Articles by Elena Becatoros

More Than 600 Firefighters, Water-Dropping Planes Struggle to Control Greece Wildfires

More than 600 firefighters, including reinforcements from several European countries and backed by a fleet of water-dropping planes and helicopters, were battling three major wildfires in Greece Sunday, two of which have been raging for days. A massive blaze in …

New Wildfires Break Out on Greece’s Evia Island

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Greece’s fire department scrambled firefighting aircraft and ground forces as at least two new blazes broke out in areas already scarred by wildfires this summer, with strong winds complicating efforts to contain them. The first broke …

Greece Wildfire Destroys Jobs of Pine Resin Collectors

AGDINES, Greece (AP) – For generations, residents in the north of the Greek island of Evia have made their living from the dense pine forests surrounding their villages. Tapping the ubiquitous Aleppo pines for their resin, the viscous, sticky substance …

Massive Wildfire Devours Forests on Greek Island of Evia

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – A massive wildfire burning for days on the northern tip of Greece’s second largest island continued to devour forests Tuesday, its thick smoke hanging in the streets of a nearby town as hundreds of firefighters battled …

Wildfires Rage Anew Near Athens, Forcing More Evacuations in Southern Greece

Wildfires rekindled outside Athens and forced more evacuations around southern Greece Thursday as weather conditions worsened and firefighters in a round-the-clock battle stopped the flames just outside the birthplace of the ancient Olympics. As additional support arrived from Greece’s military …

Sailors Stranded by COVID Restrictions Could Refuse to Work, Causing Trade Disruption

Merchant ship crew members stranded at sea for months due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions could now start refusing to further extend their contracts and stop working, potentially disrupting global trade, the International Transport Workers’ Federation said late Monday [June 15]. …

Greek Firefighters Battle Multi-Day Blaze in Nature Reserve

Greek authorities sent reinforcements Thursday to firefighters battling a major forest fire in a nature reserve on the island of Evia as water-dropping aircraft tried to extinguish the flames in a hard-to-reach canyon. On the third day of the fire, …

Rising Sea Temperatures Could Kill 90% of Coral Reefs by 2050: Scientists

There were startling colors here just a year ago, a dazzling array of life beneath the waves. Now this Maldivian reef is dead, killed by the stress of rising ocean temperatures. What’s left is a haunting expanse of gray, a …