Latest Greece News

Firefighters tackle blazes on Greek islands of Chios and Kos as premier warns of 'dangerous summer'

Jul. 01, 2024 06:46 AM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Firefighters were racing to tackle wildfires that broke out on the eastern Aegean islands of Chios and Kos Monday, as Greece’s prime minister warned of a dangerous summer ahead and said the public’s help was essential in limiting the impact of wildfires. ...

Two wildfires are burning near Greece's capital, fueled by strong winds

Jun. 30, 2024 12:23 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Two large wildfires were burning Sunday near Greece's capital of Athens, and authorities sent emergency messages for some residents to evacuate and others to stay at home and close their windows to protect themselves from smoke. The first blaze, southeast of...

A teenage beachgoer killed by lightning on a beach in northern Greece

Jun. 28, 2024 15:13 PM EDT

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A 13-year-old beachgoer died after being struck by lightning in northern Greece during a sudden summer rainstorm Friday, authorities said. A local official said the Greek girl had been swimming with her parents at Faros beach, near Poseidi in Halkidiki,...

Ethnic Greek imprisoned in Albania hopes his election to European Parliament will boost rule of law

Jun. 27, 2024 14:30 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — An Albanian prison cell wouldn't rank high among choice spots to run a successful campaign for election to the European Parliament. Fredis Beleris, a member of Albania's ethnic Greek minority, had no choice. Last year, he was elected mayor of a town in...

Albanian appeals court upholds prison term for Greek minority mayor, raising tensions with Athens

Jun. 25, 2024 09:22 AM EDT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — An Albanian appeals court on Tuesday upheld a two-year prison sentence for an elected mayor of the country’s Greek minority, in a move expected to further exacerbate tension with neighboring Greece. The appeals court declined to change the verdict of the...

Greece claims neighboring North Macedonia broke historic name deal, warns its EU hopes may suffer

Jun. 24, 2024 12:11 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece on Monday accused neighboring North Macedonia’s new center-right government of breaking a historic deal on the country’s name, warning that this could harm its hopes of one day joining the European Union. Athens was responding a day after North...

A predawn operation has rescued 77 migrants from a crippled yacht off Greece's Aegean Sea islands

Jun. 24, 2024 06:50 AM EDT

A group of 77 migrants were rescued off a crippled sailing yacht after a large overnight operation in the southern Aegean Sea, Greek authorities said Monday. Nobody was reported missing or injured following the rescue between the islands of Amorgos and Astypalaia, Greece's coast...

Motor yacht crew face criminal charges over Greek island fire allegedly started by firework display

Jun. 23, 2024 13:13 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A Greek prosecutor on Sunday brought criminal charges against the captain and crew of a chartered yacht suspected of triggering a forest fire on a resort island in the Aegean Sea during a firework display. Greece has been plagued in recent days by scores of...

A fire that spread through settlements in Turkey killed 11. Greece evacuates villages for safety

Jun. 21, 2024 12:20 PM EDT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A fire that apparently started in crop stubble spread through settlements in southeast Turkey overnight, killing 11 people and leaving dozens of others requiring medical treatment, officials and news reports said Friday. In neighboring Greece, authorities...

Summer wildfires plague Greece and Turkey. The worst ones have been contained

Jun. 19, 2024 13:02 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Scores of Greek firefighters and water-bombing aircraft succeeded late Wednesday in taming a large wildfire on the fringes of Athens that forced authorities to evacuate two nearby settlements. Summer wildfires also plagued Greece's Mediterranean neighbor...