Archive July 26, 2025

Athens suburb residents told to evacuate as wildfires in Greece spread

According to the Greek Fire Service, a wildfire that has reportedly burned through a northern suburb of Athens has caused some residents to flee.

According to Fire Service spokesman Vassilis Vathrakoyannis, residents of the town of Kryoneri, which is located 20 kilometers (12. 5 miles) northeast of Athens, received three text messages on Saturday as they drove to safe locations.

“Damages have been reported. When the fires are extinguished, the spokesperson said, “We will take stock.”

Houses were depicted in Greek media.

According to Vathrakoyannis, “the real difficulties are ahead of us,” adding that Greece requested six firefighting planes from the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union.

The fire, whose origin is unknown, is being put out by 145 firefighters, 44 fire engines, 10 firefighting planes, and seven helicopters on-site. At least five residents, the majority elderly and suffering from respiratory issues, are being treated by four ambulances.

The flames are being fanned by high winds, dry conditions, and temperatures exceeding 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit).

According to Vathrakoyannis, wildfires “expand very quickly and become dangerous” under such circumstances, which are expected to persist in the upcoming days.

In addition to the two largest islands in southwest Greece, Crete in the south and Evia north of Athens, and Kythera on the island of Kythera in the northwest of the island.

Although only operating during daytime, there are at least 335 firefighters, 19 aircraft, and 13 helicopters. According to the spokesperson, 52 wildfires have erupted nationwide in the past 24 hours.

In recent years, wildfires have become a common sight in Greece, many of which are very destructive. In the last month, several incidents occurred.

In recent years, scientists have noticed a rise in the frequency of heatwaves and dry conditions in the world.

During a heatwave in southern Europe, the temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius (107 degrees Fahrenheit) last month.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the fire season begins earlier and ends later because of warmer temperatures, drier weather, and rural areas’ growing urbanization.

‘Thank you for the memories’ – England’s team behind the team

Joe Bunney

For fans watching England’s Euro 2025 journey, it has been a wild ride.

Spare a thought for the Lionesses’ loved ones out in Switzerland.

They have been there every step of the way on the rollercoaster journey with Sarina Wiegman’s side, following five matches over three weeks, cheering every goal, kicking every ball and watching every penalty from behind their hands.

‘Every goal she scores, he’s watching over her’

Ella Toone and Michelle AgyemangGetty Images

For England duo Ella Toone and Beth Mead, Euro 2025 has been particularly difficult.

It is the first major tournament both have played since losing a parent, with Mead losing her mum, June, to ovarian cancer in January 2023, while Toone’s dad, Nick, was diagnosed with prostate cancer and died in September 2024.

“We were talking about him only the other day as a family,” Toone’s boyfriend Joe Bunney told BBC Sport. “Nick would’ve loved this.

“The inspiration Nick gave us to support Ella in the way he did was great. Hopefully one more step and we can win the Euros for him. Every goal she scores, every game, he’s watching over her.

“For Ella, it’s really important the people she has around her. Beth Mead as well. They’re going through a similar thing. It’s nice for them to have each other and they are so strong to get through what they’ve been through in a football season and then go to the Euros.”

While Toone and Mead have been united by grief and bonded off the pitch, throughout Euro 2025 the Lionesses’ family and friends have been bonding off it, particularly celebrating England’s late goals.

“It was all a bit of a blur,” Bunney said of celebrating Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute quarter-final equaliser against Italy. “Michelle’s family were in front of me. The scenes were crazy.

“I was sat on row seven and I definitely didn’t finish there, I ended up on row three. I was talking to Michelle’s family about how proud they must be. It takes us back to 2022 when Alessia [Russo] and Ella were making an impact on the games. It’s massive for Michelle and her family are a lovely family and we get on really well.”

‘Our job is to give them that normality’

Lucy Bronze with her niece and nephewGetty Images

Euro 2025 is Lucy Bronze’s seventh major tournament for England.

She has played a starring role for the Lionesses in Switzerland with her solid defensive displays, as well as scoring in the 79th minute against Sweden to help force extra-time, before converting a brilliant penalty in the shootout.

“My goodness the things they have put us through this tournament,” Bronze’s brother Jorge told BBC Sport.

