Greece

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras is again expected to speak by phone on Thursday evening (local time) with EU Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, the second time in 24 hours the two leaders will speak. The development comes in light of perceived progress — according to media reports and assorted ‘sources’ – in talks between Athens and its institutional creditors.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed energy cooperation in a telephone conversation on Thursday during which the Russian leader expressed his readiness to finance a Greek company that will participate in the construction of a Russian pipeline that would carry natural gas to Europe, Tsipras?s office said.

Moscow is helping Greece in its investigation into possible Second World War reparations from Germany by providing access to previously unused archives.

Following a request by Alternate Defense Minister Costas Isichos, the Russian Embassy in Athens has provided Greek authorities with a list of the relevant archives, including documents, photographs and documentary footage.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias is due to meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Monday, on the first day of his four-day trip to Turkey.

It was announced on Thursday that Kotzias will visit Turkey two days ahead of a NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting, which will be held in Antalya on Wednesday and Thursday.

Turkey captured 1,029 migrants, many of whom were found crossing the country's borders illegally, including 406 people who attempted to cross into Turkey from Syria, on May 5.

The captured migrants also included three people who crossed into Turkey illegally via Iraq and 113 people who entered illegally via its border with Iran, according to data given by the Turkish General Staff.

“Pipeline politics” resurfaced on Thursday with confirmation of telephone contacts between Greek PM Alexis Tsipras and Russian leader Vladimir Putin regarding the possible construction of a natgas pipeline through Greece carrying Russian gas.

The Greek parliament on Thursday voted into law a controversial bill to curb violence in domestic sports after bowing to pressure for changes from soccer governing bodies UEFA and FIFA.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras by phone on Thursday that Russia was willing to provide financing to Greek companies involved in a planned extension to the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project.

The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin had made similar assurances to Tsipras during the Greek leader's visit to Moscow in April.

 Varoufakis: Agreement will be in the offing in the next days, mostly weeks

France says talks between Greece and its bailout creditors are going the right way and hopes that Monday?s eurozone meeting will see the sides narrow their differences enough to have a deal "within hand?s grasp."

Greece's parliament passed a law on Thursday paving the way for the government to rehire about 4,000 public sector workers who were laid off or earmarked for dismissal under austerity cuts imposed by international creditors.