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Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Glasgow Times
Firefighters race to contain wildfires in Greece as thousands evacuated
More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area along Crete's southern coast, authorities and hotel association officials said. A small number of people fled into the sea and were rescued by local fishermen and divers. Ierapetra mayor Manolis Frangoulis said firefighters were working to prevent flare-ups and take advantage of a lull in high winds. Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze on the south coast of Crete (InTime News via AP) 'Thankfully no one was hurt but it's a difficult situation,' he said. Displaced tourists were relocated to other hotels or spent the night in an indoor basketball stadium. Several homes and businesses were damaged. Separately on Thursday, a wildfire near the port of Rafina, about 20 miles east of Athens, disrupted local ferry services to the islands. Police went door-to-door to assist elderly residents while carrying out an evacuation order. A house lies among scorched trees near the town of Ierapetra on Crete (InTime News via AP) In western Turkey, a local forestry worker was killed while trying to contain a fire near the town of Odemis, and an 81-year-old resident died from smoke inhalation, authorities said. It marked the first fatalities in a series of wildfires that have forced thousands to flee. Meanwhile, hundreds of firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to battle a wildfire near the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, a popular holiday destination about 120 miles west of Odemis. That fire, which began on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of three neighbourhoods and led to road closures. Television footage showed flames racing through dry vegetation on both sides of a major road. Over the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of wildfires fuelled by strong winds, extreme heat and low humidity. Now mostly under control, the blazes have damaged or destroyed about 200 homes. A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir (Cengiz Malgir/Dia Photo via AP) Summer wildfires are common in both Greece and Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions. Late Wednesday, Turkey's parliament adopted a landmark climate law targeting net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The law comes at a time when Turkey is increasingly grappling with issues related to climate change, from searing heatwaves to prolonged droughts, experts say. 'As a Mediterranean country, Turkey is highly vulnerable to climate change,' said Gizem Koc, a lawyer with the UK-based environmental advocacy group ClientEarth. 'The most striking vulnerability is the drought and water stress in some regions, but also there is increasing frequency of floods and other extreme weather events.'
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Climate
- Western Telegraph
Firefighters race to contain wildfires in Greece as thousands evacuated
More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area along Crete's southern coast, authorities and hotel association officials said. A small number of people fled into the sea and were rescued by local fishermen and divers. Ierapetra mayor Manolis Frangoulis said firefighters were working to prevent flare-ups and take advantage of a lull in high winds. Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze on the south coast of Crete (InTime News via AP) 'Thankfully no one was hurt but it's a difficult situation,' he said. Displaced tourists were relocated to other hotels or spent the night in an indoor basketball stadium. Several homes and businesses were damaged. Separately on Thursday, a wildfire near the port of Rafina, about 20 miles east of Athens, disrupted local ferry services to the islands. Police went door-to-door to assist elderly residents while carrying out an evacuation order. A house lies among scorched trees near the town of Ierapetra on Crete (InTime News via AP) In western Turkey, a local forestry worker was killed while trying to contain a fire near the town of Odemis, and an 81-year-old resident died from smoke inhalation, authorities said. It marked the first fatalities in a series of wildfires that have forced thousands to flee. Meanwhile, hundreds of firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to battle a wildfire near the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, a popular holiday destination about 120 miles west of Odemis. That fire, which began on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of three neighbourhoods and led to road closures. Television footage showed flames racing through dry vegetation on both sides of a major road. Over the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of wildfires fuelled by strong winds, extreme heat and low humidity. Now mostly under control, the blazes have damaged or destroyed about 200 homes. A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir (Cengiz Malgir/Dia Photo via AP) Summer wildfires are common in both Greece and Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions. Late Wednesday, Turkey's parliament adopted a landmark climate law targeting net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The law comes at a time when Turkey is increasingly grappling with issues related to climate change, from searing heatwaves to prolonged droughts, experts say. 'As a Mediterranean country, Turkey is highly vulnerable to climate change,' said Gizem Koc, a lawyer with the UK-based environmental advocacy group ClientEarth. 'The most striking vulnerability is the drought and water stress in some regions, but also there is increasing frequency of floods and other extreme weather events.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Climate
- South Wales Argus
Firefighters race to contain wildfires in Greece as thousands evacuated
