Rooftop beekeeping in Athens: A new buzz in urban ecosystems, in photos

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — On the rooftops of Athens, beekeeping is gaining followers. Urban beekeeping was once common when families moved hives from the countryside, and the practice is now finding a new life among residents who see it as a way to help ecosystems and reconnect with nature.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Honey is poured into a bucket in the Zografou suburb of Athens, Greece, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

The ancient Acropolis hill stands in the background as Nikos Chadjilias inspects a beehive on a building's roof in Athens, Greece, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Nikos Chadjilias fills a jar with honey in the Zografou suburb of Athens, Greece, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Konstantinos Pantoudis tries to catch a bee in an elevator during a late-night hive transfer in the Ilioupoli suburb of Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Grigoris Melas, foreground, and Konstantinos Pantoudis carry a beehive during a late-night transfer to a building's rooftop, in the Vyronas suburb of Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Grigoris Melas, background, and Nikos Chadjilias prepare a beehive for late-night transfer to an urban area in the Varkiza suburb of southern Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Konstantinos Pantoudis, right, and Grigoris Melas, prepare to unload beehives during a late-night beehive transfer in Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Nikos Chadjilias, a beekeeper from Athens, pinches the wax off a frame in the Zografou suburb of Athens, Greece, July 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

A cat looks at beehives by the sidewalk in the Ilioupoli suburb of Athens, Greece, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Grigoris Melas smokes a beehive before a late-night hive transfer in the Varkiza suburb, southern Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

A view of an apiary is pictured as the sun sets, before a late-night beehive transfer to an urban area in the Varkiza suburb of southern Athens, Greece, May 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Nikos Chadjilias places a frame with honey in an empty beehive on the roof of a building in the Ilioupoli suburb of Athens, Greece, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Nikos Chadjilias inspects a beehive's frame on a building's roof in the Ilioupoli suburb of Athens, Greece, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

A bee touches royal jelly on a beehive's frame in Athens, Greece, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

Nikos Chadjilias inserts a tape to counter parasites in a beehive on the roof of a building with a view to Acropolis in Athens, Greece, May 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Varaklas)

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Voting began Thursday in Uganda’s presidential election despite a days-long internet shutdown that has been criticized as an anti-democratic tactic in a country where the president has held office since 1986.

Crowds gathered and long lines formed in some areas as polling station openings were delayed and voting materials were seen being delivered after the scheduled 7 a.m. opening time.

President Yoweri Museveni, 81, faces seven other candidates, including Robert Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician best known as Bobi Wine, who is calling for political change.

The East African country of roughly 45 million people has 21.6 million registered voters. Polls are expected to close at 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the electoral commission. Results are constitutionally required to be announced in 48 hours.

Impatient crowds gathered outside polling stations expressing concerns over the delays Thursday morning. Umaru Mutyaba, a polling agent for a parliamentary candidate, said it was “frustrating” to be waiting outside a station in the capital Kampala.

“We can’t be standing here waiting to vote as if we have nothing else to do," he said.

Ssemujju Nganda, a prominent opposition figure and lawmaker seeking reelection in Kira municipality, told The Associated Press he had been waiting in line to vote for three hours.

In addition to delayed voting materials, biometric voter identification machines were not working properly, Nganda said, adding that delays likely will lead to apathy and low turnout in urban areas where the opposition has substantial support.

“It’s going to be chaos,” he said.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Museveni has served the third-longest term of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. Some critics say removing him through elections remains difficult, but the aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Museveni and Wine are reprising their rivalry from the previous election in 2021, when Wine appealed to mostly young people in urban areas. With voter turnout of 59%, Wine secured 35% of the ballots against Museveni’s 58%, the president’s smallest vote share since his first electoral campaign three decades ago.

The lead-up to Thursday's election produced concerns about transparency, the possibility of hereditary rule, military interference and opposition strategies to prevent vote tampering at polling stations.

Uganda's internet was shut down Tuesday by the government communications agency, which cited misinformation, electoral fraud and incitement of violence. The shutdown has affected the public and disrupted critical sectors such as banking.

There has been heavy security leading up to voting, including military units deployed on the streets this week.

Amnesty International said security forces are engaging in a “brutal campaign of repression,” citing a Nov. 28 opposition rally in eastern Uganda where the military blocked exits and opened fire on supporters, killing one person.

Museveni urged voters to come out in large numbers during his final rally Tuesday.

“You go and vote, anybody who tries to interfere with your freedom will be crushed. I am telling you this. We are ready to put an end to this indiscipline,” he said.

The national electoral commission chairperson, Simon Byabakama, urged tolerance among Ugandans as they vote.

“Let us keep the peace that we have,” Byabakama said late Wednesday. “Let us be civil. Let us be courteous. Let’s be tolerant. Even if you know that this person does not support (your) candidate, please give him or her room or opportunity to go and exercise his or her constitutional right."

Authorities also suspended the activities of several civic groups during the campaign season. That Group, a prominent media watchdog, closed its office Wednesday after the interior ministry alleged in a letter that the group was involved in activities “prejudicial to the security and laws of Uganda.”

Veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, remains in prison after he was charged with treason in February 2025.

Uganda opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, known as Bobi Wine, right, greets election observers, including former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at his home in Magere village on the outskirts of Kampala, Uganda, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Hajarah Nalwadda)

Billboards of Uganda President and National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate Yoweri Museveni are seen in Kampala, Uganda, Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Samson Otieno)

Electoral workers deliver ballot boxes to a polling station during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters are reflected in a police officer's sunglasses as they wait in line after voting failed to start on time due to system failures during presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Voters wait to cast their ballots during the presidential election in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)