live WUF13 opening ceremony held in Baku as global forum advances sustainable urban development
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the of...
Wildfires driven by powerful winds swept through Greece on Friday, from the southern outskirts of Athens to the region near Ancient Olympia.
A major fire in Keratea, southwest of Athens, claimed the life of an elderly man found in a burned building, according to the Greek Fire Brigade.
In Ancient Olympia, flames ravaged olive groves and forests, while another blaze broke out on the island of Kefalonia.
The area around Athens has experienced little rain for months, and wind gusts reaching 80 km/h made firefighting efforts extremely difficult, with flames spreading rapidly through orchards and residential areas.
Residents and firefighters struggled to control the fires as strong winds repeatedly fanned the flames.
Officials warned about the worsening situation.
"If the wind doesn't die down we will have huge problems," Ancient Olympia vice-mayor Georgios Linardos told.
The high winds also disrupted ferry services around Athens and contributed to two drownings on the island of Milos.
Greece is part of a broader Mediterranean wildfire hotspot, where rising temperatures and prolonged droughts have intensified the frequency and severity of fires in recent years.
Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time, taking victory in a final overshadowed by a boycott over Israel’s participation and the war in Gaza.
At least eight people were injured after a driver rammed a car into pedestrians in the northern Italian city of Modena, authorities said on Saturday. Four of the victims were reported to be in serious condition.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
Jeffrey D. Sachs, an economist, public policy analyst, Columbia University professor, and UN advisor, said Azerbaijan and the wider South Caucasus could become one of the world’s key strategic connectors in an emerging multipolar order.
U.S. President Donald Trump says China's Xi Jinping agreed Iran must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran prepares a new shipping mechanism. Tensions over the U.S. blockade and stalled nuclear talks continue to disrupt global oil supplies.
More than 100 people were killed in a violent storm that battered India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, with rain and hail, the state Disaster Management and Relief office said on Thursday.
Climate change has driven a record surge in wildfires across Africa, Asia and other regions this year, with scientists warning that conditions are likely to worsen further as the northern hemisphere enters summer and El Niño weather patterns intensify.
Destruction of the world's tropical forests eased in 2025 from a record high, a report showed on Wednesday, underscoring how decisive policy can help keep trees standing despite pressures from a warmer climate and expanding agricultural frontiers.
Kazakhstan has ratified a regional green energy agreement with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, signalling Central Asia’s ambition to become a key supplier of renewable energy to international markets.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
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