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Acropolis Museum Hosts Magnificent Artifacts from Beijing’s Forbidden City (photos)

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Rarely seen artifacts outside China are on display at the Acropolis Museum in Athens in an exhibition celebrating Chinese culture and history.

The exhibits, including personal items, furniture and works of art belonging to the Qianlong Emperor, the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, which are on loan from the Palace Museum housed in the Forbidden City in Beijing.

Qianlong is regarded as one of the most capable and cultured ruler in Chinese history.

During his long reign the Qing Empire reached its most splendid and prosperous era, boasting a large population and economy.

As a military leader, he led military campaigns expanding the dynastic territory to the largest extent by conquering and sometimes destroying Central Asian kingdoms.


What an Ancient Greek Wrestler Taught Us About Building Strength

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Nearly 2,500 years ago, a Greek man, Milo of Croton, a man of incredible strength and athleticism, taught us the three basic principles of building muscle: Start very light, don’t miss workouts, increase in very small increments.

Milo, from Croton in Magna Graecia, today’s southern Italy, was almost certainly the most successful wrestler of his day, becoming six-time wrestling champion at the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece.

In 540 BC, he won the boys wrestling category and then proceeded to win the men’s competition at the next five Olympic Games in a row. He also dominated the Pythian Games (7-time winner), Isthmian Games (10-time winner), and Nemean Games (9-time winner).

It is said that Milo built his incredible strength through a simple, but profound strategy.

One day, a newborn calf was born near Milo’s home. The wrestler decided to lift the small animal up and carry it on his shoulders. The next day, he returned and did the same. Milo continued this strategy for the next four years, hoisting the calf onto his shoulders each day as it grew, until he was no longer lifting a calf, but a four-year-old bull.

The core principles of strength training and how to build muscle are encapsulated in this legendary tale of Milo and the bull.

Anecdotes about Milo’s almost superhuman strength and lifestyle abound. His daily diet allegedly consisted of 9 kg (20 lbs) of meat, 9 kg (20 lbs) of bread, and 10 litres (18 pt) of wine.

Other legends say he carried his own bronze statue to its place at Olympia. One report says the wrestler was able to hold a pomegranate without damaging it while challengers tried to pry his fingers from it, and another report says he could burst a band fastened around his brow by inhaling air and causing the temple veins to swell.

The Ancient Greeks typically attributed remarkable deaths to famous persons in keeping with their characters. The date of Milo’s death is unknown, but according ancient historians, Milo was walking in a forest when he came upon a tree-trunk split with wedges…

The death of Milo of Croton by Joseph-Benoît Suvée (18th century, oil on canvas)

In what was probably intended as a display of strength, Milo inserted his hands into the cleft to rend the tree. The wedges fell from the cleft, and the tree closed upon his hands, trapping him.

Unable to free himself, the wrestler was devoured by wolves.

Greece’s Kalamata Remembers Deadly 1986 Earthquake (Photos, Video)

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Residents of Greece’s Kalamata on Thursday marked the 32nd anniversary of the deadly earthquake that flattened parts of the city and claimed the lives of dozens of people in solemn ceremony at the memorial dedicated to the victims.

A minute’s silence was observed and officials spoke of the trauma caused by the disaster that struck the south-western corned of Peloponnese just after 8 pm on September 13, 1986.

A five-story apartment building, containing 17 apartments, on the Kalamata waterfront collapsed after the magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit.

Most of the old buildings became uninhabitable and many had to be demolished.

The residents of Kalamata were forced to leave the city and were transferred to nearby villages, where they stayed for weeks.

Others slept in tents and some were housed on ships that had been sent to the city.

The number of fatalities following the earthquake is still debated. Most experts say that the number of dead was 23, while others raise the death count to 35.

The city was in panic for days afterwards as strong aftershocks hit the area.

In the following months, prefabricated houses were built and the city slowly began to rebuild.

The catastrophic earthquake has been engraved in the memories of the people who lived through the nightmare.

September 13, 1986, is one of the darkest days in the history of Kalamata.

Crete Hit by Storm, Flooding Turns Roads into Rivers (Photos, Video)

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The summer weather came to an abrupt end in Crete on Thursday as a severe storm caused flooding along with a significant drop in temperature.

Most of the affected areas were near the capital, Heraklion, where roads turned into rivers and parking lots disappeared under the water.

Lightning struck most of the sea-side resorts on the north coast.

There has been no reports of injuries or damage.

First Seaplane Network in Greece to Start Operating in 2019

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The country’s first seaplane network will start operating in 2019, according to a bill submitted to parliament on Wednesday.

The bill will give the “green light” for the development of this network after 15 years of waiting and tens of millions of investments that fell through.

