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We’re turning our attention to Libya today, as a surge in the number of migrants traveling from the divided country to Greece’s shores is sounding alarms in Athens and in Brussels. As Greece and the European Union look to tackle this new challenge, Athens is also looking to engage diplomatically with the two rival factions in Libya’s east and west. Alexandra Voudouri, Kathimerini’s Brussels...

13 λεπτά

Originally by today - July 9th - we were supposed to have 90 trade deals in 90 days, and new tariffs were supposed to go into effect. This week, the Trump administration extended the deadline to August 1st. President Trump is now insisting that there will not be another extension to this deadline. Maria Demertzis, the chief economist for Europe at the Conference Board in Brussels, joins Thanos...

17 λεπτά

Speaking at an event organized by Kathimerini last week in Athens, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel reflected on her tenure, touching on a number of issues, from her relationship with leaders like former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the Greek financial crisis. Iliana Magra, a journalist with Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis as we break down the main takeaways from this visit.You can...

15 λεπτά

Recent reports indicate that the White House is looking to find a way to move past Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 missiles, and pave the way for Ankara to return to the F-35 program. Sinan Ciddi and Bradley Bowman, the authors of the recent op-ed “S-400s or not, don’t give Turkey the F-35”, join Thanos Davelis to make the case that even if Turkey gives up the S-400s, F-35s should be off the...

19 λεπτά

While everyone’s attention has been on the Middle East over the past weeks, I want to turn us to the Black Sea. The Black Sea is not just critical to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine, but it is a key part of the wider standoff between Moscow and the West, raising questions about European security and drawing in other powers as well like Turkey and the US. Dimitar Bechev, a...

14 λεπτά

A scandal involving EU funds and farm subsidies has rocked the Greek government and is the lead story coming out of Greece. Over the weekend we saw the resignation of a few ministers, including migration minister and former agriculture minister Makis Voridis, and we’ve seen Prime Minister Mitsotakis acknowledge the government’s failure while announcing steps to address the issue. Nektaria...

11 λεπτά

We’re turning to Turkey today, where Turkish markets rallied on Monday after a Turkish court adjourned a case that could force the removal of the main opposition party's leader. Despite this decision, there is still rising political uncertainty in the country as Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu remains imprisoned, and questions remain about the direction Turkey’s economy is heading. Wolfango...

12 λεπτά

Since President Trump stepped back into the Oval Office, Greece has been on the lookout for the arrival of a new US ambassador. While nominee Kimberly Guilfoyle has yet to go through her Senate hearing, the US ambassador in Ankara, Tom Barrack, seems to be charting a new course for US-Turkey ties. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition, joins Thanos Davelis as we break...

12 λεπτά

Today we’re turning to Greece’s south, and looking at developments in Libya which are increasingly moving onto Athens’ radar. Greece is closely monitoring recent energy agreements between Libya’s Tripoli-based government and Turkey, and is moving ships south of Crete amid a new surge in migrants crossing the Mediterranean from Libya and heading to Greece. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s...

16 λεπτά

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan visited Turkey late last week for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the first formal meeting of its kind and a move Yerevan described as a "historic" step. Despite previous efforts - and a slew of concessions by Pashinyan to both Azerbaijan and Turkey over the past years - there has been little tangible progress in normalizing relations....

18 λεπτά

A few days ago the Mar Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria, was bombed in a terrorist attack that left dozens of people dead. The attack has left Syria’s Christians struggling to understand why their community was targeted, and wondering if they can rely on the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa for safety. Nadine Maenza joins Thanos Davelis as we take a closer look at what this...

14 λεπτά

We’re turning our attention to the Hague today, where NATO leaders are gathering this week for a two day summit. While European allies - keen to avoid clashing with President Trump - already agreed to Washington’s demands that they increase defense spending, key questions loom over Ukraine, the Middle East, and the future of the transatlantic alliance. Ian Lesser, the vice president and...

15 λεπτά

Turkey’s latest move to submit a new so-called maritime spatial plan to UNESCO laying claim to half of the Aegean Sea is once again putting the spotlight on its revisionist Blue Homeland doctrine, and raising questions about its commitment to maintaining calm in the region. Constantinos Filis, the director of the Institute of Global Affairs and a professor of international relations at the...

14 λεπτά

Over the past decades we’ve heard a lot about the potential impacts of climate change, from rising temperatures to wildfires and droughts. Greece is on the frontline of many of these shifts. Today we’re taking a closer look at how climate change will impact Greece’s economy. Nikos Vettas, the General Director of the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research and a Professor of Economics at...

13 λεπτά

Earlier this week Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis essentially launched his pre-election campaign, unveiling a roadmap to the 2027 elections. As Mitsotakis prepares for 2027, we’re also seeing former prime minister Alexis Tsipras take steps that are fueling speculation about a political comeback, while the far-right is back in the headlines. Lamprini Rori, an Assistant Professor in Political...

15 λεπτά

The G7 leaders just met in Canada where the focus quickly turned to geopolitics, primarily the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, which saw President Trump leave the summit early and return to Washington as conflict escalated between Israel and Iran. At the same time, trade remains a key concern among the G7 nations, as tariffs loom on the horizon. Matthew Goodman, the director of the...

11 λεπτά

Kathimerini just ran a piece highlighting the efforts of teachers and community schools in keeping Greek education alive in Turkey. These schools are central to the Greek community in Istanbul, a community that once had a significant presence but has dwindled to roughly 2,000 individuals over the last century as a result of government policies, persecution, and a pogrom in the 1950s. Dr. Ilay...

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Since arriving in Ankara, US ambassador Tom Barrack has been thrown into the spotlight. Aside from his active role in Syria, reports indicate he is laying the groundwork for an Erdogan visit to Washington. If we take a closer look, however, the argument could also be made that he is seemingly promoting a number of Turkish positions across the board - from selling Turkey F-35s to presenting...

16 λεπτά

Last year Greece’s two biggest teams achieved big triumphs at the European level, with Panathinaikos winning the Euroleague in basketball, and Olympiakos winning the Conference League in soccer. While this year didn’t deliver any major silverware, we stll saw important runs for both teams. At the same time, the Greek national team in soccer has many fans excited for what lies ahead as it sets...

17 λεπτά

We’re almost at the halfway point of Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ second term. Despite a few political storms over the past years, New Democracy, the prime minister’s party, is riding out a wave of dissatisfaction among voters, holding steady at about 30 percent. At the same time, a rudderless and divided opposition can’t seem to translate this into votes. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in...

11 λεπτά