“People keep asking me if I am having a great time out here and I say ‘no!’ It’s just trauma after trauma after trauma. It’s been a brilliant time, exhausting, emotional, thrilling and everything in between.”

Among the Bronze family out in Switzerland are Jorge’s two young children.

“I’ve got a five-year-old and a four-year-old that Lucy absolutely adores, she loves playing silly games with them.

“It was 1am [after the Italy game] and they were playing a bit of hide and seek with auntie Lucy in the ground after a pretty intense game of football.”

Jorge said under Wiegman, players’ family and friends now play their part behind the scenes in England’s success.

“We have noticed a real shift,” Jorge said. “Certainly under Sarina, there has been an approach to have the family and friends engaged but know what our role is.

“We took Lucy to a play park and gave her a half-eaten cheese sandwich that my four-year-old didn’t finish. Everyone is having a slightly different experience but every player needs their own downtime in their own way.

“Our job as a family is to just give them that bit of normality. Whether that’s smashing her at table tennis or Mario Kart, to remind her I am still her older brother, or if it’s just chatting things through. Whatever it is, that is what we are here to do for the players.”

‘I’m not used to this as a fan’

Alessia RussoGetty Images

Alessia Russo’s brother Giorgio missed England’s first two group games of Euro 2025 because he was on Love Island.

He swapped Spain for Switzerland and flew out in time for the nervy quarter-final win over Sweden in Zurich.

“Me and her are best mates, we talk about everything outside of football,” Giorgio said. “She was the first person I told about Love Island. We’re really good friends and it helps her switch off from work.”

All Girgio has known at Euro 2025 is a rollercoaster. Missing the big wins over the Netherlands and Wales, the two games he has been to have seen a tense penalty shootout quarter-final win and a dramatic extra-time semi-final victory.

“It’s been really hard. I’m not used to this as a fan,” Giorgio said. “The group stages started shaky but really came back and when I got out here for the knockout it’s been tough, but elation at the end.

“There is a different type of emotion when it’s a family member, you really feel it from their point of view. For the penalty shootout [against Sweden] my mum, Ella’s mum, Leah [Williamson]’s mum, they all couldn’t watch. Leah’s mum makes me laugh so much it’s like she is in pain in the games.

“It’s a tense environment, the girls can obviously feel it and when there is a goal, when we win the celebrations are absolutely crazy but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else I don’t think.”

Euro 2025 final: England v Spain

Sunday, 27 July at 17:00 BST

Watch on iPlayer

‘We tried to just keep it normal and keep it real’

Georgia StanwayGetty Images

Described by Giorgio as one half of the ‘fun police’ alongside Joe Bunney, Georgia Stanways brother John-Paul helps to organise gatherings with the players’ friends and families.

Even when arranging a low-key meal with family, it turns into a team outing and JP said word spread about a meal the day after England’s semi-final win over Italy.

“We went for a Chinese meal the day after the Geneva game,” he said. “A few of the team got wind of this meal so there was us, the Toones, the Walshs, Jill Scott joined us.

“We didn’t really chat about much. It’s just calmness. We talked about tickets to the final, a little bit of how the game was. Our job was to take her mind off it and bring some calmness and normality. We tried to just keep it normal and keep it real.”

JP’s message to Georgia: “I want to say thank you for the memories you’ve given us. Back-to-back-to-back finals. Not so thankful for the heart attacks you’ve given us for the past few games.

Related topics

  • UEFA Women’s EURO
  • Football
  • Women’s Football

‘Thank you for the memories’ – England’s team behind the team

Joe Bunney

It has been a wild ride for fans who have followed England’s Euro 2025 journey.

Give the loved ones of the Lionesses a thought in Switzerland.

Following five matches over the course of three weeks, they have cheered every goal, kicked every ball, and watched every penalty from behind their hands as Sarina Wiegman’s side have been on a rollercoaster ride together.

He is watching over her every goal she scores, he says.

Ella Toone and Michelle AgyemangGetty Images

The challenge of Euro 2025 has been particularly challenging for England duo Ella Toone and Beth Mead.

