Greece Wildfires, Lebanon’s Claymakers, UK Riots, and More
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The days-long wildfires that hit Greece last week ravaged towns and villages in the country’s Attica region. In a new photo essay, Athens-based photojournalist Nick Paleologos takes us to the frontlines of those blazes, where firefighters, volunteers, and residents found themselves facing off against what authorities say were the worst fires in decades.
Elsewhere, in Laos, children are among those most frequently injured by the unexploded ordnance and cluster munitions the US dropped on that country decades ago. As Rebecca Derry points out in a new article, along with Hannah Wild and Danae Hendrickson, these UXOs still injure and kill some 300 people per year.
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“Lebanon’s Economic Crisis Puts Strain on Traditional Claymakers” by Nicholas Frakes (Aug. 12)
As Lebanon’s economic crisis has wrought a toll on the country, people have increasingly struggled to make ends meet. In downturn-rattled Tripoli, already home to high unemployment and poverty rates, traditional claymakers say they have felt the pinch.
“Child Victims of UXO Injuries Deserve Better” by Rebecca Derry with Hannah Wild & Danae Hendrickson (Aug. 12)
The last recorded American bombs fell on Laos in 1973. After a nine-year carpet bombing campaign, Laos was marked as the most bombed country per capita in history. Today, over 50 years later, millions of unexploded cluster munitions and other ordnance remain.
“’People are Traumatized’: Spreading Race Riots in UK Leave Muslims in Fear” by Shaheen Abdulla (Aug. 13)
Amid a far-right surge, the United Kingdom has experienced the worst race riots in years, which spread across the nation. Muslim community leaders have called for more explicit recognition of the Islamophobia behind the attacks.
“Rising Heat Leaves Greece Facing Another Summer of Wildfires” by Nick Paleologos (Aug. 14)
In recent years, Greece has endured increasingly destructive wildfires across the country, including some that were deadly. The latest round of blazes tore through more than 150 square miles, raising concerns about what rising temperatures mean for the future.
“Deep Dive: Palermo Patchwork” by Emily Tamkin (Aug. 15)
For five non-consecutive terms, up until 2022, Leoluca Orlando served as mayor of Palermo, the capital of Sicily. A new paper looks at how Orlando championed an image of the city as both local and cosmopolitan.
“What’s Next for Morocco’s Indigenous Sahrawi People?” by Thomas M. Hill (Aug. 15)
The decades-long war between Morocco and the Western Sahara independence movement has now moved toward a conclusion. But issues remain, including the fates of some 173,600 Sahrawi refugees living in five camps near the southwestern Algeria town of Tindouf.
“New Hamas Leader’s Rise Complicates Chances of a Ceasefire” by Alexander Langlois (Aug. 16)
Hamas unexpectedly selected Yahya Sinwar as the chairman of its political bureau following the assassination of previous political head in Tehran. The decision marks a major moment for the group and the Middle East’s broader geopolitical makeup, largely leaving Hamas in the hands of a hawkish, pro-Iran faction within the group.
From the desk of Patrick Strickland, managing editor of Inkstick Media.
Photo: Days of wildfires in Greece’s Attica region came amid rising temperatures and years of destructive blazes (Nick Paleologos)