Kastellorizo

Turkey made up the story about its coast guard taking down a Greek flag on an islet in the southeastern Aegean after a Turkish helicopter was chased off from the area of Ro, Alternate Defense Minister Fotis Kouvelis said on Tuesday.

Greek government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos said on Monday that there was no evidence of any "violation of Greek territory" following claims by Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim that the Turkish coast guard took down Greek flag from an Aegean islet.

Yildirim had indicated that the islet was in a "disputed area" in the Aegean, a concept that Greece rejects.

The European Commission on Wednesday approved a one-year extension to a special visa agreement between Greece and Turkey that allows Turks who want to visit seven Greek islands to apply for a visa directly at their destination.

The Turkish prime minister's office has denied an incident involving a lights-out Turkish helicopter flight off Greece's eastern Aegean islet of Ro, Hurriyet reports quoting sources.

Earlier Tuesday, Maximos Mansion confirmed the late Monday incident, which prompted Greek troops to fire tracer rounds as a warning, adding however that the helicopter did not violate Greece's airspace.

The prime minister's office reacted to Monday's incident near Ro saying that the Turkish helicopter was flying near the eastern Aegean islet with its navigation lights out, but did not violate Greece's airspace.

The lights-out flight ostensibly occurred in the context of "safe provocativeness," it said, adding that such tactics carry the risk of potential accidents.

Andrew Jackomos is fighting to improve the living conditions of young members of the Koori tribe, indigenous Australians of New South Wales and Victoria. Still, when the 65-year-old walked around Kastellorizo, the island from which his grandfather emigrated, he felt a sense of awe. "My heart is shared between all of my ancestors," Jackomos tells Kathimerini.

The Turkish Coast Guard on Dec. 14 rescued at least 68 migrants stranded on a rocky islet in the Aegean Sea.

Two Greek bishops are rallying parents not to allow their children to be taught the new religion course programs at state-run schools.

Pavlos, Bishop of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Vari, issued a circular on Wednesday urging parents in his congregation to demand that their children are taught the previous curriculum and not the new "unacceptable" material.

The southeast Aegean island of Kastellorizo is hosting its second International Documentary Festival, titled "Beyond the Borders," from August 28 through September 3, featuring awareness-raising entries from countries including Greece, Turkey, Germany, the Netherlands and France, among others.

As tensions continue to run high at overcrowded reception centers across the country, a group of migrants Thursday staged a sit-in at a state-run camp in Diavata, northern Greece, protesting plans to bring more migrants to the facility.