Page 3 - Greece

More than 280 people evacuated after Greek ferry catches fire

More than 280 people have been evacuated from a ferry in northwestern Greece that caught fire overnight while heading to southern Italy, authorities said. At least one person was slightly injured in the evacuation, coast guard officials said. The predawn fire broke out Friday on the Greek-owned Euroferry Olympia shortly after it left the port of Igoumenitsa in northwest Greece for the Italian port of Brindisi with 233 passengers and 51 crew members on board. Images from local television channels of the ferry following the evacuation indicated that the fire was extensive.

Greek parliament approves $3.4 bn worth arms deals with France

Lawmakers also voted in favour of adding six new Rafale fighter jets to an existing order for 18 planes, six of them newly built and 12 that were previously in service in the French air force

Pakistan-China-Turkey nexus a cause of serious concern for Greece

Pakistan supports Turkey's claim on Cyprus and the growing relationship between the two countries can become a cause of worry for Greece.Greece and Turkey have been involved in the long ongoing conflict in Cyprus and the international community is trying to negotiate a settlement between the two nations on the conflict, reported InsideOver.Though all the European Union states back Greece's stand on Cyprus, there are a few countries that support Turkey's claim on Cyprus. Pakistan tops the list of such countries.The deepening of the military alliance between Pakistan and Turkey clearly indicates that Pakistan will go all out to support Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in pursuit of his jihadist ambitions of conquest and revival of the Ottoman Empire that would include Cyprus as well.Another cause of worry for Greece is the emergence of a China-Pakistan-Turkey nexus on nuclear proliferation. Turkish President Erdogan has already expressed his desperation on developing the ...

5.3 magnitude earthquake strikes Northern Greece; no casualties yet

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 jolted northern Greece's Florina Sunday evening, according to the Geodynamics Institute of the National Observatory of Athens.The US Geological Survey said the quake was with a magnitude of 5.5.The epicenter, with a depth of about 14 km, was initially determined to be about two km west of Florina.No injuries or losses have been reported so far.

Schools in Greece to reopen from Jan 10 as daily Covid cases hit new high

Schools across Greece will reopen on Jan. 10 as planned under strict health protocols, the government said on Tuesday, as the number of daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country hit a record high.The National Public Health Organization (EODY) confirmed 50,126 infections within 24 hours. The previous record was registered on New Year's Eve (40,560 cases), while a week ago there were fewer than 10,000 cases per day.Greek officials said that the returning students and teachers will be required to take more COVID-19 tests regardless of their vaccination status.More than 70 percent of the new cases in GreecGreece's daily COVID-19 cases hit new record e's five big regions are liked to the highly contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, EODY's President Theoklis Zaoutis told a press briefing on Monday.The Omicron variant surge is expected to peak quickly and then decline by February, Gkikas Magiorkinis, a professor of epidemiology and a member of the committee of experts advising the ...

Greece tightens measures as daily Covid-19 cases triple in 48 hours

Greece's government implemented further protection measures against Covid-19 as the number of new cases tripled in 48 hours

2 strong tremors of magnitude 5.2, 5.4 strike off Greek island of Crete

Two tremors with a magnitude of 5.2 and 5.4, respectively, have jolted Greece's southern islands. No damage or casualties have been reported so far. The first tremor, a 5.2-magnitude, struck at 5.15 pm (1515 GMT) east of the island of Crete and at a depth of 9 kilometres (5.6 miles), the Institute of Geodynamics reported in Athens. The earthquake was felt in Crete and the islands of Karpathos, Kassos, Rhodes and Santorini, according to local media. An even larger tremor of 5.4 magnitude struck at 8.59 pm (1859 GMT) about 25 kilometres (15.5 miles) northwest of the first, at a depth of 6.3 kilometres (3.9 miles), the Institute of Geodynamics reported. The mayor of the small island of Kassos, closest to the epicentre, told state news agency ANA that no buildings were damaged in either earthquake. An unrelated 4.0-magnitude tremor also hit at 6.14 pm (1614 GMT) west of Athens, the Institute of Geodynamics reported. The epicentre was at a depth of 16.7 kilometres (10.4 miles), it ...

