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Greece

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Greece. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Athens

Head of State

President Katerina Sakellaropoulou

Head of Government

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis

People gather as stranded vessels in the Strait of Hormuz are visible near the beach of Bandar Abbas in Iran on August 25. Photo: Reuters

US-China trade war

Opinion | Move over Strait of Hormuz. Innovation chokepoints are the ones to watch

The strength of a chokepoint lies not only in the force of the initial blow but in the scale of the long-term damage it leaves behind.

31 Aug 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

Defence

Israel and Greece sign US$3.5 billion defence deal, largest ever between the 2

31 Aug 2026 - 8:27PM

Israel

Netanyahu casts Turkey as Israel’s new villain amid tough re-election fight

20 Aug 2026 - 9:36AM

Travel

Are these Odyssey islands prepared for tourist surge in wake of new film?

A jump in visitors is expected in Ithaca, believed to be Odysseus’ home in the poem, and Favignana, its stand-in in the recent blockbuster.

18 Aug 2026 - 7:15AM

Tourists disembark from a boat after returning from nearby beaches on the island of Ithaca on August 3, 2026. Ithaca is widely believed to be the home of the hero Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey. Photo: AFP

China’s internet censorship

China targets pseudo-history conspiracists who claim civilisations were stolen

Zhejiang agency says pseudo-historical claims – made worse by AI – reflect ignorance and fracture social cognition.

14 Aug 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

Aviation accidents

Bird remains found in engine after man nearly sucked out of plane window

A piece of the engine had broken off the aircraft and smashed the window, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.

14 Aug 2026 - 4:30AM

Electric & new energy vehicles

Driven off the road: Nio’s German car registrations down 90%

In contrast to its Chinese peers, Nio is struggling in Europe’s largest car market, registering just three cars last month and 18 this year.

11 Aug 2026 - 6:02PM

Nio cars at a dealership in Stuttgart, Germany. The company is struggling in Europe's largest car market, registering just three cars in July and 18 in total so far this year. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong economy

Food Expo vendors hoping for tasty profits with items such as caviar sake gelato

Abalone for HK$1, handcrafted caviar mooncakes and discounted coffee and milk tea packs among products at next week’s Food Expo.

5 Aug 2026 - 11:33PM

From our archives

On This Day | ‘Stunning spectacle’: Rio Olympics kicks off in Brazil in 2016 – SCMP archive

The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America.

5 Aug 2026 - 11:30AM

Crime

Greek police arrest suspect after body of British woman found in suitcase

Afghan national in custody weeks after victim was discovered inside a derelict building in Athens.

3 Aug 2026 - 10:43AM

An abandoned building where the body of Elisabeth-Jane Ross was found in a suitcase. Photo: Reuters

Climate change

2 crew members dead after firefighting helicopters collide in Greece

The crew members, from Greece, Denmark and the UK, had been battling a major wildfire west of Athens on Sunday when the crash happened.

3 Aug 2026 - 1:13AM

A firefighting helicopter drops water over a smoke-filled forest during a wildfire northwest of Athens, Greece on Sunday. Photo: AP

Climate change

Climate crisis: Hungary closes nuclear power plant, Greece wildfires spread

Sustained drought is affecting the lives of many, with so-called megafires among multiple consequences of the extreme weather.

2 Aug 2026 - 11:23PMvideocam

European Union

Hungary braces for nuclear plant shutdown as Danube hits record lows

The power plant, producing nearly half of Hungary’s electricity, uses river water to cool reactors but heatwaves have affected water levels.

31 Jul 2026 - 11:51PMvideocam

Hong Kong sports

On This Day | Windsurfer wins Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold in 1996 – SCMP archive

On this day 30 years ago, Hong Kong won its first Olympic gold. It would take almost exactly 25 years to win another one.

29 Jul 2026 - 2:15PM

Lee Lai-shan raises her fist in triumph after winning a gold medal in the Olympic women’s windsurfing competition on July 29, 1996. Photo: David Wong

Extreme weather

France and Spain race to curb wildfires before new heatwave arrives

Authorities have evacuated about 220,000 people, including tourists, in France, while in Spain around 100,000 have been told to seek shelter.

28 Jul 2026 - 5:42AM

A forest fire rages in Saint-Jean-d’Illac near Bordeaux, France as the country is battered by heatwaves sparking wildfires. Photo: AFP

Nordic nations

European heatwaves drive summer tourists to cooler north

The concept of ‘coolcations’ – holidays in a cooler clime – has been gathering pace in recent years and appears to have exploded in 2026.

