Greece

06 Mar 2019; DW: Greek prosecutors have filed charges against 20 people over deadly wildfires in 2018.

The accused, including the greater Athens regional authority chief, two local mayors, the former civil protection head, and fire service officials, were hit with charges reportedly include involuntary manslaughter, causing bodily harm due to neglect, and arson through negligence.

They carry a maximum five-year prison sentence.

21 Feb 2019; DW: In its latest critique of the British Museum, the government in Athens has billed the entity's emphatic refusal to hand over Greece's greatest looted treasures, the so-called Elgin Marbles, as "utterly unacceptable."

Yet in an angry about-face, Athens has also moved to break decades of diplomatic niceties, taking a personal jab at the British Museum's director for lauding as "creative," Britain's continued hold of the marble masterpieces that once donned the Parthenon.

09 Feb 2019; DW: Despite resistance from opposition lawmakers, Greece has voted to support its neighbor joining NATO. The move signals an end to long-simmering tensions between the two countries.

Greece's parliament on Friday ended a decades-long dispute by approving a measure that would allow Macedonia, soon to be North Macedonia, to join NATO. In a 153-140 vote, Greek lawmakers backed the protocol that now must be approved by other members.

ATHENS, February 6. /TASS/. Greece is willing to expand its economic cooperation with Turkey and play a more active role in implementing the TurkStream pipeline project, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said told reporters after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

5 Feb 2019; DW:Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Tuesday that coup suspects are "not welcome" in Greece, but the case regarding eight Turkish servicemen who fled the country after a failed 2016 coup attempt on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is a judiciary matter.

"On the thorny issue of the eight soldiers, Greece respects the decisions delivered by the judiciary," Tsipras said in Ankara after meeting with Erdogan.

ATHENS, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- Greece's parliament approved on Friday the historic agreement reached last summer which resolves a nearly 28-year-old dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) over the use of the name Macedonia.

153 MPs voted in favor of the deal and 146 against, with one abstention. The roll-call vote in the 300-member assembly was broadcast live on Greek national television ERT.

ATHENS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A mass rally held in front of the Greek parliament in Athens over the Macedonia name deal was marred by violent clashes on Sunday.

Syntagma Square was converted into a battlefield when hooded protesters, trying to get into the parliament's courtyard, threw rocks and firebombs at riot police. Police forces used tear gas to repel the attempt.

ATHENS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The government of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras won a confidence vote in the Greek parliament on Wednesday, while a new crucial vote for the ratification of the Macedonia name deal will follow it in the coming days.

A total of 151 lawmakers voted to back the government, while 148 voted against and one was absent during the roll call voting in the 300-member strong assembly, which was broadcast live on Greek national broadcaster ERT.

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Train and island ferry services in Greece were suspended Wednesday and most Athens public transport was idle as the country’s biggest labor union held a strike against persisting austerity measures.

The transport shutdown prompted Athenians to drive to work, causing major traffic jams in the capital whose center was shut down by two separate strike-related protest marches.

Police said that about 7,000 people in total took part in the peaceful demonstrations to parliament.

Athens,Oct. 26; UPI  -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck off Greece's west coast early Friday near the island of Zakynthos.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was located 20 miles south of the island's southern tip of Mouzaki.

The USGS said the quake occurred "as the result of rupture on or near the plate boundary between the Nubia (Africa) and the Eurasia plates."