The two have played their first major tournament since losing a parent, with Mead losing her mother to ovarian cancer in January of that year, and Toone’s father, Nick, suffering from prostate cancer, passing away in September of that year.

Joe Bunney, Toone’s boyfriend, told BBC Sport, “We were talking about him only the other day as a family.” Nick would have adored this, Nick said.

“Nick gave us a lot of great inspiration to help us support Ella,” he said. We can probably win the Euros for him with just one more step. He is watching over her every goal she scores and every game.

“The people she has around her are really important,” Ella says. Additionally, Beth Mead. Similar circumstances are occurring for them. They have each other, and they are so resilient to endure what they’ve been through during the football season, before moving on to the Euros.

While Toone and Mead have shared grief and bonded over the pitch, the Lionesses’ families and friends have been bonded over Euro 2025, especially as they have celebrated England’s late goals.

Michelle Agyemang’s 96th-minute quarter-final equalizer against Italy was all a bit of a blur, Bunney said. In front of me was Michele’s family. The scenes were unbelievable.

I ended up on row three because I was sat in row seven and didn’t finish there. Michelle’s family must be very proud of themselves, I told them. When Alessia Russo and Ella were having an impact on the games, it transports us to 2022. It’s significant because Michelle and her family are such a wonderful couple and we get along really well.

Our goal is to give them that sense of normality.

Lucy Bronze with her niece and nephewGetty Images

Lucy Bronze’s seventh major tournament for England will be at Euro 2025.

She scored in the 79th minute against Sweden to force extra-time, and she also scored with a brilliant penalty in the shootout, which was also a star for the Lionesses in Switzerland.

The things that they did for us during this tournament, Bronze’s brother Jorge said to BBC Sport, “My goodness.”

People keep asking me if I’m having a great time while I’m here, but I’m not. Simply put, trauma follows trauma after trauma follows trauma. It’s been a fantastic experience that was exhausting, emotional, thrilling, and everything in between.

Jorge’s two young children make up the Bronze family in Switzerland.

Lucy absolutely adores playing silly games with her and a five-year-old.

After a very intense game of football, they were playing a little hide-and-seek with auntie Lucy in the ground at 1am.

Under Wiegman, players’ families and friends now play a role in the success of England, according to Jorge.

“We’ve noticed a real shift,” Jorge said. “Undoubtedly, there has been a strategy under Sarina to get the family and friends interested, but we are aware of our role.”

“My four-year-old refused to finish my half-eaten cheese sandwich when we took Lucy to a play park. Every player has their own downtime in their own way, but everyone is having a slightly different experience.

“We just want to give them that little bit of normality,” the family said. whether it’s hitting her at table tennis or Mario Kart, or just chatting things up, I’m still her older brother. Whatever it may be, the players are what we are trying to serve.

I’m not used to being a fan of this.

Alessia RussoGetty Images

Giorgio Russo, Alessia Russo’s brother, was on Love Island, making it impossible for him to play in England’s first two Euro 2025 group games.

He left Spain for Switzerland just in time for the nervy quarter-final defeat to Sweden in Zürich.

Giorgio said, “Me and her are our best friends and we talk a lot about everything non-football.” She was the first to learn about Love Island. She can’t help but switch off from work because we’re such good friends.

At Euro 2025, Giriotta was completely unaware of roller coasters. With his dramatic extra-time semi-final victory and tense penalty shootout win over the Netherlands and Wales, he missed the big wins over the Netherlands and Wales.

It’s been a lot of work,” she said. Giorgio said, “I’m not used to this as a fan.” When I arrived for the knockout, it was difficult, but elation at the end. The group stages started shaky but really came back.

You actually feel it from the perspective of a family member, which is a different kind of emotion. They were all unable to watch the penalty shootout [against Sweden] with my mother, Ella’s mother, and Leah [Williamson’s mother]. I laugh so hard watching Leah’s mother that it seems like she’s in pain during the games.

The girls can obviously sense it, and when a goal is scored, the celebrations are insane, but I don’t think I would want to go anywhere else.

England vs. Spain Euro 2025 final

Sunday, 27 July at 17: 00 BST

On iPlayer, watch

We made an effort to maintain its consistency and authenticity.