The first seaplane network is expected to be set up at the Ionian Sea and Western Greece, with its base on Corfu.

Included in the bill is the new licensing framework for the establishment and operation of waterways. Two companies are operating on the domestic market, Greek Waterways and Hellenic Seaplanes, which have attracted private investors.

The investor’s plan is to implement a network of more than 100 waterways linking all parts of the country and giving new impetus to Greek tourism.

Source: AMNA

Basketball: Greece Closing in on World Championship Spot After Serbia Win

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Greece remained perfect in the World Cup Qualifiers and improved their Group L record to 7 – 0 by beating Serbia 70 – 63 at Heraklion, Crete.

The Greek national team is now tied with Germany at the top spot of the Group and have a chance to punch a World Cup ticket in Friday’s (16/9) game vs. Georgia.

A solid second-half performance sufficed for the players of coach Thanassis Skourtopoulos to defeat one of the group’s main challengers for a spot in the finals.

Apart from some excellent team defense, Greece relied on its stars to produce on offense.

Nick Calathes (15 points, five rebounds, five assists) had an all-around contribution, Giorgos Printezis (15 points, five rebounds) delivered some key baskets down the stretch as did Giannis Bourousis who came close to a triple-double (nine points, 10 rebounds, eight assists for a game-high 19 PIR). Kostas Sloukas also added 11 points, five rebounds, and four assists.

How a Shipwreck Transformed a Pristine Beach in Greece’s Zakynthos (video)

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It is perhaps the most photographed ship wreck in the world. Lying on a sandy beach in the north-western coast of Zakynthos since October 1980, the “Panagiotis” wreck is visited by millions of tourists and has become the symbol of Zakynthos.

It has been rumoured the ship was smuggling contraband such as cigarettes and alcohol when it ran aground, on what was originally known as Agios Georgios beach, during stormy weather and bad visibility.

The ship was abandoned, some of the crew, mostly Greek sailors and the captain were arrested, but later cleared by the court for smuggling.

Rumour has it that locals stripped the cargo of contraband cigarettes and alcohol. It is said that the island did not import cigarettes for months after the accident.

Initially people of Zakynthos were concerned that the wreck could damage the image of the island and deter tourism. How ironic that the Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach became the most popular tourist destination in Zakynthos.

Recently, the captain of the ship, Kefalonia-born Charalambos Kompothekras–Kotsoros, released his account of what happened. He insists that there was no illegal activity.

According to his recollection the ship ran aground returning from Albania to Greece during the evening hours of October 2, 1980, due to bad weather conditions and mechanical failure.

“I reported the accident to the authorities, but due to the fact that the beach was not accessible on foot by land, we were not able to protect the ship from thieves and other dangers. As a result, part of the shipment was stolen along with various vessel equipment (radar, VHF radio, etc).

“I went back to the authorities to report that my property was stolen and the General Prosecutor of the area, in my presence, organized a formal on-site investigation with the local police.

“The outcome was outstanding as during the first days of the operation, all stolen items, as well as the stolen part of the shipment, were found in local villages nearby, and 29 persons in total were persecuted and jailed during the following months after the trials were completed.”

After being cleared from all accusations by the court, he was later asked by the authorities to remove the vessel by his own means. When he visited the site to see how he could execute the manoeuvre, he was so astonished by the beauty of the rusting carcass that he decided to leave it as is.

The Navagio Beach or Shipwreck Beach was born.

‘Children Raped’ in Lesvos Migrant Camp, Claims MSF (video)

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In a shocking report by Al Jazeera from the notorious Moria camp in Lesvos, refugee agencies claim that children are getting raped.

The report is titled “Children getting raped. Living in cramped spaces. No toilets. Could you survive as an asylum seeker in Moria?”

“We had patients as young as five that have been raped at Moria,” says Louise Roland-Gosselin, of the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) group.

There are currently more than 8,000 people crammed into Moria camp, which was supposed to house around 2,000.

On Thursday, 19 Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) appealed to the EU and Greek authorities demanding the immediate improvement of conditions in Greece’s refugee camps.

They singled out Moria claiming that the situation is getting worse as the site is on the “verge of collapse.”

A BBC report last month claimed that Moria is the “worst in the world,” with children as young as ten attempting suicide.

A recent report by the United Nations refugee agency warned that children, including hundreds of unaccompanied boys and girls, are particularly at risk, as well as dozens of pregnant women, new-born babies, survivors of sexual violence, and other extremely vulnerable people.


Greek Pension Cuts ‘Maybe Cancelled’– Report

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A report by the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA) says that the pension cuts scheduled to come into effect from the beginning of 2019 maybe cancelled in agreement with Greece’s lenders.

