reece is poised to generate billions of euros in revenue through the sale of surplus carbon emissions allowances to other European countries struggling to meet their climate targets. With around 40 million tonnes of carbon credits available for sale, Greece could earn between €3 billion and €5 billion, depending on market prices and future agreements.

The first confirmed buyer is Cyprus, which has entered into advanced talks with the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy to purchase part of Greece’s surplus. These discussions began under the former energy minister and have continued under the current minister, Stavros Papastavrou. Other countries that have expressed interest include Sweden and Norway, with exploratory discussions also underway with Germany and Italy.

A Lucrative Market
The current market price for one tonne of CO₂ emissions is approximately €76, a price that has been steadily rising since late 2021. Analysts predict that prices could reach as high as €129 per tonne by 2030, making the potential value of Greece’s surplus even more significant. Even at today’s rates, selling all 40 million tonnes could bring in over €3 billion, while future prices could boost that figure closer to €5 billion.
To determine the most effective pricing and sales methodology, Greece’s environment ministry has invited three consultancy firms—Ernst & Young, IPPC, and Envirometrics—to submit bids for a contract to develop the pricing strategy. The selected firm will produce a comprehensive framework to guide the bilateral agreement with Cyprus, which will serve as a model for similar future agreements with other EU member states.
Once a consultancy firm is selected at the end of June, a preliminary report estimating the market value of Greece’s carbon credits will be delivered within one month. This report will incorporate international benchmarks, cost data from emission-reduction projects in both Greece and Cyprus, and other key inputs. Within three months, a full methodology will be finalized, including pricing factors, assumptions, and a detailed pricing model.

A Result of Overachievement in Climate Policy
Greece’s ability to sell these allowances is due to its overachievement in emissions reduction, largely driven by the significant adoption of renewable energy sources. The European Union’s Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) requires member states to reduce emissions in sectors not covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), including transport, buildings, small industry, waste, and agriculture. Each country has annual caps on allowable emissions from 2021 to 2030, and mechanisms like credit borrowing, saving, or transferring between member states are allowed to meet these limits.
Since Greece is on track to exceed its climate targets, it now holds surplus emissions allowances that other countries—especially those lagging behind—can purchase. The revenue generated will be reinvested into projects in key sectors like transport, waste management, and agriculture.

Interest Across Europe
Beyond Cyprus, several countries are actively exploring the option of buying allowances from Greece. Sweden and Norway have shown strong interest, and contacts have also been made with Germany and Italy, both of which face significant challenges in meeting their 2030 climate goals.
According to a recent study by the European clean transport and energy consultancy T&E, 12 EU countries are projected to miss their emission targets, while another seven may fall short. Only eight member states are expected to have a surplus of carbon credits, and among them, Greece, Spain, and Poland are likely to hold significant volumes available for sale.
Greece’s 40 million tonnes represent a considerable share of the estimated 246 million tonnes of surplus allowances held by these eight countries.
​
Source: Tovima.com

Google Cloud experienced significant global outages on Thursday, disrupting a range of major online services and platforms. “We are experiencing service issues with multiple GCP products,” read a status update on the Google Cloud website, indicating the disruptions began at 1:51 p.m. Greek time. “Our engineering team continues to investigate the issue,” the company stated.

Downdetector, a website tracking real-time service disruptions, logged over 13,000 outage reports for Google Cloud around 2:30 p.m. Greek time, though that number dropped significantly by early afternoon.

Later in the day, Google acknowledged that customers were “still experiencing varying degrees of impact” and that engineers were working to restore full functionality. However, the company said it did not yet have an estimated time for resolution.

The outages are a major setback for the tech giant, which has been striving to keep pace in the cloud infrastructure race with leading competitors Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. The cloud division—led by Thomas Kurian—has been one of Google’s fastest-growing segments in recent years, fueled by rising demand for AI-related products and services.

Parent company Alphabet has also been cutting costs, including layoffs in sales, customer experience, internal operations, and marketing teams, as reported by CNBC in February.
​
Source: tovima.com

It is both an honour and a solemn responsibility to speak before you today, as we gather at a crucial moment for the future of our oceans. As a small island country, surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus understands profoundly the vital connection between our oceans’ health and our people’s wellbeing, security, and prosperity.
We meet here today, not only to reaffirm our commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 14, but to accelerate its implementation. Ambition must now be matched with action and measurable impact.
The adoption of the BBNJ Agreement and the Global Biodiversity Framework are milestones in this collective journey – to protect marine biodiversity. My country has fully endorsed both frameworks and ratified the BBNJ Agreement on 28 May 2025.
At the 2017 UN Ocean Conference, Cyprus made specific voluntary commitments. Today I am proud to report their successful implementation:

• We have mapped critical marine habitats across our coastal waters.
• We have assessed the distribution of cetacean populations using low-noise vessels, strengthening action against marine noise pollution.
• We have completed the first high-resolution mapping of the Eratosthenes Seamount, enhancing global understanding of Eastern Mediterranean deep-sea ecosystems.

Looking ahead, I am pleased to announce further commitments on the evolving priorities of our ocean community:

1. To protect our coastal and marine areas, through expanded and better-managed Marine Protected Areas, contributing significantly towards the protection of 30% of European Seas.
2. To complete comprehensive benthic habitat mapping down to 1,000 meters by 2030 – a pioneering initiative in Mediterranean deep-sea research.
3. To enhance regional cooperation through trilateral marine protection agreements, focusing on marine oil pollution response and broader ecosystem resilience.
4. To combat climate change in the Eastern Mediterranean and the greater Middle East, within the framework of Cyprus’ Initiative, with projects envisioned to address the protection of the marine environment and the risks posed by sea level rise.

Last but not least, mindful of the lack of scientific certainty surrounding deep-sea mining, I have the honour to announce today that Cyprus joins the call for a precautionary pause on any deep-sea mining activities under the remit of the International Seabed Authority, until a robust regulatory framework is in place and until sufficient scientific evidence is available to demonstrate that such operations will not result in adverse impact to the marine environment.
Declarations alone are insufficient.
I am here today to call for stronger international collaboration in science and data-sharing, especially to support small and developing coastal states. Sound science must underpin sound policy.
Mobilising ocean finance and innovative financing is critical to scale up investment in support of a sustainable blue economy. For example, we are already advancing sustainable maritime transport, eco-tourism, aquaculture, and marine biotechnology – sectors that foster both economic growth and ecosystem protection.
We do not lack ambition. What we now need is resolve to act.
The ocean is one – vast, interconnected, and essential to life on Earth. It ensures food security, regulates the global climate, supports economies, safeguards biodiversity and shapes our identities. Its challenges transcend national boundaries – and so must our response. It is our shared responsibility. I hope that this Conference will be remembered not for declarations, but for impact: “ecosystems restored, communities empowered, and futures secured.”
My country stands ready – to lead regionally, collaborate globally, and champion a resilient, healthy ocean for all.

