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An octagonal city and the closed Acropolis: photos of the day

An octagonal city and the closed Acropolis: photos of the day

The Guardian3 days ago
Holidaymakers and lorry drivers come to a standstill as traffic builds at the border Photograph: Gareth Fuller/PA
Authorities have closed the Acropolis to visitors during the hottest part of the day as a heatwave engulfs the country Photograph: Petros Giannakouris/AP
A picket line at Manchester Royal Infirmary as up to 50,000 resident doctors in England, formerly known as junior doctors, begin five days of industrial action over pay and conditions Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian
Children try to stay cool in a fountain. The peninsula has been blanketed by a double layer of high pressure that has nudged the temperature to a scorching 37C (100F) Photograph: Chung Sung-jun/Getty Images
A man wades past kelp as he goes for a swim in the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores in California Photograph: Gregory Bull/AP
An aerial view of an octagonal fortress that forms one of the most extraordinary cities in the world. Constructed in the 17th-century by Sébastien Le Prestre, a military architect serving King Louis XIV, the city in Alsace features evenly spaced bastions, perpendicular streets and star-shaped fortifications Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
A Ukrainian soldier fires D-20 artillery Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
The sun rises over the New York City skyline. An extreme heat warning is in place in New Jersey from 10am to 9pm on Friday Photograph: Eduardo Muñoz/Reuters
Yusuf al-Ladavi, an eight-year-old Palestinian boy, at al-Ehli Baptist hospital, where he is receiving treatment after being injured in an Israeli attack on the strip. There are more child amputees in Gaza than anywhere else in the world Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images
People use poles to ride an improvised float along a flooded road. Typhoon Co-may has intensified seasonal monsoon rains Photograph: Aaron Favila/AP
An environmental group carry a portable wildlife observation booth at the Punta San Juan reserve, where a decline in guano birds, sea lions and penguins has alarmed scientists Photograph: Sebastian Castañeda/Reuters
Xantheia Pennisi of Australia competes during the women's 20-metre high-diving event at the World Aquatics Championships Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA
Dead palm trees line a road as authorities battle an influx of red palm weevils, which have been devouring the usually hardy species Photograph: Matilde Campodonico/AP
A woman at a pro-Palestinian rally holds aloft an image of a starving child. Gaza is facing human-made mass starvation caused by the blockade of aid into the territory, the head of the World Health Organization has said Photograph: Orestis Panagiotou/EPA
Joaquín Romero blows air into the face of a Hereford cow to calm the animal during a livestock sale at the Rural Society's annual exposition Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
The country singer-songwriter Craig Campbell performs at the Kenny Campbell Foundation benefit concert in Tennessee. The event aims to raise funds and awareness for colorectal cancer
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Wildfires burn through the night in Eastern Europe as over 50 blazes in Greece alone sees families evacuated from their homes
Wildfires burn through the night in Eastern Europe as over 50 blazes in Greece alone sees families evacuated from their homes

Daily Mail​

time3 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Wildfires burn through the night in Eastern Europe as over 50 blazes in Greece alone sees families evacuated from their homes

