THREE MIGRANTS BECOME CITIZENS FOR FIRE RESCUES

ATHENS, GREECE Three migrant fishermen received Greek citizenship Wednesday for helping to rescue scores of people who were forced into the sea by flames from a summer wildfire that would leave 100 people dead.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos hosted a ceremony for Gani Xheka, 35, from Albania and Egyptians Emad El Khaimi, 50, and Mahmoud Ibrahim Musa, 46, both to honour them and aimed at “sending a message to Europe” to counter antiimmigrant sentiment.

The three men pulled people from the water who had fled the out-of-control wildfire in the resort of Mali by swimming out to sea and had difficulty breathing because of heavy smoke. The trio also guided survivors to a port after the July 23 blaze reached the shoreline and gutted hundreds of homes.