyeciler Sitesi was named in honor of Ayla Kara, a beloved mathematics teacher who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her middle school pupils during an armed school attack. This decision reflects the municipality’s dedication to honoring local heroes and transforming educational facilities into living monuments of human spirit and sacrifice.

Inline news image for Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Names Reading Salons After Young Scientist Neptu00fcn u0130pek Yu0131lmaz and Heroic Teacher Ayla Kara — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Some Tale.

The Legacy of Neptün İpek Yılmaz: Mersin’s Brilliant Star

To understand the significance of naming the Çiftlikköy reading salon after Neptün İpek Yılmaz, one must look back at her extraordinary journey of determination and intellectual passion. Born in the Tarsus district of Mersin, Neptün was diagnosed from a very early age with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 2 and severe scoliosis. These physical ailments confined her to a wheelchair and presented daily challenges that would have deterred most, yet Neptün possessed an incredibly vibrant mind and a fierce curiosity about the universe. Her unwavering interest in physics, space, and cosmology earned her deep respect from her peers and educators at the Tarsus Abdulkerim Bengi Anadolu Lisesi. Because of her profound intellectual capabilities and her physical constraints, she was fondly referred to by many in the Turkish scientific and local communities as “Türkiye’s Stephen Hawking,” a title she wore with humility and immense pride.

Neptün’s crowning achievement came in 2019, when she participated in the national “2.5 Dakikada Ne Bilim” (What Science in 2.5 Minutes) competition, organized jointly by Erciyes University and the Kozmik Anafor Astronomy Platform. In her entry video, which was widely shared and praised, she gave a captivating explanation of the Big Bang Theory and the planet Neptune, displaying a rare talent for scientific communication. Her performance earned her third place in Turkiye (Turkey), bringing immense pride to her home province of Mersin. Determined to pursue her dream of becoming a physicist, she excelled in the national university entrance examinations and successfully secured admission to study Physics (conducted in English) at the prestigious İzmir Institute of Technology (İzmir Yüksek Teknoloji Enstitüsü – İYTE). Her mother, Nilcan Yılmaz, was her constant companion and champion, dedicating her life to supporting her daughter’s academic aspirations.

Tragically, Neptün’s inspiring life came to an end on January 15, 2023, when she passed away after a lifelong battle with SMA and scoliosis. Her departure left a void in the Mersin community, but her legacy of resilience, love for science, and refusal to let physical barriers define her intellect lived on. Recognizing the profound impact she had on local youth, the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality initially opened the “Neptün İpek Yılmaz Reading Salon” in the Çiftlikköy area, near the main entrance of Mersin University, in late 2024. The formal resolution passed during the assembly meeting on July 17, 2026, officially solidifies her status as the permanent namesake of the facility. The reading salon serves as a quiet sanctuary for university students, offering a capacity of 120 students, advanced technical equipment, free high-speed internet, and a diverse library selection. By cementing her name on this academic haven, the city ensures that her story will continue to inspire generations of aspiring scientists who study within its walls.

Teacher Ayla Kara: An Unforgettable Sacrifice in the Name of Education

The second name approved by the assembly, Ayla Kara, carries a different but equally profound emotional weight, representing the pinnacle of professional dedication and maternal bravery. Ayla Kara was a veteran mathematics teacher who had spent over twenty years serving the education community in Turkiye (Turkey). Known for her patient teaching style and her ability to make complex mathematical concepts accessible to young minds, she was highly respected by her colleagues, students, and their families. Over two decades, Teacher Ayla did not merely instruct students in geometry and algebra; she mentored them, shaped their characters, and dedicated her life to helping them build better futures. Her career was a testament to the quiet, vital work of educators who labor daily to elevate society through knowledge.

The trajectory of her life took a tragic and heroic turn on April 16, 2026, during a normal school day at the Ayser Çalık Secondary School (Ayser Çalık Ortaokulu) in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş. An armed attacker breached the school’s security and opened fire in a classroom full of middle school students. In the face of sudden, mortal danger, and as panic erupted among her young pupils, the 56-year-old mathematics teacher did not flee or seek cover. Acting on pure heroic instinct, Teacher Ayla Kara threw her own body directly into the line of fire, utilizing herself as a physical shield to protect her students from the incoming bullets. Her selfless actions saved the lives of her pupils, but it cost her own, as she was fatally wounded during the assault.

News of her heroism and ultimate sacrifice sent shockwaves across Turkiye (Turkey), uniting the nation in deep mourning and intense admiration. She was hailed nationwide as a martyr of education, a teacher who literally gave her life so that her students could have a future. The decision by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality to name the reading salon at the Huzurkent Nakliyeciler Sitesi after her is a direct response to this legacy. The Huzurkent neighborhood, known for its busy industrial and transit hubs, is home to many families of logistics workers where educational resources are highly valued. By naming this vital study space after Teacher Ayla Kara, the municipality pays a fitting tribute to her courage, ensuring that the students who gather there to build their dreams will always study under the spiritual guidance of a true educational hero.

Fostering Educational Equity: The Expansion of Mersin’s Reading Salons

The naming of these two salons highlights a larger and highly successful initiative by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality to support students through social municipalism (sosyal belediyecilik). When the current administration first took office, the city of Mersin possessed only a single public reading salon. Under the leadership of Mayor Vahap Seçer, the municipality recognized that access to quiet, safe, and well-equipped study spaces was a critical factor in educational equity. Consequently, they embarked on an ambitious expansion program, increasing the number of reading salons to fourteen across the province. These salons, which include sites such as Merkez Kütüphane, Ada, Tarsus Ötüken, Tarsus Kleopatra, Hal Mahallesi, Halkkent, Güvenevler, Anamur, Gülnar, Bozyazı, and Silifke, have registered more than 80,000 members, turning them into indispensable hubs for the local student population.

These reading salons are meticulously designed to act as a second home for students who may not have a suitable studying environment in their own households or student dormitories. In addition to providing a quiet and comfortable atmosphere, the municipality offers key amenities completely free of charge, such as high-speed wireless internet, printing services, and hot tea or coffee. During the sweltering summer months in Mersin, where high temperatures and humidity make studying at home difficult, these fully air-conditioned spaces become crowded with students preparing for major national examinations like the High School Entrance System (LGS), the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS), and the Public Personnel Selection Exam (KPSS). Many of these salons are also strategically located close to “Mahalle Mutfakları” (Neighborhood Kitchens), another municipal initiative where students can purchase a nutritious three-course meal for an extremely affordable price, making their study days both academically and financially manageable.

During the July 17, 2026 assembly session, the council members noted that naming public assets after such highly respected figures is not merely a symbolic gesture but an active educational strategy. By linking these academic spaces to individuals like Neptün İpek Yılmaz and Ayla Kara, the local government provides students with tangible examples of perseverance and moral greatness. When a student enters the Çiftlikköy salon to study physics or walks into the Huzurkent salon to practice mathematics, they are greeted by the names of a girl who conquered a debilitating physical disease through the love of science, and a teacher who valued her students’ lives above her own. This contextual framing elevates the act of studying from a personal chore into a communal honor, motivating the youth of Mersin to pursue their studies with greater depth and purpose.

A Unanimous Civic Vision for the Future of Mersin

The final votes on the proposals to name the reading salons were characterized by a rare and heartwarming sense of political unity, as all political parties represented in the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Assembly voted in favor of the resolutions. This bipartisan consensus underscores the universal nature of the values represented by Yılmaz and Kara, transcending political differences to focus on what truly unites the community. First Deputy Mayor Ali Uyan, in closing the session, thanked the council members for their sensitivity and solidarity, emphasizing that the city’s greatest strength lies in its human capital and its shared values. The successful conclusion of the second session of the July assembly meeting marks another step forward in Mersin’s journey toward becoming a city that not only builds modern infrastructure but also carefully guards its moral and historical legacy.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from DHA (Demirören Haber Ajansı).

Original headline: Öğretmen Ayla Kara'nın adı, okuma salonunda yaşatılacak

Original author: Haber Merkezi

Original publication date: 2026-07-17

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by Perfecto_Capucine.

July 17 2026

Silifke Animal Care Center Reports Hundreds of Adoptions and Thousands of Treatments in Mersin

AI News ScoutNews animal welfare, community health, Mersin, News, pet adoption, Silifke, stray animals, summer safety, veterinary care 0

Mersin’s public animal welfare work has a prominent base in Silifke, where the Silifke Cemil Sungur Animal Rehabilitation Shelter and Living Area continues to operate as a treatment, rehabilitation and adoption point for stray and vulnerable animals. According to a July 17 report by Demirören News Agency, the center has helped 429 dogs and 96 cats find new homes while continuing to care for hundreds of animals on site. The facility, run under the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Veterinary Affairs Department, is presented by officials not only as a shelter, but as a working care environment for animals that arrive sick, injured, abandoned or in need of sterilization.

The center is currently hosting 400 dogs and 105 cats, DHA reported, placing it among the important municipal animal care points serving the western part of Mersin province. Its work combines daily feeding and cleaning with veterinary examinations, medication, operations, vaccinations, sterilization, rehabilitation and adoption preparation. Staff members told DHA that animals brought to the facility are monitored closely and supported until they recover, can be adopted or can be returned through the appropriate municipal process.

A Regional Center Serving Silifke, Mut and Gülnar

Responsible veterinarian Muhammed Akpınar said the Silifke facility has capacity for 500 dogs and 250 cats. With 400 dogs and 105 cats currently inside, the dog section is operating close to its stated capacity while still receiving animals that need intervention. Akpınar said many of the animals now at the center are undergoing treatment, underscoring that the facility’s daily workload is not limited to housing. It also functions as a veterinary care point for animals whose health problems require observation, procedures and follow-up.

Inline news image for Silifke Animal Care Center Reports Hundreds of Adoptions and Thousands of Treatments in Mersin — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Anusha Barwa.

