World Briefs

Greece cuts student population at universities by half

Athens: More than 300,000 inactive university students have been removed from the rolls in Greece, cutting the country’s official student population by nearly half, authorities said on Friday. The move marks the end of a decades-long practice — formally abolished in recent legislation — that allowed extended enrollment to facilitate lifelong learning and lengthy breaks for work. On Friday, the Education Ministry said that 308,605 students admitted to state-run universities’ four-year degree programs before 2017 had been removed from the records. Ministry officials said that about 35,000 people successfully applied for reenrollment in 2025.

China launches new ‘upgraded’ missile destroyer

Beijing: The Chinese navy has commissioned a new “upgraded” missile destroyer as it’s expanding its fleet at a breakneck speed to catch up with the US naval strength. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has commissioned a new Type 052D guided missile destroyer named Loudi, which features upgraded radar, weapon and network systems, official media here reported on Friday. Zhang Shengwei, a crew member of the Loudi, was quoted by state-run Global Times as saying that the new-type warship adopts a new system and architecture, giving it enhanced combat capabilities in air defence, sea attack.