More than 5,000 tourists, hotel workers and residents were evacuated from the Ierapetra area along Crete's southern coast, authorities and hotel association officials said. A small number of people fled into the sea and were rescued by local fishermen and divers. Ierapetra mayor Manolis Frangoulis said firefighters were working to prevent flare-ups and take advantage of a lull in high winds. Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze on the south coast of Crete (InTime News via AP) 'Thankfully no one was hurt but it's a difficult situation,' he said. Displaced tourists were relocated to other hotels or spent the night in an indoor basketball stadium. Several homes and businesses were damaged. Separately on Thursday, a wildfire near the port of Rafina, about 20 miles east of Athens, disrupted local ferry services to the islands. Police went door-to-door to assist elderly residents while carrying out an evacuation order. A house lies among scorched trees near the town of Ierapetra on Crete (InTime News via AP) In western Turkey, a local forestry worker was killed while trying to contain a fire near the town of Odemis, and an 81-year-old resident died from smoke inhalation, authorities said. It marked the first fatalities in a series of wildfires that have forced thousands to flee. Meanwhile, hundreds of firefighters, supported by aircraft and helicopters, were deployed to battle a wildfire near the Aegean coastal town of Cesme, a popular holiday destination about 120 miles west of Odemis. That fire, which began on Wednesday, forced the evacuation of three neighbourhoods and led to road closures. Television footage showed flames racing through dry vegetation on both sides of a major road. Over the past week, Turkey has battled hundreds of wildfires fuelled by strong winds, extreme heat and low humidity. Now mostly under control, the blazes have damaged or destroyed about 200 homes. A fire rages across a forest area in Cesme, near Izmir (Cengiz Malgir/Dia Photo via AP) Summer wildfires are common in both Greece and Turkey, where experts warn that climate change is intensifying conditions. Late Wednesday, Turkey's parliament adopted a landmark climate law targeting net-zero emissions by 2053. The legislation includes measures to establish a carbon market board to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The law comes at a time when Turkey is increasingly grappling with issues related to climate change, from searing heatwaves to prolonged droughts, experts say. 'As a Mediterranean country, Turkey is highly vulnerable to climate change,' said Gizem Koc, a lawyer with the UK-based environmental advocacy group ClientEarth. 'The most striking vulnerability is the drought and water stress in some regions, but also there is increasing frequency of floods and other extreme weather events.'
The Herald Scotland
23-04-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Baghdad invites Syrian president to summit, sparking political division in Iraq
Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild his country after nearly 14 years of civil war, but his past as a Sunni Islamist militant has left many — including Shiite groups in Iraq — wary. Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, centre, has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild Syria after the war (Mert Gokhan Koc/Dia Photo via AP) Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Mr al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed last week that Iraq had extended a formal invitation to Mr al-Sharaa to attend the May 17 summit, following a previously unannounced meeting between the two in Qatar. Mr al-Sharaa has not confirmed plans to attend. Iraq, which has strong ties with both the United States and Iran, has sought to position itself as a regional mediator. It hosted talks between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia before they reached a deal to normalise relations. Many Iraqi and regional stakeholders see the invitation to Mr al-Sharaa as an opportunity to bolster Baghdad's image as a hub for regional diplomacy. However, strong opposition to the invitation has emerged from powerful Shiite factions aligned with Iran. Tehran, which backed Mr Assad in Syria's civil war and used Syria as a conduit to smuggle weapons to the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, was widely seen as the biggest loser from Mr Assad's ouster. Several Iraqi Shiite militias fought alongside Mr Assad's forces during the civil war that followed his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, making Mr al-Sharaa a particularly sensitive figure for them. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has extended the invitation to the Syrian leader (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Mustafa Sand, a member of parliament from the Co-ordination Framework — a coalition of Iran-allied factions that brought Mr al-Sudani to power in 2022 — said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the foreign ministry had reached out to Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council to verify whether an arrest warrant was issued against Mr al-Sharaa and that the council had confirmed the existence of a valid warrant. A security official confirmed the existence of the warrant to The Associated Press. The Islamic Dawa Party, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki — one of the most influential figures in Iraq's ruling coalition — called on the government in a statement to 'ensure that any summit participant has a clean judicial record, both locally and internationally,' adding, 'the blood of Iraqis is not cheap, and those who have violated their sanctity or committed documented crimes against them should not be welcomed in Baghdad'. A spokesperson for the powerful militia Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Ali Al-Askari, said in a statement, 'Arab summits have been held without President Assad, Iraq or Libya. They certainly won't stop because the criminal Abu Mohammad al-Golani … isn't attending.' On the other side, Sunni political factions have rallied to defend Mr al-Sharaa's inclusion in the summit. Former MP Dhafir Al-Ani, a prominent Sunni figure, said he supports Baghdad's attempts to build ties with the new Syrian authorities. 'Preventing his presence would be a stab in the heart of the Iraqi government and a sign that violence still dictates the country's fate,' he said. The Iraqi government has not responded publicly to the backlash. A warrant would not necessarily block Mr al-Sharaa from joining the summit and other countries have chosen to waive similar measures. In December, after Mr Assad's fall, the United States said it had decided not to pursue a 10 million dollar reward it had previously offered for Mr al-Sharaa's capture, although Washington also has not yet officially recognised the new Syrian government. However, observers said the controversy highlights deep divisions within Iraq's political system and underscores the challenges facing national reconciliation efforts. 'Some see welcoming al-Sharaa as an insult to the memory of Iraq's victims, while Sunni factions view his participation as a political victory,' said political analyst Munaf Al-Musawi, head of the Baghdad Centre for Strategic Studies. 'This could risk fuelling sectarian tensions.'