The center’s role extends beyond Silifke itself. Akpınar told DHA that animals are also brought by the district municipalities of Mut and Gülnar, as well as Silifke. The facility carries out treatment, rehabilitation and sterilization services for stray cats and dogs from those three districts. Once treatment is complete, animals may be handed back to the relevant district municipality, which then returns them to natural living areas when appropriate. That arrangement makes the Silifke site a shared service hub for a wider region rather than a single-district shelter.

Such coordination is especially important in a province that includes dense urban neighborhoods, rural settlements, mountain districts and coastal communities. Stray animal care in that setting requires transportation, triage, veterinary decision-making, post-operative recovery space and ongoing daily labor. The DHA report describes a system in which district municipalities bring animals in, metropolitan municipality teams provide medical and rehabilitation services, and animals then move through adoption or return procedures. The process depends on both veterinary infrastructure and routine municipal cooperation.

Thousands of Sterilizations Since 2022

The figures reported from the Silifke center show the scale of that work since 2022. DHA said 4,656 dogs and 1,961 cats have been sterilized through the facility over that period. Sterilization is one of the central tools municipalities use to manage stray animal populations while reducing the number of animals later exposed to hunger, illness, injury or abandonment. In Silifke, the numbers indicate a steady, multi-year program rather than a short-term campaign.

The center’s treatment figures are also substantial. Since 2022, 7,473 injured or sick dogs and 3,677 cats have been treated and restored to health, according to the same report. Those numbers point to a continuous flow of animals arriving with medical needs, including animals injured in traffic, animals suffering from illness and animals requiring care after abandonment or neglect. Staff members described a daily rhythm built around assessment, medication, surgery where needed, sterilization, vaccination, feeding and cleaning.

Veterinary technician Seda Akın, who is responsible for the cat paddock area, said the staff begin by checking the animals’ general condition as soon as they arrive for the day. If medication or treatment is needed, the process starts immediately. Animals requiring surgery are operated on, sterilization procedures are carried out, and animals are rehabilitated after those procedures. Akın said the cats are treated individually, with staff handling vaccines, treatments and other care while support personnel assist with food and cleaning. Her description places routine observation at the center of the facility’s work: problems must be noticed early before they can be treated effectively.

Adoption Turns Rehabilitation Into a New Start

One of the most visible results of the center’s work is adoption. DHA reported that 429 dogs and 96 cats have been adopted from the Silifke facility to date. For animals that arrive injured, sick, abandoned or without a safe home, adoption is the point at which municipal care can become a permanent change in living conditions. The center’s staff describe the animals as being prepared for new lives through treatment, socialization and daily attention rather than simply being kept until someone comes to take them.

The adoption process is supported by practical incentives. Akın told DHA that residents can visit the facility and choose a cat or dog to adopt. She also said sterilization for adopted animals is provided free of charge, and that the municipality offers two years of food, vaccination and treatment support after adoption. That follow-up assistance may make adoption more accessible for residents who want to take in an animal but worry about early veterinary costs or the responsibilities involved in first-time pet ownership.

Akpınar said the facility accepts visitors on weekdays between 13:00 and 15:00. Those visiting hours provide a structured window for residents who want to see the animals, ask staff questions and consider adoption. The setting also gives potential adopters a chance to understand the background of an animal before making a decision. For a dog or cat that has already received treatment, sterilization and daily care, a successful adoption can complete the rehabilitation process by moving the animal from temporary municipal protection into a home.

Staff Urge Residents to Help During Summer Heat

The report also included a seasonal appeal from the shelter staff as Mersin moves through hot summer weather. Akın urged residents to place a bowl of water and a small amount of food in front of homes or workplaces for stray animals. She said animals may be able to withstand hunger for a time because of their instincts, but they cannot endure thirst. The message was directed at people who may not be able to adopt or volunteer but can still provide immediate help in their own neighborhoods.

That appeal reflects the broader nature of animal welfare work in the city. The Silifke facility provides veterinary care, sterilization, rehabilitation and adoption services, but animals outside the center still depend on public awareness and small acts of daily support. A bowl of clean water placed in a shaded, safe location can become critical during periods of extreme heat. When repeated across streets, apartment blocks, shops and rural settlements, those simple steps can reduce suffering while municipal teams continue the more specialized work of treatment and rehabilitation.

The Silifke Cemil Sungur Animal Rehabilitation Shelter and Living Area’s current record combines measurable results with ongoing responsibility: more than 500 animals now under care, hundreds of completed adoptions, thousands of sterilizations and more than 11,000 cats and dogs treated since 2022. The DHA report portrays the center as a place where injured and vulnerable animals are not only kept, but examined, healed, socialized and prepared for a safer future. For Mersin residents considering adoption, the facility’s weekday visitor hours offer a direct route to take part in that work; for others, the summer reminder is simpler but still urgent — keep water and food available for animals that have no one else to ask for help.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from DHA.

Original headline: Mersin’de can dostlara güvenli liman

Original author: DHA

Original publication date: 2026-07-17

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by GumiKutya.

July 17 2026

Mersin Deploys Life-Saving Public Defibrillators Across Key Transit Squares in Major Health Initiative

AI News ScoutNews ASELSAN, cardiac arrest, defibrillator, emergency response, first aid, Mersin, News, public health, smart city 0

In a highly significant step forward for civic healthcare, the city of Mersin has officially launched an initiative to deploy high-tech, locally manufactured public defibrillators in its most bustling public areas. Initiated on July 16, 2026, this life-saving program places Automatic External Defibrillators (OED) in dense transit points to address sudden cardiac events before professional medical crews can physically navigate city traffic. Developed through a tight-knit partnership between the Turkish Ministry of Health’s General Directorate of Emergency Health Services, national defense technology firm ASELSAN, the Mersin Provincial Health Directorate, and the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, this endeavor marks a vital transformation in how the coastal city of Mersin approaches preventative urban healthcare and emergency preparedness.

The critical reasoning behind placing advanced medical technology directly into public spaces lies in the daunting reality of global cardiac health statistics. According to international health studies cited by regional health authorities, cardiac arrests and sudden heart failures constitute approximately sixty percent of all mortalities worldwide. Among these sudden incidents, about half occur due to what medical experts term a shockable rhythm, such as ventricular fibrillation, where the heart’s electrical system malfunctions and causes it to quiver uselessly instead of pumping blood. Under such conditions, every second that ticks by represents a rapid decline in oxygen delivery to vital organs, making public intervention not just a luxury, but an absolute biological necessity to prevent irreversible brain damage or mortality.

In emergency medicine, the first five minutes following a cardiac arrest are globally recognized as the golden window for survival. If an individual suffering from a shockable cardiac event receives an electrical charge to reset their heart rhythm within this narrow timeframe, their probability of survival shoots up to a remarkable fifty percent. However, even with the most advanced dispatch systems, municipal emergency services and ambulances often struggle to weave through dense urban traffic and arrive at the patient’s side within those exact five minutes. By distributing automated defibrillators across the urban landscape, Mersin is effectively decentralizing immediate emergency care, empowering ordinary citizens to act as the first line of medical defense while the ambulance is still en route.

Inline news image for Mersin Deploys Life-Saving Public Defibrillators Across Key Transit Squares in Major Health Initiative — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Ela De Pure.

Strategic Deployment Across Mersin’s Four Major Districts

To maximize the practical efficacy of the program, local authorities conducted spatial traffic analyses and selected four distinct locations characterized by exceptionally high pedestrian congestion across the city’s key districts. In the historic Akdeniz district, an area defined by its vibrant commercial trading zones, the first device was installed directly at Ulu Cami Meydanı. As a central landmark and a focal point for thousands of shoppers, daily commuters, and local merchants, the bustling square of Ulu Cami represents an ideal venue where public-access defibrillators can offer immediate security to a diverse and dense crowd of citizens daily.

Moving northward into the expansive district of Toroslar, organizers selected Kuvayi Milliye Caddesi as the next strategic hub for an OED installation. Known as one of the busiest and longest commercial arteries in the city, Kuvayi Milliye Caddesi hosts a high volume of vehicular and foot traffic, with numerous storefronts, cafes, and business centers lining its corridors. Placing a highly visible, weatherproof defibrillator station along this active boulevard ensures that thousands of residents who traverse this district for work, shopping, or school have a highly reliable safety net within arm’s reach should a sudden health crisis unfold.

In the modern, highly residential and cultural district of Yenişehir, the initiative brought a defibrillator unit to the popular Özgecan Aslan Barış Meydanı. This public square is famously frequented by youth, families, and senior citizens who gather for recreational activities, seaside walks, and outdoor community events. Finally, further west in the coastal district of Mezitli, a fourth device was securely mounted at the prominent intersection of Gazi Mustafa Kemal (GMK) Bulvarı and Limon Caddesi. This intersection serves as a key transit junction connecting residential zones with coastal commercial strips, experiencing high foot traffic throughout the day and into the late evening hours.

The coordinate framework for these installations required months of preparation and collaboration. The physical integration of the devices involved structural assessments by the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality to determine highly visible, easily accessible, and secure mounting stations that can withstand coastal humidity and seasonal temperature changes. Meanwhile, the Mersin Provincial Health Directorate supervised the logistical alignment, ensuring that each of these four stations is properly mapped and ready to operate within the state’s broader emergency response network, thereby creating a unified shield of health security across the key urban zones.

Harnessing Advanced Local Technology to Bridge the Five-Minute Window

At the heart of Mersin’s new healthcare network is the ASELSAN Heartline, an advanced Automatic External Defibrillator developed entirely by Turkish engineers. Traditionally recognized for its heavy contributions to national defense systems, ASELSAN has actively shifted significant engineering resources toward medical technologies in recent years. This strategic pivot has resulted in high-end medical equipment like the Heartline OED, designed specifically to operate under demanding environmental conditions while maintaining an exceptionally high standard of clinical precision. This transition of military-grade engineering into civil healthcare allows Turkish municipalities to implement reliable public health programs using sovereign domestic technology.

