Greece’s conservative government promised late Thursday to continue a multi-billion euro defense modernization program during its second term in office, setting its sights on acquiring F-35 fighter jets in five years. “Our priority is to safeguard the country,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament at the start of a debate to approve a new government after his conservative New Democracy party won a general election last month. Athens is acquiring 24 advanced French-built Rafale jets, and upgrading 58 F-16 fighters from its aging fleet. It wants to add 20 F-35s with an option to buy as many as 28 more at a later date – requests that still require final approval from the Unites States. Greece has long-standing disputes with neighbor and fellow-NATO member Turkey and is modernizing its military after emerging from a severe financial crisis in 2018. It currently has the largest defense budget in the alliance relative to the size of its economy, at 3.54% of gross domestic product in 2022, according to NATO’s annual report published in March. It is one of seven members that spends above the 2% NATO guideline, along with the United States, Lithuania, Poland, the United Kingdom, Estonia and Latvia. Mitsotakis said the high spending on defense would continue despite a welcome thaw in tension with Turkey in recent months. He is due to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan next week on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Lithuania. Concluding a three-day debate, the Greek parliament will hold a vote of confidence Saturday, to back the new Mitsotakis government. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide

LOS ANGELES Thousands of hotel workers in Los Angeles, California, went on strike on Sunday morning as they

Laura Ingraham was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 and battled for years with chemotherapy and surgery

A trial of a police officer for failing to protect Parkland students raises legal and moral questions.

MADRID Four men detained in Spain earlier this week over a suspected hate crime in the hanging of

A decade after swimming nonstop for more than two straight days from Cuba to Florida, Diana Nyad has returned to the Key West beach where she completed her epic journey

Cars are at the heart of the culture wars and anger at road-blocking tactics has led to armed raids.

Building a border wall was a signature policy of Donald Trump and fiercely opposed by Democrats.

Son Heung-min's double earned Tottenham a point from a pulsating 2-2 draw against Arsenal, as Liverpool moved into second in the Premier League with a 3-1...

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association was issued a violation notice and asked to provide open access to the beach on September 14

Nadine Arslanian, who would later go on to marry New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez and become Nadine Menendez, hit and killed a pedestrian in a 2018 car crash, which is alleged to be the inception of a bribe in the federal indictment against the couple, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

Trump supporters have started to gather outside the Miami courthouse where he will be arraigned later.