Greece battles wildfire on Crete for a third day as temperatures rise
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Alibaba Cloud announces new data centres in Malaysia, the Philippines
Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group, announced the opening of its third data center in Malaysia on Tuesday. The expansion ensures that Alibaba Cloud can meet the rising global demand for secure, resilient and scalable cloud services.
BEIJING, July 2 (Reuters) – Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group, announced the opening of its third data center in Malaysia on Tuesday and disclosed plans to launch a second data center in the Philippines in October, according to a statement released on Wednesday.
The expansion ensures that Alibaba Cloud can meet the rising global demand for secure, resilient and scalable cloud services, the company said.
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Reporting by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong
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Russia says it is too early to assess US bomb damage to Iranian nuclear facilities
Kremlin says it is too early for anyone to have an accurate picture of damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear facilities by U.S. bombing last weekend. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov: “I don’t think that anyone can have realistic data now” Russia has condemned the strikes on Iran as illegal, unjustified and unprovoked.
Asked if Russia had its own information on the degree of damage, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “No. I don’t think that anyone can have realistic data now. It’s probably too early, we need to wait until such data appears.”
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U.S. President Donald Trump said at the weekend that the strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear facilities.
However, three sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters that a preliminary U.S. intelligence assessment had determined that the attacks had set back Tehran’s programme by only a matter of months
Russia has condemned the strikes on Iran, with which it signed a strategic cooperation agreement in January, as illegal, unjustified and unprovoked.
Peskov said Russia had indications that there were open communications channels between Washington and Tehran, adding that Moscow was closely monitoring developments and still talking to Iran itself.
Reporting by Dmitry Antonov; Writing by Mark Trevelyan/Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Andrew Osborn
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Trump considers more Patriots for Ukraine, says Putin “has to end” the war
U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday he will consider providing more of the Patriot missiles that Ukraine needs to defend against mounting Russian strikes. His remarks came after a 50-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague. Both leaders described it as a positive step in a conflict that Trump described as “more difficult than other wars” Trump said the Patriots were “very hard to get” but that “we are going to see if we can make some of them available” The U.S.-made Patriot batteries are critical to shooting down the Russian ballistic missiles that have increasingly rained on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks. Dozens of people have been killed over the past week on the capital Kyiv and the southeastern regional capital of Dnipro. Trump also left open the possibility of providing more military aid to Kyiv, which has suffered grinding Russian advances on the battlefield.
Item 1 of 5 U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attend a meeting on the sidelines of NATO summit in The Hague, Netherlands June 25, 2025. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY.
Summary Trump, Zelenskiy meet for 50 minutes on sidelines of NATO summit
Trump signals openness to providing more military aid to Kyiv
Russian air strikes on Ukrainian cities have been intensifying
THE HAGUE, June 25 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump indicated on Wednesday he will consider providing more of the Patriot missiles that Ukraine needs to defend against mounting Russian strikes, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin “really has to end that war”.
His remarks came after a 50-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on the sidelines of a NATO summit in The Hague. Both leaders described it as a positive step in a conflict that Trump described as “more difficult than other wars”.
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During a press conference in which he celebrated his own diplomatic efforts in the Middle East, Trump said the Patriots were “very hard to get” but that “we are going to see if we can make some of them available”.
Zelenskiy mentioned air-defence systems but it was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to more missiles or complete batteries.
Trump also left open the possibility of providing more military aid to Kyiv, which has suffered grinding Russian advances on the battlefield in recent months.
He had previously shown no sign of resuming the donations of weaponry to Ukraine that his predecessor Joe Biden had instituted after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.
Asked directly whether the U.S. would contribute more funding to Ukraine’s defence this year, Trump said: “As far as money going, we’ll see what happens.”
The U.S.-made Patriot batteries are critical to shooting down the Russian ballistic missiles that have increasingly rained on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks.
Dozens of people have been killed over the past week on the capital Kyiv and the southeastern regional capital of Dnipro.
Zelenskiy said before Wednesday’s meeting that Ukraine was willing to buy more Patriots if the U.S. was unwilling to donate them. He said the talks with Trump were “long and substantive”.
“Ukraine is ready to buy this equipment and support American weapons manufacturers,” Zelenskiy wrote on X. “We also discussed the potential for co-production of drones. We can strengthen each other.”
Trump added that he would soon speak once more with Putin, adding: “Look, Vladimir Putin really has to end that war.”
MORE FORMAL LOOK FOR ZELENSKIY
Zelenskiy wore a dark, suit-style jacket to the meeting, in contrast to the more informal military-style garb he was criticised for wearing at a disastrous White House meeting with Trump in February.
He has since worked to rebuild relations with the Trump administration, whose overtures to Russia have concerned Kyiv.
However, he had to settle for attending the pre-summit dinner on Tuesday evening rather than the main meeting on Wednesday, which backed the big NATO-wide increase in defence spending that Trump had demanded.
Unlike last year, this year’s summit declaration contained no mention of future NATO membership for Ukraine.
While the statement denounced what it called the long-term threat posed by Russia to European and Atlantic security, it did not directly blame Russia for the invasion, as previous declarations have.
Reporting by Yuliia Dysa in Gdansk, Jeff Mason and Katharine Jackson; writing by Dan Peleschuk; editing by Alison Williams, Alexandra Hudson, Mark Heinrich and Kevin Liffey
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Greece battles wildfire on Crete for a third day as temperatures rise
Around 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters deployed in the effort. Wind gusts could fan embers from smouldering trunks of olive and pine trees on the ground. The fire broke out in a village about 16 km (10 miles) east of Ierapetra on Wednesday. Some 1,000 residents evacuated on Wednesday found temporary shelter at an indoor stadium and in nearby hotels. About 5,000 holidaymakers left the area on Thursday and are expected to return home later on Friday as the situation improves, an official said. In Italy, the health ministry put 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heatwaves on red alert on Friday.
