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Orgo-Life the new way to the future Advertising by AdpathwayMorning opening: Heatwave continues with wildfire warnings in place
Jakub Krupa
More than 1,500 people were evacuated from hotels and homes overnight on Crete as firefighters are fighting a fast-spreading wildfire on the southern coast of the Greek island.
Over 230 firefighters are involved fighting multiple outbreaks posing a “very difficult” overall picture for the emergency services, the Greek fire brigade said in an update on Thursday morning.
A separate fire broke out in Halkidiki region of Greece, with 160 firefighters and 49 vehicles involved in emergency response, the fire service said.
The service warned that the country was entering “the most difficult month of the fire season,” with strong winds contributing to their spread.
Separate wildfires were reported in Germany, where at least two were seriously injured and over 100 reportedly evacuated in a forest fire in Saxony, and in Spain.
The fires come as Europe continues to face extreme weather conditions, with Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Croatia all expected to report temperatures in mid-30s today.
I will bring you all the latest here.
It’s Thursday, 2 July 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
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Portuguese prime minister Luís Montenegro reacted to the news of Jota’s death, expressing his condolences to his family.
The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honored Portugal’s name, and his brother is unexpected and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to their family. It is a sad day for football and for national and international sports.
You can follow our football live blog for more updates here:
Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota dies in car crash
We are now getting shocking news from Spain that Portugal and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has died in a car crash overnight.
The accident, first reported by Portuguese media and the Spanish sports newspaper Marca, took place near Zamora in northwest Spain, with local emergency services confirming two fatalities aged 28 and 26, without giving their names.
The Portuguese football association have confirmed the media reports in a statement, saying they “lacks the words” to describe the loss of the player.
BBC earlier said it also confirmed Jota’s death with the Spanish civil guard, Guardia Civil.
Local media reported that the car went off road and was fully engulfed in flames by the time first responders arrived on scene.
Jota joined Liverpool from Wolves in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club. He won the Premier League title, the FA Cup and League club with Liverpool, the Championship title with Wolves in 2018 and was a two-time winner of the Uefa Nations League with Portugal.
He was an immensely popular figure in the Liverpool dressing room with a warm and friendly personality.
Jota and his partner were married in Porto on 22 June, and announced the news in a social media post a few days ago.
French air traffic controllers go on strike over pay causing travel disruptions
Meanwhile, French air traffic controllers began a two-day strike demanding better working conditions, causing disruption to air travel as the summer season gets under way, Reuters reported.
Ryanair said it had to cancel 170 flights disrupting 30,000 passengers, with a secondary effect on flights flying over France to other destinations. “EU skies cannot be repeatedly closed just because French Air Traffic Controllers are going on recreational strikes,” the airline said.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary went even further, saying that “once again European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike,” adding “it makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.”
Air France, France’s largest airline said it had adapted its flight schedule, without giving details, but that it was maintaining long-haul flights.
Wind-fuelled wildfires rage in Turkey
Separately, two wildfires that began overnight near the western Turkish resort of Izmir were raging out of control on Thursday, fuelled by high winds, officials said, in comments reported by AFP.
“Strong winds are making firefighting efforts difficult in Izmir,” Turkey’s forestry directorate said on X as aerial firefighting planes and helicopters resumed their sorties at sunrise.
Locals in at least five districts in the two areas were evacuated as a precaution but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Since Friday, hundreds of fires have been reported across drought-hit Turkey, fuelled by high winds, AFP noted.
On Monday, more than 50,000 people were evacuated, mostly in the Izmir area but also from the southern province of Hatay, the AFAD disaster management agency said.
Morning opening: Heatwave continues with wildfire warnings in place
Jakub Krupa
More than 1,500 people were evacuated from hotels and homes overnight on Crete as firefighters are fighting a fast-spreading wildfire on the southern coast of the Greek island.
Over 230 firefighters are involved fighting multiple outbreaks posing a “very difficult” overall picture for the emergency services, the Greek fire brigade said in an update on Thursday morning.
A separate fire broke out in Halkidiki region of Greece, with 160 firefighters and 49 vehicles involved in emergency response, the fire service said.
The service warned that the country was entering “the most difficult month of the fire season,” with strong winds contributing to their spread.
Separate wildfires were reported in Germany, where at least two were seriously injured and over 100 reportedly evacuated in a forest fire in Saxony, and in Spain.
The fires come as Europe continues to face extreme weather conditions, with Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Croatia all expected to report temperatures in mid-30s today.
I will bring you all the latest here.
It’s Thursday, 2 July 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
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