One of the most remarkable features of the ASELSAN Heartline OED is its absolute accessibility to the untrained layperson. The device is designed to eliminate the barrier of panic during a high-stress medical emergency. Upon being opened, the device immediately initiates clear, step-by-step vocal and visual instructions in the local language, guiding the bystander on where to place the self-adhesive pads and when to stand back. Crucially, the system features a built-in automated electrocardiogram (ECG) analyzer that independently determines whether the patient’s heart rhythm is actually shockable. It will not allow a shock to be administered under any circumstances if the patient is not in a specific shockable rhythm, completely removing the risk of accidental harm.

Beyond the immediate hardware, the Heartline system utilizes highly sophisticated cellular and GPS tracking mechanisms. Operating under the “i-SEE” remote monitoring software system developed by ASELSAN, every single public defibrillator in Mersin is actively tracked twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. This remote software continuously transmits diagnostic data regarding the device’s battery levels, electrode pad expiration dates, internal temperature, and physical integrity to both the Ministry of Health and local medical engineers. If a unit experiences a technical issue or is removed from its station, maintenance teams are automatically alerted, ensuring that the devices are always fully operational and never fail during a critical moment.

Furthermore, the advanced connectivity of these devices extends directly to the telemetry systems of the nearby receiving hospitals. When a bystander applies the OED to a cardiac arrest patient, the device can transmit the patient’s live ECG data wirelessly to the incoming emergency teams. This allows emergency physicians and cardiologists at the hospital to view the patient’s heart activity in real time before they even arrive in the emergency department. By providing this crucial head start, the medical facility can prepare the necessary surgical or catheterization labs in advance, creating a seamless, uninterrupted continuum of care from the public square to the operating table.

Seamless Integration with Emergency Services and Future Expansions

An integral component of the deployment’s success is its synchronization with the national 112 Emergency Call Center. When a citizen in Mersin witnesses a sudden collapse and dials 112, the emergency operators are immediately prompted by their computer systems with the exact GPS coordinates of the nearest active OED station. The operator can then guide the caller or another bystander to run and retrieve the device, while keeping the primary caller on the line to walk them through the chest compression and defibrillator setup steps. This cooperative workflow ensures that even individuals with absolutely zero prior knowledge of first aid can successfully operate the technology and potentially save a life under professional guidance.

Mersin Provincial Health Director Uzm. Dr. Mustafa Ekici emphasized the transformative impact of this program on local mortality rates. He noted that cardiac deaths make up the majority of out-of-hospital emergencies, and having a decentralized, public-facing network of defibrillators is the single most effective way to ensure patients are eventually discharged from the hospital in good health. While the current launch places four devices in critical high-traffic areas, Dr. Ekici confirmed that local authorities have no intention of stopping there. Under national health regulations, these life-saving units are set to expand aggressively throughout Mersin, eventually becoming a standard fixture in sports complexes, intercity bus terminals, public buses, large gated residential developments, and central community centers.

As Mersin takes this crucial step, it joins a growing league of global smart cities that prioritize public-access defibrillation as a fundamental human right and a pillar of urban design. By integrating advanced national technology with local administrative coordination, the city is fostering a culture of active civic responsibility and mutual care. This initiative not only protects individual lives during their most vulnerable moments but also instills a profound sense of safety and community resilience among the residents of Mersin.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Yeni Birlik.

Original headline: Mersin'de kamuya açık alanlara hayat kurtaran OED cihazları yerleştirildi

Original publication date: 2026-07-16

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by kundennote_com.

July 17 2026

Mersin Breaks Ground on Massive Müftü River Life Valley Project

AI News ScoutNews Community Space, Environmental Project, Mersin, Müftü Deresi, Municipal Infrastructure, News, Urban Greening, Vahap Seçer, Yaşam Vadisi 0

On July 16, 2026, the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality (Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi) officially broke ground on the first phase of the highly anticipated Müftü River Life Valley Project (Müftü Deresi Yaşam Vadisi Projesi). This massive undertaking is poised to become one of the largest and most transformative urban greening initiatives in the history of the city, introducing a sprawling environmental corridor designed to bring nature directly into the urban center. Under the coordination of the Department of Science Affairs (Fen İşleri Dairesi Başkanlığı), work crews and heavy machinery have mobilized to begin earth-moving and grading operations. For the residents of Mersin, this groundbreaking represents the realization of a key municipal commitment to establish accessible, high-quality public spaces where families can recreate, exercise, and connect with nature in a safe environment.

The comprehensive scope of the entire Müftü River Life Valley Project is immense, spanning a total area of 1,539,000 square meters (equivalent to roughly 1,500 dönüm) along the river’s path. To ensure efficient execution and management of resources, the municipality has divided the development into three distinct operational phases. The newly initiated first phase covers an extensive 190,000 square meters of this overall plan, stretching over a 2.2-kilometer geographic corridor. This initial phase starts at the busy Gazi Mustafa Kemal (GMK) Boulevard in the south and progresses northward along the riverbanks, culminating approximately 400 meters north of Hüseyin Okan Merzeci Boulevard. This critical stretch of the river runs through some of the city’s most densely populated residential areas, making its revitalization highly impactful for local communities.

A Historical Vision: From the 1938 Jansen Plan to Modern Realization

To fully appreciate the significance of this groundbreaking, it is necessary to look back at the long and complex history of urban planning in Mersin. The transformation of the Müftü River—historically also known as the Efrenk River—into a structured green corridor has been a dream for the city for nearly nine decades. The original concept was first proposed in 1938 as a core component of the “Jansen Plan”. This master plan was developed by the renowned German architect and city planner Hermann Jansen, who was invited to Mersin by the municipal leadership of that era to draft the city’s first modern urban development plan. Jansen, a champion of the “Garden City” movement, envisioned a cohesive green axis along the river to serve as the ecological lungs of the expanding port city. However, over the subsequent decades, the ambitious vision remained largely on paper, sidelined by shifting local administrative priorities, rapid unplanned urbanization, and a lack of funding.

Inline news image for Mersin Breaks Ground on Massive Mu00fcftu00fc River Life Valley Project — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by nicola dowie.

Over the years, the failure to realize the Jansen Plan’s vision for the river became a symbol of missed opportunities, with local municipal administrations often criticized for letting the riverbanks fall into neglect. In recent years, the project also became a casualty of intense political disputes, most notably stalling due to political disagreements between Mersin Metropolitan Mayor Vahap Seçer and the former Akdeniz District Mayor, M. Mustafa Gültak. This political gridlock frustrated local residents and civic organizations. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and neighborhood groups periodically mobilized to campaign for the project’s revival, frequently describing the revitalization of the Müftü River as a dream initiative that would “make Mersin a Venice” due to its potential to introduce scenic, water-centric public spaces into the heart of the central city.

The transition from a decades-old plan to active construction required a massive bureaucratic and legal effort. Mayor Vahap Seçer made the realization of the Life Valley a signature promise during his municipal election campaigns, pledging to resolve the long-standing zoning disputes and complete the necessary planning frameworks. In March 2026, Mayor Seçer, along with municipal bureaucrats, conducted an extensive on-site inspection of the first phase’s planned route. During this visit, he announced that the protracted land registry and zoning adjustment works had finally been completed, resolving the issues that had previously delayed progress. At the time, Mayor Seçer targeted June 2026 for the start of physical work. Although minor technical adjustments pushed the start date by a few weeks, the official deployment of excavation teams on July 16, 2026, marked the definitive end of the project’s long-standing gridlock.

Sports, Recreation, and Overcoming Geographic Divides

Within the 190,000-square-meter first phase, the municipality is constructing a highly modern sports and recreational infrastructure designed to promote healthy, active lifestyles. Dedicated, continuous pathways will run along the water’s edge, including a 2,175-meter-long bicycle path and a 645-meter-long running track, both built to international safety standards. For the younger residents of Mersin, the project includes three modern children’s play areas, which cover a combined surface area of 2,070 square meters. Furthermore, to provide comprehensive athletic opportunities for adolescents and adults, the phase will integrate two fully equipped outdoor sports areas (spor alanları). These features aim to establish a free, accessible health corridor in the heart of the city, encouraging residents of all ages to engage in outdoor physical activity.

A major objective of the first phase is to improve connectivity and bridge the physical divide created by the river. Historically, the Müftü River has acted as a geographic barrier between the central districts of Yenişehir, Toroslar, and Akdeniz. To overcome this division, the construction plan features a substantial upgrade to the local river crossing infrastructure. Municipal teams will demolish and replace two outdated pedestrian bridges that have reached the end of their operational lifespans and no longer meet modern safety codes. In their place, two new, architecturally modern pedestrian bridges will be constructed to provide safe, aesthetic passage for walkers and cyclists. Additionally, a major new vehicle bridge is being built to facilitate seamless traffic flow, better integrating the residential communities on the eastern and western banks.

Eco-Friendly Irrigation and Smart Water Infrastructure

A defining characteristic of the Müftü River Life Valley Project is its deep commitment to ecological sustainability and advanced environmental engineering. Rather than implementing a traditional concrete park layout, the municipality’s planning teams have integrated a sophisticated, eco-friendly water management system. During the wet seasons when the Müftü River carries abundant water, the municipal systems will capture and redirect surplus flow into a specialized 470-cubic-meter underground storage reservoir. This captured rainwater and runoff will be carefully preserved and utilized during the hot, dry summer months to irrigate the vast expanses of lawns, trees, and shrubs throughout the valley, ensuring a circular and self-sustaining water resource cycle.

This proactive water management strategy is of paramount importance given the increasing challenges posed by climate change along Turkiye (Turkey)’s Mediterranean coastline. Mersin frequently experiences intense heat waves and prolonged periods of drought during the summer, placing severe strain on local water resources. By employing smart, automated irrigation networks connected to the storage reservoir, the municipality can maintain the health and vitality of the park’s lush vegetation without placing any additional demands on the city’s drinking water infrastructure. This represents a highly forward-thinking adaptation measure, demonstrating how municipal public works can incorporate climate-resilient practices to protect local ecosystems while providing high-quality public amenities.

