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While no major news on the Parthenon Sculptures has emerged since British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s infamous snub of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in late last year, the incident reinvigorated the debate around the return of the Sculptures to their home in Athens. Nikos Efstathiou, who was just in London reporting on the issue for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the...

11 λεπτά

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his cabinet have been under pressure these past days, as farmers and students across the country have taken to the streets in protest. This comes as Mitsotakis also prepares to pass a key marriage equality bill this month, and as the latest polls show a slight drop in support for New Democracy and the government. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor...

16 λεπτά

After a proposal by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, Greece is set to serve as the headquarters of the EU naval operation in the Red Sea against Iranian-backed Houthi militants dubbed operation Aspides. At the same time, Greece has also proposed taking command of the mission. Revecca Pedi, an associate professor of international relations at the University of Macedonia in Thessaloniki,...

10 λεπτά

On Thursday European leaders will look to overcome growing resistance to further aid for Ukraine, with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban vowing to defy EU pressure to approve a four-year €50 billion aid package to the war torn country. EU support is seen as crucial to Ukraine’s war effort. John Psaropoulos, an independent journalist based in Athens and Al Jazeera's Southeast Europe...

14 λεπτά

In a major escalation in the Middle East crisis, three US service members were killed and dozens more injured in a drone strike on the Syrian-Jordanian border by the Iranian-backed Islamic Resistance. This comes as attacks on US personnel in Iraq and Syria have surged since October, and as Washington has been debating a full withdrawal from Syria. Amberin Zaman, Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent...

10 λεπτά

In 2019 the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria recognised the independence of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Since then, Moscow has attempted to undermine not only the Ecumenical Patriarchate, but also the Patriarch of Alexandria, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over Africa and accuses the Russian church of meddling in the continent. Prof. George...

11 λεπτά

After over a year of delays, the Biden administration on Friday formally informed Congress of its intention to proceed with a deal to sell F-35 stealth fighter jets to Greece. At the same time, it also notified Congress of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has described this move as an important milestone for Greece and for US-Greece relations. Vassilis...

13 λεπτά

While the tourism boom in Greece over the last years can be felt across the country, its epicenter is a group of islands in the Aegean known as the Cyclades. The tourism boom is also fueling seemingly nonstop development on the islands, putting the focus on the sustainability of this development model. Yannis Palaiologos, a journalist at large with Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss...

12 λεπτά

Turkey’s Parliament voted on Tuesday to approve Sweden’s membership into NATO, clearing one of the final hurdles for a major expansion of the military alliance. The move comes after nearly two years of Ankara setting roadblocks and delaying Sweden’s swift accession to the NATO alliance. Despite Tuesday’s vote Sweden’s accession is not yet guaranteed. Henri Barkey, the Cohen Professor of...

12 λεπτά

As Greece bounces back from a decade of economic crisis, earning praise in headlines and features across the board - from The Economist to the Wall Street Journal - it is also up against a series of challenges. One of those is the demographic challenge, which has been described as existential. Nikos Konstandaras, a columnist for Kathimerini, joins Thanos Davelis to break down how Greece, given...

13 λεπτά

On Monday Greece introduced a bill that would allow for voting by mail, a long-standing request of diaspora Greeks and a measure that has been applied in almost all modern democracies. Interior Minister Niki Kerameus said the reform will make it easier to exercise the right to vote and will deepen democracy. Tom Ellis, the editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English edition, joins Thanos Davelis...

12 λεπτά

This week the leaders of the Hellenic Caucus in Congress sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to invite President Christodoulides to the White House to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus. They also urged the Biden administration to take a series of steps that could take the US-Cyprus relationship to new heights. In the meantime, Prime Minister Mitsotakis...

11 λεπτά

As Greece’s government looks set to get marriage equality legislation over the finish line, the bill itself has managed to rattle Greece’s political system - particularly within New Democracy, Greece’s ruling party. Given dissent within New Democracy over the bill, the government will need to look across the aisle to pass it. Nikos Efstathiou, an Athens based journalist and author, joins Thanos...

15 λεπτά

The seemingly unstoppable rise of tourism is transforming countries in ways that until recently belonged to the realm of the imagination. Greece is no exception, as it’s among the places most affected by this trend. Professor Stathis Kalyvas, the chairman of the Board of Directors at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and Gladstone Professor of Government at the University of...

13 λεπτά

About a week ago Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Turkey, where he met with Turkish President Erdogan. Diplomatic sources said Blinken arrived bearing potential gifts to entice Turkey to wrap up the issue of Sweden’s NATO membership. These included everything from new ways to provide F-16s to Turkey to a White House visit for Turkish President Erdogan. Michael Rubin, the director...

11 λεπτά

Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias recently outlined a new approach for how the Greek armed forces will be run, calling it “the armed forces of 2030”. Part of this new approach includes bolstering Greece’s defense industry, as Dendias noted that Greece cannot continue to buy everything it needs from abroad without producing anything of its own. Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and...

15 λεπτά

This new year finds Washington in a bind over how to effectively engage with Turkey, a trend we’ve documented for at least half a decade. The tug of war over Sweden and F16s, and Ankara’s stance on the Arab-Israeli conflict, are the latest examples of this. Expert Sinan Ciddi joins Thanos Davelis to break down why a tough stance toward Ankara - setting clear parameters and enforcing them...

14 λεπτά

Greece’s government announced on Wednesday it will scrap all the fines imposed on the elderly who never got vaccinated against Covid-19, a move which has sparked heated debate in Greece. The decision comes amid a simultaneous outbreak of three respiratory infections, including Covid-19 and influenza. Nektaria Stamouli, the deputy editor in chief of Kathimerini’s English Edition and Politico’s...

8 λεπτά

Over a year ago there were concerns that Turkey’s provocations and threats in the Aegean could turn into conflict. Over the last year, Turkey’s President Erdogan has pulled a 180 degree shift in policy, de-escalating tensions. Ryan Gingeras, a professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School and an expert on Turkish, Balkan, and Middle East history,...

13 λεπτά

As Europeans prepare to head to the polls in June to vote for the European Parliament, there is a growing concern as far-right parties are making gains across the continent. We have seen far right candidates win elections in the Netherlands, while France’s National Rally and the German Alternative for Germany are gaining in popularity amid concerns over migration and inflation. Alexandra...

14 λεπτά