Greece

Greece calls for tougher EU action against Turkey

Greece urged the European Union on Wednesday to reconsider its customs union with Turkey in response to Ankara's continued gas exploration in contested Mediterranean areas, deploring what it termed Turkey's…

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Young lead new wave of COVID-19 infections in Greece

Greece recorded a new daily record of coronavirus cases on Tuesday, topping the 600 mark for the first time, with younger people accounting for a majority of the new infections,…

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Greek central bank chief warns of 9.4% economic slump if pandemic worsens

Greece's recession-hit economy could shrink at a rate closer to its central bank's worst-case scenario if the coronavirus pandemic deepens, the head of the Bank of Greece said on Saturday.…

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Turkey defies EU, US and NATO – Greek media

As the European Union sent out another strongly worded statement on Friday regarding Turkey’s infringements in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey continued on its path of defiance to the West with the reported missile…

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Rainstorm causes major problems in Greece

A rainstorm caused major problems in several municipalities in Attica, uprooting trees and destroying property. Although it did not last for long, it was very strong and caused extensive damage,…

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Greece, France in strong reaction after Turkey carries out seismic surveys in Mediterranean

Greece and France reacted angrily to a decision by the Turkish Government to send a ship to carry out seismic surveys in the eastern Mediterranean, prompting Greece to issue a…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Ikaria, Greece

People on the beach known as 'Seychelles' on the island of Ikaria, Greece. Via EPA-EFE/DIMITRIS TOSIDIS

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Turkey to conduct seismic survey in eastern Mediterranean

Turkey's navy has issued an advisory late Sunday saying that the Turkish ship Oruc Reis will carry out a seismic survey in the eastern Mediterranean over the next ten days,…

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Turkish, Greek foreign ministers meet for first time since crisis

The foreign ministers of Turkey and Greece met on Thursday for the first time since a dispute between the two NATO members over energy exploration and maritime jurisdiction in the…

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UPDATED: Greece Golden Dawn leaders guilty of running crime gang

Leaders of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn, the country's third most popular party in parliament during the debt crisis, were guilty of running a criminal group, a Greek appeals court ruled…

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UPDATED: Microsoft unveils investment to make Greece a regional hub for cloud services

Microsoft Corp. is to build a new data centre in Greece as it invests in cloud services infrastructure in the country, a boon to an economy weakened by a decade-long…

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Greece and Turkey set up ‘hotline’ to defuse dispute – NATO

Greece and Turkey have set up a mechanism to avoid accidental clashes in the Eastern Mediterranean, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday, part of efforts to defuse a dispute…

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TUI cruise ship crew in Greece negative for COVID-19

Twelve crew members of a cruise ship that docked at Piraeus port near Athens on Tuesday tested negative for coronavirus in repeat checks by Greek health authorities, the ship’s operator…

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Greece and Turkey to resume talks after weeks of tensions in East Med

The United States and Greece called on Monday for a peaceful resolution of maritime disputes in the east Mediterranean as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began a two-day trip…

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Aegean Airlines reports loss due to pandemic

Greece's largest carrier Aegean Airlines on Monday reported a second-quarter net loss of 73.4 million euros ($85.4 million) hit by the grounding of planes as part of restrictions to stem…

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Some crew on the first cruise ship to dock in Greece test positive for Covid

In Greece, a dozen crew members on the first cruise ship to dock after the coronavirus lockdown have tested positive, the coastguard said on Monday. The Maltese-flagged Mein Schiff 6…

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Greece says first migrant dies of COVID-19 since the pandemic

A male migrant died of COVID-19 on Sunday, the first reported death of an asylum seeker since the pandemic broke out in Greece in late February, a government official told…

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Turkey reserves sea area near Rhodes for live fire naval exercise

Turkey on Saturday issued a navigational telex for a naval exercise with live fire, reserving a sea area between the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo, Greek media reports. The…

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Testimony of how Moria migrant camp blaze started

A lengthy testimony to the security police on Lesvos over the devastating blaze that destroyed the migrant camp in Moria, an eyewitness described how a group of Afghan nationals set…

