International News
Greece Wildfires Chase Thousands From Seaside Resorts
High winds carried flames across hillside scrub and pine trees scorched by days of intense heat, forcing hundreds of people to leave seaside resorts, closing highways, and destroying vacation houses.
At least six beachfront communities received evacuation orders from the authorities as two large flames grew closer to tourist destinations and wind gusts reached 70 km/h (45 mph).
The army, police special forces and volunteer rescuers freed retirees from their homes, rescued horses from a stable, and helped monks flee a monastery threatened by the flames.
Before nightfall, water-dropping planes and helicopters tackled the flames near Lagonisi, some 40km (25 miles) southeast of the capital. The second large wildfire broke out in a wooded area near the resort town of Loutraki, some 90km (55 miles) west of Athens, where a children’s summer camp and rehabilitation centre for seniors were evacuated, local officials said.
Fire Service spokesman Yiannis Artopios said the strong and changeable winds and mountainous terrain in which both fires broke out were slowing the firefighting effort.
“The conditions are changing constantly and this has to be matched by our response. We have ordered multiple evacuations,” he said. The evacuees gathered along the coastline or were put up in schools and hotels, while coastguard vessels were dispatched to smoke-heavy beachfronts to assist if needed.
On a visit to Brussels, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described the risk posed by wildfires this month as “extremely difficult” to deal with.
“We have always had wildfires and we always will have them. But with the effects of the climate crisis, we are experiencing fires with increasing intensity,” Mitsotakis said, speaking on the margins of talks between leaders from the European Union and Latin American and Caribbean countries.
Following a four-day heatwave that subsided over the weekend, Greater Athens and much of southern Greece were on the second highest level of wildfire warning for Monday and Tuesday. Later in the week, additional heat waves are predicted.
In a bold move to redefine its national identity and sever ties with its colonial past, Niger’s ruling junta has officially adopted Hausa as the country’s national language, replacing French.
A new national charter, published in a special edition of the government’s official journal on March 31, stated: “The national language is Hausa” and “the working languages are English and French.”
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The decision is part of sweeping reforms introduced by the military government that took power in July 2023 after ousting President Mohamed Bazoum. Since then, the junta has taken deliberate steps to distance itself from France, including the expulsion of French troops and the renaming of streets and landmarks that bore French names.
Hausa is the most widely spoken language in Niger, particularly in the regions of Zinder, Maradi, and Tahoua. By contrast, French is spoken by only about 13 percent of the population—just over three million people in a country of 26 million.
The charter also designates nine other local languages—Zarma-Songhay, Fula, Kanuri, Gourmanche, Arabic and others—as the “spoken languages of Niger.”
The reforms stemmed from a national conference held in February, during which the junta was granted broader powers, including a five-year extension for General Abdourahamane Tiani to remain as head of state.
Niger, along with Mali and Burkina Faso—also under military rule—recently withdrew from the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), a cultural and political body representing French-speaking countries.
A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, shaking the region and sending tremors as far as Thailand and China.
The quake’s epicenter was located in the Sagaing region, near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, home to around one million people and renowned for its historic temple complexes.
Panic erupted as buildings swayed and dust filled the air.
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In Mandalay, videos shared online showed terrified residents rushing out of residential towers while traffic came to a sudden halt.
Reports indicate that a major bridge spanning the Irrawaddy River collapsed into the water in a cloud of dust and debris.
The quake was felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand’s capital, where video footage showed a partially constructed building in Chatuchak Park crumbling to the ground.
Thai authorities reported that 43 people were trapped in the wreckage, while seven others sustained injuries.
In Chiang Mai, a resident described feeling the tremors for about ten seconds before fleeing into the streets.
In Myanmar’s commercial hub, Yangon—about 380 miles from the epicenter—residents also experienced the powerful shaking.
One resident recalled, “We felt the quake for about a minute, then ran out of the building.
It was very sudden and very strong.” Another noted that phone networks in the city, home to around 8 million people, briefly went down but were later restored.
Myanmar, one of Asia’s poorest nations, is already grappling with the effects of a brutal civil war sparked by a military coup over four years ago.
The conflict has devastated the economy, and the country remains ill-equipped to handle a major natural disaster of this scale.
The Sagaing region, where the earthquake struck, is a war zone with multiple factions—including the ruling junta, pro-military militias, and rebel groups—fighting for control.
The ongoing violence has made travel by road or river extremely dangerous, posing significant challenges to delivering emergency aid and assessing the full extent of the damage.
Tremors were also felt in China’s southwestern Yunnan province, underscoring the quake’s intensity.
Authorities across the region are now assessing the situation, with emergency teams mobilizing in both Myanmar and Thailand.
Han Jong-hee, co-CEO of Samsung Electronics and a driving force behind the company’s dominance in the global television market, has died of a heart attack at the age of 63, the company confirmed on Tuesday.
“He died from cardiac arrest today,” a Samsung spokesperson stated, adding that Han is survived by his wife and three children.
Having joined the company in 1988, Han played a significant role in shaping Samsung’s television business.
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His leadership was instrumental in the launch and success of the company’s high-end LED TVs, which helped establish Samsung as a global leader in the industry.
“Han was central in the unveiling of Samsung’s world-class LED TVs,” the company noted in a biography published earlier this month. “His numerous other innovations enabled the company to continually demonstrate its technology leadership.”
His efforts ensured that Samsung maintained its position as a dominant force in the global television market.
Han’s death comes at a time when Samsung Electronics is grappling with challenges in the AI chip sector.
The company has been facing difficulties in meeting Nvidia’s standards, while its South Korean competitor, SK Hynix, has emerged as the leading supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips for Nvidia’s AI processors.
Chairman Lee Jae-yong recently underscored the urgency of the situation, urging Samsung to adopt a “do-or-die” approach to overcome the growing challenges in the AI industry.
Last October, the company acknowledged it was facing a “crisis,” citing concerns over its “fundamental technological competitiveness and the future of the company.”
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