With hundreds lost in the migrant shipwreck near Greece, identifying the dead is painfully slow
Nearly two months after a dilapidated fishing trawler crammed with people heading from north Africa to Italy sank in the central Mediterranean, killing hundreds, relatives are still frantically searching for loved ones among the missing and dead.
Aid groups dock 2 rescue vessels with 500 migrants in Italy
Two European aid groups have docked their rescue vessels in Italian ports and some 500 would-be refugees have disembarked, even as the Italian government insists it isn't backing down on its hard line against migrant smuggling operations from North Africa.
East Med especially at risk as world heats up, report warns
The eastern Mediterranean and Middle East are warming almost twice as fast as the global average, with temperatures projected to rise up to 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century if no action is taken to reverse the trend, a new report says.
This super chic Corktown restaurant will have you feeling like youโre touring Europe
With an eclectic menu ranging from a Mediterranean-inspired fish dish to some Georgian soup dumplings -- plus a sophisticated cocktail program to match -- Supergeil has all the ingredients for a fun night out. Michelle Oliver takes us there to Dine in the D.
Russia sends warplanes to Syria for huge naval drills in Med
The Russian military has deployed long-range nuclear-capable bombers and fighter jets carrying state-of-the-art hypersonic missiles to Syria for massive naval drills in the Mediterranean Sea amid the soaring tensions with the West over Ukraine.
ExxonMobil: Pipeline, ship or both for exporting Cyprus gas
The chief of ExxonMobilโs Cyprus arm says natural gas will remain an important energy source through 2050 and quantities of the hydrocarbon found off the east Mediterranean island nation could reach markets through a pipeline or by liquefying it for transport by ship.
Scientists urge speedy switch to renewables in Middle East
A climate change conference will underscore to policymakers in the Middle East and the east Mediterranean that the switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources is needed urgently because greenhouse gas emissions are helping to drive up regional temperatures faster than in many other inhabited parts of the world.
France's Macron to talk to Biden amid crisis over submarines
France's government spokesman says President Emmanuel Macron will speak in the coming days with President Joe Biden in their first contact since a major crisis erupted between France and the United States over a submarine deal with Australia.
You donโt have to spend big to eat well this Valentineโs Day
Why not treat your loved ones, and even yourself, to a lunch or dinner out this Valentineโs Day? A โLive in the Dโ sponsor, Pita Way, says they offer a fresh take on old-world recipes, that wonโt break the bank. Pita Way is a fast-casual concept, dishing up Mediterranean food that is packed with flavor. By โMediterranean food,โ they mean food inspired by countries all across the Mediterranean, including Greece, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and more. Bahoura recommends the mini combo platter to share with your loved ones.
Cafe, croissant, worms? EU agency says worms safe to eat
The vaunted Mediterranean diet and the French bon gout are getting some competition: The European food safety agency says worms are safe to eat. The Parma-based agency published a scientific opinion Wednesday on the safety of dried yellow mealworms and gave them a thumbs up. Researchers said the worms, either eaten whole or in powdered form, are a protein-rich snack or ingredient for other foods. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)ROME โ The vaunted Mediterranean diet and French gastronomy are getting some competition: The European Union's food safety agency says worms are safe to eat. The Parma-based agency published a scientific opinion Wednesday on the safety of dried yellow mealworms and gave them a thumbs up.
Turkey, Greece to resume talks on disputes on Jan 25
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu speaks at a news conference in Madrid, Spain, Friday, Jan. 8, 2021. Turkey on Monday, Jan. 11 invited Greece to resume talks designed to reduce tensions between the neighbors, following this summer's dispute over maritime borders and energy rights in the eastern Mediterranean. Cavusoglu also extended an invitation to Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, for a meeting to discuss their troubled relations. โToday ... we want to extend an open invitation to Greeceโ Cavusoglu said. โWe invite Greece to start exploratory talks, with the first meeting being held in January.โThe foreign ministries of Turkey and Greece later issued separate statements saying the so-called exploratory talks would be held in Istanbul on Jan. 25.