26 Jul 2026 - 12:54PM

Pets

As I see it | How the death of Argos, Odysseus’ faithful dog, still haunts us

The quiet, devastating reunion of master and dog, recently given the Hollywood treatment, remains one of the most poignant scenes in Western literature.

24 Jul 2026 - 8:30PM

China education

Why a Chinese academic wants the public to take a test on foreign affairs

Tsinghua University scholar Yan Xuetong is challenging people to avoid social media sensationalism and sit a 60-minute exam.

24 Jul 2026 - 7:00PM

A prominent Chinese political scientist has warned that misleading narratives about international relations have become “increasingly severe”. Photo: EPA

Defence

Greece to build ‘Achilles Shield’ defence dome with Israeli arms

The move is part of a US$4.8 billion spending spree that includes the purchase of Heron drones, Apache missiles and Victa stealth watercraft.

24 Jul 2026 - 1:03AM

China-EU relations

EU waters down Russia sanctions over fears China could seize key LNG assets

Bloc concludes banning Greek companies from transporting Russian gas to third countries may hand strategic shipping advantages to Beijing.

24 Jul 2026 - 1:44AMvideocam

Crime

Man stabs tourists near Greece’s Acropolis

The assailant attacked two people, was detained at the scene and appeared to have been suffering from psychological problems.

21 Jul 2026 - 7:57PM

Tourists walk across the Acropolis in Athens on July 2. Photo: AP

European Union

France and Germany reach nuclear deal as Europe builds up defences

France is the only nuclear power in the 27-member EU, while Germany plans to build Europe’s strongest conventional military by 2039.

19 Jul 2026 - 6:32PM

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (right) and French President Emmanuel Macron after the 26th Franco-German Ministerial Council at Augustusburg Palace in Bruehl, Germany, on Friday. Photo: EPA-EFE

China shipbuilding

Chinese shipbuilders snap up more supertanker orders amid Iran war turmoil

Industry data shows China’s shipyards secured 82 per cent of tanker orders placed this year, as measured by carrying capacity.

17 Jul 2026 - 11:00PM

European Union

4 Greek MPs charged over multimillion EU farm fraud scandal

European prosecutors say Greek state employees and politicians helped dozens of farmers scam the EU out of over US$22.5 million in subsidies.

16 Jul 2026 - 7:59PM

Aviation

Man nearly sucked out of ‘detached’ window on Ryanair flight

The man was pulled back inside by other passengers and has been hospitalised with friction burns but was otherwise in good condition.

10 Jul 2026 - 6:25PM

A Ryanair passenger plane is parked at Cologne in Germany. Greek media reported the incident had occurred over North Macedonia, and said the window had been broken by a piece of debris that detached from one of the plane’s engines. Photo: dpa

Terrorism

Greek anti-terror police arrest 3 after car blast kills 1

Leftist and anarchist groups often use improvised explosives to target political figures, banks and companies in Greece.

10 Jul 2026 - 6:03PM

A woman walks past damaged cars and a building after attackers firebombed three residential buildings linked to Greece’s governing party in the northern city of Thessaloniki, Greece on July 1. Photo: Reuters

Germany

Germany jails man 10 years for fatal attack on train conductor

The man had attacked the conductor after being found without a ticket, hitting the conductor so hard that he later died of brain haemorrhage.

9 Jul 2026 - 7:10PM

Extreme weather

‘Help us’: wildfires ravage France, Spain, Portugal forests as mercury soars

The early fires have already devastated an area twice as big as Manhattan across the three nations. Blazes have also hit Greece.

5 Jul 2026 - 7:29PMvideocam

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Greece

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Move over Strait of Hormuz. Innovation chokepoints are the ones to watch

The strength of a chokepoint lies not only in the force of the initial blow but in the scale of the long-term damage it leaves behind.

Israel and Greece sign US$3.5 billion defence deal, largest ever between the 2

Netanyahu casts Turkey as Israel’s new villain amid tough re-election fight

Are these Odyssey islands prepared for tourist surge in wake of new film?

A jump in visitors is expected in Ithaca, believed to be Odysseus’ home in the poem, and Favignana, its stand-in in the recent blockbuster.