Around 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters were deployed in the effort, working with gale-force wind gusts and dry conditions that could rekindle the fire in areas already contained.
ATHENS (Reuters) -Firefighters battled for a third day on Friday to put out a wildfire on the Greek island of Crete that has razed forests and olive groves and forced thousands of residents and tourists to leave the area.
The fire in Crete comes as much of Europe swelters in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent.
The fire, which broke out in a village about 16 km (10 miles) east of Ierapetra on Wednesday, has consumed swathes of agricultural land in the southeastern corner of the island, leaving dead animals, damaged houses and scorched farmhouses.
Some 1,000 residents evacuated on Wednesday found temporary shelter at an indoor stadium and in nearby hotels and about 5,000 holidaymakers left the area.
Many of the evacuees were expected to make their way back home later on Friday as the situation improved, George Tsapakos, a deputy civil protection governor for Crete, told Reuters.
Tourism is a key earner in Crete, the largest island in Greece, and local hoteliers were concerned about the impact on future bookings as the fire hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season.
Separately, some 148 firefighters battled a fire that broke out in the Athens suburb of Pikermi on Thursday, threatening many homes, causing power cuts and prompting authorities to move more than 300 people to safety. The fire was contained but not extinguished, the fire brigade official said.
Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) on Friday, the Greek weather service said.
In Italy, the health ministry put 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heatwaves on red alert on Friday. RAI public broadcaster said temperatures would go as high as 38 C in Florence and 37 C in Rome, Bologna and Perugia.
With the heat comes a higher risk of wildfires.
Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed “a wildfire hotspot” by scientists – with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate.
(Reporting by Angeliki KoutantouEditing by Frances Kerry)
Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Greece battles wildfire on Crete for a third day as temperatures rise
Around 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters were deployed on the third day of the effort. Winds and dry conditions raise the risk that blazes might restart in areas of Crete where they had already been contained. In Greece’s capital Athens, about 800 people were evacuated from the suburb of Koropi. The fires come as much of Europe swelters in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent. In Italy, the health ministry put 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heatwaves on red alert on Friday, RAI public broadcaster said. It said temperatures would go as high as 38 C in Florence and 37 C in Rome, Bologna and Perugia. In Spain, the Health Ministry estimates that 341 deaths have been attributable to heat-related illnesses since the beginning of June.
Thousands of tourists returning to their hotels
Europe sweltering in early summer heatwave
Twenty cities in Italy placed on heat red alert
ATHENS, July 4 (Reuters) – Gale force wind gusts complicated efforts on Friday to contain wildfires on Crete that have razed forests and olive groves and forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.
Around 130 firefighters, 48 vehicles and six helicopters were deployed on the third day of the effort, with the wind and dry conditions raising the risk that blazes might restart in areas of the island where they had already been contained.
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In Greece’s capital Athens, about 800 people were evacuated from the suburb of Koropi where more than 120 firefighters battled a blaze supported by eight airplanes and eight helicopters, a fire brigade spokesperson said.
The fires in Crete and in Athens come as much of Europe swelters in an early summer heatwave, which officials have linked to at least eight deaths on the continent.
The blazes in Crete, which broke out in a village about 16 km (10 miles) east of Ierapetra on Wednesday, have consumed swathes of agricultural land in the southeastern corner of the island, leaving dead animals and scorched farmhouses.
Olive farmer Giorgos Poulis was sorting out destroyed farming equipment beside his burned-out truck.
“The damage is incalculable in every way, from water drilling equipment, pipes, tires, cars, the cement mixer,” he said, gesturing around him.
George Tzarakis, head of Hoteliers of Ierapetra and southeastern Crete, told Reuters most of the 3,500 tourists who had been evacuated were returning to their hotels.
Item 1 of 5 A destroyed car stands in the aftermath of a wildfire near Ierapetra, on the island of Crete, Greece, July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis [1/5] A destroyed car stands in the aftermath of a wildfire near Ierapetra, on the island of Crete, Greece, July 4, 2025. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis Purchase Licensing Rights , opens new tab
Tourism is a key earner in Crete, the largest island in Greece, and local hoteliers were concerned about future bookings as the fire hit at the start of the peak summer holiday season.
Temperatures in Greece were forecast to reach up to 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 Fahrenheit) on Friday, the Greek weather service said.
In another Athens suburb, Pikermi, some 148 firefighters battled a fire that broke out on Thursday, threatening many homes, cutting power and prompting authorities to move more than 300 people to safety. The fire was contained but not extinguished, the fire brigade official said.
In Italy, the health ministry put 20 of the 27 cities it monitors for heatwaves on red alert on Friday. RAI public broadcaster said temperatures would go as high as 38 C in Florence and 37 C in Rome, Bologna and Perugia.
Spain’s Health Ministry estimates that 341 deaths have been attributable to heat-related illnesses since the beginning of June, as the country grapples with soaring temperatures.
With the heat comes a higher risk of wildfires.
Greece and other Mediterranean countries are in an area dubbed “a wildfire hotspot” by scientists – with blazes common during hot and dry summers. These have become more destructive in recent years due to a fast-changing climate, prompting calls for a new approach.
“With multiple heatwaves and fire risks expected through September, there is an urgent need to shift from reactive response to proactive preparedness,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said this week.
Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Additional reporting by Emma Farge, Pinedo Gonzalez, Eleftherios Papadimas and Reuters TV; Editing by Frances Kerry and Philippa Fletcher
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