Greece, Egypt seek Biden role in East Mediterranean dispute
Greece and Egypt are at odds with Turkey in a volatile maritime boundary dispute in the eastern Mediterranean over rights to search for and exploit natural gas deposits. The European Union and the United States have both criticized Turkeyโs ongoing maritime research missions in waters where Greece asserts jurisdiction. The dispute between Greece and Turkey triggered a major military buildup over the summer that raised concerns of military confrontation. Turkeyโs behavior, it said, โpushes further away any prospects of a constructive dialogueโ between Greece and Turkey. Greece, Cyprus and Egypt widely criticized the deal between Ankara and Tripoli, saying it infringed on their economic rights.
Tunisian carrying Quran fatally stabs 3 in French church
Police work behind a restricted zone near the Notre Dame church in Nice, southern France, after a knife attack took place on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2020. (AP Photo/Daniel Cole)PARIS โ A young Tunisian man armed with a knife and carrying a copy of the Quran attacked worshippers in a French church and killed three Thursday, prompting the government to raise its security alert to the maximum level hours before a nationwide coronavirus lockdown. The French prosecutor said the attacker was not on the radar of intelligence agencies as a potential threat. The third victim, a 44-year-old woman, managed to flee the church alive but died at a nearby restaurant. .The three were killed โonly because they were in the church at that moment,โ Ricard told reporters.
Turkey says Greece failed to fulfill promises, vows response
ANKAR โ Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday accused Greece and Cyprus of failing to fulfill โpromisesโ made during negotiations within the European Union and NATO and said his country would continue to give them โthe response they deserve." โOur Oruc Reis has returned to its duty in the Mediterranean,โ Erdogan told legislators of his ruling party in a speech in parliament. Greeceโs government said, meanwhile, that it wouldn't take part in planned exploratory talks with Turkey as long as the survey mission was in progress. Separately, Erdogan declared that he would on Saturday announce details of the discovery a new natural gas reserve off the Black Sea coast. In August, Turkey announced the discovery of 320 billion cubic meters of gas, which the country said would help ease the countryโs dependence on imports.
Germany decries Turkey's actions in eastern Mediterranean
FILE - In this Sunday, Sept. 13, 2020 file photo, Turkey's research vessel, Oruc Reis anchored off the coast of Antalya on the Mediterranean, Turkey. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, File)BERLIN โ Germany's foreign minister on Tuesday criticized Turkey for โunilateral steps" in the eastern Mediterranean that are undercutting efforts to de-escalate tensions with Greece and Cyprus over sea boundaries and drilling rights. Ankara's redeployment of the Oruc Reis survey vessel for new energy exploration around Kastellorizo has reignited tensions over sea boundaries between Greek islands, Cyprus and Turkeyโs southern coast. โWe have every interest in engaging with Turkey in a constructive dialogue.โThe Oruc Reis left the port of Antalya on Monday for a mission expected to end Oct. 22. Another Turkish survey ship is currently operating in waters where Cyprus claims exclusive economic rights.
Greece calls new Turkish survey mission a threat to region
The Turkish search vessel, Oruc Reis, left the port of Antalya on Monday for a mission ending Oct. 22. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the vessel was continuing with its โplanned and scheduled activities,โ adding that the Turkish navy would provide โsupport and protectionโ if necessary. The common denominator is Turkey,โ Dendias said โ referring to regional hot spots in which Ankara has a military presence or active diplomatic involvement. A ministry statement accused Greece of declaring military exercises in the Aegean Sea to coincide with Turkeyโs Oct. 29 national day celebrations. ___Suzan Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey.