Wildfires are burning through the night in Eastern Europe with more than 50 blazes in Greece alone forcing families to be evacuated from their homes. Chaos broke out across the country on Sunday as temperatures soared to 44C which, paired with dry conditions and strong winds, has been causing fires across the continent. Two houses became engulfed in flames in Drosopigi, a village near Athens, forcing residents to flee their homes. At least five locals were rushed to hospital to be treated for their burns and smoke inhalation following the terrifying blaze. More than 200 firefighters, helped out by water-bombing aircraft and helicopters, were still tackling the fire on Sunday morning. A total of five major blazes broke out across Greece on a sweltering day which saw authorities issue a fresh emergency alert urging locals in Pissona, on the island of Evia, to evacuate. Officials there confirmed that a second fire had got 'out of control', The Times reports, and was heading towards the town of Afrati at speed. The blaze caused a number of villages, including Pournos and Mistros, to have their electricity supply cut off thanks to ruined power lines and pylons. Six firefighters had to be rushed to hospital while 115 stayed on to tackle the blaze. Vassilis Vathrakogiannis, a spokesman for the fire brigade, said: 'Today is expected to be a difficult day with a very high risk of fire, almost throughout the territory.' He added that at least 52 new blazes had popped up in the preceding 24 hours, but insisted that the situation was getting better in some places. Crews continued to tackle fires on the islands of Crete and Kythira, as well as the Messinia region of the Peloponnese. In Chania, Crete, a huge fire caused damage to homes and a church. Meanwhile, teams on the tourist hotspot of Kythira attempted to extinguish a blaze which was said to have extended across half of the island, according to deputy mayor Giorgos Komninos. He added that homes, as well as natural habitats, had been destroyed. Near Athens's northern edge, a series of blazes had to be contained in the greater Attica region, with teams putting a stop to them by the end of the day. Amid the destruction, Greece has been forced into asking for emergency help via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, in the form of six firefighting planes. In the meantime, support crews from Italy and the Czech Republic were expected to land in the country late on Sunday. Several regions remain under further fire threats, including the Ionian Islands, western Greece, the Peloponnese, central Greece, Attica, Epirus, western Macedonia (Florina, Kastoria, Kozani), eastern Macedonia and Thrace (Evros), Thessaly (Magnesia, Larisa, Trikala), the south Aegean (Rhodes) and Crete, officials confirmed. 'Apocalyptic' wildfires have been engulfing Southern Europe all weekend, with several holiday hotspots threatened by the blazes and residents forced to flee their homes. Fourteen people have been killed by the wild infernos in Turkey sparked by a record 50C heatwave, while blazes have also struck Montenegro and Albania. Smoke rose from charred tree branches near Montenegro's capital Podgorica on Sunday while huge flames could be seen dangerously close to city tower blocks. Meanwhile, fire tore through landscapes near Bulqiza, Albania, this weekend as emergency services desperately tried to tame the blaze. Twenty-six fires broke out throughout the country on Saturday, following a serious blaze near the southern Albanian town of Delvina on Friday, injuring three people and forcing the evacuation of around 2,000 locals. Overnight, flames obliterated the forested mountains surrounding Bursa city in northwest Turkey, shining a threatening red glow on the sky. It marked the latest city to be hit by deadly blazes this summer - as Cyprus also fell victim to aggressive wildfires amid unusually hot weather. The governor's office in Bursa said more than 1,760 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as around 2,000 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed off as surrounding forests burned. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, likened the scene to 'an apocalypse'. Turkey has been hit by dozens of wildfires every day since late June - with Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli revealing fire crews across the country approached 76 separate blazes on Saturday alone. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature - 50.5C (122.9F) - within the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The same day, homes and holiday properties burnt down in popular holiday hotspot Cyprus. A wide angle view shows smoke and flames rising as firefighting efforts continue after a forest fire, which was largely brought under control in the morning, reignites due to strong winds The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice in response to the devastation on the island. Warning of 'active wildfires', the government highlighted the Paphos and Limassol districts as some of the affected areas, located in the south of Cyprus. It added: 'Transport and infrastructure (electricity, water) links in locations close to the fires may be affected whilst the authorities respond to the situation.' Though the FCDO noted the airports in Paphos and Larnaca are 'operating as normal'. 'If you are due to travel to an area that might be affected by wildfires, contact your travel operator or accommodation provider before you travel to check that it is not currently impacted. Make sure you have appropriate insurance,' the advice read. The Foreign Office also included recommendations for those in the area or affected by the wildfires. 'Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires. You should follow the guidance of the emergency services,' it stated. 'Call the Cypriot Emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger. A firefighting helicopter operates in a burned area after a wildfire in the area of Kryoneri, in the suburbs of Athens, Greece, on Sunday Firefighters attempt to extinguish a wildfire as smoke and flames rise from a forested area in the Gursu district of Bursa early on Sunday The fires are being ignited by unusually high temperatures, alongside dry conditions and strong winds Smoke and flames rise from a forested area during the latest major wildfire in Turkey 'Contact your airline or travel operator, who can assist you with information relating travel back to the UK.' And on Saturday, British tourists were put on alert as Greece wildfires spread amid a 44C heatwave - as a blaze tore through the capital of Athens. The southern European country was first hit with the scorching temperatures on Monday and they have not relented throughout the week. After the mercury hit a blistering 44C high in Athens on Tuesday, a wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the capital on Friday. Shocking pictures showed homes ablaze while residents of the town of Kryoneri, 12.5miles northeast of Athens, received three SMS warnings to evacuate.

