International News
Europe Fires: Countries Hit By Wildfires In Past Weeks
As the region experiences record high temperatures during a summer heatwave, wildfires have continued to spread over southern Europe.
More than 21,000 people had to be evacuated from the islands of Corfu and Rhodes as a result of the spread of forest fires, making Greece one of the most impacted nations.
However, a number of other nations are also battling wildfires because of the hot weather.
Biztellers looks at the European countries where wildfires have spread in recent days
GREECE
Wildfires continue to rage on the Greek island of Rhodes, where 19,000 people have been evacuated from homes and hotels since the weekend.
Fires burning since 19 July spread to the coastal resorts on the south east of the island. An estimated 2,000 people left the island by plane on Tuesday.
Hundreds of firefighters, helped by staff from Turkey and Slovakia, have been battling blazes near the villages of Gennadi and Vati on the south east of Rhodes.
About 2,500 people were evacuated because of fires on the island of Corfu on Sunday 23 July, although many returned to their hotels on Monday. Local officials claimed the fires on Corfu were started by arsonists.
Wildfires are also burning on the island of Evia, east of Athens. On Tuesday, it was reported that a plane fighting wildfires on Evia crashed with at least two people on board.
ITALY
There are a number of wildfires burning on the Italian island of Sicily as temperatures reached 47C.
Palermo airport was forced to close for several hours on Tuesday morning after flames reached just outside the perimeter.
Italy has been severely impacted by the heatwave across southern Europe, and 16 of its cities are on red alert, including Palermo and Catania on Sicily.
Elsewhere on the island, 120 families were evacuated from their homes near the seaside resort of Mondello, according to the Ansa news agency.
There have been wildfires this week near the city of Messina, and in the San Martino delle Scale area near Palermo, where Ansa said an 88-year-old woman had died in the fires.
TURKEY
On Tuesday 25 July, firefighters battled a wildfire near the seaside resort of Kemer in Turkey.
Turkish officials said 11 aircraft and 22 helicopters were tackling the blaze, which burned 120 hectares of woodland.
A local hospital was evacuated as a precautionary measure and six people were hospitalised because of smoke inhalation
SPAIN
On 16 July, more than 4,000 people were evacuated on the Spanish island of La Palma after a wildfire.
The blaze burned 2,900 hectares of the island, including 200 hectares of the Caldera de Taburiente National Park.
Agents of the Forest Fire Intervention and Reinforcement Teams (EIRIF) of the Government of the Canary Islands intervene in the La Palma fire on July 17, 2023, in La Palma, Canary Islands (Spain).
The Forest Fire Intervention and Reinforcement Teams (EIRIF) of the Government of the Canary Islands have been working on the La Palma fire creating fire breaks.
The Spanish islands of Majorca, Ibiza and Menorca have reportedly remained on high alert this week for the risk of fires.
SWITZERLAND
On Tuesday 18 July, firefighters in Switzerland battled a forest fire on a mountain in Bitsch in the Valais area near the border with Italy.
More than 200 people were evacuated as helicopters flew overhead during the night to tackle the blaze.
The fire spread to 100 hectares of forest and was still not completely under control at the weekend.
PORTUGAL
On Tuesday 18 July , Portugal requested help in the management of wildfires from the European Union civil protection mechanism, Finland’s Interior ministry said.
Finland will send 48 rescue workers to help Portugal in the event of wildfires.
While Portugal has escaped the worst of the recent southern Europe heatwave, it is facing widespread drought, with some 90% of the country affected, after an unusually hot and dry April.
MALTA
This week, a heatwave in Malta caused temperatures to soar as high as 42C.
Its Civil Protection Department was on high alert on Monday due to the potential for wildfires in the archipelago.
By Wednesday, the island country’s temperatures should be in the mid-30s.
International News
Miracle in Venezuela: Toddler Rescued Alive Six Days After Deadly Earthquakes
A three-year-old child has been rescued alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela, six days after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the South American nation, offering a glimmer of hope amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
The remarkable rescue took place in La Guaira, one of the areas hardest hit by the twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, which struck less than a minute apart on June 24.
SEE ALSO: Over 800 Dead As Earthquake Devastates Eastern Afghanistan
Rescue workers have continued round-the-clock search operations despite the challenges posed by repeated aftershocks.