The landscaping plan for the first phase of the Life Valley is set to establish approximately 50,000 square meters of new active green space. Horticultural experts from the municipality have curated a diverse palette of native Mediterranean plant species, including drought-tolerant trees, shrubs, and perennial flowers. These local varieties are naturally adapted to the soil conditions and temperature extremes of Mersin, ensuring high survival rates and reducing long-term maintenance costs. The creation of this extensive green canopy will play a vital role in combating the urban heat island effect, filtering particulate air pollution, and providing a cooling, shade-filled oasis that improves the general microclimate of the central city.

A Blueprint for a Greener, More Resilient Mersin

The design of the valley also places a strong emphasis on mental well-being, quiet relaxation, and social cohesion. To offer visitors spaces for contemplation and appreciation of the natural environment, planners have integrated a total of 21 observation terraces (seyir terasları) at strategic elevated vantage points along the river corridor. These scenic decks, along with spacious public plazas and comfortable seating nodes, are designed to serve as welcoming outdoor living rooms. Serdar Gökpınar, the Head of the Department of Science Affairs, highlighted that the final blueprint is the result of years of meticulous engineering, environmental impact assessments, and public consultations. Through the municipality’s “Kent Katılımı Buluşmaları” (City Participation Meetings), local non-governmental organizations, professional chambers of engineers and architects, neighborhood representatives, and academic experts were invited to share their feedback and proposals. This collaborative planning process ensured that the project addresses real, localized community needs and respects the historical and ecological identity of the river.

The commencement of the Müftü River Life Valley Project is not an isolated event; rather, it is a flagship initiative within a much larger, coordinated urban development strategy. Under the leadership of Metropolitan Mayor Vahap Seçer, who also holds the national position of President of the Union of Municipalities of Turkiye (Turkey) (TBB), the municipality has launched its “Mega Summer” (Mega Yaz) campaign for 2026. This comprehensive investment program is rolling out 15 major strategic projects across all 13 districts of Mersin, addressing urgent needs in public transportation, municipal infrastructure, cultural facilities, and social housing. The Life Valley project stands as the crown jewel of this ecological and civic transformation.

The Müftü River project is also closely aligned with several other landmark promises that Mayor Seçer has made for the central districts, particularly Toroslar. In late 2025, during visits to district administrative offices, Mayor Seçer highlighted three major “mega” projects designed to elevate the region’s quality of life: the Müftü River Life Valley, a massive Social Housing Project (Sosyal Konut Projesi) scheduled to begin in 2026, and a major rail transit system (Raylı Sistem/Tramvay) linking local hospitals. Furthermore, the Life Valley will eventually connect with the planned “Plaj Mersin” (Mersin Beach) initiative, which aims to establish an 8-kilometer sandy beachfront and public recreation corridor between the mouths of the Müftü and Mezitli rivers. Once completed, this network will allow a resident to walk or cycle seamlessly from the northern reaches of Toroslar along the scenic banks of the Müftü River directly to a fully equipped public beach on the Mediterranean coast.

As earthmoving equipment continues to reshape the banks of the Müftü River, the citizens of Mersin are watching the physical transformation of their city unfold in real-time. The transition from an underutilized, neglected water channel into a vibrant, ecologically advanced “Life Valley” represents a major milestone in Mersin’s journey toward becoming a resilient, green city of the future. By prioritizing public health, climate adaptation, and inclusive public spaces, the project sets a high standard for municipal planning across Turkiye (Turkey). For local families, the coming months will bring the opening of a spectacular natural sanctuary right in the heart of their bustling metropolis, leaving a lasting green legacy for generations to come.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Habertürk.

Original headline: Mersin'de Müftü Deresi Yaşam Vadisi Projesi başladı

Original publication date: 2026-07-16

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by 4771146.

July 17 2026

Mersin Adds Four Public Defibrillators in Busy City Locations for Faster Cardiac-Arrest Response

AI News ScoutNews Akdeniz, defibrillator, emergency care, Mersin, Mezitli, News, OED, public health 0

Mersin has placed four public Otomatik Eksternal Defibrilatör devices, known in Türkiye as OED devices, in busy city locations as part of an emergency-health effort aimed at improving the first minutes of response when a person suffers sudden cardiac arrest outside a hospital. Haberler.com, carrying an Anadolu Ajansı report by Serkan Avci on July 16, 2026, said the devices were installed by the Mersin İl Sağlık Müdürlüğü in places with heavy public circulation. The core idea is straightforward: put a defibrillation tool closer to the point where a collapse may happen, rather than waiting for all emergency action to begin only after an ambulance arrives.

The deployment is limited in number for now, but it is significant because the devices have been placed in ordinary civic spaces rather than clinical settings. Mersin İl Sağlık Müdürü Mustafa Ekici described the equipment as a practical tool for sudden cardiac-arrest cases, when a patient may need rapid action before professional teams reach the scene. Additional reporting on the same July 16 event, including İhlas Haber Ajansı material carried by Mersin Radikal and related coverage by Yeni Birlik and Aksiyon, identifies the same four-point rollout and adds that the devices were put into service for out-of-hospital cardiac-arrest response in public areas.

Four Public Points Named Across Central Mersin

The four named locations are Akdeniz ilçesi Ulu Cami Meydanı, Toroslar ilçesi Kuvay-ı Milliye Caddesi, Yenişehir ilçesi Özgecan Aslan Barış Meydanı, and the Mezitli point at the intersection of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvarı and Limon Caddesi. Some secondary reports use the shorter GMK Bulvarı wording for Gazi Mustafa Kemal Bulvarı, but the location match is the same Mezitli intersection. Together, the sites put the first stage of the program in four central districts where foot traffic, commuting, shopping, worship, meetings, and everyday movement can bring many people through the same public space during the day.

Inline news image for Mersin Adds Four Public Defibrillators in Busy City Locations for Faster Cardiac-Arrest Response — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Pixabay by wal_172619.

Naming the exact locations matters because public defibrillators are most useful when people know they exist before an emergency occurs. A resident who often passes Ulu Cami Meydanı, a shopkeeper near Kuvay-ı Milliye Caddesi, a commuter moving through the GMK Bulvarı and Limon Caddesi area, or someone who meets friends at Özgecan Aslan Barış Meydanı can now connect that familiar place with a possible emergency resource. The public value of the installation is not only the equipment itself, but also the memory that a device is nearby and that 112 should be called immediately if a person appears to have suffered cardiac arrest.

How the Devices Fit Into the 112 Emergency Chain

The primary report says the OED devices were produced through cooperation between the Sağlık Bakanlığı and ASELSAN with domestic engineering capacity. İHA-based reporting on the same Mersin rollout adds operational detail, saying the devices were placed under the coordination of the Sağlık Bakanlığı Acil Sağlık Hizmetleri Genel Müdürlüğü, were donated by ASELSAN, and were put into service through cooperation involving the Mersin İl Sağlık Müdürlüğü and Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi. Those details do not change the central fact of the primary story; they describe the administrative and local cooperation behind the four installations.

The devices are intended for use during the critical interval before emergency medical teams arrive. According to the primary report, the equipment gives voice commands to guide the user. İHA-based accounts describe both voice and visual guidance and say the device can be used safely by people who are not health personnel. Ekici also emphasized the ease of use, saying even children could follow the device instructions. That point is important for a public-access model: the equipment is not being presented as something reserved only for specialists, but as a guided tool that a bystander may be able to use while waiting for trained responders.

The 112 emergency-call system is central to how the devices are supposed to work. Ekici told AA that when someone calls 112 and says a patient’s heart has stopped, call-center personnel can tell the caller where the device is and explain by phone how to use it. This makes the public defibrillator only one part of the response chain. The intended sequence is to recognize a serious emergency, call 112, follow dispatcher instructions, locate the nearest device if directed, and use the OED according to the device and dispatcher guidance until emergency medical crews arrive.

Why the First Five Minutes Are Emphasized

Ekici framed the rollout around the risk of cardiac death and the importance of early shock in appropriate cases. In the AA report carried by Haberler.com and Başak Gazetesi, he said cardiac deaths account for about 60 percent of deaths worldwide and that half of those cardiac deaths are in what he described as the shockable-rhythm group. He said survival in that group is 50 percent when shock is applied within the first five minutes. İHA-based reporting carried the same basic message, describing the first five minutes as critical and the OED devices as a way to improve early intervention in public places.

Those figures were offered by the provincial health director as the rationale for placing devices in crowded areas. The key point is not that every collapse will be treatable by a shock, or that a bystander should make a complex medical diagnosis alone. The point is that some sudden cardiac-arrest cases involve a rhythm in which defibrillation can be lifesaving, and delay can be dangerous. By moving guided devices into public spaces and linking their use with 112 telephone instructions, the program aims to reduce the time between collapse, emergency recognition, and the first possible defibrillation attempt.

The public-use design also addresses a common hesitation in emergencies: people may want to help but be afraid of using unfamiliar medical equipment. The reports repeatedly stress that the OED gives instructions and that 112 personnel can provide real-time guidance. In practice, that means the most useful action for a witness remains simple and immediate. Call 112, report what has happened as clearly as possible, follow the call-center instructions, and use the nearest OED only as directed by the device and the emergency guidance.

Expansion Expected Beyond the First Four Devices

Ekici said the four devices allocated to Mersin will not be the final number and that the system will become more widespread in the province. İHA-based accounts add that he connected wider OED use with regulated or expected placement in places such as sports halls, bus terminals, crowded squares, large residential complexes, buses, mosques, and other crowded areas. The present story, however, is specifically about the first four Mersin public locations announced on July 16, 2026. It does not provide a detailed expansion timetable, a future district-by-district list, a maintenance schedule, or cabinet-access procedures for each installed device.

For now, the immediate public-health message is local and practical. Four OED devices have been placed in Mersin’s Akdeniz, Toroslar, Yenişehir, and Mezitli districts; they are intended for sudden cardiac-arrest response before ambulance teams arrive; and 112 call-center staff can guide callers to the device and explain how it should be used. Residents who regularly pass the four locations can take a moment to notice where the devices are mounted, because awareness before an emergency may reduce confusion when seconds matter.