Turkey evacuates thousands as firefighters battle wildfires
Turkey evacuates thousands as firefighters battle wildfires

Reuters

time13 hours ago

  • Reuters

Turkey evacuates thousands as firefighters battle wildfires

ANKARA, July 27 (Reuters) - Firefighters battled wildfires across Turkey on Sunday amid a searing Mediterranean heat-wave, with authorities evacuating more than 3,600 people from settlements in two provinces. Wildfires in the southern provinces of Mersin and Antalya as well as the central province of Usak were largely brought under control, but blazes in the northwestern province of Bursa and the northern province of Karabuk were still burning, Agriculture and Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yumakli told reporters. A wildfire broke out in a forested area between the Gursu and Kestel districts of Bursa, home to much of Turkey's auto industry, on Saturday. Part of a highway connecting Istanbul with the western city of Izmir was briefly closed on Saturday night due to the fire. Huge flames engulfed trees in areas close to homes in Bursa as smoke covered the sky over the city, footage showed. Some 1,765 people in Bursa's Kestel district were evacuated, Yumakli said, adding that 2,000 firefighters were struggling to battle the wildfire in the area with the help of six firefighting planes and four helicopters. In the northern province of Karabuk, where a large wildfire has been burning for five days, 1,839 people in 19 villages were evacuated, Yumakli said. Three planes and 16 helicopters are tackling the blazes in the area amid difficult conditions, he added. "We are going through risky times. This does not seem likely to end in two or three days," Yumakli said, referring to the heat-wave. Temperatures in several regions in Turkey were forecast to reach over 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, 6 to 12 degrees above seasonal norms, Turkey's meteorological service said, as thermometers hit 50 degrees Celsius in the country's southeast on Saturday for the first time in recorded history.

Southern Europe burns as 'apocalyptic' wildfires rage in holiday hotspots after Turkey and Greece surge above 44C
Southern Europe burns as 'apocalyptic' wildfires rage in holiday hotspots after Turkey and Greece surge above 44C

Daily Mail​

time14 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Southern Europe burns as 'apocalyptic' wildfires rage in holiday hotspots after Turkey and Greece surge above 44C

'Apocalyptic' wildfires have engulfed Southern Europe with several holiday hotspots threatened by the blazes and residents forced to flee their homes. Wild infernos have struck Montenegro and Albania while also causing devastation in Turkey and Greece where temperatures have soared above 44C. Smoke rose from charred tree branches near Montenegro's capital Podgorica today while huge flames could be seen dangerously close to city tower blocks. Meanwhile, fire tore through landscapes near Bulqiza, Albania, this weekend as emergency services desperately tried to tame the blaze. The fires are being ignited by unseasonably high temperatures, as well as dry conditions and strong winds. Overnight, flames obliterated the forested mountains surrounding Bursa city in northwest Turkey, shining a threatening red glow on the sky. It marked the latest city to be hit by deadly blazes this summer - as Cyprus also fell victim to aggressive wildfires amid unusually hot weather. The governor's office in Bursa said more than 1,760 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as more than 1,100 firefighters battled the flames. The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed off as surrounding forests burned. Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, likened the scene to 'an apocalypse'. Turkey has been hit by dozens of wildfires every day since late June - with Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli revealing fire crews across the country approached 76 separate blazes yesterday alone. The General Directorate of Meteorology said Turkey recorded its highest ever temperature - 50.5C (122.9F) - within the southeastern Sirnak province on Friday. The same day, homes and holiday properties burnt down in popular holiday hotspot Cyprus. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) updated its travel advice in response to the devastation on the island. Warning of 'active wildfires', the government highlighted the Paphos and Limassol districts as some of the affected areas, located in the south of Cyprus. It added: 'Transport and infrastructure (electricity, water) links in locations close to the fires may be affected whilst the authorities respond to the situation.' Though the FCDO noted the airports in Paphos and Larnaca are 'operating as normal'. 'If you are due to travel to an area that might be affected by wildfires, contact your travel operator or accommodation provider before you travel to check that it is not currently impacted. Make sure you have appropriate insurance,' the advice read. The Foreign Office also included recommendations for those in the area or affected by the wildfires. 'Be cautious if you are in or near an area affected by wildfires. You should follow the guidance of the emergency services,' it stated. 'Call the Cypriot Emergency services on 112 if you are in immediate danger. 'Contact your airline or travel operator, who can assist you with information relating travel back to the UK.' And yesterday, British tourists were put on alert as Greece wildfires spread amid a 44C heatwave - as a blaze tore through the capital of Athens. The southern European country was first hit with the scorching temperatures on Monday and they have not relented throughout the week. After the mercury hit a blistering 44C high in Athens on Tuesday, a wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the capital on Friday. Shocking pictures showed homes ablaze while residents of the town of Kryoneri, 12.5miles northeast of Athens, received three SMS warnings to evacuate.

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