Greek premier meets with NATO chief over tension with Turkey
ATHENS โ Greeceโs prime minister reiterated on Tuesday that his country is prepared to hold talks with fellow NATO member Turkey about a dispute over maritime boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean. Speaking after meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Athens, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the dispute, which saw Greek and Turkish warships facing off in the eastern Mediterranean, was a threat to NATOโs cohesion. He voiced hope that the two sides would be able to hold diplomatic negotiations to settle their differences โ a hope he reiterated in Athens on Tuesday. When Turkey โdisputes the sovereign rights of one, it opens wide the road to dispute the rights of others too,โ Mitsotakis said. Mitsotakis welcomed recent Turkish moves to reduce tension, but said โit remains to be seen if this is an honest move or a temporary maneuver.โ
EU leaders overcome Cyprus veto, agree to Belarus sanctions
A general view of the round table meeting at an EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. European Union leaders are meeting to address a series of foreign affairs issues ranging from Belarus to Turkey and tensions in the eastern Mediterranean. โWe have to decided today to implement the sanctions," European Council President Charles Michel told reporters after chairing the summit in Brussels. It is also unusual in that all 27 EU member countries, including Cyprus, reject the result of the Aug. 9 election that returned Lukashenko to power for a sixth term. โWhen a European Union member state is attacked, threatened, when its territorial waters are not respected, itโs the duty of Europeans to show their solidarity,โ Macron said.
Pompeo voices support for talks between Greece, Turkey
(Aris Messinis/Pool viaAP)ATHENS โ U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressed support Tuesday for talks between Greece and Turkey, NATO allies whose relations deteriorated to the point where both had warships facing off in the Mediterranean Sea. His comments, however, angered Ankara, where a senior official accused Pompeo of not being impartial on the second day of a five-day regional tour. EU leaders are set to discuss this week potential sanctions against Turkey, which is not a bloc member. Turkey last month sent a research vessel, accompanied by warships, to prospect for energy resources in an area where Greece claims exclusive rights. The tensions at sea eased recently, with Athens and Ankara announcing they would hold exploratory talks on relaunching stalled negotiations.
France: EU sanctions on Turkey an option over gas standoff
France's Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune, foreground, and Cyprus' Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides take part in a news conference at the Foreign Ministry building in the capital Nicosia, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. Beaune says the European Union should consider imposing sanctions against Turkey if the country continues a hydrocarbons search inside waters where Greece and Cyprus claims exclusive rights. Turkey triggered a naval standoff with NATO ally Greece after dispatching a warship-escorted research vessel in a part of the eastern Mediterranean that Greece says is over its continental shelf. Turkey doesnโt recognize ethnically divided Cyprus as a state and insists it has every right to search for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean. Beaune said the EU cannot accept Turkish actions and that France has โcommitted" to resolving the issue while making its military presence felt in the eastern Mediterranean in support of its EU partners.
Greece welcomes Turkish survey ship's return to Med Sea port
Greece's prime minister outlined plans Saturday to upgrade the country's defense capabilities, including purchasing new fighter planes, frigates, helicopters and weapons systems amid heightened tensions with Turkey over rights to resources in the eastern Mediterranean. (Thodoris Manolopoulos/Greek President's Office via AP)ATHENS โ The Greek government welcomed a Turkish survey vessel's return to port Sunday from a disputed area of the eastern Mediterranean that has been at the heart of a summer stand-off between Greece and Turkey over energy rights. We will see how this develops to make a proper assessment,โณ Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas told TV channel Skai. The dispute over potential oil and gas reserves has triggered a military build-up in the eastern Mediterranean. Nominal NATO allies Turkey and Greece both dispatched warships to the area where the Oruc Reis was engaged in seismic research and conducted military exercises to assert their claims.
Lavrov: Russia ready to help ease Turkey-Greece tension
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, talks as the Cypriot President Nikos Anastasiades looks on prior to their meeting at the presidential palace in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020. Lavrov is paying an official visit to Cyprus amid heightened tensions over Turkey's search for energy resources in east Mediterranean waters where Greece and Cyprus claim as having exclusive economic rights. (Iakovos Hadjistavrou/Pool Photo via AP)NICOSIA Russias foreign minister said Tuesday that Moscow is ready to help ease rising tensions over Turkey's search for energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean. The embargo was directed against the southern, Greek Cypriot part of the island, where Cyprus internationally-recognized government is seated. We believe that Russia is playing a very destabilizing role in the region, especially in Syria, Garber said.
