Two people have been killed by wildfires in western Turkey, with firefighters still battling to contain a series of blazes that have raged across the region for more than a week.
A forestry worker was killed in Izmir province while trying to contain a fire near the town of Odemis and an 81-year-old resident died from smoke inhalation, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. They are the first deaths since the fires broke out.
In the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of wildfires fuelled by strong winds, extreme heat and low humidity. The blazes have damaged or destroyed about 200 homes, with about 50,000 people forced to flee.
On Friday, Anadolu said efforts were being made to bring fires under control in the Odemis district after they spread to residential areas. Two planes and nine helicopters have been supporting firefighters, it added.
Hundreds of firefighters are also battling a blaze near the town of Cesme, on the Aegean coast, with aircraft and helicopters sent to help. The area is a popular holiday destination.
The Cesme fire, which began on Wednesday, has led to the evacuation of three neighbourhoods, with roads closed. TV footage showed flames spreading through dry vegetation beside a main road.
The Turkish government's communications office denied reports that a group affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) started some of the fires deliberately. The PKK is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the US and EU. In May it said it was ending a 40-year insurgency against Turkey and disbanding.
Anadolu reported on Friday that two suspects had been taken into custody.
Turkey's Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Ibrahim Yumakli praised efforts to tackle the blazes. "As a result of the intense struggle of our forest heroes throughout the night and our air intervention that started at the first light of the morning, the fire in Cesme has been brought under control," he said. "Our intense struggle by air and land continues to bring the fires in Odemis and Buca under control."
Summer wildfires are common in Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying the conditions for blazes. On Wednesday, Turkey’s parliament adopted a climate law aimed at achieving net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In Greece, firefighters have also battled blazes near Athens and on the island of Crete, where thousands were forced to flee holiday resorts.
More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area, along Crete’s southern coast, authorities said. A small number of people fled into the sea and were rescued by fishermen and divers.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
How it works
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Studying addiction
This month, Dubai Medical College launched the Middle East’s first master's programme in addiction science.
Together with the Erada Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation, the college offers a two-year master’s course as well as a one-year diploma in the same subject.
The move was announced earlier this year and is part of a new drive to combat drug abuse and increase the region’s capacity for treating drug addiction.