The semi-official agency quotes unnamed sources saying that the “institutions consider Greece’s social security system sustainable and they are speaking about the cancellation of the measure to cut pensions.”

The report claims that the heads of the institutions (including the IMF) seem to have accepted that the measure of cutting the pensions is fiscal and not structural.

According to a government official cited by AMNA, Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos and his alternate minister Giorgos Houliarakis noted that Greece’s “fiscal space” next year will be larger than the 700 million euros predicted by the mid-term program.

This could result in the cancellation of planned pension cuts and allow the implementation of certain other social benefits, according to the source.

The final decisions are expected to be taken at the Eurogroup meeting on November 5.

Changing Street Lights the Greek Way (photo)

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A photo of a municipal worker in a rubbish bin being lifted up a lamppost by a crane has gone viral.

The photo was apparently taken in Sparta earlier this week and is spreading at the speed of light in the Greek social media.

“Sparta is well ahead in innovation and new technology,” a Facebook user said sarcastically.

Russian Tycoon Starts €184Μ Development on Former Onassis Island

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The representative of Russian magnate Dmitry Rybolovlev, who owns the Skorpios island in the Ionian Sea, said on Thursday that the 184 million euro development of the island is set to start next month.

Sergei Tsernitsin, met with Ionian Island Regional governor Theodoros Galiatsatos and thanked him for the support offered in helping overcome bureaucratic hurdles to help get the 10,000 square meter development going.

Tsernitsin said that the Russian magnate wants to support the region’s environment.

According to the Athens Macedonian News Agency, the project will include the construction of 12 or more luxury villas, each with a total area of ​​500 to 1,200 sqm, with a total capacity of 48 beds and other accompanying facilities such as spas, restaurants and a marina.

Sports facilities such as golf, tennis and basketball courts and football fields will also be built on Skorpios.

The aim of the Rybolovlev family is to create the first luxury accommodation complex in Greece, located on a private island that is one of the few around the world.

The island of Skorpios, which was acquired about five years ago from the heir of shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, Athena, has been designated as Natura.

This means that no more than 5 percent of the island can be built, therefore its development takes place in very careful steps, and as the host has stated, in full harmony with the environment.

EU Commission on Greece’s Pensions Cuts: Apply What Has Been Agreed

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The European Commission has dismissed the report by the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) that claimed that Greece’s creditors have agreed to cancel the pension cuts due to come into effect in January.

Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein, asked to comment on what the anonymous sources told AMNA, said:

“There is only one source, do not listen to anything else.”

He then went on to refer to the quote by Jean-Claude Juncker, the Commission President, who on Wednesday made it clear that Greece needs to apply what has been agreed in the post-bailout era.

Acta sunt servanda” (what has been agreed should be applied), Juncker had said.

Athens argues it has enough fiscal leeway to unwind cuts in pensions of up to 18 percent that are scheduled to kick in from January, while maintaining the healthy surplus its lenders say it needs in order to keep its finances on a sustainable trajectory.

Reuters quotes one source from the lenders stressing that speculation that the inspectors agreed with Greece’s view was premature. “A good deal of work is still required.”

A second source said there had been no conclusion to discussions on the pensions system.

The final decisions are expected to be taken at the Eurogroup meeting on November 5.

Greece Shuts Down Navagio Beach After Landslide

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Greek authorities decided to shut down the beach of Navagio in the island of Zakynthos after the landslide on Thursday that injured at least three people.

The decision was made on the grounds of safety issues by the port authority of Zakynthos means that thousands of tourists that have been flocking daily to capture the beauty of the beach and swim in its turquoise waters will have to witness it from afar.

Port officials say that the decision is temporary until inspections are carried out to ensure that there is no danger of further landslides.

 

 

 

 

Greek Anarchists Target Iranian Embassy in Athens (video)

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The Iranian embassy in Athens

Members of the anarchist group Rouvikonas attacked the Iranian embassy in Athens with bottles of paint early on Monday morning.

The attack by 10 anarchists on motor-bikes occurred at 6 a.m in the leafy Athenian suburb of Psychiko.

The assailants disappeared after the attack. No arrests have been made.

In a Facebook post, a spokesman for the group said that the attack was in response to Iran’s brutal repression of the Kurds.

Big Four Extend Perfect Start in Greek Super League

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Olympiacos players celebrate a difficult win against Asteras Tripolis on Sunday night

AEK, PAOK, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos extended their perfect start to the Super League season to three wins in as many matches.

Champion AEK dispatched Panionios 4-0 at the Olympic Stadium with consummate ease on Saturday night with the goals scored by Ezequiel Ponce, Tasos Bakasetas and Viktor Klonaridis.