The Mersin rollout is therefore both a hardware installation and a public-awareness prompt. The devices bring a lifesaving tool into everyday spaces, but their effectiveness depends on recognition, fast calling, dispatcher coordination, and the willingness of nearby people to follow instructions. The available reporting does not prove how often the devices will be used or how quickly the network will expand, but it does establish a concrete first step: four public OED devices are now in named Mersin locations, and provincial health officials say the model is meant to spread beyond this initial stage.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Haberler.com.

Original headline: Ani kalp durmalarına karşı üretilen cihaz Mersin'de meydanlara yerleştirildi

Original author: AA / Serkan Avci

Original publication date: 2026-07-16

Additional sources and references:

Mersin’in 4 noktasına hayat kurtaran OED cihazı yerleştirildi — Mersin Radikal
Mersin'de kamuya açık alanlara hayat kurtaran OED cihazları yerleştirildi — Yeni Birlik
Ani kalp durmalarına karşı üretilen cihaz Mersin'de meydanlara yerleştirildi — Başak Gazetesi

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by Tho-Ge.

July 17 2026

Rain and Snow Set Up a Promising Honey Harvest in Mersin’s Eğriçayır Yaylası

AI News ScoutNews beekeeping, Eğriçayır Yaylası, Erdemli, honey harvest, local agriculture, Mersin, News, rural economy, Toroslar 0

A wet winter and spring have turned the opening of the honey harvest in Mersin’s Eğriçayır Yaylası into a hopeful moment for local beekeepers. Habertürk Yerel Haberler, carrying material from İhlas Haber Ajansı, reported on July 17, 2026, that producers in the high Toroslar had begun the first honey extractions after moving their hives up from lower elevations roughly a month earlier. The early signs, according to the beekeepers interviewed, are unusually strong: frames are full, bees have built extra comb in places where producers did not expect it, and the flowers that feed the bees have recovered after rain and snow.

The story is centered on Eğriçayır Yaylası, one of the high-altitude beekeeping areas associated with Mersin’s mountain honey identity. The primary report describes the plateau as being above 2,000 meters, while a late-June İhlas Haber Ajansı item carried by Saray Medya placed the seasonal production area at about 2,400 meters. The slight difference in elevation wording does not change the core point: the beekeeping described in both reports is taking place in the same high Toroslar environment, where summer temperatures are cooler and flowering plants can support nectar flow after hives are moved away from the coast.

A Seasonal Journey from Coast to Highland

Mersin’s beekeeping cycle depends on movement. Habertürk’s report says the province has more than 4,000 beekeepers and notes that many of them spend the winter months at sea level before moving into the Toroslar in summer. That pattern allows colonies to follow the changing season: earlier activity in lower areas, then a move toward higher pastures where flowers bloom later and where the air is cooler. In Eğriçayır, this year’s summer phase has opened with a level of abundance producers had not seen in the drier seasons that preceded it.

Inline news image for Rain and Snow Set Up a Promising Honey Harvest in Mersinu2019s Eu011friu00e7ayu0131r Yaylasu0131 — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Poonam.

The June 22 Saray Medya report, also attributed to İhlas Haber Ajansı, helps show how the same season was developing before the July harvest began. It reported that the honey production period had started in Eğriçayır Yaylası after a rainy winter, with beekeepers moving hives to the plateau and expecting a productive season. Celal Çay, the beekeeper also named in the July harvest report, was described there as saying the colonies were strong enough to collect nectar and that nature looked abundant for the year. By mid-July, the primary report shows those expectations turning into the first extractions.

The reason producers are more optimistic is not presented as a mystery. The primary report links the strong start directly to snow and rain during winter and spring. Çay said snowmelt and rainfall had watered the flowers of Eğriçayır Yaylası, giving bees the nectar base they needed. In the same account, he contrasted this year with recent dry years, when weaker rainfall reduced harvest expectations and discouraged producers. This season, the report says, water has returned to springs and places where sources had dried or become inactive, and that change is visible inside the hives.

Full Frames After Dry Years

The most striking sign of the season is the condition of the hives. According to Habertürk’s İhlas Haber Ajansı report, Çay said the bees had gone beyond simply filling the frames: they had built comb in the upper spaces under the cover cloth and filled that comb with honey as well. For beekeepers, that kind of extra comb is more than a visual detail. It indicates that the colony had enough nectar coming in, enough strength to build wax, and enough favorable timing to store honey beyond the standard frame space.

Harvest work described in the primary report followed the practical rhythm of beekeeping. Frames were removed from the hives and carried to a tent for extraction. Before the honey could be spun out, the capped wax on the combs was opened with a honeycomb fork. Those steps are routine, but in this case the report uses them to show the material reality behind the optimism: heavy frames, capped cells and natural comb that producers could see and handle as the first sağımlar began.

Ecem Durmaz, another beekeeper interviewed in the primary report, also pointed to the bees’ natural comb-building as a sign of a strong season. She said rain had helped the flowers and plants, strengthening the flora of the plateau. Durmaz described the honey as fragrant and flavorful, and said the season’s quality looked almost unavoidable because each hive was abundant and overflowing with honey. Her comments align with the broader explanation repeated in both the June and July coverage: when the highland flowers recover, the bees respond quickly.

Why Eğriçayır Honey Draws Wider Attention

Eğriçayır honey is not only a local harvest story. The primary report notes that honey from the area has previously received recognition in a competition of the World Beekeeping Organization and that it has a scientifically supported high TA, or Total Activity, value. Additional sources help fill in some of those details. Apitherapy Turkiye (Turkey) reported that Eğriçayır and Celal Çay represented Turkiye (Turkey) at the 46th Apimondia International Apicultural Congress in Montréal, Canada, held from September 8 to 12, 2019, and won first prize in the category for three jars of clear, light-coloured run honey with a polyfloral liquid honey product.

The scientific context comes from a Journal of Apicultural Science article published in December 2024. The study, by Habip Tokbaş and Mahir Turhan of Mersin University’s Department of Food Engineering, examined honey from the Egricayir Plateau through Total Activity testing. Thirty honey samples were collected twice from the plateau, in early July and late August 2023, and all samples had TA values above 10. The study reported that 72 percent of the samples were in the therapeutically high category, with an average TA of 21. These findings do not measure the 2026 harvest, but they support the primary report’s narrower statement that honey from the plateau has scientific backing for high TA values.

The same study described the plateau’s honey as polyfloral and tied its character to the foraging landscape around Eğriçayır. It listed nectar sources including thyme, keven, cornflower, wild clover, thistle, heather, phacelia and chaste berry, along with other plants. That matters for understanding the July 2026 report: when beekeepers say the flora strengthened after rain and snow, they are describing the living foundation of a honey whose identity depends on a mix of highland plants rather than a single crop.

A Rural Economy Tied to Weather and Water

The local importance of the harvest comes from the way beekeeping connects family labor, seasonal movement, mountain ecology and market reputation. Habertürk’s primary report does not give a current production volume, a sales price, the number of hives harvested in the first round or any export plan for the 2026 season. That absence is important. The available evidence supports a story about a strong opening, not a final accounting of the season’s tonnage or revenue.

Even without those figures, the early harvest is meaningful for producers who have lived through dry years. Çay’s comments in the primary report frame the season as a recovery of confidence: rainfall revived flowers, springs began flowing again and colonies responded by filling their combs. In beekeeping, weather does not act in the background; it shapes the pasture, the timing of nectar flow, the strength of colonies and the amount of honey that can be taken without weakening the bees.

The late-June and mid-July reports together show a clear sequence. First, beekeepers moved hives into Eğriçayır Yaylası and began the production period with strong colonies after a rainy winter. Then, about a month after the move, the first extractions began and producers reported unusually full frames. That progression makes the July harvest report more than a single optimistic scene. It is the visible result of a seasonal system that depends on moving at the right time and finding enough flowers at the right elevation.

For Mersin, the first frames coming out of Eğriçayır Yaylası are therefore both an agricultural signal and a local livelihood story. The season is still unfolding, and no verified total harvest figure has been provided. But the facts now available point in the same direction: after rain and snow revived the highland flora, bees in Eğriçayır began filling their hives with a force that surprised and encouraged producers. In a region where honey depends on water, flowers and altitude, the 2026 season has opened with relief, pride and cautious optimism.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Habertürk Yerel Haberler / İhlas Haber Ajansı.

Original headline: Toroslarda bereketli hasat: Eğriçayır Yaylası'nda petekler balla dolup taştı Arıcı Celal Çay: "Arılar çıtaları balla doldurmayı bırakın, örtü bezinin altındaki yerlere petek yapıp oraları da balla doldurdu, bu sene için çok verimli" Arıcı Ecem Durmaz: "Yağışlar çiçeklerimize, bitkilerimize yaradı, floramız inanılmaz güçlendi, kuvvetlendi" "Bu sezonun güzel olması bizim için kaçınılmaz, her kovanımız birbirinden bereketli, balla dolup taşıyor"

Original publication date: 2026-07-17

Additional sources and references:

Toroslarda bahar coşkusu: Arılar mesaiye başladı — Saray Medya / İhlas Haber Ajansı
Preliminary Study On Potential Antimicrobial Activity Of Honey From Egricayir Plateau, Turkiye (Turkey) — Journal of Apicultural Science / Reference Global
APIMONDIA 2019 – 46th Apimondia – World Beekeeping Awards, Montréal, Canada -Eğriçayır -1 — Apitherapy Turkiye (Turkey)

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by Nennieinszweidrei.

July 17 2026

Citizen Complaint Leads to 135 Expired Food Items Seized from Chain Market in Mersin’s Akdeniz District

AI News ScoutNews Akdeniz, consumer protection, Food Safety, Market Inspection, Mersin, Municipal Inspection, News, public health, Turgutreis Mahallesi 0

A citizen complaint in Mersin’s Akdeniz district led municipal inspection teams to a chain market branch where 135 food products with expired consumption dates were found on the shelves, according to Habertürk Yerel Haberler, which published the İhlas Haber Ajansı report on July 16, 2026. The inspection took place at a branch operating on Silifke Caddesi in Turgutreis Mahallesi. Akdeniz Belediyesi Zabıta Müdürlüğü teams carried out the check as part of work described in the reports as protecting public health.