The steady rise in property prices and rents for office and retail spaces across Greece continues to tighten the noose around thousands of professionals and small business owners, many of whom are struggling to stay afloat.
​Demand remains strong, particularly for high-quality properties located in high-visibility or tourist-heavy areas. However, small and medium-sized enterprises are finding it increasingly difficult to secure affordable leases in such zones.
According to provisional data from the Bank of Greece, the average sale price of prime office space nationwide rose by 4.9% in 2024 compared to the previous year. That figure follows a similar uptick of 5.9% recorded in 2023. Regionally, Athens saw the sharpest increase, with prime office prices rising 6.9%, followed by Thessaloniki at 6.1% and the rest of the country at 2.0%.
In the second half of 2024 alone, high-end office prices across the country rose by 4.3% compared to the first half of the year. This comes after more modest half-year increases of 1.7% in late 2023 and 1.8% in early 2024. Regionally, Athens led the surge again with a 6.3% increase, while Thessaloniki posted a 4.0% rise and the rest of Greece saw prices grow by 1.6%.
Office rental rates also moved upward in 2024, albeit at a slower pace. Across all office categories nationwide, nominal rents increased by 1.9%. Breaking that down, Athens posted a 5.0% rise, Thessaloniki barely moved with a 0.1% increase, and the rest of the country saw a 1.2% decline.
During the second half of the year, office rents rose 0.9% nationally compared to the first half — matching the pace set in the first half of 2024, but down from 1.2% in the latter half of 2023.
Retail spaces followed a similar upward trend. According to provisional figures, the average sale price of high-end retail properties nationwide jumped 8.8% in 2024, outpacing the 7.2% growth seen in 2023. Regionally, Athens again saw the sharpest increase at 10.4%, followed by 6.5% in Thessaloniki and 6.7% across the rest of Greece.
Source: tovima.com

A lion killed a man at a luxury lodge in the remote northwest of Namibia, authorities said.

The victim — identified by local media as well-known businessman Bernd Kebbel — was camping with other tourists at the tented resort when the early morning tragedy unfolded, police said.  

Kebbel, 59, was camping with his wife and friends near Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp in the Sesfontein area when he was attacked by the animal, the Namibian newspaper reported.

He was attacked when he stepped out of his tent to use the toilet, environment ministry spokesperson Ndeshipanda Hamunyela told local news outlet Informante.

Other campers managed to scare off the lion but Kebbel was already dead by then, he said.

Police were "attending the scene and a full report will be submitted in due course," spokesperson Elifas Kuwinga said.

According to the Daily Mail, Kebbel was a philanthropist who supported wildlife conservation in Namibia and once owned Off-Road-Centre, which sold accessories for safari vehicles.

Desert-adapted lions roam the remote northwest of the country where mountains and sand dunes meet.  

In 2023, they were estimated to be around 60 adults and more than a dozen cubs.  

But their numbers have dipped in recent months following a drought-induced drop in prey and conflict with humans.
Last August, Namibia authorized the culling of hundreds of animals, including elephants, as part of a plan to feed people in the drought-stricken country. 

The mauling marks at least the second deadly lion attack in Africa in less than six weeks. In April, a lion killed a 14-year-old girl outside Kenya's capital in a ranch to the south of Nairobi National Park.
(cbs)

(photo)
A lion is pictured at the Hoanib River drainage in northern Namibia, Feb. 8, 2023. Chen Cheng/Xinhua via Getty Images

China may not be in the eye of the hurricane at the moment as it recently made a truce agreement in the trade tariff war it had declared with the US, but it is naive to believe that it has backed down in asserting its claims both to its Asian competitor, India, and to Europe and America.
We could say that it is rather like a dragon sleeping with one eye open, waiting for the right moment to strike and seize its prey.

Starting from the trade war with the US, at the beginning of last week, Trump and Xi Jinping agreed that for the next 90 days the additional US tariffs on Chinese products would rise to 30% and China’s tariffs on US products would be reduced to 10%.
This is not a tangible white flag between the US and China, but a fragile truce under the pretext of which the antagonistic situations may become even more acute. Bilateral trade between the US and China, worth USD 600 billion, could easily be disrupted by new tariffs after these 90 days.
China is playing catch-up in order to hit the US, instrumentalizing the common interests it has with Russia. The two countries base their cooperation on their rivalry with the West, especially the United States, which they accuse of imposing hegemony in international relations. “Against the international trend of unilateralism and hegemonic pursuit behavior, China will cooperate with Russia in assuming the special responsibilities of the world’s great powers,” Xi Jinping assured Putin. “Mutual political trust between China and Russia is deepening and ties for pragmatic cooperation are getting stronger,” the Chinese president continued.
The Russian president assured that Russia and China will develop their relations “in the interests of the peoples of the two countries and not against anyone. Our relations are based on the basis of parity and are mutually beneficial.”
In addition to the China-Russia ties, which are strengthened by the mutual communist background of the two countries, China has also attracted Turkey in terms of military arms purchases.
Of course we should not forget that Turkey and China ,both are strengthening Pakistan in the war that is currently raging between India and Pakistan. China is wooing Pakistan as it wants Pakistan to come out ahead of India as the biggest economic power in Asia and Turkey is militarily strengthening Pakistan as they are linked by their mutual religious background of Islam.
Turkey and China have collaborated with Kazakhstan, on the new Tais 8×8 armoured fighting vehicle, thus creating a tripartite defence cooperation. The vehicle was premiered on April 5 at the military parade in Astana, in the presence of senior officials from the Turkish Otokar and Chinese Norinko.
Turkey and China have been cooperating commercially for decades, but now this cooperation is moving to the level of military technology, with know-how exchange, joint productions and access to critical third-country markets such as Central Asia. The co-production of turrets, armour and advanced sensors opens up new horizons of defence autonomy and export strategy for both countries.
The strengthening of this relationship should theoretically be a cause for concern in NATO, as Turkey, a member of the alliance, is pursuing parallel military partnerships with China, a geopolitical rival of the West. On the other hand, Beijing sees Ankara as a gateway to the Middle East and Europe, taking advantage of the technological networking and industrial networks of the Turkish defense industry.
Moreover, China has been far from indifferent to the India-Pakistan war as it has an interest in hurting India. Shares of Chinese company Avik Chengdu Aircraft rose 40% this week as Pakistan alleged that it used AVIC-produced J-10C fighter jets to shoot down Indian fighter jets – including the advanced French-made Rafal during a dogfight on Wednesday.
India did not respond to Pakistan’s claims or acknowledge any aircraft losses. When asked about the involvement of Chinese-built aircraft, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that he was not familiar with the situation.
China has not fought a major war for more than four decades, but under Xi Jinping, it has modernised its armed forces, investing resources in the development of sophisticated weapons and technologies.Of course, this modernisation effort has also extended to Pakistan, which has long been hailed by Beijing as its “iron-clad brother”.
In addition to China’s political moves, we must also shed light on the social sector of this state in which fundamental human rights and freedoms are far from being protected. Xi Jinping is making a great effort to present an embellished image of the communist, totally illiberal state of China, often using the domestic media, which he forces to present only the positive developments taking place in the state. Of course the international community continues to express concerns about the human rights situation in China with Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International frequently sounding the alarm.
For example, the September 2025 release of the Chinese-American pastor David Lin, who had served almost twenty years in prison, was widely reported in the Chinese media as a milestone for the improvement of religious freedom in the country. According to a BBC report on 18 May 2025, conditions in China’s prisons still resemble the Middle Ages.
According to Australian citizen Matthew Randal who spent five years (from 2020 to 2025) in Beijing’s No. 2 prison – a facility used for international prisoners in China – Chinese prisons still inflict severe corporal punishment, forced labour, food deprivation and psychological torture.
The juxtaposition of all these events that are happening in China at the moment shows that the country is taking advantage of the fragile balance that exists in the world at the moment, with three wars raging simultaneously, to try to impose itself in the West by overcoming America and in the East by overcoming India.
Unfortunately, however, what will stand in the way of China’s expansionist ambitions is not its military or economic weakness but the political and social perception of the communist regime, which does not see man as an autonomous entity but as a cog in a machine that works to enrich China’s state capitalism.
As Priest Chishol says in his book «Cronin’s Keys to the Kingdom», a literary masterpiece dealing with a mission in China “Fear does not build empires, nor hearts”.