The United Nations described the rescue as a powerful reminder that every life matters as emergency teams continue combing collapsed buildings for survivors.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the earthquakes have claimed nearly 2,000 lives, while more than 6,400 people have been rescued since the disaster struck.
Tens of thousands of survivors remain without adequate shelter, with humanitarian agencies warning that urgent needs continue to grow.
The UN refugee agency said the scale of the disaster has left thousands of families in desperate need of emergency assistance, while the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirmed that national and international rescue teams remain active in the affected communities.
UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) teams are also assessing the extent of the destruction and identifying communities most in need of humanitarian support.
Officials said about 1,000 buildings, including hospitals, have either been damaged or completely destroyed.
More than 400 schools and water systems have also been severely affected, worsening living conditions for residents.
To support relief efforts, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has delivered an initial 47-tonne shipment of humanitarian supplies, including emergency medical kits, water purification materials, safe birth supplies, wheelchairs, child-friendly tents and educational materials. The shipment follows an earlier consignment that arrived from Panama.
UNICEF said the combined aid will support more than 100,000 children and their families over the next three months.
Speaking from La Guaira, UNICEF representative Gabriel Vockel said the organisation is working around the clock to reach as many children and families as possible, while appealing for more donations to expand its life-saving operations.
UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Roberto Benes, said many affected families are sleeping outdoors for fear of continued aftershocks and remain in urgent need of clean water, healthcare and safe shelter.
The agency estimates that about 680,000 children across six affected states require humanitarian assistance following what has been described as Venezuela’s most significant earthquake disaster in more than a century.
Authorities also reported that more than 600 aftershocks have been recorded since the initial earthquakes, increasing concerns over further damage and risks to survivors.
UNICEF is seeking $52 million to respond to the earthquake emergency as part of its broader 2026 Humanitarian Action for Children appeal for Venezuela, which remains significantly underfunded.
International News
Panic in Europe as France Records First-Ever Ebola Case
France has confirmed its first-ever case of Ebola virus disease, triggering concern across Europe as health authorities move swiftly to contain the deadly infection.
The French Health Ministry announced on Wednesday that a doctor returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is currently battling a major Ebola outbreak, tested positive for the virus after arriving in France.
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According to officials, the patient was immediately isolated upon arrival, even before laboratory tests confirmed the diagnosis, helping to reduce the risk of transmission.
In a statement, the ministry confirmed the identification of “a first positive case of Ebola virus disease on national territory,” marking the first time the virus has been detected in France.
The development also represents the first confirmed Ebola case recorded outside Africa during the current outbreak, which has affected both the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
French authorities disclosed that the case was detected in mainland France, while Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu is closely monitoring the situation as health agencies intensify surveillance and response measures.
The current outbreak in the DRC was officially declared on May 15 following a series of unexplained deaths in the eastern Ituri Province.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Despite growing concerns, public health experts have stressed that the risk of widespread global transmission remains low because Ebola is less contagious than many airborne infectious diseases.
The virus spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids and contaminated materials.
Ebola is a severe and often fatal haemorrhagic fever that can cause symptoms including high fever, weakness, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.
French health authorities have assured the public that all necessary precautions are being taken to contain the case and prevent any further spread of the disease.
The announcement has nevertheless sparked anxiety across Europe, given the deadly nature of the virus and its emergence outside the African continent during the ongoing outbreak.
International News
“He Failed Badly” — Trump Says Starmer Will Step Down as UK PM
U.S. President Donald Trump has predicted that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will step down from office, accusing the Labour leader of failing on two critical issues — immigration and energy policy.
Trump made the remarks on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform, where he claimed Starmer’s leadership had fallen short in addressing challenges facing the United Kingdom.
SEE MORE:New US Strike on Iran Sends Oil Prices Soaring as Middle East Tensions Escalate
“Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom,” Trump wrote. “He failed badly on two very important subjects — IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!”
The U.S. president did not provide any evidence to support his claim, nor did he reveal the basis for his prediction that Starmer would leave office.
Starmer, who leads the Labour Party, became Prime Minister after securing victory in the UK’s general election.
Since taking office, his government has faced criticism over a range of issues, including migration policies, energy security, and the cost-of-living challenges confronting many Britons.
Trump’s comments come as debates over immigration and energy continue to dominate political discussions in the UK.
However, there has been no official statement from Starmer, his office, or the British government suggesting that he plans to resign.
As of the time of filing this report, Starmer remains in office and continues to lead the government despite the claims made by the American president.








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