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Some Greek retail stores to close earlier to stem COVID-19 spread

Some Greek retail stores must close earlier from Saturday until Oct. 4, authorities said, further tightening restrictions amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the greater Athens area and other…

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Turkey, Greece agree to resume talks after four year hiatus

Turkey and Greece have agreed to resume talks over their contested maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean after a four year hiatus following weeks of tensions that culminated in a…

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Victims from Cyclone Ianos that lashed Greece increase

The death toll after Cyclone Ianos, a rare storm known as a medicane, battered Greece, flooding streets and homes, has now risen to three. Ianos uprooted trees and caused power…

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Two dead as destructive storm hits central Greece

Two people have died as a hurricane-like storm pounded central Greece, flooding streets and homes, the authorities said. Cyclone Ianos, known as a medicane (Mediterranean hurricane), uprooted trees and caused…

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Greece ready to impose further Covid-19 restrictions in Athens

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Friday authorities were ready to impose further COVID-19 restrictions in the greater Athens area due to a surge in coronavirus cases. The rise…

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Malta and Spain to collaborate in easing tensions in East Med

Turkish media gave prominence this morning to a press conference held in Madrid following a meeting between the Maltese and Spanish Foreign Affairs Ministers. During their encounter, the two sides…

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Turkey pulls back survey vessel to allow for diplomacy with Greece – Erdogan

Turkey pulled back its Oruc Reis seismic survey vessel from the eastern Mediterranean to allow for diplomacy with Greece, but this not mean Turkish operations in the region are finished,…

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Greece police moves migrants into Lesbos tent camp after fire

Greek police began moving hundreds of migrants stranded on the island of Lesbos into a new temporary tent camp on Thursday, more than a week after a fire razed Greece’s…

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Fire near Greece’s Samos migrant camp under control, three detained

Greek authorities have brought under control a fire that broke out near a migrant camp on the northeastern Aegean island of Samos late on Tuesday, fire brigade and police officials…

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Five migrants arrested over Moria Greek camp fire

Police on the Greek island of Lesbos have arrested five migrants suspected of setting a fire that destroyed Europe's largest camp of Moria last week, the minister responsible for policing…

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Woman, Two children die as migrant smuggling boat sinks near Crete

A smuggling boat sank off the southern Greek island of Crete on Monday, leaving three dead, while a large rescue operation managed to save 56 others from the sea, authorities…

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Positive first step by Turkey to ease tensions Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday the return of Turkish survey vessel Oruc Reis back to its southern province of Atntalya was a positive first step to ease…

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Greek police fire teargas at migrants on Lesbos island

Greek police fired teargas to disperse a group of migrants protesting on the island of Lesbos on Saturday, four days after fires burnt the overflowing Moria refugee camp to the…

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Desperate migrants stranded on Greek island seek shelter, Europe weighs options

Despairing migrants left without shelter on the island of Lesbos after a fire destroyed Greece’s biggest refugee camp faced off against police on Friday as authorities began setting up hundreds…

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Greece reports record new coronavirus cases

Greece reported 372 new cases of COVID-19 infections on Thursday, its highest daily tally since the start of the coronavirus outbreak in the country. The latest jump in cases brought…

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Greece to spend 5 bln euros to phase out coal by 2028

Greece will spend 5 billion euros ($5.9 billion) to offset the impact of ditching coal in power generation by 2028 and cutting carbon emissions in line with European Union climate…

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With nowhere to go after fire, Lesbos migrants sleep on roadsides, in fields

Thousands of migrants slept rough on the Greek island of Lesbos on Thursday after a blaze razed their makeshift camp to the ground, sending them fleeing but with nowhere to…

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Greek PM insists dialogue with Turkey is important, but on peaceful terms

The European Union must impose ‘meaningful’ sanctions on Turkey unless Ankara pulls its maritime assets from disputed areas in the eastern Mediterranean, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an…

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Residential areas evacuated as Greek wildfire rages near Athens

A wildfire fanned by strong winds forced the evacuation of a boarding school and six residential areas southeast of Athens, Greece’s fire brigade said. The settlement of Feriza and five…