​ (By Staikou Dimitra)

In a bid to reverse the brain drain of the past decade, the Greek government has launched a national initiative to bring back 50,000 young professionals by 2027. The plan combines financial incentives with collaborations from major companies to create attractive, high-skilled job opportunities for those who left during the economic crisis.

Since 2019, a growing wave of returnees has been recorded, with six in ten choosing to trust Greece again for both their professional and personal lives. According to official data, by 2024, approximately 350,000 of the estimated 600,000–680,000 Greeks who emigrated between 2010 and 2021 had returned home.
However, a recent study by the National Documentation Centre and Kapa Research reveals that personal and family reasons—not economic or career prospects—were the primary drivers behind most returnees’ decisions.
Nevertheless, Greece’s improving economic outlook has played a significant role in motivating many to come back. About 38% of respondents said the country’s economic recovery heavily influenced their decision, while 23% cited the ability to find a job in Greece with comparable pay and prospects to those abroad as a key factor.
To encourage returns, the government offers a 50% income tax break for seven years to those relocating their tax residency to Greece. Meanwhile, the “BrainReGain– Hellenism in Action” initiative hosts events across Europe to highlight return opportunities to Greeks abroad.
A 2023 BrainReGain survey profiled the Greek professionals currently living and working abroad in the post-crisis years. Most are based in the UK, Germany, and the Netherlands, are over the age of 35, and express a strong desire to return. Their fields of employment are primarily in technology (19%), academia (10%), and healthcare (10%).
These returnees are typically highly skilled with substantial work experience. The most in-demand roles for which they submit applications to Greek companies include IT professionals, financial analysts, engineers, business administrators, software developers, and accountants.
​
Source: Tovima.com

Billionaire Tesla CEO Elon Musk is stepping down from his role in the Trump administration following a turbulent tenure at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). A White House official confirmed late Wednesday that Musk’s “off-boarding” process would begin that night, according to Reuters.
​
Musk, who had been appointed as a special government employee, spearheaded efforts to slash federal spending and overhaul bureaucracy. His abrupt exit comes just one day after he publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s signature tax legislation, describing it as overly expensive and counterproductive to his work at DOGE.
The billionaire entrepreneur acknowledged his departure earlier Wednesday in a post on his social media platform X, where he thanked Trump as his 130-day mandate neared its end. According to sources, Musk did not speak directly with the president before announcing his exit. The decision was reportedly made at a senior staff level amid growing tensions within the administration.
Musk’s role in the administration was highly visible and often controversial. At February’s Conservative Political Action Conference, he drew headlines for dramatically wielding a red metallic chainsaw, declaring it a symbol of his mission to dismantle federal bureaucracy. He had promised to cut at least $2 trillion in federal spending, though DOGE has only claimed savings of $175 billion—a figure that remains unverified.
While initially welcomed by Trump’s inner circle for his aggressive style, Musk soon found himself at odds with several cabinet members, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. His public insults toward trade adviser Peter Navarro, whom he called “dumber than a sack of bricks,” further inflamed tensions.
Over time, some agency heads grew bolder in resisting Musk’s initiatives, particularly following Trump’s reminder in March that staffing authority ultimately lay with department secretaries, not Musk. His efforts to eliminate telework privileges—aimed at triggering voluntary resignations—also drew internal resistance.

Fallout Over Tax Bill
The tipping point for Musk’s departure appears to have been his criticism of Trump’s budget and tax bill during a televised interview. His remarks reportedly angered senior White House aides, prompting a flurry of calls to Republican senators to affirm the administration’s commitment to the legislation.
Despite his exit, Musk insisted in a recent interview that the mission of DOGE would persist. “The DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government,” he said.
Still, the program faces mounting challenges. While DOGE claims to have trimmed the federal civilian workforce by nearly 12%—approximately 260,000 positions—its reforms have also caused staffing shortages, procurement delays, and a loss of technical talent. In several cases, courts have reversed DOGE-led agency closures.

Political and Corporate Repercussions
Musk’s tenure has drawn protests, particularly around his political activity and perceived threats to free speech. Critics have called his role an overreach of unelected authority, especially as he sought to restructure vast portions of the federal government.
His dual role as a government official and CEO of Tesla has also raised concerns among investors. With Tesla facing a decline in sales and stock performance, some shareholders have called for Musk to step back from politics and focus on his company.
Having spent nearly $300 million supporting Trump and Republican candidates last year, Musk recently signaled a withdrawal from political financing. “I think I’ve done enough,” he said at a forum in Qatar.
​
Source: tovima.com

Corporate America’s long-running war for talent sounds more like a war on the talent these days.
Not long ago, bosses routinely praised workers as their most prized asset, so much that some hoarded new hires before having enough for them to do. Today, with a giant question mark hanging over the economy , executives are pulling no punches in saying employees need to work harder, complain less and be glad they still have jobs.