Western Telegraph
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Baghdad invites Syrian president to summit, sparking political division in Iraq
Mr al-Sharaa took power after leading a lightning rebel offensive that unseated his predecessor, Bashar Assad, in December. Since then, he has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild his country after nearly 14 years of civil war, but his past as a Sunni Islamist militant has left many — including Shiite groups in Iraq — wary. Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, centre, has positioned himself as a statesman aiming to unite and rebuild Syria after the war (Mert Gokhan Koc/Dia Photo via AP) Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, Mr al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling US forces in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003 and still faces a warrant for his arrest on terrorism charges in Iraq. Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed last week that Iraq had extended a formal invitation to Mr al-Sharaa to attend the May 17 summit, following a previously unannounced meeting between the two in Qatar. Mr al-Sharaa has not confirmed plans to attend. Iraq, which has strong ties with both the United States and Iran, has sought to position itself as a regional mediator. It hosted talks between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia before they reached a deal to normalise relations. Many Iraqi and regional stakeholders see the invitation to Mr al-Sharaa as an opportunity to bolster Baghdad's image as a hub for regional diplomacy. However, strong opposition to the invitation has emerged from powerful Shiite factions aligned with Iran. Tehran, which backed Mr Assad in Syria's civil war and used Syria as a conduit to smuggle weapons to the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, was widely seen as the biggest loser from Mr Assad's ouster. Several Iraqi Shiite militias fought alongside Mr Assad's forces during the civil war that followed his brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 2011, making Mr al-Sharaa a particularly sensitive figure for them. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has extended the invitation to the Syrian leader (AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Mustafa Sand, a member of parliament from the Co-ordination Framework — a coalition of Iran-allied factions that brought Mr al-Sudani to power in 2022 — said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the foreign ministry had reached out to Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council to verify whether an arrest warrant was issued against Mr al-Sharaa and that the council had confirmed the existence of a valid warrant. A security official confirmed the existence of the warrant to The Associated Press. The Islamic Dawa Party, led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki — one of the most influential figures in Iraq's ruling coalition — called on the government in a statement to 'ensure that any summit participant has a clean judicial record, both locally and internationally,' adding, 'the blood of Iraqis is not cheap, and those who have violated their sanctity or committed documented crimes against them should not be welcomed in Baghdad'. A spokesperson for the powerful militia Kataib Hezbollah, Abu Ali Al-Askari, said in a statement, 'Arab summits have been held without President Assad, Iraq or Libya. They certainly won't stop because the criminal Abu Mohammad al-Golani … isn't attending.' On the other side, Sunni political factions have rallied to defend Mr al-Sharaa's inclusion in the summit. Former MP Dhafir Al-Ani, a prominent Sunni figure, said he supports Baghdad's attempts to build ties with the new Syrian authorities. 'Preventing his presence would be a stab in the heart of the Iraqi government and a sign that violence still dictates the country's fate,' he said. The Iraqi government has not responded publicly to the backlash. A warrant would not necessarily block Mr al-Sharaa from joining the summit and other countries have chosen to waive similar measures. In December, after Mr Assad's fall, the United States said it had decided not to pursue a 10 million dollar reward it had previously offered for Mr al-Sharaa's capture, although Washington also has not yet officially recognised the new Syrian government. However, observers said the controversy highlights deep divisions within Iraq's political system and underscores the challenges facing national reconciliation efforts. 'Some see welcoming al-Sharaa as an insult to the memory of Iraq's victims, while Sunni factions view his participation as a political victory,' said political analyst Munaf Al-Musawi, head of the Baghdad Centre for Strategic Studies. 'This could risk fuelling sectarian tensions.'