Georgia StanwayGetty Images

Giorgio calls Georgia Stanways brother John-Paul one of the “fun police” along with Joe Bunney, and he coordinates gatherings with the players’ friends and families.

Even when making a quiet meal with family, it turns out to be a team outing, according to JP, who reported that word about the meal spread the day after England’s semi-final victory over Italy.

He said the following day that we had a Chinese meal. There were the Toones, the Walshs, and Jill Scott who joined us as a few members of the team who learned of this meal.

We didn’t really talk much, they said. Simply being calm. We discussed the final tickets, briefly describing the situation. Our task was to calm her down and restore normality to her mind. We made an effort to maintain its consistency and authenticity.

Georgia, JP’s message: “I want to thank you for the memories you’ve given us. Back-to-back-to-back championships. Not so grateful for the heart attacks you’ve caused in recent games.

related subjects

  • Women’s EURO 2016: UEFA
  • Football
  • Women’s Football

The K’s Jamie Boyle issues urgent warning over music venues closing

The closure of grassroots music venues is threatening to derail the British music industry, warns The K’s frontman Jamie Boyle ahead of a landmark performance at Hillsborough Stadium

Jamie Boyle of The K’s has warned of the dangers of music venues closing down(Image: Getty Images)

Indie band The K’s admit it’s harder for unsigned bands as grassroots venues face further closures. The band from Earlestown, located between Manchester and Liverpool are today playing The Sarah Nulty main stage at Tramlines Festival in Sheffield, enjoying the recent release of their second album, Pretty On The Internet.

“We’re well excited,” said frontman Jamie Boyle. Speaking to the Mirror from Hillsborough Stadium, he went on to add: “As soon as we finished our first album, our minds were set on the second.”

Last year, their debut album reached Number Three, being beaten by Beyoncé and The Libertines. But should their album get to number one, what would it mean for the band?

“It means everything to us. We’d love it. We said yesterday when we did our album release show, there’s still one box I haven’t ticked for my first album campaign, as amazing as it was but to finally tick that box and get that Number One accolade to our name.

“But regardless, as long as we keep doing what we’re doing for a living, making music we love, that’s all that matters but a Number One, would be that cherry on the top.”

Jamie Boyle of The K's has warned of the dangers of music venues closing down
The K’s performed at the Hillsborough Stadium over the weekend(Image: WireImage)

Prior to the record being released, four tracks racked up an impressive four million streams, something the band struggled to get their heads around.

“I think when you see it on paper, you don’t even think about it until you have to,” said guitarist Ryan Breslin. He added: “It’s unfathomable the number itself, you see it on paper and then you sit down and think how many people know these songs, it’s crazy. I don’t think you can actually visualise that community, so all that put into context, it’s class.

“As long as people keep listening, as long as everything keeps going down so well, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing, hopefully it stays that way for a while.”

The band have enjoyed playing at major venues - including The Roundhouse in Camden earlier this year
The band have enjoyed playing at major venues – including The Roundhouse in Camden earlier this year(Image: WireImage)

However, they admit that during the creation of the record, they learned to mainly focus on nothing but the album process. “Don’t let anything cloud our vision,” they added.

But having worked their way up the industry for the past decade, bassist Dexter commented: “It’s been a lot of hard work over the past ten, seven years. It’s been quite hard work. Obviously we’re getting to these stages, it’s kind of like the fruits coming out of the trees now. It has been hard work but it’s served us well.”

More recently, the band have launched a pop-up shop in their hometown to celebrate the release of their album, with Ryan admitting it was “cool” to meet the people who have supported them over the years and seen their rise to success.

He went on to add: “The streams on Spotify, it’s hard to kind of comprehended when you’ve got 100 people still in a shop buying your albums. Yeah, it’s a good feeling.”

Living between Manchester and Liverpool has been a huge help for the band. “You get more doors open for you when you live between massive music scenes. There are more venues on your doorstep, which is why it’s such a shame. See so many closing doors on a lot of the venues that we started off playing aren’t there anymore. Theres a lot of focus on keeping them open now which I hope succeeds.”

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One of the venues the band have played the most was The Leadmill, Ryan said: “There’s just something in the water.” Speaking about their set at Tramlines, drummer Nathan said: “We can’t wait I think was an extra buzz as well obviously, because we just dropped the album. So I think it’s just going to be a little extra special on stage for us and for the fans as well.”