“Work-life balance is your problem ,” Emma Grede , co-founder of the shapewear company Skims and chief executive of clothing label Good American, said this month. After recently cutting more than a 1,000 jobs, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol said remaining corporate staff needed to step it up and “own whether or not this place grows.” JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon , in a profanity-laced internal meeting , told employees lamenting a return-to-work mandate that he didn’t care.
“I’ve had it with this kind of stuff,” he said. “I’ve been working seven days a week since Covid, and I come in, and—where is everybody else?”
The shift in tone marks a shift in power now that companies are shrinking their white-collar staff . With jobs harder to find, many workers are seeing perks disappear and their grievances ignored.
The latest episode happened at a contentious all-hands at Uber last month. The company had just changed the requirements to get a monthlong paid sabbatical to eight years of working at the ride-hail giant, from five years. A decision to require people to work at least three instead of two days in the office also drew complaints. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi suggested those unhappy with the changes deal with it.
“We recognize some of these changes are going to be unpopular,” he said in comments originally reported by CNBC. “This is a risk we decided to take.”
How much more license do bosses have to talk tough to staff? Take the outrage in 2023 when the head of furniture company MillerKnoll told staffers worried about bonuses to “leave pity city.” That comment, made in a video call, immediately went viral , sparking days of headlines and worker backlash. CEO Andi Owen quickly apologized, and said her comments were insensitive.
After the Uber town hall, on the other hand, Chief People Officer Nikki Krishnamurthy issued a memo saying the company would speak with some staff for being disrespectful in voicing their displeasure.
Workers like Donnie Donselman, who recently worked for a technology-services firm, can sense the new power dynamic. As he applies for new tech jobs, the 47-year-old has noticed that many companies now want applicants to do so many tasks, a position is essentially “three jobs” in one.

“They want it all,” he said.
In his job search, he tries to suss out the culture of a company because he has noticed the tough-talk language from CEOs and finds it worrisome. “All you’re doing is putting fear in people, and you’re not going to get good results from that,” said Donselman, who lives near Lexington, Ky.
Behind CEOs’ more brusque tone lies a disconnect between employees and executives, said Michael McCutcheon , an adjunct professor in applied psychology at New York University and an executive coach.
Some employees are operating like it is “still 2021,” when they could name their demands because of labor shortages and a surge in worker resignations, he said. Now bosses face a global trade war and sinking consumer confidence and feel they must ask more of employees to survive.
“This is a matter of pragmatism,” McCutcheon said.
President Trump and his billionaire adviser Elon Musk have helped set the more-aggressive tone in their bid to slash the federal workforce.
“Everybody’s replaceable,” as Trump put it shortly after the inauguration. Musk called his February demand that federal workers email what they accomplished that past week a “pulse check” to prove they did any work.
Advances in generative AI also play a role. Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke recently told employees that the e-commerce company won’t make new hires unless managers can prove AI isn’t capable of doing the job. Other business leaders are warning their staff to adopt more AI—or else.
“AI is coming for your jobs. Heck, it’s coming for my job too. This is a wake-up call,” Micha Kaufman , CEO of the freelance marketplace Fiverr , wrote in a staff memo last month . Those “who will not wake up and understand the new reality fast are, unfortunately, doomed.”
Employees will someday have their moment in the sun again, said Charles A. O’Reilly, a professor of management at Stanford.
“When the market turns around, and job opportunities are plentiful, then CEOs will start to talk more about how important employees are, and employees will take advantage of it, ” he said.
For now, though, some executives say fewer, not more corporate staff, will help them run more efficiently. On Thursday, Match Group , which runs dating apps Hinge and Tinder, became the latest company to say it planned to thin its managerial ranks in sweeping layoffs. About one in five managers will be cut, and Match’s CEO, Spencer Rascoff , told investors the company is stepping up efforts to cut costs and rewire the organization to focus on its products.
“We lit a fire under the team here,” Rascoff said.
Source: tovima.com

The European Union is tightening its grip on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” by adding 189 oil tankers to its sanctions list, escalating efforts to disrupt Moscow’s energy export revenues amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The decision, announced just days before a planned meeting between Russian and Ukrainian representatives in Istanbul, is seen by analysts as a strategic move to increase pressure on the Kremlin to end its military campaign. “We have identified an additional 189 ships belonging to the ‘shadow fleet’ to target Russia’s energy exports,” stated European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
Earlier, European Council President Antonio Costa confirmed that EU ambassadors had reached an agreement on the latest sanctions package, which includes specific measures to address the operations of Russia’s covert maritime logistics network.

Full List Pending
While the EU has not yet released the full list of sanctioned vessels, it is likely that many of them are also subject to U.S. and U.K. sanctions. Both countries have already blacklisted a comparable number of tankers involved in circumventing restrictions on Russian oil exports.

Limited Impact So Far
Despite the growing number of sanctions imposed over the past three years—including thousands of individuals, companies, and ships—the overall impact on Russia’s energy exports has been limited. Russian oil and gas continue to flow freely to countries that have refused to align with Western sanctions, including India, China, and Brazil. These nations have taken advantage of falling prices to increase their imports, blunting the effect of Western economic pressure.

EU Aims to End Gas Imports by 2027
The European Union, which previously banned seaborne imports of Russian oil, has also announced plans to completely phase out Russian natural gas imports by the end of 2027. This forms part of its broader REPowerEU initiative, launched in May 2022, which aims to reduce the bloc’s dependence on Russian energy. So far, the EU has managed to cut its reliance on Russian gas from 45% before the war to just 19%.

Maritime Restrictions and Legal Pushback
In addition to financial sanctions, the EU is also working to coordinate national legislation that would allow member states to block certain Russian ships from operating in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, citing environmental concerns. The maritime outlet TradeWinds reports that these proposed restrictions could severely limit Russia’s ability to use these key waterways for commercial purposes.
Moscow has condemned the EU’s measures, calling them a violation of international law, and has warned it may respond by deploying military vessels to escort its commercial ships carrying energy exports, raising concerns of potential escalation on the high seas.
​
Source: tovima.com

The National Gallery of Greece is reportedly proceeding with a €500,000 lawsuit against Nikos Papadopoulos, the former MP of the right-wing populist party “Niki,” in connection with the vandalism of artworks during a recent exhibition.

