Latest News from Greece
Tests of leadership
Only real life can test if a politician really has what it takes to lead a nation. Six months after he was elected prime minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis was called upon to tackle two major crises: the first one was the exploitation of migrants and refugees by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan; the second was the coronavirus outbreak.
Seamstresses around Greece recruited to produce masks
Fabric and rubber bands have been sent to 346 seamstresses in 37 prefectures throughout Greece for the production of 40,000 masks as part of an initiative financed and launched online by artist Marios Eleftheriadis and tailor Konstantinos Tektonidis.
The aim of the initiative is to produce fabric masks to be given to the Hellenic Red Cross for distribution where needed.
Athens is warming to a bond issue
Finance Minister Christos Staikouras stated on Tuesday that a market foray in the next couple of months is possible for the Greek state, so as to finance the country's cash needs.
Two more Covid-19 deaths bring total to 83
Greece's Health Ministry said on Wednesday two more people died in the past 24 hours in the country from the new coronavirus, which raised the total number to 83 since the start of the outbreak.
There were also 52 new infections and the new total stands at 1,884, of which 57 percent are men, according to Health Ministry spokesman and infectious diseases professor Sotiris Tsiodras.
No radioactivity in Greece from recent Chernobyl forrest blaze
No change has been observed in the levels of radioactivity in Greece's atmosphere as a result of a recent forrest fire in Chernobyl that caused radiation to spike in the area, Greece's Atomic Energy Commission (EEAE) said on Thursday.
Monastic community extends visitor ban until April 20
The administration of the Mount Athos monastic community in northern Greece decided on Wednesday to continue prohibiting the admission of pilgrims and other visitors until April 20 as part of the measures against the coronavirus epidemic.
The only people excluded from the measure are employees and other "necessary professionals" the administration said.
Greek PM briefs President via video conference
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday held a video conference meeting with President Katerina Sakellaropoulou to brief her on developments regarding public health and government measures to support the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Germany agrees to take in 50 young migrants from Greek islands
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet agreed on Wednesday to accept 50 migrant children and youths from overcrowded camps on Greek islands, government sources said.
The move was a first step by Germany, officials said, as worries mount about the health situation in the Greek camps due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Editorial: The first step
The decision of the European Central Bank to make an exception to the rule and offer Greece a waiver that will allow Greek paper though still not investment grade to be used as collateral for Greek banks to have access to ECB cash is an important step forward for the embattled Greek economy.
Tokyo Olympic flame taken off display; next stop unclear
The Tokyo Olympic flame has been taken off public display in Japan. And it's not clear when it will reappear again or where - or under what conditions.
Some hotels eye June reopening
Some hotels could gradually start opening in June, though with health protocols that remain to be determined, the head of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) estimated on Tuesday.
Greek FinMin optimistic on Eurogroup outcome
Greek Finance Minister Christos Staikouras was upbeat Wednesday that remaining differences between eurozone governments regarding a trillion euro package to support the economy against the coronavirus pandemic would be bridged by Thursday.
Super moon rises over temple of Apollo
The super moon rises in the sky in front of Apollo's temple about 80 kilometers (50 miles) southwest of Athens on Tuesday. All Greece's archaeological sites and museums have been closed for weeks as part of the country's measures to contain the spread of the new coronavirus. [Petros Giannakouris/AP]
Greece launches 500 mobile Covid-19 testing units
In an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), the Greek government is launching 500 mobile sampling and testing units.
The units will visit homes where there are suspected cases of infection, under the guidance of the National Public Health Organization (EODY).
Guarded optimism over flattening of Covid-19 curve, possible loosening of measures after 27 April
The government has started planning a gradual loosening of restrictive measures possibly beginning at the end of April even as is preparing its game plan for stopping Greece from leaving Attica toward their ancestral homse and villages for Greek Orthodox Easter which falls on April 19.