Jamie added: “I think it’s going to be f**king mint. I think it’s going to rock.”

Cameroon bars main challenger to longtime leader from presidential race

The electoral commission of Cameroon has rejected Maurice Kamto’s candidacy for the country’s president, President Paul Biya’s main rival, raising alarms and increasing the chances of the incumbent’s election to win another term in office.

The electoral commission’s chief, ELECAM, made the announcement at a press conference on Saturday, reading out a list of 13 candidates who had not already been chosen. The exclusion was not justified, and those who were not on the list had two days to appeal.

Kamto, 71, was Biya’s most formidable rival in previous elections when he officially declared his candidacy last week. In an election marred by allegations of fraud and low voter turnout, he won with more than 70% of the vote, while Biya, who appears on the electoral list, came in second with 14 percent of the vote.

Kamto contested the party’s candidate, the communist group MANIDEM. Kamto contested the Cameroon Renaissance Movement (MRC), which he founded in 2012, in the 2018 election.

Kamto had been chosen by MANIDEM for this year’s election.

Following the release of the list of candidates approved on Saturday, there were heightened fears of protests and unrest. The electoral council had received 83 names.

Security personnel were stationed close to the ELECAM headquarters, along major thoroughfares in Yaounde, the capital, and in Douala, the economic hub.

On Friday, the UN Department of Safety and Security warned that the announcement might cause protests in the capital.

In the days following any objections to the provisional list, the final list of candidates will be released.

Despite rumors that his health is failing, Biya, 92, the oldest head of state in the world, announced last month that he would run for re-election on October 12. He has almost half of his life spent in power since 1982.

Cameroon has been affected by Biya’s rule forever. His administration has faced a number of challenges, including allegations of corruption and a deadly secessionist conflict in the country’s English-speaking provinces, which have forced thousands of students away from school.

‘Horrors upon horrors’: How US Congress responded to mass hunger in Gaza

Some of Israel’s steadiest supporters in the US Congress have been moved by the images of abused children leaving Gaza, which has influenced some of its most fervent supporters.

Over the past few days, some Democratic lawmakers have sharply criticized Israel and the GHF food distribution system, which is supported by the US and Israel, and which has resulted in the deaths of more than 1, 000 Palestinian aid seekers.

However, others made flimsy declarations that didn’t directly blame Israeli actions for aid entering Gaza.

The extremist Israeli government is using widespread starvation to orchestrate the ethnic cleansing of Gaza, according to progressive Senator Bernie Sanders in a statement released late on Friday. “This is the reality: 200, 000 Palestinians have already been killed or wounded, mostly women and children.

He claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government was running an “extermination” campaign in Gaza.

The anger threatens to undermine Israel’s long-standing bipartisan support for Congress, which authorizes the billions in military aid that Washington annually pays to its staunch US ally.

However, so far, it doesn’t seem like there was much pressure to actually punish the Israeli government for its forced mass hunger operation in Gaza.

The US House of Representatives approved $500 million in missile defense funding for Israel just last week with a majority vote.

This is unable to continue.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen criticized Netanyahu and US President Trump on Saturday for agusing Gaza’s humanitarian aid organizations with mercenaries, which would have increased the number of fatalities and destruction.

In a social media post, Van Hollen wrote, “Every day, the horrors in Gaza reach new, unimaginable depths.”

The Trump administration has been promoting Hamas’ falsely blaming Hamas for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza while denouncing US support for the GHF operation, which the UN and human rights organizations have called a “death trap” and “human slaughterhouses.”

Van Hollen remarked, “This cannot continue.”

According to John Garamendi, a member of Congress, Israel’s “dangerous and wilful failure to enable humanitarian aid” in Gaza amounts to genocide.

Only a select few progressive congressmembers have charged Israel with committing a genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza.

However, international experts and human rights organizations have come to the same conclusion about the Israeli military’s genocidal plot.

According to Garamendi, “Israel has the capacity and the means to provide adequate food to the Palestinians.” Prime Minister Netanyahu has the option to not feed Gaza, adding that they also have the obligation to deliver it under international law.

