Syria has declared the devastating wildfires in Latakia province fully extinguished after 12 days of fierce battling. However, officials caution that the environmental and social impacts will persist for years.
Raed al-Saleh, Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, stressed that while the immediate danger has passed, the recovery phase is only beginning. He outlined plans to implement a national wildfire early warning system and enhance forest protection through stronger community involvement.
Firefighters faced major obstacles including unpredictable winds, difficult mountainous terrain, and dangerous remnants of war such as landmines. Years of neglect left forests vulnerable, with insufficient firebreaks contributing to the spread.
Al-Saleh warned of severe long-term consequences, including soil erosion, vegetation loss, and increased risk of landslides — risks worsened by ongoing drought and climate change, the worst in decades.
The ministry used advanced tools such as satellite imaging, drones, and weather monitoring stations to track fire behaviour and direct response efforts. Al-Saleh expressed gratitude to support teams from Türkiye, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Qatar, as well as local volunteers and government agencies, calling their cooperation “an historic achievement for the nation.”
Governor Mohammad Othman reported that more than 16,000 hectares of forest were destroyed, alongside 2,200 hectares of farmland.
The fires damaged 45 villages and displaced approximately 1,200 families.
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Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Mexico and the U.S. are racing to secure a trade deal before the U.S. midterm elections in less than eight weeks, according to six sources familiar with the talks, with failed negotiations between Washington and Canada adding urgency.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Increasingly intense wildfires and heat waves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect public health, the United Nations’ weather agency has warned.
Vast flocks of storks passed through Türkiye and the Bosporus this week as part of their annual autumn migration from European breeding grounds toward Africa and the Middle East.
China's coastal areas and southern regions are preparing for days of intense precipitation, with tens of thousands of people evacuated as Typhoon Narra tracks inland and another storm churns toward the country's eastern seaboard.
A wildfire in Croatia driven by strong winds descended on the tourist town of Omis overnight, engulfing houses, forcing about 1,000 people to evacuate to safety and injuring dozens, fire brigade and health officials said on Friday.
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