Provinces of Greece

The mass Italian daily La Repubblica this week featured a travel article on what's increasingly a favorite holiday destination for Italian tourists, namely, the large Ionian island of Corfu (Kerkyra) as well as the two small isles to its south: Paxos and Antipaxos.

The travel writer, Giulia Stok, refers to verdant landscapes, blue waters and good food available on the islands.

The Sea Geology and Natural Oceaanography laboratory of the University of Patras for WWF Hellas explored the maritime ecosystem of Gyaros island, which it was found to be a place of exceptional natural beauty and unique ecological value.

Greece is the ideal backdrop for Hollywood blockbusters, says an article published on the website of Lonely Planet, the largest travel book publisher in the world.

Highlighting the country's imposing mountains, dramatic coastlines and picturesque villages, the author of the article mentions several stunning locations from famous movies shot in the beautiful Mediterranean country.

We all know Santorini, Mykonos and Crete, but the Telegraph decided to cast the spotlight on Greece's least populated Greek islands that are unpopular and where "transport may well be a donkey rather than a taxi or bus."

Castellorizo, a cluster of brightly-colored villas
The island has a population of just 492 people and lies 800 meters from the Turkish coast.

Defence Minister Panos Kammenos and the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) Chief General Mikhail Kostarakos are visiting flood-stricken areas along the course of the Evros River. The itinerary includes visits to Lagyna, Soufli and Poros. The latest reports show that the situation appears to be stabilizing in the area.

Hellenic Seaways Company announced on Thursday that the Nissos Mykonos ferry will run an additional service that will include stops at the islands of Samos and Fournoi, until the damage in the engines of the Mytilene ferry is repaired at the end of February.

Authorities in Western Macedonia issued a warning on Tuesday about high smog levels in the region caused by the large number of households using fireplaces to keep warm.

According to regional authorities, atmospheric pollution in the municipalities of Kozani, Eordaia, Amyntaio and Florina have risen above the warning level.

Two Albanian nationals were to face a prosecutor in Kalamata on Wednesday in connection with three burglaries in the region of Messini ? of two homes and a warehouse.

The suspects, aged 28 and 34, were caught after stealing 114 kilograms of olive oil from a warehouse in a Messini village.

A Civil Protection Authority helicopter has been dispatched to the Cycladic island of Tinos in the Aegean to locate parts of the power network that may have been damaged by snow and strong winds, leaving the entire island in darkness for the second day in a row on Thursday.

A 40-year-old man suffered fatal injuries on Monday night after being hit by a train bound for Kalambaka train at an unguarded crossing in Trikala in central Greece.

The man, identified as an Albanian national, died of multiple injuries at the Trikala general hospital shortly after being rushed to the emergency unit, its director, Giorgos Souflias, told Athens-Macedonia News Agency.