Kyriakos Mitsotakis

Amid an upward trend in coronavirus infections, Greek health authorities Friday announced new restrictions aimed at curbing the virus' spread while Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appealed to young people to show greater caution following reports of overcrowding at nightclubs and concerts.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a special plea to young people on Friday to adhere to the safety rules issued by the country's health authorities and maintain social distancing, ahead of the August 15 national holiday, traditionally when Greeks set off for their summer vacations.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by telephone to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about their dispute over energy exploration in the eastern Mediterranean, a German government spokesman said on Thursday.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has held a telephone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of Friday's emergency meeting of the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, according to reports.

According to the same reports, Mitsotakis briefed Merkel on Turkey's illegal activities in the Eastern Mediterranean.

French President Emmanuel Macron reviews an honor guard on the deck of the assault ship Dixmude docked in the French Navy base of Toulon, 19 January 2018. Photo: EPA-EFE/Claude Paris / POOL MAXPPP OUT

Greece's prime minister warmly thanked France Thursday for boosting its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, where Greek and Turkish warships are closely shadowing each other over a Turkish energy exploration bid in waters Athens claims as its own.

The Egyptian presidency said on Thursday the maritime deal signed earlier this month between Athens and Cairo is "a turning point in the bilateral relations between the two countries."

The French military conducted training exercises with Greek forces off the southern island of Crete on Thursday, defence sources said, as tension persisted with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean.

The French military conducted training exercises with Greek forces off the southern island of Crete on Thursday, defence sources said, as tension persisted with Turkey over disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean.

He called on Turkey to stop oil and gas exploration in the disputed waters, which has increased tensions with Greece.