ATHENS: Greek authorities sent new evacuation notifications for two areas near the main town of the eastern Aegean island of Chios Monday morning, as firefighters struggled to control a major wildfire raging on the town’s outskirts for a second day.
The fire department said 190 firefighters were battling the blaze Monday. They were backed up by 35 vehicles, five helicopters and two water-dropping planes. Strong winds in the area since Sunday have hampered firefighting efforts.
Push alerts have been sent to mobile phones in the area urging people to evacuate a total of 16 villages, settlements and neighborhoods on the outskirts of Chios town since the blaze broke out on Sunday.
The fire started in three separate locations. Authorities have sent a specialist fire department arson investigation team to the island to look into the causes.
Wildfires are frequent in Greece during its hot, dry summers, but authorities have said climate change has been fueling bigger and more frequent blazes.
In 2018, a massive fire swept through the seaside town of Mati, east of Athens, trapping people in their homes and on roads as they tried to flee. More than 100 people died, including some who drowned trying to swim away from the flames.
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More evacuation orders issued as firefighters battle major wildfire on the Greek island of Chios
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More evacuation orders issued as firefighters battle major wildfire on the Greek island of Chios
France condemns US visa ban imposed on ex-EU commissioner Breton
PARIS: The French government condemned on Wednesday a visa ban imposed by the Trump administration on Thierry Breton, a former European Union commissioner who helped drive the EU’s Digital Services Act, which has recently targeted top US tech companies.
“France strongly condemns the visa restriction imposed by the United States on Thierry Breton, former minister and European Commissioner, and four other European figures,” wrote French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on X on Wednesday.
The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed visa bans on Breton and other anti-disinformation campaigners which it says were involved in censoring US social media platforms, in the latest move in a campaign aimed at European rules that US officials say go beyond legitimate regulation.
Breton, a former French finance minister and the European commissioner for the internal market from 2019-2024, was the most high-profile individual targeted by these bans.
The United States’ Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers described — when outlining the bans on Tuesday — Breton as a ‘mastermind’ of the EU’s Digital Services Act, which was again defended by Barrot on Wednesday.
“The Digital Services Act (DSA) was democratically adopted in Europe to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online. It has absolutely no extraterritorial reach and in no way affects the United States,” wrote Barrot on X.
Breton himself also condemned the visa ban against him.
“Is McCarthy’s witch hunt back? As a reminder: 90 percent of the European Parliament — our democratically elected body — and all 27 Member States unanimously voted the DSA. To our American friends: ‘Censorship isn’t where you think it is.’,” wrote Breton on X.
“France strongly condemns the visa restriction imposed by the United States on Thierry Breton, former minister and European Commissioner, and four other European figures,” wrote French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on X on Wednesday.
The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed visa bans on Breton and other anti-disinformation campaigners which it says were involved in censoring US social media platforms, in the latest move in a campaign aimed at European rules that US officials say go beyond legitimate regulation.
Breton, a former French finance minister and the European commissioner for the internal market from 2019-2024, was the most high-profile individual targeted by these bans.
The United States’ Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers described — when outlining the bans on Tuesday — Breton as a ‘mastermind’ of the EU’s Digital Services Act, which was again defended by Barrot on Wednesday.
“The Digital Services Act (DSA) was democratically adopted in Europe to ensure that what is illegal offline is also illegal online. It has absolutely no extraterritorial reach and in no way affects the United States,” wrote Barrot on X.
Breton himself also condemned the visa ban against him.
“Is McCarthy’s witch hunt back? As a reminder: 90 percent of the European Parliament — our democratically elected body — and all 27 Member States unanimously voted the DSA. To our American friends: ‘Censorship isn’t where you think it is.’,” wrote Breton on X.
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