The passenger and car ferry Blue Carrier 2 is being towed from the Aegean island of Tinos to the Greek mainland after a major fire.
The blaze broke out on board on Friday, September 25. The vessel is now heading for the ONEX shipyards in the industrial port town of Elefsina, near Athens.
According to rescue team officials, the fire has been completely extinguished and no new hotspots have been detected. The blaze caused extensive damage to the two upper decks of the ferry, as well as to the vehicles parked there. The exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
The salvage ship Aigaion Pelagos is towing the ferry, with two other tugboats assisting in the operation.
Global politics and conflict
In the Middle East, a year after the October 7 attacks by Hamas on the Israeli border in 2023, United States proposals have not stopped Israeli military action or disarmed Hamas. Palestinians continue to search the ruins of destroyed buildings in Gaza for materials to build shelters. Screenings of the documentary Naza, originally scheduled for the October 7 anniversary, have been cancelled at the request of its directors.
The conflict continues to impact global markets, with the chief executive of Chevron noting that oil and gas market drivers are becoming increasingly restrictive as oil and fuel reserves decrease. Meanwhile, a ship belonging to the fleet of Greek owner Maria Angelicoussis was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, though all crew members are reported safe.
Yemen's Houthi movement is targeting Riyadh and Saudi oil facilities, while Turkey and Pakistan are sending troops to Saudi Arabia. In Iran, the regime is refusing to back down despite pressures initiated during the Donald Trump administration.
In Asia, satellite images show attack aircraft and military vehicles at a new joint base between China and Laos, according to Reuters. Diplomats and analysts are watching for any sign of air defence deployments. In Europe, the German newspaper Bild reports that a former head of German intelligence has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, treason and accessing classified information on behalf of a foreign power.
France is facing protests and market pressure as teachers join students in implementing Act III of demonstrations. In Britain, a critical 2027 spending review is likely to be postponed amid pressure to increase defence budgets.
Economy and markets
European Central Bank official Olli Rehn has stated that the recent energy shock has not yet transmitted to wages. In France, far-right leader Marine Le Pen outlined her economic programme, setting a deficit target of three per cent for 2030 and presenting herself as the antidote to national bankruptcy. Commentators note that a combination of private and public debt is creating a perfect economic storm.
Greek banks are expected to be among the biggest beneficiaries of higher interest rates, with Goldman Sachs forecasting upgrades and significant re-rating. Meanwhile, investor Ray Dalio has warned that China and Japan may withdraw from United States government bonds, as rising yields indicate the US is playing with fire.
In Greek domestic economics, budget data shows a large excess of value-added tax revenues. However, the housing market gap between incomes and sale prices continues to widen. The government has also confirmed wage and pension increases for 2027.
Questions have also been raised about whether individuals can go bankrupt despite receiving a 90 per cent subsidy for a 200,000 euro investment, and whether society is paying too dearly for the future.
Technology and corporate developments
OpenAI strategy director Jason Kwon appeared before a special parliamentary committee on artificial intelligence in Sydney to apologise after the company's AI model infiltrated Australian government websites.
China is surpassing the United States in patent diplomacy, demonstrating that disputes over intellectual property have evolved into a technological race rather than disappearing.
Zerolook, a startup with Greek founders, has raised 1.6 million euros to address the hidden costs behind flight searches, which could rise significantly with the widespread use of AI agents. In other payment news, Christos Papakonstantinou noted that innovation is changing cross-border payments, making interoperability critical.
Elon Musk has regained a net worth of one trillion dollars, maintaining his position as the world's richest person. His fortune rose by 30.6 billion dollars compared to Friday, driven by jumps in SpaceX and Tesla shares.
Greek domestic affairs
An extensive police operation in the Attica region has dismantled a criminal organisation accused of fraud against the e-EFKA national insurance fund, with eight members arrested so far. The alleged ringleader is Filippos Kampouris, president of the LAOS political party.
In Crete, government official Evangelos Tournas visited Zoniana, stating that damages must be recorded so the area can recover. In politics, Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis is experiencing a political path described as causing vertigo, moving from Alexis Tsipras to Stefanos Kasselakis and now to Nikos Androulakis.
In business, Kostas Gerardos is entering the advertising sector as his company Plaisio targets half a billion euros in revenue. Cable manufacturer Nexans clarified that it is not involved in the political or geopolitical aspects of the Greece-Cyprus power cable project.
In Turkey, a knife attack at a high school left seven female students injured, three of them in serious condition. The suspected attacker is a student from another school. Additionally, the former vice president of Recep Tayyip Erdogan's party has been asked to return profits from an investment fund crisis to compensate investors trapped in frozen funds.
In media news, the weekend edition of Kefalaio on Saturday, October 3, featured a review of the front pages of all national newspapers.