The same incident was also reported by Anadolu Ajansı through Habertürk Yerel Haberler, by Demirören Haber Ajansı, and by Mersin Gazetesi, all of which identified the same district, neighborhood, street, municipal unit, complaint trigger, product count, and penalty amount. Those matching details make the additional reports a strong identity match to the primary Habertürk Yerel Haberler item. None of the reviewed reports named the chain market, identified the specific product categories, or said that any customer became ill.

Complaint Triggered an Inspection on Silifke Caddesi

The enforcement action began after a citizen complaint. According to the primary report, Akdeniz Belediyesi Zabıta Müdürlüğü teams inspected a chain market branch on Silifke Caddesi in Turgutreis Mahallesi after the complaint was evaluated. Anadolu Ajansı’s account, also carried by Habertürk Yerel Haberler, said the municipal police teams went to the branch after a citizen’s complaint and examined the aisles. DHA similarly described the inspection as a sudden check carried out after a complaint directed at the branch.

Inline news image for Citizen Complaint Leads to 135 Expired Food Items Seized from Chain Market in Mersinu2019s Akdeniz District — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Dulana Kodithuwakku.

That sequence is important because it shows the case was not presented only as a routine market visit. The reports describe a direct line from a shopper’s concern to an inspection by municipal teams. They do not provide the complaint text or explain what the shopper first noticed, so those details cannot be added. What is clear from the accepted sources is that the complaint led inspectors to the specific branch in Turgutreis Mahallesi, where they checked products on the shelves.

During the inspection, teams found 135 food products whose consumption or use-by dates had passed. The primary Habertürk report described them as food products with expired final consumption dates. Anadolu Ajansı’s version said teams examining the aisles detected 135 food products past their use-by dates. DHA and Mersin Gazetesi both reported that 135 items marked with expired STT, the Turkish abbreviation for son tüketim tarihi, were identified during shelf checks.

Expired Food Items Removed from Sale

After the products were identified, the municipal teams removed them from the shelves. The primary report said the items were collected by the teams, documented in an official record, and placed under custody. DHA and Mersin Gazetesi used similar descriptions, reporting that the products were taken off the shelves and seized or placed under custody by report. Anadolu Ajansı’s shorter account said the collected products were placed under custody to be destroyed.

The reports are consistent that the expired products were not left for the business to handle informally. The primary source said the seized products were taken to the municipal police center for destruction and loaded onto destruction vehicles. DHA and Mersin Gazetesi also reported that the food items were brought to the zabıta center and loaded onto destruction vehicles for safe disposal. Anadolu Ajansı confirmed the products were kept for destruction, though it did not include the same detail about vehicles.

The chain market branch also received an administrative fine. The primary report said the business was fined 3,705 Turkish lira under the relevant provisions of Law No. 5326 on Misdemeanors. Anadolu Ajansı, DHA, and Mersin Gazetesi all reported the same 3,705 lira amount and the same legal basis. The reports do not state whether the business made any comment, whether a follow-up inspection was scheduled for the same branch, or whether any separate food-safety authority opened an additional proceeding.

What the Reports Confirm — and What They Do Not

The confirmed facts are narrow but significant: the inspection took place in Mersin’s Akdeniz district, at a chain market branch on Silifke Caddesi in Turgutreis Mahallesi; it followed a citizen complaint; Akdeniz Belediyesi Zabıta Müdürlüğü teams conducted the check; 135 expired food products were found; the products were removed, documented, and taken into custody for destruction; and the business was fined 3,705 Turkish lira. Those points are supported across the primary Habertürk Yerel Haberler report and multiple additional reports about the same incident.

Equally important are the limits of the available reporting. None of the accepted sources identified the chain market by name. None listed the food categories, brands, package sizes, or expiration dates of the seized items. None reported that the products had already been purchased or consumed. None mentioned injuries, illnesses, hospital visits, recalls, or a broader inspection of other branches connected to the same chain. Because those details were not available in the reviewed sources, they should not be assumed.

The local nature of the case also matters. The branch was not described only as being somewhere in Mersin; the reports located it in Turgutreis Mahallesi on Silifke Caddesi, within Akdeniz district. That specificity gives residents a clearer understanding of where the enforcement action occurred, while the decision not to name the chain market leaves the public record limited. For readers, the safest interpretation is to treat the story as a confirmed municipal enforcement action at an unnamed branch, not as a finding about all stores in any chain.

Municipality Warns Shoppers to Check Dates and Packaging

Akdeniz Belediyesi also used the incident to warn shoppers. According to the primary report, the municipality advised residents to check product consumption dates and packaging integrity while shopping. DHA and Mersin Gazetesi reported the same warning, saying citizens should pay attention to both the final consumption date and the condition of packaging. The message is practical: before buying packaged foods, shoppers should examine the date and look for packaging that appears damaged, opened, leaking, swollen, or otherwise compromised.

The accepted sources do not provide a broader consumer guide, but the municipality’s advice identifies the two visible checks most relevant to this incident: date labels and package condition. A product sitting on a shelf can look ordinary at first glance, especially in a familiar chain market. The Akdeniz case shows why checking the printed date matters before purchase. It also shows why a damaged package should not be ignored, even when the product is displayed in a regular retail setting.

The reports also say Akdeniz Belediyesi pledged that inspections against businesses risking public health would continue across the district. The primary Habertürk report said districtwide inspections would continue without interruption, while DHA and Mersin Gazetesi reported that the municipality said food inspections would continue firmly and increasingly across the district. The sources do not provide a calendar for those inspections or identify future targets, so the confirmed point is limited to the municipality’s stated intention to continue enforcement.

A Local Food Safety Reminder

For Akdeniz residents, the incident is a reminder that food safety enforcement can involve both official inspection teams and citizen reporting. In this case, a complaint led to a specific branch inspection, shelf checks, the discovery of 135 expired products, removal of the items from sale, and an administrative penalty. The reports do not describe a public health emergency, but they do describe a concrete consumer-protection action at a neighborhood shopping location.

The most useful takeaway for shoppers is straightforward: check the final consumption date, inspect packaging condition, and report suspicious products instead of ignoring them. The most useful takeaway for businesses is equally clear: products offered for sale must be monitored before they remain on shelves past the date printed on their labels. Based on the reports reviewed, the Akdeniz enforcement action ended with the expired products taken into custody for destruction and the market branch fined 3,705 Turkish lira, while the municipality said similar inspections would continue across the district.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from Habertürk Yerel Haberler.

Original headline: Mersin'de zincir markette 135 tarihi geçmiş ürün ele geçirildi

Original author: İhlas Haber Ajansı

Original publication date: 2026-07-16

Additional sources and references:

Mersin'de şikayet üzerine denetlenen zincir markette tarihi geçmiş 135 ürün bulundu — Habertürk Yerel Haberler / Anadolu Ajansı
Akdeniz’de bir zincir markette tüketim tarihi geçmiş ürünler ele geçirildi — Demirören Haber Ajansı
Akdeniz’de Bir Zincir Markette 135 Tarihi Geçmiş Ürün Ele Geçirildi — Mersin Gazetesi

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by NoName_13.

July 17 2026

U.S. work pathway remains open for eligible STEM graduates through OPT extension

AI News ScoutNews education, News, STEM OPT, students, USCIS, work authorization 0

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services says the 24-month STEM Optional Practical Training extension remains available to certain F-1 students who have completed qualifying science, technology, engineering or mathematics degrees and are already in a valid period of post-completion OPT. The pathway is not a separate visa category and it is not a permanent immigration status, but it can extend the time a graduate is authorized to work in the United States in a job directly related to a qualifying degree. For international students, including Turkish students comparing U.S. programs or preparing for a post-graduation job search, the key point is that eligibility depends on the degree, the school, the employer, the training plan and a timely USCIS filing, not simply on having studied in a field that sounds technical. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

How the STEM OPT extension fits into F-1 practical training

Practical training is the part of F-1 student status that allows employment connected to a student’s major area of study. Federal guidance describes three main forms: Curricular Practical Training, standard Optional Practical Training before or after completion of a program, and the STEM OPT extension. ICE’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program describes standard OPT as training, often paid, that directly relates to the student’s program of study and may occur before completion or after graduation; STEM OPT is the additional 24-month extension of post-completion OPT for qualifying students with STEM degrees. ([ice.gov](https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/SEVPPracticalTrainingOverview.pdf?utm_source=openai))

The current 24-month extension traces back to a Department of Homeland Security final rule published in the Federal Register on March 11, 2016. That rule allowed certain F-1 students with STEM degrees from U.S. institutions of higher education, after electing 12 months of OPT, to extend the OPT period by 24 months. The same rule replaced the earlier 17-month STEM OPT extension and added oversight measures, including formal training plans, wage and worker protections, accredited-school requirements and the continuing requirement that STEM OPT employers participate in E-Verify. ([thefederalregister.org](https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2016-04828/improving-and-expanding-training-opportunities-for-f-1-nonimmigrant-students-with-stem-degrees-and-cap-gap-relief-for-al))

Inline news image for U.S. work pathway remains open for eligible STEM graduates through OPT extension — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Pedro Forester Da Silva.