Cyprus worried as 4 migrant boats reach island in 48 hours
FILE - In this file photo dated Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, People walk along the beach in the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Cyprus police said Sunday Sept. 6, 2020, that four boats carrying Syrian and Lebanese migrants have arrived in waters off the east Mediterranean island nations coastline within a 48-hour span. Some 21 migrants remain aboard a boat that is adrift off Cyprus southeastern tip as a result of a faulty engine. European Union member Cyprus and Lebanon have an agreement to curb the arrival of boats loaded with migrants from reaching the island. He said Cyprus migrant reception center is reaching its limits amid concerns over sticking to health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Spanish doctors hope beach trips can help ICU virus patients
A hospital in Barcelona is studying how short trips to the beach may help COVID-19 patients recover from long and traumatic intensive hospital care. A medical team at the Hospital del Mar the Hospital of the Seas is seeing if short trips to the beach just across the street can help COVID-19 patients after long and sometimes traumatic ICU stays. In April, the hospital was operating several additional ICU wards and expanded its normal capacity of 18 patients to 67. The team wants to take this anecdotal evidence further, and see whether such outdoor trips can help in the mid- and long-term recovery of COVID-19 patients. For Espana, who works in a local market and has a passion for music, his memories of 52 days in intensive care are cloudy."
Erdogan raises rhetoric in Greece standoff in Mediterranean
(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)ANKARA Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday warned Greece to enter talks over disputed eastern Mediterranean territorial claims or face the consequences. Ankara is currently facing off against Greece and Cyprus over oil and gas exploration rights in the eastern Mediterranean. The two NATO allies have been locked for weeks in a tense standoff in the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is prospecting the seabed for energy reserves in an area Greece claims as its own continental shelf. Simulated dogfights between Greek and Turkish fighter pilots have multiplied over the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. Erdogan said Turkey had repeatedly expressed its willingness to come to a just agreement.
Greek FM heads to UN amid tense standoff with Turkey
Turkey on Monday, Aug. 31, accused Greece of "piracy" and warned it will stand up to Athens' alleged efforts to militarize islands near its coast. Neighbors and NATO allies Greece and Turkey have been locked in a tense standoff in the eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey is prospecting the seabed for energy reserves in an area Greece claims as its own continental shelf. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Dendias would be delivering a letter from him to Guterres detailing what he said was Turkey's illegal activity in the region. Simulated dogfights between Greek and Turkish fighter pilots have multiplied over the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. A Turkish and a Greek frigate collided last month, reportedly causing minor damage to the Turkish frigate but no injuries.
Turkey criticizes US decision to lift Cyprus arms embargo
(Greek Defense Ministry via AP)ANKARA Turkey called on the United States to reconsider a decision to partially lift a 33-year-old arms embargo against Cyprus, saying Wednesday that the move disrupts equality and balance between the Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities on the ethnically divided island nation. It was directed against the southern, Greek Cypriot part of the island, where Cyprus' internationally recognized government is seated. Cyprus split in 1974 when Turkey invaded following a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey, the only nation to recognize a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence in the island's north, maintains more than 35,000 troops there. Ambassador to Cyprus Judith Garber said the lifting of the embargo strengthens the U.S.-Cyprus security partnership while boosting regional security.
Germany calls for end to east Mediterranean military drills
In this photo provided by the Greek Defense Ministry, warships take part in a military exercise in Eastern Mediterranean sea, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. Turkey is accusing France of stoking tensions in the eastern Mediterranean, where NATO allies Turkey and Greece are locked in a stiff standoff over competing claims over offshore energy exploration rights. On Thursday, France was set to join Italy, Greece and Cyprus in three-day air and sea military exercises off the east Mediterranean island. Greek military officials said Thursday the United Arab Emirates have sent four fighter jets and five military transport planes to an airbase on Crete for joint training with Greek forces. Derek Gatopoulos in Athens, Greece, and Lorne Cook in Brussels, contributed to this report.