China targets pseudo-history conspiracists who claim civilisations were stolen

Zhejiang agency says pseudo-historical claims – made worse by AI – reflect ignorance and fracture social cognition.

Bird remains found in engine after man nearly sucked out of plane window

A piece of the engine had broken off the aircraft and smashed the window, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing.

Driven off the road: Nio’s German car registrations down 90%

In contrast to its Chinese peers, Nio is struggling in Europe’s largest car market, registering just three cars last month and 18 this year.

Food Expo vendors hoping for tasty profits with items such as caviar sake gelato

Abalone for HK$1, handcrafted caviar mooncakes and discounted coffee and milk tea packs among products at next week’s Food Expo.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}On This Day | ‘Stunning spectacle’: Rio Olympics kicks off in Brazil in 2016 – SCMP archive

The Summer Olympics, held 10 years ago today, were the first Olympic Games ever held in South America.

Greek police arrest suspect after body of British woman found in suitcase

Afghan national in custody weeks after victim was discovered inside a derelict building in Athens.

2 crew members dead after firefighting helicopters collide in Greece

The crew members, from Greece, Denmark and the UK, had been battling a major wildfire west of Athens on Sunday when the crash happened.

Climate crisis: Hungary closes nuclear power plant, Greece wildfires spread

Sustained drought is affecting the lives of many, with so-called megafires among multiple consequences of the extreme weather.

Hungary braces for nuclear plant shutdown as Danube hits record lows

The power plant, producing nearly half of Hungary’s electricity, uses river water to cool reactors but heatwaves have affected water levels.

On This Day | Windsurfer wins Hong Kong’s first Olympic gold in 1996 – SCMP archive

On this day 30 years ago, Hong Kong won its first Olympic gold. It would take almost exactly 25 years to win another one.

France and Spain race to curb wildfires before new heatwave arrives

Authorities have evacuated about 220,000 people, including tourists, in France, while in Spain around 100,000 have been told to seek shelter.

European heatwaves drive summer tourists to cooler north

The concept of ‘coolcations’ – holidays in a cooler clime – has been gathering pace in recent years and appears to have exploded in 2026.

As I see it | How the death of Argos, Odysseus’ faithful dog, still haunts us

The quiet, devastating reunion of master and dog, recently given the Hollywood treatment, remains one of the most poignant scenes in Western literature.

Why a Chinese academic wants the public to take a test on foreign affairs

Tsinghua University scholar Yan Xuetong is challenging people to avoid social media sensationalism and sit a 60-minute exam.

Greece to build ‘Achilles Shield’ defence dome with Israeli arms

The move is part of a US$4.8 billion spending spree that includes the purchase of Heron drones, Apache missiles and Victa stealth watercraft.

EU waters down Russia sanctions over fears China could seize key LNG assets

Bloc concludes banning Greek companies from transporting Russian gas to third countries may hand strategic shipping advantages to Beijing.

Man stabs tourists near Greece’s Acropolis

The assailant attacked two people, was detained at the scene and appeared to have been suffering from psychological problems.

France and Germany reach nuclear deal as Europe builds up defences

France is the only nuclear power in the 27-member EU, while Germany plans to build Europe’s strongest conventional military by 2039.

Chinese shipbuilders snap up more supertanker orders amid Iran war turmoil

Industry data shows China’s shipyards secured 82 per cent of tanker orders placed this year, as measured by carrying capacity.

4 Greek MPs charged over multimillion EU farm fraud scandal

European prosecutors say Greek state employees and politicians helped dozens of farmers scam the EU out of over US$22.5 million in subsidies.

Man nearly sucked out of ‘detached’ window on Ryanair flight

The man was pulled back inside by other passengers and has been hospitalised with friction burns but was otherwise in good condition.

Greek anti-terror police arrest 3 after car blast kills 1

Leftist and anarchist groups often use improvised explosives to target political figures, banks and companies in Greece.

Germany jails man 10 years for fatal attack on train conductor

The man had attacked the conductor after being found without a ticket, hitting the conductor so hard that he later died of brain haemorrhage.

‘Help us’: wildfires ravage France, Spain, Portugal forests as mercury soars

The early fires have already devastated an area twice as big as Manhattan across the three nations. Blazes have also hit Greece.

Opinion | Move over Strait of Hormuz. Innovation chokepoints are the ones to watch

On This Day | ‘Stunning spectacle’: Rio Olympics kicks off in Brazil in 2016 – SCMP archive