Athens

Greece records 37% surge in property purchases by Indians in July-Aug

The rush in purchases is driven by a change in the minimum investment limit under Greece's Golden Visa Programme from Rs 2.3 crore to Rs 7 crore

EU estimate: Wildfire near Athens burned area twice the size of Manhattan

A European Union satellite mapping agency says 104 square kilometres (40 square miles) of land was burned northeast of Athens this week during a deadly wildfire that gutted scores of homes and prompted multiple countries to send assistance. The Copernicus Emergency Management Service announced the damage estimate Wednesday, a day after the wildfire was contained in a massive effort that ended on the outskirts of the capital. A factory worker was killed in the fire that swept through mountainous areas southward, covering an area almost twice the size of Manhattan and blanketing the Greek capital with a thick cloud of smoke. The fire damaged 22 businesses and rendered at least 78 homes uninhabitable, with nearly half of them completely destroyed, Greek officials said Wednesday. Inspections in fire-afflicted areas will continue in coming days. Nine countries, including neighbor Turkey, sent assistance to Greece to boost ground crews and water-dropping planes and helicopters operating

1 person dead in Athens wildfires; firefighter continue as winds drop

A major wildfire has raged across the northern suburbs of Athens, leaving at least one person dead and triggering multiple evacuations as swirling winds hampered the efforts of hundreds of firefighters and dozens of water-dropping planes. The fire department said shortly after midnight that firefighters found a body in a burnt building in the suburb of Vrilissia, but was unable to immediately provide further details. The blaze started Sunday near Lake Marathon, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) northeast of Athens, coursed across Mount Pendeli and reached the capital's northern suburbs. It burnt several homes and businesses in the city suburbs and in communities near the lake. Greece went on high alert but by late night Monday, a drop in winds offered hope and officials reported progress against the massive, fast-moving blaze that spawned flames over 25 metres (80 feet) high. Fire Department spokesperson Col Vassileios Vathrakogiannis said firefighters were longer battling a single fr

4 Indians among 13 crew missing after cargo ship sinks off Greek island

A cargo ship sank off the Greek island of Lesbos in stormy seas early Sunday, leaving 13 crew members, including four Indians, missing and one rescued, authorities said. The Raptor, registered in the Comoros, was on its way to Istanbul from Alexandria, Egypt, carrying 6,000 tons of salt, the coast guard said. It had a crew of 14, including eight Egyptians, four Indians and two Syrians, the coast guard said. The ship reported a mechanical problem at 7 am Sunday, sent a distress signal and shortly after disappeared about 4 1/2 nautical miles (8 km) southwest of Lesbos, authorities said. One Egyptian was rescued, a coast guard spokeswoman told The Associated Press. She said that eight merchant ships, two helicopters and one Greek navy frigate were searching for survivors. Three coast guard vessels had difficulty reaching the area because of rough seas, she added. The spokeswoman spoke on condition of anonymity because the case was ongoing and she wasn't authorised to speak to the ...

Itziar Irakulis Loitxate: The climate sleuth tracking methane leaks for UN

The 27-year-old PhD student isn't a detective but she may be the closest thing the world has to climate police

PM Modi lands in Greece for first prime ministerial visit in 40 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Greece to hold talks with top leadership; Indira Gandhi was the last Indian leader to visit the country in 1983

Greece Embassy hires staff to handle 'exceptionally high' visa demand

The move by Greek Embassy to hire more staff comes in the wake of several complaints by travel agents and tourists

Clashes in Athens as tens of thousands protest Macedonian name deal

Flag-waving demonstrators had created a sea of blue and white on Syntagma square near the parliament, while much of the city centre was closed to traffic and some metro stations shut as a precaution

Raising a toast to democracy in Athens

In the cradle of democracy, Geetanjali Krishna raises a toast to change and the power of time