German FM heads to Greece, Turkey as regional tension mounts
(Turkish Defense Ministry via AP, Pool)ATHENS Germany's foreign minister was heading to Greece and Turkey on Tuesday in an effort to ease increasing tension between the two neighbors, which are at loggerheads over prospecting rights in the eastern Mediterranean. In response to the Oruc Reis's operations, Greece put its armed forces on alert and sent warships to shadow the Turkish vessels. Turkey and Greece are our NATO allies. Ankara responded by extending its notification to shipping, known as a Navtex, about the research vessels operations to Aug. 27. The windows for dialogue between Greece and Turkey must now be opened further and not closed, Maas said.
Detroit's 5 best spots to score affordable Middle Eastern fare
Craving Middle Eastern food? The traditional American and Middle Eastern spot, which also offers juices, smoothies and more, is the highest-rated budget-friendly Middle Eastern restaurant in Detroit, boasting five stars out of 168 reviews on Yelp. Yelpers give the cheap cafe and Middle Eastern spot four stars out of 92 reviews. Serving lamb and potato curry, among other items on the menu, the eatery offers traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. Stop by 19420 Woodward Ave. to hit up the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern spot, which offers sandwiches and more, the next time you're looking to satisfy your cravings on a budget.
Migrants describe being tortured, raped on journey to Libya
Sailors on a Libyan coast guard ship wave their arms. Reluctantly the migrants climb on board the Libyan Coast Guard ship. Many who get stuck there are intercepted and detained by the Libyan Coast Guard, which is funded and trained by the European Union. Workers from the International Organization for Migration receive the migrants when the coast guard ship arrives in Tripoli later that night. From there, they're taken to a variety of GNA-run detention centers around Tripoli, including the Tariq al-Sikka center.
Here are the 3 freshest new businesses to launch in Detroit
Interested in getting intel on the freshest new spots in Detroit? From pierogies to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, read on for the newest businesses to debut recently. Pietrzyk PierogiPhoto: lionel b./YelpPietrzyk Pierogi is a Polish spot located at 1429 Gratiot Ave. that has earned 4.5 stars from three Yelp reviews. Smith & Co.Photo: Jeff C./YelpStop by 644 Selden St. in Midtown and you'll find Smith & Co., a new New American spot. This spot occupies the century-old Smith Welding Supply & Equipment Company, according to the Detroit Metro Times.
7 dead after small plane and helicopter collide on Spanish Mallorca
The collision occurred on Inca, an inland town on the Mediterranean island. (CNN) - Seven people were killed Sunday when a helicopter and a small plane collided in the air above the Spanish island of Mallorca, authorities said. Five people, including two children, were in the helicopter, and two adults were in the plane when the accident happened at Inca, an inland town on the Mediterranean island, the Balearic Islands government said on Twitter. "The priority is to identify the seven confirmed victims and to assist their families," Balearic Islands President Francina Armengol said on Twitter. German helicopter operator Rotorflug confirmed one of its aircraft had crashed on the island, a popular vacation destination for Europeans, CNN affiliate RTL reported.
150 migrants die in shipwreck off coast of Libya
Maps for News via CNN(CNN) - At least 150 people have drowned after their boat sank off the Libyan coast Thursday, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed. The UNHCR earlier tweeted of the deadly shipwreck off the coast of Al-Khums, a port city 80 miles east of Tripoli. The Libyan branch of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) also tweeted on the incident, posting that 145 were rescued. "The worst Mediterranean tragedy of this year has just occurred," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for the UNHCR. Prior to Thursday's shipwreck, at least 686 migrants have died in the Mediterranean so far this year, the IOM says.
Pasta salad nicoise
Because this sunny, Mediterranean-inspired salad does not require constant refrigeration, it's a good take-along salad for summer picnics. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook until al dente, about 12 to 14 minutes, or according to package instructions. Put the green beans into a medium microwave-proof dish; add about cup water. When the rigatoni is done, drain and rinse well in cold water, then drain again. Covered and refrigerated, the completed salad will keep for up to 2 days.