According on the television channel MEGA the Gallery is filing an additional lawsuit against Papadopoulos, following the incident on March 10 when he entered the exhibition “The Allure of the Stranger” with an associate and damaged works by artist Christoforos Katsadiotis.
The National Gallery has not commented publicly on the specific legal details but is reported to be seeking damages for the incident, which involved the destruction of protective glass and the removal of artworks deemed offensive by Papadopoulos.
Papadopoulos, speaking on MEGA responded to the legal action by saying: “The 500,000 [euros] that these gentlemen want from me who are putting up the profane works that directly insult the Virgin Mary are within the framework of my financial extermination, since the character assassination preceded it. Then comes the political extermination.” He continued, “They cut half my salary for the profane projects I downloaded. And I did well to take them down, may God grant me the right to take them down again.”
Referring to the lawsuit, he added: “500,000 euros is not a very large sum for Orthodox Christians. We are 10 million. From half a euro to put in all Christians, we have raised five hundred thousand. We are not afraid of their fines, we are not afraid of anything.”
Papadopoulos was arrested and charged with aggravated property damage following the incident, during which he was heard shouting that the exhibition was “an insult to religion.”
The MP’s actions were directed at artworks featured in the exhibition “The Allure of the Bizarre – A Survey of Greek Art,” inspired by the surreal works of Francisco Goya. In a letter to the National Gallery and in a formal question submitted to the Minister of Culture prior to the incident, Papadopoulos described the exhibition as containing “a work by a Greek artist that flagrantly offends the Orthodox Christian faith.”
Following the event, on May 5, Papadopoulos was removed from the Niki Parliamentary Group by decision of party leader Dimitris Natsios. According to the party’s announcement, the expulsion was based on Article 9.4 of its Statute, which pertains to the loss of membership in cases of significant misconduct. The final decision regarding his status will be made by the party’s Ethics Committee.
Source: Tovima.com

Ukraine will host a meeting today Saturday, of the leaders from the so-called “alliance of the willing,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Friday.
The alliance, led by France and the United Kingdom, was established earlier this year amid growing concerns in Europe that the United States may no longer serve as a reliable pillar of support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
“We need this alliance, and it must be strong enough to guarantee security in line with our shared vision,” Zelensky said.
Efforts to define Europe’s role in providing long-term security guarantees after the war have been challenging. The possibility of a ceasefire remains distant, hinging largely on Russia’s actions and the level of continued U.S. support for its allies.
Ukraine is pushing for clear and concrete security guarantees to shield it from future Russian military threats. As part of potential commitments, the alliance is considering the limited deployment of foreign forces in Ukraine.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to attend the meeting, while French President Emmanuel Macron has also confirmed his participation.
Source: tovima.com

The first was a top long-distance swimming champion, a marathon runner and a female Spyros Gianniotis, while the second was the Greeks “Madame Butterfly” of the pool—a nod to her favorite competition. Both are the top swimmers, by far, in Olympiacos’ history, with 43 gold medals in national tournaments and major distinctions abroad. Quite rightly, they’re also considered the best of all time in Greek swimming.

Dara counts 26 first-place finishes in national championships, as does Katia Sarakatsani, putting them behind only Mariana Liberta, Nora Drakou and Tonia Machaira, while Eli Roussaki counts 17 golds in national competitions.

It’s possible that if Dara had an advanced knowledge of medicine and nutrition, which she subsequently studied and applied, she may have reached an even higher level of competitive swimming.

She swam for Olympiacos for 17 consecutive years, from 1974 to 1991, during which time she celebrated winning the championship 16 times, with the only loss being the 1987 title to PAOK Thessaloniki.

Ahead of their time
«You were born in the wrong era and in the wrong country,» was something she heard many times when competing abroad, given how outstanding her physical abilities and dynamism were. An ambitious athlete, she often competed even when injured.
In the mid-1970s, expertise and information about the best preparation for competitions, as well as the rehabilitation of athletes after them, was almost non-existent, especially in Greece. As a result, many talented athletes failed to fulfil their potential.
Her father, the late Vasilis Daras, essentially tossed her into the sea at the age of three—tied to a rescue line, of course—, and then into the Zappeion natatorium, which was the «temple» of Greek competitive swimming for decades. He had already “launched” her older siblings Katia and Christos, too, but with one unbreakable rule: «your lessons and studies come first.”
The elder Daras was a passionate Olympiacos fan and the co-author of a book with Sofia entitled «Female Athlete and Scientist.
Sofia, for her part, was destined to wear the red-and-white cap, even though she experienced a brief fall-out with the Club’s then swimming administration, resulting in her transferring Ethnikos, also in Piraeus, for a while. However, she gave her soul to Olympiacos, having shone at the national championship in Kalamata after competing in the World Championship in Ecuador. At the latter, she finished in 10th place, while already in her first year of medical school.
It’s noteworthy that more than four decades have now passed since 1981 when, in Split in the former Yugoslavia, Sofia Dara became the first Greek female swimmer to qualify for a European Championship final. She dived into the pool for the 800-meter freestyle event, finishing eighth.
Nevertheless, the first Greek female athlete to vie for gold at a European championship was Eli Roussaki, who finished fourth in 1987 in Strasbourg, where she competed in the 200-meter butterfly stroke.
With numerous Balkan Games victories under her belt, as well as a gold medal at the Mediterranean Games in 1983 in Casablanca, Dara was named the top Greek athlete of the year for two consecutive years (1976, 1977).
Roussaki’s performances and especially her successes were unreal for the time, such as taking 4th place at the European Championships in Strasbourg in 1987 and 6th place a year earlier, in 1986, at the World Championships in Madrid.

An early departure
When she was a little girl, swimming day and night at the Zappeio and covering endless kilometers, others would tell her father not to let her swim freestyle, as she was so good she left the other competitors so far behind, it affected them… adversely.
Sofia Dara was lucky to have, besides her father, the noted coach Makis Haritos at her side. As fate would have it, at the age of 21, she was forced to stop swimming due to chronic injuries.
«I had to put food on the table; I came from a poor family. Those years were hard, but I never regretted it, I was never pressured. I really liked what I was doing. I stopped because there was a condition set in my family: your education above all,» she said in an interview published in the Greek swimming federation’s online magazine, explaining why she left the pool so early.
“I was three years old when they gave me a buoyancy aid and threw me into the water, and I still haven’t come out! My love for swimming was compulsive. On Sundays, the swimming pool at Zappeio was closed, so I’d jump the railing to get in; the security guards used to call the police.
«I wanted to train, so I couldn’t really exist outside the water. It’s been so many years since I stopped, but I still get love from people every day. I’m content—everyone pats me on the back and congratulates me on what I achieved in the sport. Swimming may have been my passion, but I swam at the wrong time and probably in the wrong events. Back then, there wasn’t the support male and female athletes have today; we only had a swimming pool, that’s it. Abroad, they would see me and say, ‘This kid was born in the wrong country’,» she remembers.
At the 1980 Moscow Olympics, she was included on the national team at the last minute (she was 17 years old at the time) and finished in 10th place, one of the best performances of the entire Greek delegation across all events. She followed up with an 8th place showing at the World Championship that followed, and four medals—one gold and three silver—at the Mediterranean Games in Casablanca in 1983. At the latter, she posted a tremendous race record of 4.16.00 in the 400-meter freestyle, which was the sixth best time in the world that year, behind American and East German swimmers.
It was after the Los Angeles Games in 1984 that she decided to retire at the young age of 21 and to devote herself to her medical studies. Afterwards, she remained close to swimming, helping athletes with their diet and nutrition.

