live Ali Larijani: Israel says Iran Security Chief has been killed, Middle East conflict - 17 March
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed in ta...
Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı announced that a total of 76 fires have been fought across the country, with 28 in forested areas and 48 in rural regions.
He confirmed that the Ankara Eymir fire is now fully under control, while the fires in Antalya Gazipaşa, Mersin Silifke, and Antalya Serik are largely contained.
Speaking at the General Directorate of Forestry’s Fire Management Centre, Yumaklı provided an update on the current situation. He stated that amid high-risk conditions, a fire broke out at 12:10 PM in the forested area around Ankara’s Eymir Lake near METU and was promptly tackled by air and ground teams. By 5 PM, the fire was brought under control.
Later the same day, a new fire was reported in Uşak Sivaslı, with firefighting efforts ongoing. Another fire, initially starting in a non-forested area in Antalya Serik, spread into the forest but was largely controlled by 8 PM. In Kahramanmaraş’s Onikişubat district, a forest fire covering a wide area is also being actively fought.
Kahramanmaraş Governor Mükerrem Ünlüer reported that the fire has affected approximately 400–450 hectares, with three houses destroyed and 130 people evacuated to safe zones. Six forestry personnel were hospitalised due to smoke inhalation.
The forest fire in Safranbolu, Karabük, continues into its fourth day, with the Karabük-Ankara highway closed as a precaution.
In Bursa, two fires broke out in Harmancık and Kestel and are currently under control. Due to the wind, the fire has spread toward Karahıdır village, which has been evacuated. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that over 500 personnel and more than 150 firefighting vehicles are deployed in the area.
Firefighting efforts are ongoing in Uşak Sivaslı, where some homes and livestock have been damaged.
The forest fire in Lice, Diyarbakır, has been brought under control, while fires in Zonguldak and Bingöl have been extinguished.
Minister Yumaklı and other officials urged citizens to remain vigilant against fire risks and to immediately report any signs of fire by calling emergency number 112. AK Party Deputy Chairman Efkan Ala also advised the public to rely solely on official statements and be cautious of misinformation spreading on social media.
State and local agencies continue to work together closely in combating the fires, with the situation being closely monitored.
The other evening, I was fuelling my car at a petrol station in Kenya’s capital. It was one of those small moments most motorists barely notice. The attendant filled the tank, I glanced at the pump price, paid, and drove off.
President Trump called on countries to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, while Starmer said the UK is working with allies to restore navigation and stabilise oil markets. It comes as a strike near Iraq’s western border killed several Hashed al-Shaabi fighters, raising regional tensions.
Top U.S. and Chinese economic officials launched a new round of talks in Paris on Sunday (15 March) to resolve issues in their trade truce. The discussions aim to smooth the way for U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of March.
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has said that Iran's security chief Ali Larijani was killed in targeted strikes on the country.
Kazakhstan has adopted a new constitution that could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to stay in power beyond 2029. The Central Election Commission confirmed that 87.15% of voters backed the constitution in a referendum held on Sunday (17 March).
The European Union has removed Georgia’s Kulevi oil terminal from its sanctions list after receiving assurances from both the Georgian government and Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR that the facility will no longer be used in ways that could bypass sanctions on Russian oil.
More than 400 people were killed and around 250 injured in an air strike on a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul late on Monday, Afghan officials said, while Pakistan rejected the claim, calling it “false and misleading.”
Kazakhstan’Kazakhstan’s lower house has approved plans for a green energy corridor with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Once implemented, the project would see renewable electricity generated in the two Central Asian countries transmitted to Europe via Azerbaijan.
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz has said the country’s military killed two of Iran’s most senior security figures in overnight airstrikes, as tensions across the Middle East continue to escalate.
When the current confrontation around Iran eventually fades into history, the real story for the South Caucasus may not be about missiles or military balances. It is likely to be about ports, railways and trade routes.
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