USCIS guidance states that an F-1 student who qualifies may receive the STEM OPT extension for a fixed and uninterrupted 24-month period. The extension starts the day after the student’s initial post-completion OPT expires, not on the date USCIS finishes adjudicating the application. That timing matters because a delayed approval does not restart the 24-month clock. Students should therefore plan around the expiration date on their current Employment Authorization Document and the deadlines attached to the DSO recommendation and Form I-765 filing. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

Degree eligibility depends on the official STEM list

USCIS says a student must have earned a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in a field whose Department of Education Classification of Instructional Programs code appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. DHS describes that list as the complete list of fields it considers STEM for the purpose of the 24-month STEM OPT extension under 8 CFR 214.2(f). The list includes four primary two-digit CIP series: Engineering; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Mathematics and Statistics; and Physical Sciences. It also includes qualifying fields from related CIP series, such as Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering Technologies, Health Professions, Social Sciences and certain Business-related programs when the specific CIP code appears on the DHS list. ([ice.gov](https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/stem-list.pdf?utm_source=openai))

Students should not rely on the marketing name of a major alone. A program labeled analytics, management, information systems, biotechnology or data science may or may not qualify depending on the CIP code assigned to the degree and reflected in the student’s SEVIS record and Form I-20. USCIS guidance also allows some students to seek a STEM OPT extension based on a previously earned STEM degree, but only if the prior degree meets specific conditions, including that it came from a U.S. institution that is accredited and SEVP-certified at the relevant time, appears on the DHS STEM list at the time of the DSO recommendation, was conferred within the preceding 10 years, and is directly related to the practical training opportunity. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

The extension is limited in other ways. USCIS states that the 24-month STEM OPT extension can be granted only once per qualifying degree and that a student who does not fully use an extension is not eligible for a later STEM extension based on the same qualifying degree. The student must already have been granted OPT and must be in a valid period of post-completion OPT when applying. The school must be accredited by a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency and certified by ICE’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program when the STEM OPT extension application is submitted. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

Employer and training-plan rules are central

STEM OPT is not simply an open work permit for any employer. USCIS lists several employer requirements, including enrollment in E-Verify, continued good standing in E-Verify, a valid Employer Identification Number, a formal training program, and an opportunity that is commensurate with similarly situated U.S. workers in duties, hours and compensation. E-Verify’s own public guidance says employers must enroll, sign the E-Verify memorandum of understanding and participate in E-Verify in order to employ F-1 students seeking a STEM OPT extension. The student must also work at least 20 hours per week for each qualifying STEM OPT employer. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

The job must be a bona fide practical training opportunity tied to the qualifying STEM degree. USCIS guidance says the student may not be in arrangements that are not genuine employer-employee relationships, such as certain multiple-employer, sole-proprietorship, temp-agency or consulting-firm labor-for-hire structures. The agency also says start-up businesses may qualify if they satisfy the regulatory requirements, including having resources to comply with the training plan, remaining in good standing with E-Verify and providing compensation commensurate with similarly situated U.S. workers. Study in the States, DHS’s student-focused resource, adds that STEM OPT students may participate in entrepreneurial ventures if they are employees, but they may not act as their own employer or sign the training plan on the employer’s behalf. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

The formal training plan is documented on Form I-983, Training Plan for STEM OPT Students. Study in the States says the student and employer must complete and sign the form before the student may apply for the STEM OPT extension. The plan must explain how the practical training directly relates to the qualifying STEM degree, identify the specific training goals, describe how those goals will be achieved, set out the performance-evaluation process, and explain the employer’s oversight and supervision. The employer must also affirm that it has sufficient resources and personnel, that the student will not replace a U.S. worker, and that the opportunity will help the student meet the training objectives. ([studyinthestates.dhs.gov](https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/form-i-983-overview?utm_source=openai))

Filing deadlines, pending applications and reporting duties

The application process moves through both the school and USCIS. The student first works with the employer to complete Form I-983 and gives it to the designated school official. After reviewing the training plan and confirming eligibility, the DSO enters the STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS and issues an updated Form I-20 reflecting the recommendation. USCIS says the student may then file Form I-765 for employment authorization up to 90 days before the current post-completion OPT EAD expires and no more than 60 days after the DSO enters the STEM OPT recommendation in SEVIS. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

A timely and properly filed application can preserve work authorization while USCIS reviews the case. USCIS guidance says students who properly file Form I-765 for the 24-month OPT extension may continue working until USCIS issues a written decision or for up to 180 days after the current post-completion OPT expires, whichever comes first. If USCIS approves the application, the student continues working under the terms and conditions of the new EAD. If the application is denied after the post-completion OPT EAD has expired, USCIS says OPT employment authorization ends on the date of the decision and F-1 status generally ends 60 days after the denial, unless the denial was based on failure to maintain F-1 status, in which case the student must depart immediately. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

Approval is not the end of compliance. STEM OPT students and employers have continuing reporting duties. DHS’s Study in the States materials say students and employers must report material changes or deviations from the Form I-983 training plan to the DSO, including changes to the employer’s EIN caused by ownership or structural changes, reductions in compensation not tied to reduced hours, significant decreases in weekly hours, or changes to the employer commitments or student learning objectives. Students must also complete self-evaluations: the first within 12 months of the STEM OPT start date and a final evaluation at the end of the training period, with evaluations submitted no later than 10 days after the relevant reporting period or the end of the practical training opportunity. ([studyinthestates.dhs.gov](https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/form-i-983-overview?utm_source=openai))

Planning considerations for Turkish and other international students

For Turkish students and other foreign nationals considering U.S. study, STEM OPT can be an important planning factor, but it should be understood carefully. There is no separate USCIS rule in the STEM OPT guidance that gives a nationality-based advantage to Turkish students; the relevant status is F-1, and the controlling requirements are the same for eligible students regardless of country of citizenship. A student comparing universities should confirm that the school is SEVP-certified, that the program’s CIP code appears on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List if STEM OPT is part of the plan, and that future employment would be with an E-Verify employer in a role directly related to the qualifying STEM degree. ([uscis.gov](https://www.uscis.gov/node/92821?utm_source=openai))

The extension also should not be confused with long-term immigration sponsorship. It may provide up to two additional years of work authorization after standard post-completion OPT for students who meet the rules, and the 2016 DHS rule also preserved cap-gap relief for eligible F-1 students with timely filed H-1B petitions and change-of-status requests. But STEM OPT by itself does not guarantee selection in an H-1B process, permanent residence sponsorship or future lawful status after the authorized period ends. The safest approach is to treat STEM OPT as a regulated training benefit: coordinate early with the school’s DSO, verify the CIP code and employer eligibility before accepting a position, keep Form I-983 current, and track USCIS and SEVP deadlines closely. ([thefederalregister.org](https://thefederalregister.org/documents/2016-04828/improving-and-expanding-training-opportunities-for-f-1-nonimmigrant-students-with-stem-degrees-and-cap-gap-relief-for-al))

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Original headline: Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students

Original publication date: 2026-01-30

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by congerdesign.

Featured image for H-2B seasonal worker visa cap is filling fast as U.S. employers seek extra labor

July 17 2026

USCIS closes second-half FY 2026 H-2B cap as employers turn to supplemental visa allocations

AI News ScoutNews jobs, News, seasonal work, temporary workers, USCIS 0

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has closed the regular H-2B visa cap for the second half of fiscal year 2026, confirming that employers submitted enough petitions to use the standard supply of seasonal, non-agricultural worker visas for jobs beginning from April through September. The agency’s alert said the cap-subject filing cutoff had already arrived by the time the announcement was made: March 10, 2026, was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting employment start dates on or after April 1, 2026, and before Oct. 1, 2026. New cap-subject petitions received after that date for the same employment window are to be rejected, unless they qualify for an exemption from the cap. ([aila.org](https://www.aila.org/library/uscis-announces-h-2b-cap-reached-for-2nd-half-of-fy26-filing-dates-for-supplemental-visa-allocation))

The update underscores the speed and intensity of demand in a visa category used by U.S. employers with temporary labor needs outside agriculture. H-2B filings are employer-driven: workers do not simply apply on their own for an open slot, and employers must move through labor certification and immigration petition steps before a worker can receive H-2B status or seek a visa abroad. The Department of Labor describes H-2B as a temporary non-agricultural program that allows qualifying U.S. employers to hire nonimmigrant workers to perform temporary services or labor based on the employer’s temporary need. ([flag.dol.gov](https://flag.dol.gov/index.php/programs/H-2B?utm_source=openai))

Standard second-half cap has closed

The H-2B statutory cap is divided across the federal fiscal year. The annual cap is 66,000, with 33,000 visas generally available for workers whose employment begins in the first half of the fiscal year, Oct. 1 through March 31, and 33,000 for workers whose employment begins in the second half, April 1 through Sept. 30. Immigration law firms tracking the announcement noted that USCIS accepts filings beyond the exact cap number in order to account for withdrawals, revocations, denials and cases in which employers ultimately use fewer workers than requested. ([fragomen.com](https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-h-2b-cap-reached-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-availability-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-supplemental-h-2b-visas-remains.html))

Inline news image for USCIS closes second-half FY 2026 H-2B cap as employers turn to supplemental visa allocations — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Smithsonian.

For the second half of FY 2026, USCIS said the regular cap had been met and identified March 10 as the last day on which it received new cap-subject petitions for the April 1 to Sept. 30 employment period. That date matters because H-2B cases are tied to requested employment start dates, not merely to the day a company begins preparing its paperwork. A petition received after the final receipt date for a cap-subject worker in that employment window is not held in reserve under the regular cap; USCIS said it will reject such filings. ([aila.org](https://www.aila.org/library/uscis-announces-h-2b-cap-reached-for-2nd-half-of-fy26-filing-dates-for-supplemental-visa-allocation))

The closure does not mean every H-2B-related filing is barred for the rest of the fiscal year. USCIS continues to accept petitions that are exempt from the numerical cap, including certain petitions involving current H-2B workers seeking to extend their stay, change employers, or change the terms of their H-2B employment. Earlier USCIS reporting also identifies other cap-exempt categories, such as H-2B workers already counted toward the cap in the same fiscal year, certain fish roe workers and supervisors, and certain workers in Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands through the applicable statutory period. ([fragomen.com](https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-h-2b-cap-reached-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-availability-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-supplemental-h-2b-visas-remains.html))

Supplemental visas offer limited remaining paths

Alongside the cap announcement, USCIS pointed employers to filing dates for supplemental H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2026. Those supplemental visas come from a temporary final rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Labor, published in the Federal Register on Feb. 3, 2026. The rule authorized up to 64,716 additional H-2B visas for FY 2026, above the regular 66,000 statutory cap, for eligible employers that attest they are suffering or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the additional workers. The rule defines that harm in terms of permanent and severe financial loss. ([regulations.justia.com](https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2026/02/03/2026-02131.html?utm_source=openai))