Her father, the late Vasilis Daras, essentially tossed her into the sea at the age
of three,tied to a rescue line, of course

The successor
The “Madame Butterfly” of Greek swimming, Eli Roussaki, was not just a charismatic personality, but a formidable swimmer who united the older and younger generations and is rightly considered Sofia Dara’s successor.
Her performances, and her successes in particular, were unreal for the time—she took 4th place at the European Championships in Strasbourg in 1987 and 6th place a year earlier, in 1986, at the World Championships in Madrid!
One has to bear in mind that she was competing against, among others, women from the East German team, who were eventually proven to have benefitted from an organized state-run doping program (and not only in swimming).
At the same time, she was lucky enough to be part of a huge club, Olympiacos, as well as being trained by great coaches, especially educator Makis Haritos, along with the local swimming world’s “eternal youth”, Dimitris Karydis. She was his prodigy, and he took her to another level. She also gave up her dream of going to America and taking up a university scholarship there so she could stay with her coach, as she believed she could only win with Karydis in her corner. And win she did.
It was also crucial that she never felt pressured, either by her parents or her coaches, especially in the early years, perhaps because her sister Sofia, who was three years older, was the one who entered the pool first.
Her father did not want her to compete in the butterfly at such a young age, because it was the most difficult style, but after the age of 14, Roussaki established herself among the very top butterfly swimmers, especially in the 200 meters. With Olympiacos, she won numerous titles, but she also became part of a great team, creating lifelong relationships in a Club that was born a champion, just as she was.
On the national team, she was often the only woman included in a generation of swimmers in which Charalambos Papanikolaou and Chris L. Stevenson stood out. Roussaki swam for Olympiacos for 17 consecutive years, from 1974 to 1991, during which time she celebrated 16 championship wins, the only loss being the 1987 title to PAOK Thessaloniki.

Mr. Marios Christofides, CEO of the company, has been honored with the esteemed title of Master of the Keepers of the Quaich.

This prestigious accolade recognizes Mr. Christofides’s exceptional contributions to the whisky industry and his instrumental role in establishing The Famous Grouse as a leading Scotch whisky brand in Cyprus. Keepers of the Quaich are dedicated people who work, write, or evangelize about the Scotch Whisky Industry.
​
The award ceremony took place , at Blair Castle in Scotland. As of today, there are only just over 260 Masters in the World, and Mr. Christofides is the only one in Cyprus.

Athens has issued a firm response through diplomatic sources to the provocative statements made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to the Turkish-occupied north of Cyprus, on Saturday, May 3.
While inaugurating the newly constructed “presidential complex”, Erdogan declared that Turkey was “placing yet another seal on these lands” and “offering another magnificent project to the Turkish Cypriot people.”

Greek diplomatic sources underscored that any attempt to impose ‘faits accomplis’ in the occupied territories represents a highly negative development.
They stressed that such actions come at a time when significant efforts are being undertaken by the United Nations Secretary-General to revive informal discussions on the Cyprus issue. These include the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Cyprus.
The same sources reiterated that Greece’s steadfast goal remains the reunification of Cyprus under the agreed framework of the United Nations, in a manner that serves the interests of all Cypriots and contributes to international peace and security.
Meanwhile, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides weighed in on Erdogan’s statements, which alluded to “realities” regarding the Cyprus issue.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event in Cyprus, Christodoulides emphasized the long-standing reality of a “50-year illegal occupation” of part of the island.
He also pointed to the growing opposition among Turkish Cypriots, highlighting their increasingly vocal reactions to Ankara’s actions — including recent protests over social issues such as the headscarf.
According to Christodoulides, Erdogan’s visit appears largely driven by these internal tensions within the Turkish Cypriot community. He questioned whether the visit would yield the intended results, suggesting that it may not align with the actual desires and will of the Turkish Cypriot population.
​
Source: Tovima.com

Bank of America (BofA) is striking an optimistic tone on the prospects of the eurozone periphery, despite the lingering impact of trade tariff shocks that have somewhat delayed the region’s growth momentum. Greece follows this positive trend according to the bank’s latest analysis.
​
Bank of America forecasts the eurozone’s peripheral economies will continue to outpace the broader bloc in 2025 and 2026. However, it warns that uneven post-2020 recoveries and differing growth structures pose ongoing risks. Added pressures from tariff uncertainty and rising bond yields further cloud the outlook.
Bank of America highlights fiscal policy as a key vulnerability, noting limited room for national governments to act independently. With pressures from post-pandemic shifts and evolving policy landscapes, careful fiscal management will be essential.
Despite the common pressures, regional economies on the eurozone’s periphery have largely outperformed the broader average since the pandemic.
Greece, in particular, is highlighted for the strength and consistency of its performance, which BofA attributes to three main factors that emerged in the pandemic era: a significant rebound in capital expenditure, a relatively muted transmission of European Central Bank monetary tightening, and a steadfast commitment to fiscal discipline and structural reforms.
These same factors—especially the investment recovery and reform momentum—are expected to continue driving Greece’s growth through 2025 and 2026.
At the same time, the bank acknowledges the limitations of Greece’s growth exposure. The country’s lower interest rate sensitivity means that the benefits from potential monetary easing will likely be more subdued compared to its eurozone peers.

Moreover, although Greece has lagged in bringing inflation down, increases in the minimum wage during 2023 and 2024 have already led to earlier-than-expected gains in real income.
The European Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) remains a critical element in the outlook. While all peripheral countries stand to benefit from its implementation, fiscal constraints limit how far national governments can push on their own. This places heightened importance on the efficient and timely deployment of EU funds to address long-term structural issues.
Despite relative strength in the periphery, BofA has lowered growth forecasts for several eurozone countries amid rising trade policy uncertainty and tighter tariffs.
Projections for Italy, Greece, and Portugal were each cut by 40 basis points for 2025–26, while Ireland faced a sharper 70-point downgrade. Spain is expected to hold up better, helped by strong carry-over momentum from 2025.
BofA’s updated GDP growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026 are as follows: Italy at 0.4% and 0.7%, Spain at 2.4% and 1.5%, Portugal at 2.2% and 1.6%, Greece at 1.7% for both years, and Ireland at 3.5% and 1.9%. The eurozone as a whole is expected to grow by 0.8% in 2025 and 1.0% in 2026.
Source: Tovima.com

Germany's Foreign Office has defended a decision to classify the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party as right-wing extremist, after sharp criticism from the White House.
US Vice-President JD Vance accused "bureaucrats" of rebuilding the Berlin Wall, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio slammed the designation as "tyranny in disguise".
In an unusual move, the foreign office directly replied to Rubio on X, writing: "We have learnt from our history that right-wing extremism needs to be stopped."
The intelligence agency that made the classification found AfD's "prevailing understanding of people based on ethnicity and descent" goes against Germany's "free democratic order".