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Thousands homeless after fire guts migrant camp on Greek island

Thousands of migrants were left without shelter on Wednesday after overnight fires gutted their overcrowded camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, and authorities warned that some asylum seekers who…

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EU finances transfer of 400 unaccompanied minors after fire in Greek refugee camp

The EU has agreed to finance the transfer of 400 unaccompanied minors after a fire in Greece's refugee camp. The EU's Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johannson made the announcement after…

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Fire breaks out at Greece’s overcrowded Moria refugee camp

Fire broke out at Greece’s overcrowded migrant camp of Moria on the island of Lesbos early on Wednesday, fire brigade officials said. There were no reports of injuries so far,…

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Talks between Turkey and Greece to avoid military escalation postponed

Talks between Turkish and Greek officials at NATO headquarters on how to avoid military escalation in the eastern Mediterranean have been postponed by two days to Sept. 10, Turkish Defence…

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Greece plans to strengthen military as tension with Turkey rise

Greece plans to acquire arms, boost its armed forces and revamp its defence industry, the government's spokesman said on Monday, as tensions with NATO ally Turkey over energy resources in…

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Greece says 2020 spending on COVID-19 support may top 24 billion euros

Greece expects to spend around 24 billion euros ($28.4 billion) this year to cushion businesses and workers against the economic impact of COVID-19 but has the resources to increase that…

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Greece reports first coronavirus case in one of island’s largest camp

A 40-year-old man has tested positive in one of the largest migrant camps in Greece, reports said. The man, originally from Somalia, is living at the Moria camp in Lesvos.…

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Greece imposes negative COVID-19 test rule for visiting Russians

Greece will require visitors from Russia to show a negative COVID-19 test before entering the country between Sept. 7 and Sept. 21, its civil aviation authority announced. Under a new…

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Greece in talks with France over fighter jets, as East Mediterranean tensions rise

Greece is in talks with France and other countries over arms purchases to boost its armed forces, a government official told Reuters, as tensions grow over energy resources in the…

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Scotland imposes 14-day quarantine on arrivals from Greece

Scotland said it would impose a 14-day quarantine on all arrivals from Greece starting on Thursday because COVID-19 infection rates there are too high. There has been a “significant rise”…

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Greece delays school reopening

Greek authorities have delayed the reopening of schools by a week to Sept. 14, due to a surge in COVID-19 infections, the government said. The rise in coronavirus cases in…

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15 safety measures planned by Greece for schools re-opening

Schools in Greece are getting ready to open for the new academic year amid continued controversy over health safety. Authorities are expected to announce when some 1.3 million pupils will return to…

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Greece bans flights from Barcelona, extends COVID-19 travel restrictions

Greece will ban flights to and from Barcelona from Monday, health authorities said on Friday, as they extended most of the travel restrictions for foreign visitors by three weeks due…

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Turkey, Greece to hold rival naval drills as Germany aims to cool row

Turkey and Greece were set to hold separate naval drills in the same region of the eastern Mediterranean on Tuesday, escalating tensions over overlapping resource claims ahead of talks in…

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Maguire claims that Greek police beat him and threatened him he’ll never play again

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire told the BBC on Thursday that he feared for his life and thought he was being kidnapped as he was arrested by plainclothes police officers…

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Greece plans to extend its western territorial waters

Greece plans to extend the western limit of its territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to 12 miles, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday. Italy and Albania, who also…

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Joint Greek-US aeronautical exercise was held in the sea area south of Crete

A handout photo made available by the Greek National Defence Ministry shows part of a joint Greek-US aeronautical exercise that was held in the sea area south of Crete Island,…

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Dozens of migrants rescued off Greek island

Dozens of migrants have been rescued from a boat off the Greek island of Halki, the coast guard said on Wednesday, in one of the biggest operations of its kind…

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Turkey wants no pre-conditions, ‘honest’ EU mediation for talks with Greece

Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday Greece must abandon its "maximalist approach" and pre-conditions for dialogue to begin over disputed offshore Mediterranean resources, adding Ankara expects the EU to act as an…

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