Montreal

Eclipse mania gripped North America on Monday as a breathtaking celestial spectacle captivated tens of millions of people, offering a rare blend of scientific interest, commercial opportunity and daytime partying.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with his Canadian counterpart Justin Trudeau in Montreal on Sunday and attended the signing of an agreement for Greece's purchase of seven new state-of-the art firefighting aircraft (DHC-515).

The two leaders' meeting was followed by expanded talks and a joint statement, which follows:

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a Canadian TV host Sunday that Greece is open for business.

Mitsotakis, the first Greek prime minister to visit Canada in more than 40 years, sat down with CTV's Question Period host Vassy Kapelos in Montreal for an exclusive interview airing Sunday, during his visit to Canada over the weekend.

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Canada on March 24 and 25, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Thursday.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will travel to Canada later this week, where he will finalize a deal to purchase seven DHC-515 Firefighters, the newest water bombers built by De Havilland, Toronto's Globe and Mail newspaper reported Wednesday. 

Serbia will be the assistant chairman in the first and third year, and the main chairman in the second year, judging that this is "magnificent news for Serbia".

However, problems started almost immediately. The spokeswoman for the most famous Russian opposition leader, who was found dead in a notorious prison on February 16, Kira Yarmysh, confirmed that they could not even find a hearse to take the body to the church. "Unknown people call morgues and threaten them," she said.

The island nation of Palau made history this week when it became the first country to ratify last year's historic United Nations treaty for the protection of the Earth's oceans.

The so-called High Seas Treaty was adopted by U.N. member states in June, after more than 15 years of discussions.

Irish law enforcement has seized the Bulgarian vessel "Verila" owned by the "Navigation Maritime Bulgare" Shipping Company at the Foynes port in County Limerick, uncovering a staggering cache of narcotics. Reports suggest that between 300 to 500 kilograms of cocaine were discovered onboard, with an estimated street value ranging from €20 million to €35 million.

With British pop singer Maisie Peters' tour across North America underway, there's one city she's particularly looking forward to playing: Sacramento, California.

Why? The Greta Gerwig effect.

"That's like a 'Lady Bird,' Greta Gerwig pilgrimage," Peters told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "So I'm excited for that."