Chania

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's brief visit to Crete highlighted the increasingly valuable role Greece plays in its wider region, as it is rightly viewed as a credible member of NATO and the European Union and a pillar of stability in a geopolitically critical, but volatile, area.

Greeks have celebrated Epiphany with blessing of the waters ceremonies across the country.

The holiday is known as Three Kings Day for some Catholics and the Baptism of Christ for the Orthodox.

The dominance of ruling New Democracy was confirmed by a new poll, which records a widening gap with socialist PASOK and leftist SYRIZA.

According to the survey by Opinion Poll conducted on behalf of Action24, center-right ND garnered 38.6% and a lead of 23.1 points over PASOK with 15.5%. SYRIZA was in third place with 13.4%, while New Left, which split from SYRIZA, got 2.6%.

Two people have died after their light aircraft crashed into the sea off Maleme, in Hania, Crete.

Local media said a lifeguard retrieved the bodies of the two people from the sea and that they were both pronounced dead.

Coast guard, navy, yachts and fishing boats assisted in the rescue and operation.

A second opinion poll in as many days as indicated that main opposition SYRIZA is less than two points ahead of third-place socialist PASOK, while ruling New Democracy remains way ahead.

Streets flooded in Chania, Crete after storm Elias caused heavy rain on Wednesday. 

The sudden storm broke out shortly after 3 p.m. turning several streets into torrents covering sidewalks, as reported neakriti.gr.

Shops also flooded in the city's old town. 

In this photo taken with long shutter speed, a Perseid meteor sparks, while entering the earth's atmosphere as a man sleeps in Tripiti beach in Gavdos island, the southernmost point of Greece and Europe, early Sunday, on August 13, 2023. [Petros Giannakouris/AP]

Authorities on the Greek island of Crete have ordered the temporary closure of mountain gorges popular with hikers after an earthquake triggered a rockslide and seriously injured a Spanish tourist.

Authorities on Crete are investigating a fertility clinic in the city of Hania amid suspicions that it may have operated as a front for an illegal adoption racket.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will attend the funeral of Second Lieutenant Periklis Stefanidis in Kilkis on Thursday, while President Katerina Sakellaropoulou will be present at the funeral of Captain Christos Moulas in Chania on the island of Crete on Friday.