Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-08-24

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Wildfire status on Monday morning

[02] Ioannina honours Dukakis

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Wildfire status on Monday morning

Gusty winds forecast for much of Greece are reportedly hampering efforts by fire-fighters and fire-fighting aircraft as well as increasing the danger of fires re-igniting.

Twelve firefighting aircraft (nine Greek planes, two Italian and one French) began operations at dawn on Monday to contain the massive conflagration's fronts in Marathon, Nea Makri, Dionyssos and Mt. Penteli. Five water-dropping helicopters are operating along Mt. Kitheronas in order to stop the blaze from approaching residential areas.

Meanwhile, a large force of fire-fighters together with four fire-fighting aircraft are trying to extinguish a blaze east of the harbour town of Karystos, Evia island, and to keep it from spreading to olive groves and homes.

On the Ionian island of Zakyntos, a total of four wildfires erupted since Friday, and continue to burn in the areas of Maries and Stroggylo. Finally, smaller wildfires in the northern Peloponnese and on the central Aegean island of Skyros are under control.

Caption: Fire-fighters battle the blaze on Dionyssos, north of Athens, on Sunday 23 August 2009. ANA-MPA/COSTAS TSIRONIS

[02] Ioannina honours Dukakis

On Saturday morning, Dukakis toured the city's monuments and museums.

The parents of Dukakis' mother, Efterpi Bouki Dukakis, hailed from the mountainous Zagori region of Ioannina prefecture.

Caption: One-time US presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis at Ioannina city hall after receiving the city's gold medal on Saturday 22 August 2009. ANA-MPA/PARASKEVI PAPPA

[03] Athens Newspaper Headlines

A disastrous spate of wildfires in northeast Attica prefecture, north of greater Athens, dominated the headlines on Monday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Hell! Arsonists and strong winds burn half of Attica".

APOGEVMATINI: "Biblical disaster - Hundred of houses, cars, forests, fields and grassland turned into ashes".

AVRIANI: "Cut the crap on ecology"

ELEFTHEROS: "The state parody burned Attica - Cries against government and Prime Minister".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "The end - Delay, indifference and criminal neglect provide coup d'grace to Attica".

ESTIA: "Nightmare in Attica - Extent of damage unbelievable".

ETHNOS: "Crime without excuses - Government and state mechanism incompetent before wildfire in Attica".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Organised plan targetting the best pieces of Attica land".

TA NEA: "Hell again with major responsibilities - They underestimated the fire from the beginning".

VRADYNI: "Shame on you".

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