Tourism accounts for one in five jobs and almost 18% of GDP, and the socialist government has given the sector special emphasis in the hope that it will help kickstart the battered Greek economy.With arrivals set to rise by at least 10%, the sector has become the sole bright light on a landscape darkened by an otherwise epic battle with the country's debts.

Germans are right to press for more cohesive European governance. It also might help Germany get along better with others. Germany is Europe’s powerhouse economy and preeminent political force, but lately it hasn’t won laurels for statecraft.

Direct flights will bolster bilateral cooperation and open a new era in Greek-Chinese relations, Kouvelis told China.org.cn by email.
He said the flights will make leisure travel, business activity, cultural exchange easier, faster, and more efficient.

The exhibition, entitled "The Forbidden City," gives visitors "an opportunity to take a glimpse at life behind the walls of the imperial palace before it opened up to the common people after six centuries," said Greek entrepreneur Bassilis Theocharakis, founder of the foundation.

Greece accepts a full invitation from Turkey to participate with aircraft in the anniversary activities of the Turkish Air Forces in June. Sources say, however, the neighboring country has not been invited for the Anatolian Eagle military drills scheduled for later that month.

Early Friday morning, fire-fighting planes and firefighters began pouring in from countries around the world, answering Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s call for help in fighting the largest forest fire it had ever known...The first arrivals were toy-like yellow planes, sent from Greece. They flew low over the Mediterranean, scooping up seawater. Then they moved inland, pouring the water over the flames.

For some time now, Greek-Turkish relations have been witnessing a good mixture of silent and public diplomacy efforts with frequent high-profile appearances here and there, leading observers of foreign policy to the belief that something is definitely up in solving the decades-long problems between the two neighbors.

At the time these lines were being written, a very important basketball event was taking place in Turkey: the 2010 World Championship held by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The tournament ended on Sunday, but as a basketball fan I will still say that, despite the outcome, there were two winners: Greece and Turkey.