There could have been more goals for AEK, but captain Petros Mantalos and Klonaridis both hit the woodwork in the second half.

AEK shares the top spot with Olympiacos on 9 points.

Israeli midfielder Bibras Natcho came to rescue for Olympiacos on Sunday, netting a last gasp goal in added time to the Piraeus club a hard-earned 2-1 home win over battling Asteras Tripolis at the Georgios Karaiskakis stadium.

PAOK scored a significant 3-1 victory at OFI Crete on Saturday and is on seven points as it started the season from minus two. The Cup winner came from behind, after Manolis Papasterianos’s goal for OFI, through strikes by Diego Biseswar, Leo Matos and Leo Jaba.

Panathinaikos continued their tremendous start to the season taking down Larissa 1-3 at the AEL FC Arena.

In other games played over the weekend PAS Giannina beat Apollon Smyrnis 2-1 in Athens, Atromitos overcame Lamia 1-0 at home and Xanthi and Panaitolikos shared the points in an 1-1 draw. Aris will play Levadiakos on Monday.

Standings


Erdogan Vows to Increase Turkey’s Military Presence in Cyprus

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his intention to increase the Turkish army in Cyprus during a press conference on his visit to Azerbaijan.

Erdogan stressed that Turkey’s military presence is important and added that he will not heed to calls to reduce the army on the island: “We will not reduce the number of our forces. We will increase it,” he said.

Replying to a question about the possibility of establishing a military base on occupied northern Cyprus, the Turkish premier said that there is no need at present.

“We can get to Cyprus and eastern Mediterranean in few minutes from Turkey,” he said, adding that Greece does not have the geographical advantage.

He noted however that a military base in Cyprus could prove an important “psychological factor.”

“If the need arises, we will establish a military base there,” he added.

Greece’s Defense Minister Reiterates Opposition to FYROM Agreement

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Greece’s defense minister and head of Greece’s junior coalition partner, Panos Kammenos, reiterated on Monday his opposition to the Prespa agreement with FYROM and said that his party will vote against when it reaches parliament for ratification.

“The agreement will not be ratified. We the government partners will do everything in our power so that it is not ratified. We have clearly said that we will not vote [for the deal]. I have made this commitment publicly some time ago,” Kammenos said in a TV interview.

Kammenos went on to say that his small right-wing party would “withdraw its support” from the leftist-led government if the agreement signed in June is brought to lawmakers for ratification.

“Others will then have to step in as partners to the government,” Kammenos added.

Kammenos also went on to accuse FYROM Prime Minister Zoran Zaev of “saying things that are not in the agreement.”

Earthquake Jolts Patra, Western Greece

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A magnitude 4.2 earthquake hit 22 km (13.6 miles) southwest of Patra in western Greece early on Tuesday.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

Professor of Geology at the University of Athens, Efthimios Lekkas, said that the quake hit at a depth of 10 km.

He added that “the earthquake was felt in Messolonghi, Aegio and Zakynthos, where there is a possibility that the beach of Navagio was also affected”.

Last week the authorities decided to shut down the beach of Navagio after the landslide that injured three people.

Greece, Russia Mark 190 Years of Diplomatic Ties (photos)

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Greece and Russia marked on Monday 190 years of diplomatic ties with a wrath laying ceremony on the island of Poros, the place where in September 17, 1828, Russian delegate Mark Boulgary handed in his accreditation.

Russian ambassador to Athens Andrey Maslov and Poros Mayor Ioannis Dimitriadis lay a wreath at the home of the first governor of Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias on the Greek island.

A tweet sent by the Russian embassy in Athens said that “A new day has dawned. Today is the big anniversary of 190 years from the establishment of diplomatic ties between Russia and Greece.”

It went on to wish prosperity and new common plans for the two countries in the future.

 

Eldorado Gold Files for €750 Million Damages from Greek State

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Eldorado Gold Corporation confirmed that its Greek subsidiary, Hellas Gold, has filed for compensation of approximately €750 million for damages from the Greek state.

The move, according to the company, arises from delays in the issuance of permits for the Skouries project, including damages for out-of-pocket costs and loss of profits.

The application for payment is a non-judicial request for payment and does not initiate legal proceedings.

George Burns, Eldorado Gold’s President and CEO said, “The Application represents a good-faith attempt to resolve the matter with the Greek State as it relates to costs incurred resulting from permit delays to our Skouries project.

Eldorado has always acted in a manner consistent with finding a mutually-agreeable solution to responsibly developing Skouries. We hope that this matter can be resolved in an amicable manner without needing to go down the route of arbitration.”

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