Oceans

Greece has been given another reason to brandish its credentials as a world class tourist destination after it clinched second place, after Spain, among 47 countries around the world for the number of blue flags awarded to its beaches. A staggering 497 beaches received the 2020 Blue Flag quality award list for beaches, marinas and sustainable tourism boats.

Ferry passengers planning to travel to and from the Greek islands and other domestic ports on a journey of more than 30 minutes, as well as those traveling between Greece and Italy, will be obliged to fill out a health questionnaire prior to boarding.

Turkey's recent activity near the Evros land border with Greece and the course on Friday of its Oruc Reis research vessel in the Aegean, accompanied by two support ships and a frigate, sailing up to 50 nautical miles southeast of Kastellorizo, is viewed in Athens as another example of Ankara's bid to test its resolve.

An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale occurred in the sea area near the southeastern Aegean island of Kasos today early Monday at 3.53 a.m.
According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the quake's epicenter in an underwater area 11 kilometers southeast of Kasos.

A French oceanographic vessel, licensed by Athens, is planning to conduct research in an area stretching from the southern Ionian Sea to a spot east of the island of Crete from early March until mid-April.

The area in question has been included in a controversial maritime border memorandum signed between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in Libya. 

The Turkish coast guard reportedly harassed vessels of the Greek port Authority and military as they prepared on Tuesday to collect migrants and refugees on board a dinghy near the islet of Strongyli off the coast of the southeastern Aegean island of Kastellorizo.

Two divers working in the underwater world aquarium where 1,200 sea creatures of 120 species live in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, feed th sharks, stingrays and herd fish with their hands.

Before we divide ourselves into "traitors" and "patriots" over whether we should resort to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to resolve issues with Turkey and many other matters, it would be a good idea to make sure we know what we are talking about. Ignorance is a dangerous thing, especially when it is found in so-called experts or just plain old know-it-alls.

Regional health authorities on Crete have suspended a specialist doctor from a local state hospital after a misdemeanors court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a minor, it emerged on Tuesday.

Crete's regional health authority asked the hospital, which was not identified, to immediately suspend the doctor, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.

The government is moving ahead with the utilization of the plot that used to host the US military base at Gournes, near Iraklio on Crete, and is now preparing to decide on the precise position of the island's casino.