APRNEWS - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Monday paid his first visit to the area ravaged by the country's worst ever wildfires as anger mounts over his government's response to the disaster that left scores of people dead.

His trip was not announced beforehand in what local media said was a bid to avoid protests by residents of the hard-hit seaside villages east of Athens -- Mati and Rafina.

APRNEWS - Fires raging for five days have destroyed more than 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of western Latvia, authorities said Sunday, with continuing extremely high temperatures hampering firefighters’ efforts.