The AfD came second in federal elections in February, winning a record 152 seats in the 630-seat parliament with 20.8% of the vote.
The agency, Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV), had already classed the AfD as right-wing extremist in three eastern states where its popularity is highest. Now, that designation has been extended to the entire party.
The AfD "aims to exclude certain population groups from equal participation in society", it said in a statement. The agency said specifically that the party did not consider citizens "from predominantly Muslim countries" as equal members of the German people.
Joint party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla said the decision was "clearly politically motivated" and a "severe blow to German democracy".
Beatrix von Storch, the party's deputy parliamentary leader, told the BBC's Newshour programme that the designation was "the way an authoritarian state, a dictatorship, would treat their parties".
The new classification gives authorities greater powers to monitor the AfD using tactics like phone interception and undercover agents.
"That's not democracy - it's tyranny in disguise," wrote Marco Rubio on X.
But the German Foreign Office hit back.
"This is democracy," it wrote, directly replying to the politician's X account.
The post said the decision had been made after a "thorough and independent investigation" and could be appealed.
"We have learnt from our history that right-wing extremism needs to be stopped," the statement concluded - a reference to Hitler's Nazi party and the Holocaust.
JD Vance, who met Weidel in Munich nine days before the election and used a speech to the Munich Security Conference to show support for the AfD, said that "bureaucrats" were trying to destroy the party.
"The West tore down the Berlin Wall together. And it has been rebuilt - not by the Soviets or the Russians, but by the German establishment," he wrote on X.
The Berlin Wall, built in 1961, separated East and West Berlin for nearly 30 years during the Cold War.
The new designation has reignited calls to ban the AfD ahead of a vote next week in the parliament, or Bundestag, to confirm conservative leader Friedrich Merz as chancellor. He will be leading a coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).
Lars Klingbeil, the SPD leader who is expected to become vice-chancellor and finance minister, said that while no hasty decision would be made, the government would consider banning the AfD.
"They want a different country, they want to destroy our democracy. And we must take that very seriously," he told Bild newspaper.

Source: BBC.com

They didn’t have time. They barely got to ‘see’ the momentary nature of human existence – from the ecstasy of victory to inconceivable tragedy in a handful of seconds. But they weren’t given time. They fell. They were crushed. They were trampled. Bloodied. Their oxygen was taken away, their breath ran out. And they were gone. With their team’s scarves round their necks and their mother’s name on their lips. Their mother’s name, and Olympiacos.

That dark Sunday of 1981. The Gate 7 tragedy, 21 dead. An eternal scar, a wound so deep it hasn’t healed despite the years, smarting still from the tears Piraeus sheds. And every time the memories return, three words, a chant, take wing with damp eyes and a clenched heart: «Brothers, you live…».
February 8. Sunny but cold. Across Piraeus, everything from the morning on is about “the match”. There’s no need to say anything, everyone knew: Olympiacos 29, Aris 28, AEK 26. And on the calendar, the 20th of the month, Olympiacos vs AEK and PAO vs Aris. «Title decider,» the headlines wrote. But it was obvious that if Olympiacos «cleaned up» against AEK, a second consecutive professional championship would be theirs for the taking.
An eternal and deep scar; an open wound no matter how many years pass

Creaking at the seams
The derby is to be officiated by Dimitris Koutoulas, from the Serres federation in northern Greece, kicks off at 3 p.m. But the old Karaiskakis stadium has been abuzz for hours already: 40,000 fans in the stands, creaking at the seams. Hellish. But optimistic: everything points to a home victory. Is nine wins out of nine in the ‘church’ enough for you? Want a guarantee from the defense—well, with just 10 goals conceded all season, it’s the best in the League! There’s just one note of caution: Gorsky’s Olympiacos were tough. They were tight, effective. But they didn’t score a lot. They called them the “1-0 team” (and it was true: they’d scored one goal or less in 11 of their 19 games).
And they’d score one that afternoon, too. Though they did it… in the first half. Galakos, 1-0 in the 30th minute. In the second, helped by Manolas’ red card, the… flood gates opened. Galakos again (53’). Then Kousoulakis (68′) And Orfanos (75′) And Vamvakoulas (80′, after an amazing slalom down the full length of the pitch), With a Galakos hat-trick (84’) to round things off. There’d never been a derby like it. AEK on the ropes and the red devils running riot, adding insult to injury without an iota of mercy!
Olympiacos 6, AEK 0! «Say it again, we want to hear it!» Olympiacos 6, AEK 0! Moving! Incredible! Unimaginable!

The crowd went wild
The stands literally exploded. The Karaiskakis stadium is shaking. Thousands of people delirious with joy. Some fans begin to leave from Gate 7 before the game is over. They’re heading for Gate 2, beside the changing rooms. So they can cheer their heroes. Shortly after that, the next ones leave. Followed by others, more this time. A red river, seething with joy. Singing, their minds elsewhere among the hubbub. They can’t see what’s happening up ahead. They don’t know. They can’t hear the cries, drowned out by a veil of cheering. «Go back! No more!… Help! Hel…” And then… silence. Black. And blood…
What exactly happened, an iron knot in the soul. The doors weren’t (completely) open. And the heavy, iron turnstiles were still in place. When the first fans arrived, they had no way out: Open up! But no one does… As the next wave arrives, the crush gets worse. Much worse. Until fate strikes – at 5.05. As they’re coming down the steep steps, someone slips on some foam. They slip. And fall. Taking the person in front of them with them. Then others. And others still…

No air to breathe
Time: 5.07. The fans coming up behind can’t see up ahead (due to a sharp turn in the route). Unsuspecting and on top of the world, they pile up on top. They trample them underfoot. And are trampled in their turn by the fans behind them. Someone’s head gets wedged between the bars – the dominos begin to topple…
Time: 5.09. They cannot breathe.
Two policemen finally manage to pull up one of the turnstiles, and many people survive because of it. It’s an act of salvation. Not everyone is saved, though.
Outside Gate 7, it’s like a scene from the worst nightmare imaginable, and it’s visible now for all to see. Cries. Curses. Pain. Survivors carrying lifeless bodies in their arms. Sirens blaring from the police cars and the ambulances called to the scene from all over Athens. In the stadium’s sick bay, beside the ticket booth, bruised faces. Swollen limbs. Chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth. An injection here and there. Lakis Nikolaou, a doctor on the AEK team, has rushed to help. He pleads: “Be quick…” In a corner on the sidewalk, a father, Zannis Theodoropoulos, gives his 18-year-old son Damianos mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, and saves him.
«We were one of the first to arrive, it took us six minutes – 5.16 p.m. And what we saw… The dead and dying side by side with injured fans. We loaded some of them in the ambulance and left for the Tzaneio (hospital) at full speed» (an eye-witness account from V. Athanasopoulos and D. Papadopoulos, an ambulance driver and paramedic).