Numerous Israeli officials have publicly stated that they want to stop Gaza’s aid and force all Palestinians to leave, effectively encouraging ethic cleansing. Many people have suggested that the enclave is home to no innocent residents.

Amichai Eliyahu, the minister of Israeli heritage, made the apparent assertion earlier this week that his country is purposefully starving Gaza, claiming that “nation feeds its enemies.”

According to The Times of Israel, Eliyahu stated in a radio interview that “the government is racing ahead for Gaza to be completely eradicated.”

At least 127 Palestinians have died in the enclave from malnutrition, including five on Saturday, according to Gaza’s health authorities.

Wesley Bell, a leading critic of Israeli policies and the recipient of millions of dollars from pro-Israel groups, made a statement on Thursday opposing Israel’s actions.

“I’ve always backed and defended Israel’s right to exist. In a social media post, Bell claimed that this hasn’t changed.

I can’t stand by supporting this government’s actions, which include allowing children to starve and firing at civilians in search of food. This is not self-defense, though. It must end.

Summer Lee, a congresswoman, shot at aid seekers who were attempting to get food from GHF sites on Friday, claiming that Israel is preventing humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“People are suffering from extreme starvation in the streets.” In a social media post, Lee remarked, “Horrors upon horrors.” The US must stop funding the genocide and famine that Israel produces.

statements that are ambiguous

Lee delivered the crisis with less force than the US lawmakers who addressed the issue.

Many people didn’t point the finger at Israel, while others began their mild critique of the US ally with Hamas’ customary condemnation.

UN agencies and aid organizations have been debating the claim that Hamas steals humanitarian aid, which Israeli military officials acknowledge they have no proof, but several congressmembers have since refuted it.

Congresswoman Grace Meng continued to make pro-Israel statements about the humanitarian situation while saying in a statement that “as a mother, my heart breaks to see children in Gaza starve.”

While Hamas continues to hold hostages, extort the aid system, and refuse ceasefire deals to stay in power and prolong the war, Meng said in a statement. “It is important to recognize that Israel has allowed the entry of over 1.8 million tons and over 96, 000 trucks into Gaza.

Israel has allowed a small amount of aid to enter Gaza despite spending more than 22 months of the conflict, far below the population’s needs. Israel’s tightening of its blockade of the area has made the deadly GHF sites nearly the only food source for Palestinians since March.

Hamas also denies that ceasefire agreements are being rejected. Instead, the organization asserts that it is pursuing a permanent resolution of the conflict, while several Israeli officials have indicated that Israel will continue to conduct its military there despite a temporary truce.

In response to Israeli accusations that Hamas is preventing ceasefire negotiations and stealing the aid, Congressman Adam Smith called on Israel to take the “steps necessary to alleviate the humanitarian catastrophe” in Gaza.

In a statement, Smith said, “I think we can both work immediately to alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza and continue to support Israel in their efforts to defend themselves against Hamas, Iran, and other countries in the region who continue to attack and destroy Israel.”

Senator Cory Booker, who called for a “strategie to strengthen Israel’s security,” also made a 172-word statement about the Gaza hunger crisis that only once mentioned the word “Israel.”

According to Booker, “it is our collective moral duty to make sure humanitarian aid gets to those who need it most quickly.”

criticizing Trump

Some Democrats retaliated against Trump, their political rival, without denouncing Israel at the same time.

In a statement released late on Friday that focused on Trump without specifically criticizing Israel, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries set the tone for that strategy.

Palestinian children and civilians are still battling in a war zone, according to Jeffries. The Trump administration has the power to end this humanitarian crisis, according to the statement. They must now take action.

Rep. Tim Kennedy’s remarks on Trump’s failure to fulfill his commitment to ending the Gaza war were further underscored by Tim Kennedy.

His strategic and moral failure, according to Kennedy, has caused the world’s worsening conditions, with fresh reports and images of Palestinians being systematically starved, in a statement.

Trump’s Republican Party has largely remained silent about Gaza’s worsening hunger.

However, Congressman Randy Fine, a close ally of the US president, made an appearance to support Israel’s Gaza hunger campaign while also calling it “Muslim terror propaganda.”