Heavy Lightning Triggers Wildfires on Greek Island of Thassos

A view of fire around the island of Kos, Greece, July 1, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. ALAN BOYLE/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
A view of fire around the island of Kos, Greece, July 1, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. ALAN BOYLE/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
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Heavy Lightning Triggers Wildfires on Greek Island of Thassos

A view of fire around the island of Kos, Greece, July 1, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. ALAN BOYLE/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights
A view of fire around the island of Kos, Greece, July 1, 2024, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. ALAN BOYLE/via REUTERS Purchase Licensing Rights

Heavy lightning triggered two fires on the Greek island of Thassos on Wednesday, the fire brigade said, a day after firefighting forces tamed wildfires fanned by unusually strong winds on two other islands.

More than 32 firefighters assisted by 13 fire engines, one aircraft and two helicopters were trying to put out the flames devouring forest land on two fronts on the island in the northern Aegean Sea 306 km (190 miles) north of Athens.

Reinforcements from the nearby city of Kavala were expected during the day, Reuters reported.

Wildfires have become more common and devastating in Greece in recent years because of climate change, scientists say, frequently disrupting summer tourism as millions flock to the country's islands.

Rainfall would normally be a blessing in areas that have not seen a drop in months, but the accompanying lightening made things worse on Thassos.

Greece's civil protection service has warned of more freak weather on Wednesday and Thursday, saying storms with a high frequency of lightning and hail were expected. Central and northern Greece would be most affected.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned this week of a dangerous summer of wildfires following a prolonged drought and unusually high gusts of wind for the season.

Last year, forest fires killed 20 people in the north of the country and forced 19,000 people to flee the island of Rhodes.

To locate blazes early, the Mediterranean country is increasingly using drones that help monitor forest land.

About 240 fire fighters from countries including Bulgaria, Malta, Moldova and Romania will reinforce Greece's firefighting forces from July until September, the civil protection ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.



Ghana Chef Accused of Faking Guinness World Records Award

The Ghanaian chef who claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual - X
The Ghanaian chef who claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual - X
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Ghana Chef Accused of Faking Guinness World Records Award

The Ghanaian chef who claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual - X
The Ghanaian chef who claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual - X

A Ghanaian chef who claimed to have broken the world record for the longest non-stop cooking by an individual has been arrested over a dispute with his sponsor.

Ebenezer Smith held a press conference on Tuesday announcing he was the new world-record holder after cooking continuously for 802 hours and 25 minutes - more than a month.

He presented a certificate purportedly from Guinness World Records (GWR) confirmed him as the record holder.

But on Wednesday, a GWR spokesperson told BBC Pidgin the claims were "not true" and added that it was "not our certificate".

In another response to a Ghanaian media outlet, GWR also explained they were not aware of his attempt and that they did not receive an application from him.

The chef was arrested by the police shortly after announcing his purported award, over a dispute with his sponsor, the Amadia Shopping Centre, Spintex, in the capital Accra, where he held his cooking marathon in March.

They accused him of breaching a contractual agreement by not informing them about the new developments regarding the alleged confirmation of the award.

Many Ghanaians have expressed shock and disappointment on social media about the case, which was widely covered when Mr Smith claimed to have broken the record.

The chef, who is still in police custody and has not been charged yet, has not commented on the accusations.

His unsuccessful record attempt earlier this year attracted the support of several local celebrities.