NEWS

Migrant trafficking group unraveled on Rhodes

A criminal organization that facilitated the illegal entry of foreign migrants into Greece has been dismantled on the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes, authorities said on Wednesday.

NEWS

Rama says justice to rule on Beleri and that he treasures minority

The Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama gave an interview on Greek state media ERT broadcasted on Wednesday discussing Greek-Albanian relations, and the detention of the elected ethnic Greek mayor of the Albanian region Himare, Fredi Beleri. Beleri was arrested by Albanian police special forces over charges of vote buying.

NEWS

PM to address Parliament, welcome Italian PM Meloni on Thursday

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will address Parliament regarding the fires in Greece at 10:30 a.m on Thursday morning, his office said.

NEWS

Bus falls into a roadside ditch in Laconia

A bus, driving from the eastern Peloponnesian city of Sparta to the village of Vamvakou in Laconia, fell into a ditch on Wednesday.

NEWS

65-year-old man killed in traffic accident involving police car

A 65-year-old man was killed in a traffic accident involving a police car in the Athens neighborhood of Moschato on Wednesday.

NEWS

Wildfires cause villages to evacuate in Evros

Two fire fronts in the region of Evros continue to rage in the area of Leptokarya, particularly at Meghalo Rema and Kotronia.

NEWS

EU’s largest wildfire in northeastern Greece burning for 12th day despite firefighting efforts

The European Union’s largest wildfire since the bloc started keeping records more than two decades ago showed no signs of abating Wednesday in northeastern Greece despite the efforts of a multinational firefighting force on the ground and a fleet of water-dropping aircraft.

NEWS

Rescues underway for migrants on board sailboats off the coast of western Greece and in Cyclades

Two rescue operations were underway Wednesday for migrants crammed on board sailboats, one far off the coast of a western Greek island and the other off the coast of a Cycladic island near the Greek capital, the coast guard said.

NEWS

Three-year-old boy dies after choking on grape

A 3-year-old boy died after choking on a piece of fruit on Tuesday, as reported by the public broadcaster ERT.

NEWS

Man accused of fatally shooting dog in Ermioni

An incident of animal killing has been documented in the northern Peloponnese resort of Ermioni.

NEWS

Zakharova: Lavrov to hold talks with Turkish counterpart

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will hold talks with his Turkish counterpart in Russia on August 31 and September 1, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

WILDFIRE IMPACT

Over 82,600 hectares consumed in Evros by Aug 28, fresh satellite data show

The fire in Evros, located in northeastern Greece, had consumed an area exceeding 82,600 hectares until August 28.

NEWS

Firefighters battle flare-ups in Evros, smaller fronts in Parnitha

Firefighters worked for yet another night to extinguish the flare-ups in Evros, near the Turkish border.

NEWS

SYRIZA candidate making waves

A new, slick entry into the succession race for the leadership of the main opposition party SYRIZA is threatening to upstage other candidates.

PREVENTION MEASURES

Gov’t seeks to pre-empt natural disasters

The government is trying to anticipate the day after the devastating fires, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis chairing a meeting on Tuesday with the goal of enacting immediate measures in Evros and on Mount Parnitha.

NEWS

Athens carving out greenery with two new large parks

Two new parks will help shield Athens from the risks of the climate crisis, according to Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

NEWS

Evros fire is EU’s largest in decades

The Evros fire in northeastern Greece has destroyed at least 808.7 square kilometers, an area larger than New York City, which occupies 778.2 square kilometers, making it the largest blaze in the EU since 2000, according to data from Copernicus’ Emergency Management Agency.

NEWS

West Nile virus: Greece reports 89 Infections in 2023

A total of 89 cases of West Nile virus infection have been recorded in Greece since the beginning of 2023 until the present.

NEWS

Crooked police officer placed on administrative leave

A police officer who was arrested on Sunday on the island of Crete and accused of extortion, bribery of an employee and breach of duty was on Tuesday placed on administrative leave by decision of the Greek Police Headquarters.

NEWS

Preventable deaths from smoking still high in Greece

Greece could have prevented almost 170,000 deaths between 2000 and 2019 if it had followed Sweden’s example in combating smoking, according to the findings of the report Saving Lives Like Sweden, signed by leading experts in smoking harm reduction from around the world.

CULTURE

Mendoni: British Museum lost argument that Parthenon Sculptures safer in London

Against the backdrop of the scandal of the theft of hundreds of valuable objects from the British Museum, Greece’s Culture Minister Lina Mendoni stressed that the institution’s argument for the non-return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece has collapsed.

NEWS

Platform for Athens land registry

People wishing to make a transaction with the Athens Land Registry will now have to use a platform introduced by the Digital Policy Ministry in order to issue a priority number.