The supplemental increase is not a single open pool. DHS and DOL divided the FY 2026 visas into allocations tied to employment start dates and, for part of the supply, to whether the worker is a returning H-2B worker. Under the temporary rule, up to 46,226 of the 64,716 supplemental visas are limited to returning workers, meaning workers who were issued H-2B visas or otherwise granted H-2B status in fiscal years 2023, 2024, or 2025. The remaining allocation applies to workers of any nationality regardless of returning-worker status, but it is linked to later start dates. ([regulations.justia.com](https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2026/02/03/2026-02131.html?utm_source=openai))

The first returning-worker supplemental allocation, covering 18,490 visas for requested employment start dates from Jan. 1 through March 31, 2026, had already closed before the second-half cap alert. Fragomen reported that USCIS confirmed the agency received enough petitions for that first allocation as of Feb. 6, 2026. That left attention focused on the second and third supplemental allocations, which were the filing windows USCIS referenced in its cap announcement for employers still seeking FY 2026 workers. ([fragomen.com](https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-h-2b-cap-reached-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-availability-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-supplemental-h-2b-visas-remains.html))

Second and third allocation deadlines

For employers with a date of need from April 1 through April 30, 2026, the second returning-worker allocation made 27,736 supplemental visas available, limited to returning workers of any nationality. The filing window opened March 25, 2026, and employers were required to file no later than April 23, 2026, according to the filing schedule cited by immigration counsel after USCIS posted the relevant dates. This allocation was separate from the standard second-half cap, even though it served employers with April start dates. ([fragomen.com](https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-h-2b-cap-reached-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-availability-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-supplemental-h-2b-visas-remains.html))

For employers with later seasonal needs, the third FY 2026 supplemental allocation made 18,490 visas available for requested employment start dates from May 1 through Sept. 30, 2026. Unlike the first two returning-worker allocations, this third group was available to workers of any nationality regardless of whether they had previously held H-2B status, according to the filing schedule summarized by Fragomen. USCIS was to begin accepting petitions for this group on April 24, 2026, with a filing deadline of Sept. 15, 2026. ([fragomen.com](https://www.fragomen.com/insights/united-states-h-2b-cap-reached-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-availability-for-second-half-of-fy-2026-supplemental-h-2b-visas-remains.html))

The temporary rule also places an outer limit on the FY 2026 supplemental authority. DHS stated that the authority to approve H-2B petitions under the FY 2026 supplemental cap expires at the end of the fiscal year and that USCIS will not approve petitions filed in connection with that supplemental authority on or after Oct. 1, 2026. Fragomen likewise noted that pending petitions not approved before Oct. 1, 2026, would be denied and fees would not be refunded. ([regulations.justia.com](https://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2026/02/03/2026-02131.html?utm_source=openai))

How the H-2B process works

The H-2B program requires more than an employer’s statement that it needs help. The Department of Labor says employers generally file a job order and an H-2B application within 75 to 90 days before the date of need, submitting Form ETA-9142B and related materials to the Office of Foreign Labor Certification. DOL also posts the job opportunity electronically, and the labor certification process is designed to test whether U.S. workers are available and whether hiring H-2B workers would adversely affect wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. ([dol.gov](https://www.dol.gov/index.php/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/programs/h-2b?utm_source=openai))

Employers must show that the need for the labor is temporary, even if the job duties themselves resemble work that exists in the broader economy year-round. Federal regulations recognize four types of temporary need for H-2B purposes: a one-time occurrence, a seasonal need, a peakload need, or an intermittent need. That distinction is central to the program because H-2B is not a permanent hiring channel and is separate from H-2A, the visa category used for temporary agricultural labor. ([law.cornell.edu](https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/20/655.6?utm_source=openai))

The compliance obligations continue after recruitment and certification. The Department of Labor says H-2B employers must offer required wages, may not seek or receive payment from workers for costs tied to obtaining the labor certification, and may not place H-2B workers outside the area of intended employment or in an occupation not listed on the approved application unless a new approved application is obtained. USCIS also noted in its announcement that U.S. workers, H-2B workers and others can submit tips, alleged violations and information about potential fraud or abuse through the agency’s online tip form. ([dol.gov](https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/78-h2b-overview?utm_source=openai))

The March 2026 cap notice therefore leaves employers in three different positions. Those whose standard cap-subject petitions were received by March 10 remained within the regular second-half cap process. Those who missed that cutoff could look only to a cap exemption or to an applicable supplemental allocation, if their case met the worker, start-date and attestation rules. And employers planning future seasons received another reminder that H-2B timing is unforgiving: labor certification, USCIS filing, visa availability and start-date rules all have to align before temporary workers can be placed on the job. ([aila.org](https://www.aila.org/library/uscis-announces-h-2b-cap-reached-for-2nd-half-of-fy26-filing-dates-for-supplemental-visa-allocation))

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news brief is based on reporting from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Original headline: USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visa Allocations

Original publication date: 2026-03-20

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by TruongDinhAnh.

July 17 2026

Mersin Revives Gülnar’s Heritage ‘Leklek’ Bean With New Seed Support

AI News ScoutNews agriculture, farmers, geographical indication, Gülnar, Leklek fasulyesi, local seeds, Mersin, News, Şeyhömerli 0

Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi is continuing a small but meaningful agricultural revival in Gülnar, where the district’s heritage “Leklek” bean has been planted again with municipal seed support. Habertürk Yerel Haberler, publishing an İhlas Haber Ajansı report on July 16, 2026, reported that the municipality’s Tarımsal Hizmetler Dairesi Başkanlığı has kept the program going this year under its “Yerel Tohumların Yerinde Korunması ve Pazarlanması” project.

The focus is Şeyhömerli Mahallesi in Gülnar, where the bean is described as a local variety suited to the area’s climate and soil. The report presents the work as both an agricultural support measure and a cultural preservation effort: a way to keep a local seed alive in the place where it belongs, while helping producers move toward a crop with stronger added value.

A Local Seed Returns to Şeyhömerli Soil

According to the report, the municipality distributed “Leklek” bean seed to 15 producers this year. The project began in 2025 and continued in 2026, reaching a total of 30 producers over the two-year period. In all, the municipality has provided 300 kilograms of seed support, and the report says production has taken place on 30 decares of land.

Inline news image for Mersin Revives Gülnar’s Heritage ‘Leklek’ Bean With New Seed Support — **Inline image credit:** Stock photo from Unsplash by Ivan Dostál.

Those figures make the project easy to understand at a neighborhood level. It is not described as a large industrial program, but as a targeted effort to help a specific local product return to production. The municipality is using seed support to reduce input costs for participating farmers, while building a stronger base for a crop that is associated with Gülnar and remembered by local people as part of older food traditions.

The report says “Leklek” bean was once among the local varieties that appeared on family tables in the area, and that it is being brought back with its distinctive aroma and flavor. That detail gives the project a human dimension: the work is not only about acreage or seed weight, but also about keeping a familiar taste connected to its place of origin.

Producer Support With an Economic Goal

Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi says the project aims to protect the region’s agricultural heritage while helping producers earn more from higher value products. The report notes that the bean draws attention because it can provide higher income for producers compared with other bean varieties. That economic point is important because heritage crops often survive only when farmers can make them work in real market conditions.

Seed support is a practical first step. By providing seed, the municipality covers one of the early costs that producers face before harvest. In Şeyhömerli, that support is being linked to a crop already described as suited to the neighborhood’s climate and soil structure. In other words, the project is not simply asking farmers to try an unfamiliar crop; it is supporting a local variety that the area already knows.

Ali Karakış, a Ziraat Teknikeri working in the municipality’s Tarımsal Hizmetler Dairesi Başkanlığı, gave the clearest numerical summary of the program. He said that 15 producers selected in Şeyhömerli received a total of 150 kilograms of “Leklek” bean seed this year, with seed input costs covered by the municipality. He also said that in 2025 and 2026 combined, 30 producers received 300 kilograms of seed and produced on 30 decares.

Geographical Indication Work Has Begun

The municipality is also pursuing a geographical indication registration process for “Leklek” bean. According to the report, the goal is to increase the product’s brand value, help pass it to future generations, and support producers’ economic gains by making the local identity of the product more visible and more formally recognized.

Karakış said the municipality has begun procedures for the geographical registration and has sent samples from the area to a research institute. The next stages will depend on the results that come back from that review. The report does not give a decision date or a detailed timetable, but it does confirm that the registration effort is active and tied directly to the current production support.

If successful, the registration process could help strengthen the identity of “Leklek” bean as a Gülnar product. For farmers, that kind of recognition can be useful only when it connects to real production, consistent quality, and reliable marketing. The current seed distribution gives the registration effort a production base, while the registration work gives the farming effort a longer-term branding goal.

Why This Matters for Mersin Agriculture

The “Leklek” bean project is a positive example of local agriculture support because it combines several priorities in one place: protecting biological diversity, supporting rural producers, preserving a remembered food, and exploring a stronger market identity through geographical indication work. The primary source describes the project as a way to protect local seeds where they are grown and to increase production rather than allowing a local variety to fade further from use.

The story is also a reminder that local food systems are built through many small decisions. A seed kept in production, a farmer’s input cost reduced, a neighborhood product documented for registration, and a crop linked to its soil can all become part of a broader rural development effort. In Gülnar’s Şeyhömerli Mahallesi, the municipality’s current work is giving “Leklek” bean another season in the ground and another chance to become better known beyond the farms that have kept its memory alive.

Featured image credit: ATIIC.

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by pixelcreatures.

Original source: Read the original article.

Source credit: This news article is based on reporting from Habertürk Yerel Haberler / İhlas Haber Ajansı.

Original headline: Mersin’de atalık ‘Leklek’ fasulyesi yeniden toprakla buluştu

Original publication date: 2026-07-16

Additional sources and references:

Leklek fasulyesi tohumları bu yıl da toprakla buluştu — Demirören Haber Ajansı
Gülnar’ın ‘Leklek Fasulyesi’ Büyükşehir İle Yeniden Canlanıyor — Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi
Büyükşehir Atalık Tohumların Yolculuğuna Eşlik Ediyor — Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi

Featured image credit: Stock photo from Pixabay by NickyPe.