On Monday 2nd September 2024, Greece implemented new 'Golden Visa' rules as part of the government's initiative to strengthen its housing policy.  From today, foreign nationals, specifically those outside the European Union, who wish to obtain a five-year residence permit in Greece, will need to invest in real estate worth at least €800,000, as oposed to the previous threshold of €500,000.  Ho

Cyprus and Greece mark the 50th anniversary of the barbaric Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 20th July 1974, with many people highlighting the uncanny parallels with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.  The Greek and Cypriot communities question why Turkey got off nearly scot-free after its invasion while Russia is being hit with sanctions from the rest of the world.  The universal appeal of defending o

On Friday 21st June 2024, around 22:45, a fire was started on the nearby island of Hydra, when fireworks were launched from a private luxury yacht towards the island.  People on the yacht tried to put the fire out without sucess, then called the Fire Brigade and sailed away.  Five local firefighters sailed to the burning 300 acres of Hydra's only pine-forest on a coastguar

Greece will endure a 3-day heatwave starting Tuesday 11th June 2024, with temperatures exceeding 40°C, also warning of of a high wildfire risk, placed at a very high level.  Meteorologists had warned that temperatures could hit 43°C before falling at the weekend.  Heat waves are not rare in Greece, but they traditionally appear in July and August, the June heatwaves are particularly unusual, at