Greece: 13 dead, others missing after a migrant boat capsizes in Aegean Sea

At least 13 people died after a migrant boat capsized in the Aegean Sea late Friday

Greece lifts travel restrictions for Indians, Covid test mandatory

The Global Visa Center World (GVCW) has announced that Indian citizens and residents of India can now enter Greece following the Covid-19 testing protocol as a precautionary measure against the pandemic.According to the latest regulations, limited categories of visitors are now allowed to enter Greece, including:1) Citizens of the EU & Schengen Area countries.2) Residents of a limited number of third countries, including residents of India.Expressing their joy on the re-opening of Greece to tourists from India after approximately 21 months, DuDigital Global and GVCW, which jointly operate the Visa Application centres in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka state, "You can now apply for short stay visa (C- Visa category) at GVCW application centres in New Delhi and Mumbai on Mondays and Wednesdays."New Delhi Visa Application Centre: Shivaji Stadium Metro Station, Concourse Level Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught PlaceMumbai Visa Application Centre: 4th Floor, Urmi Axis Building, Behind ...

Greece to mandate Covid-19 vaccination for over-60s

The measure was announced in response to a surge in cases and the emergence of the omicron variant

New restrictions in Greece as Covid-19 pandemic deaths mount

About a third of the country's population and a quarter of adults remain unvaccinated

Turkey 'common denominator' of region's troubles: Greek foreign minister

Nikos Dendias accused Belarus of copying tactics used by Ankara last yr when a tense stand off at the Greek-Turkish land border was triggered by arrival of thousands of migrants, asylum seekers

France, Greece sign defence deal; Athens to buy 3 warships

President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a defence and security strategic partnership in a joint news conference in Paris

Massive forest fire in Greece's island still burning for 7th day

Firefighters and residents battled a massive forest fire on Greece's second largest island for a seventh day Monday

Tokyo Olympics 2020: Greek swimmers ruled out after Covid-19 cases

An outbreak of COVID-19 cases among the Greek Olympic team's artistic swimmers has ruled them out of competing at the Tokyo Games, officials said Wednesday. "Five of the twelve Greek artistic swimmers and the team officials who were staying at the Olympic Village had tested positive for COVID-19," Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee spokesperson Masa Takaya said at a briefing. The Greek team said they are all staying at a quarantine hotel. Greece was due to compete in the duet and team events. IOC spokesperson Mark Adams reiterated Wednesday that the International Olympic Committee is in contact with the Chinese Olympic Committee after the image of Communist China's founding leader, Mao Zedong, made an unscheduled appearance at the Tokyo Olympics. The gesture Mao pin badges worn by two Chinese gold medalists at their medal ceremony risks being judged a breach of Olympic Charter Rule 50, which prohibits political statements on the podium at the Tokyo Games and at the upcoming 2022 ..

Tokyo: Spain, Greece win water polo groups with solid defensive performance

Spain allowed a tournament-low 31 goals while going 5-0 in Group B. Greece permitted just 34 goals while going 4-0-1 in Group A

Stefanos Tsitsipas looking to extend family legacy at Olympics

A family legacy. A Greek tradition. An individual breakthrough. Stefanos Tsitsipas is attempting to match his grandfather by winning a gold medal at the Olympics. After being pushed to three sets in his opening match at the Tokyo Games, the fourth-ranked Tsitsipas stepped up his play in a 6-3, 6-4 win over Frances Tiafoe to reach the last 16 on Tuesday. It was a measure for revenge for Tsitsipas, who was beaten in straight sets by the 54th-ranked American in the first round of Wimbledon a month ago. It was also the first match of the Olympic tennis tournament held indoors. With rain falling outside, organizers closed the roof over the Ariake Coliseum. Tsitsipas' grandfather, Sergei Salnikov, was part of the Soviet Union soccer team that won gold at the 1956 Melbourne Games. His mother is Russian and his father is Greek, although Grandpa Sergei also had Greek roots. Tsitsipas has talked often this week about being inspired by Greece's role in Olympic history from ancient times to

EU endorses Greek recovery plan to 'supercharge investment and growth'

The economic recovery plan of Greece which will "supercharge investment, reform and growth throughout the country" has been endorsed by the European Union (EU)

Covid-19: Stores open in Greece amid virus surge to help rescue economy

Retail stores across most of Greece were allowed to reopen Monday despite an ongoing surge in Covid-19 infections, as the country battled to emerge from deep recession

Greece govt aiming to restart tourism on May 14 if Covid remains in check

The Greek government is aiming to restart tourism on May 14, as long as the Covid-19 epidemiological situation allows it, Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said.