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One dead as wildfires rage across Athens suburbs

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One person has died as fierce wildfires spread in the suburbs of Athens in Greece on Monday.

The body, believed to be that of a woman, was found inside a shop in the town of Vrilissia, northern Athens, a source from the fire service told the BBC.

Thousands of people have been evacuated after firefighters warned that homes, businesses and schools were under threat, with fires expected to continue into Tuesday.

Fire service spokesman Col Vassilios Vathrakogiannis said while there was no longer a single active fire front in the north-eastern Attica region, which includes parts of Athens, there were still “many active localised blazes”, mostly around the towns of Marathon and Penteli.

In a statement released on Monday evening, he added that conditions for new fires remained dangerous not only on Tuesday, but also for further into the week.

More than 700 firefighters, 199 fire engines and 35 waterbombing aircraft have been involved in efforts to extinguish the fires, which first broke out on Sunday afternoon around 35km (22 miles) north of the Greek capital.

Col Vathrakogiannis said two firefighters had received treatment for burns while fighting the blazes.

Officials said fires broke out in 40 different locations on Monday and that some areas saw flames as high as 25m (82ft).

In unprecedented scenes, people in Athens wore facemasks to protect themselves from the smoke, which blew into the city.

(BBC News)

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A few showers expected today

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A few showers will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in the Nuwara-Eliya, Kandy, Galle and Matara districts today (July 01), the Department of Meteorology.

Fairly strong winds of about 30-40kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills and in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in the Trincomalee and Hambantota districts.

The general public has been requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Fuel prices upped

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The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has announced a revision of fuel prices, effective from midnight today (June 30).

The price of Petrol 92 Octane has been increased by Rs. 12 to Rs. 305 per litre, while the price of Kerosene has been increased by Rs. 07 to Rs. 185 per litre. The price of Auto Diesel has also been increased by Rs. 15, bringing it to Rs. 289 per litre.

However, the prices of Petrol 95 Octane and Super Diesel remain unchanged, according to Ceypetco.

The new fuel prices are as follows:

• Petrol Octane 92 – Rs. 305 (increased by Rs. 12)
• Auto Diesel – Rs. 289 (increased by Rs. 15)
• Kerosene – Rs. 185 (increased by Rs. 7)
• Petrol Octane 95 – Rs. 341 (not revised)
• Super Diesel – Rs. 325 (not revised)

Meanwhile, Lanka IOC has also revised retail fuel prices to match Ceypetco prices.

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Ex-minister Gamini Lokuge passes away

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Former Minister and veteran politician Gamini Lokuge has passed away today (June 30) at the age of 82.

Commencing his political career in 1960 as a member of the United National Party, his first successful national-level campaign came in 1983, when he was elected by a clear majority to represent the Kesbewa District.

He served as Minister of Tourism during the UNP-led governments in 1989 and 2002. In 2006, following personal disagreements with then UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, he crossed over to the government of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

In January 2007, Lokuge was appointed Minister of Sports and Public Recreation. He was re-elected to Parliament in both 2010 and 2015.

On 27 November 2019, he was appointed State Minister for Urban Development, and on 12 August 2020, he assumed duties as the Cabinet Minister of Transport.

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