Panic
Police cars, soldiers and dozens of private cars transport as many as they can. All heading for the nearest hospitals—the Tzaneio, KAT and Athens General—just as fast as they can. That’s where the rest of the drama will play out. Especially at the Tzaneio, with the scenes outside, in the corridors, with the bodies strewn on the marble floor and on stretchers.
The radio had already broadcast the news, with an appeal for blood and doctors. With no mobile phones or Internet, and with rumors running rampant (people were even saying Gate 7 had collapsed), everyone is glued to the news flashes on public television. They need to hear what’s really happening. Many fans who were at other gates had left without realizing anything was amiss, now head back to the stadium. And the players, too: who could ever forget Maik Galakos’ tears. Top club officials ran to the scene, including Stavros Daifas. Even the Prime Minister, Georgios Rallis, rushed to the scene.
But above all, the parents, friends and relatives tune in with their hearts racing. It’s like the ground has been pulled out from under them. “My God! Is he alive?” And they take to the streets, half-mad with terror. In their thousands. Some head for the stadium. Others for the hospital. Rushing blindly here or there, barely knowing where they’re going. «Have you seen him? His name’s… He’s fifteen…”. Mothers searching for their children. Wives for their husbands. Brother seeking brother. “Go through, please. The heartbreaking task of identifying the dead. In the morgue, with the diabolic stench of formaldehyde…
The first three victims (Kanellopoulos, Machas, Dialynas) are announced around 8 p.m., from the ID cards on their possession. By midnight, the three have become 17. And by morning, 19. The nightmarish final tally: 21 dead (20 Olympiacos fans, one AEK fan), 55 injured. Youngsters. Most of them just kids. The youngest—Panagiotis Toumanidis, aged 14. A human sacrifice…
A final tribute to the 21 dead, at the scene of the tragedy. On the day Gate 7 was demolished, in 2003, at the old Karaiskakis stadium.

An ancient tragedy
And as the collective subconscious struggles to come to terms with the greatest sporting tragedy Greece had ever known, as the newspaper columns fill with eye-witness accounts, images and coverage in the tone of ancient tragedy, the players’ visit to the Tzaneio the following day provided a touch of comfort for those who made it. But no more than that. Not one of them will ever get over it fully. «It was my birthday. I never celebrated it again, ever» (survivor’s account). Most of all, the families of the victims. Families ripped apart. Lives changed forever. Birthdays and namedays that would be celebrated no more. The mourning black worn ever after, the candles kept lit for the dead until those that remembered joined their loved ones in death.
And the final blow, after the trial of ’84-’86. Were the guards to blame, who weren’t at their posts? The turnstiles that weren’t removed? The construction defects in the ‘bowels’ of Gate 7 (steps without handrails, or the inadequate lighting, etc.)? Was it the overcrowding (more than 7,000 fans, they said, crammed into a stand built for 4,000)? The police? In the end, no one was guilty, «everyone was innocent!» Only at the initial trial were five guards handed eight years each, but their sentences were quashed on appeal.
The only «satisfaction» the families ever got was from the civil courts, who awarded them 5.5 million drachmas in compensation, to be paid by an increase in the price of first division tickets, thanks to an agreement between the general secretariat of sports (then headed by politician Kimon Koulouris) and Olympiacos FC. The greatest satisfaction, though, is the honor the ‘red and white’ family itself continued to pay the victims—and will do so forever more: A monument, outside the Karaiskakis Stadium, the black seats in the new stadium’s Gate 7, an annual memorial service with the emotional roll call for the victims. Lastly, the sacred words which have been engraved like a tattoo ever since, in indelible red ink, in the hearts of every genuine ‘red and white’ fan: “Brothers, you live—you’re the light that guides us!” Immortal…
(*) Verse by Nikos Kazantzakis.

The Immortals
Panagiotis Toumanidis (14 years old)
Kostas Sklavounis (16 years old)
Elias Panagoulis (17 years old)
Gerasimos Amitsis (18 years old)
Yannis Kanellopoulos (18 years old)
Spyros Leonidakis (18 years old)
Yannis Spiliopoulos (19 years old)
Nikos Filos (19 years old)
Yannis Dialynas (20 years old)
Vassilis Machas (20 years old)
Evstratios Poupos (20 years old)
Michalis Kostopoulos (21 years old)
Zografoula Chairatidou (23 years old)
Spyros Andriotis (24 years old)
Kostas Karanikolas (26 years old)
Michalis Markou (27 years old)
Kostas Bilas (28 years old)
Anastasios Pitsolis (30 years old)
Antonis Kouroupakis (34 years old)
Christos Chatzigeorgiou (34 years old)
Dimitrios Adamopoulos (40 years old)

​in.gr 

Workers in both the public and private sectors across Greece are preparing to strike on Thursday, May 1st, marking International Workers’ Day. Under the slogan “May Day is not a holiday, it is a strike,” labor unions are calling for mass participation in rallies and walkouts demanding wage increases, collective bargaining rights, and protection from anti-labor legislation.

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE) and other major labor organizations say workers are facing growing economic pressures, weakened job protections, and soaring living costs. Demonstrations are set to take place in over 70 cities, with central rallies planned for 10:30 a.m. at Syntagma Square in Athens and at the same time in Thessaloniki’s Venizelos Statue Square.
In addition to wage demands, unions are also pushing for better working conditions, stronger public services, and a reversal of laws that weaken collective bargaining negotiations.
Seafarers, represented by the Pan-Hellenic Seamen’s Federation (PNO), have announced a 24-hour shutdown of ferry routes to and from the Greek islands, starting at 00:01 on May 1. The federation says the strike honors both current labor struggles and the legacy of the 1886 labor movement in Chicago.

Buses and trolleybuses in Athens will operate only between 09:00 and 21:00 on May 1 due to work stoppages by the OASA and ELPAP workers’ unions. Suburban lines will run as normal. The unions emphasize that May Day is both a day of remembrance and a strike for safer, more reliable public transport.
Pensioners will also join the mobilizations. The Federation of IKA Pensioners criticized recent government measures as inadequate and is urging its members to take part in the rallies.
Gatherings in Athens will begin with pre-rallies starting at 9:30 a.m. in various city squares before merging into the main demonstrations. Similar plans are set for Thessaloniki, where labor groups will assemble at multiple downtown locations.

The labor movement is also calling attention to broader social issues, including privatization of health and education, housing insecurity, and workplace safety concerns. Many of the calls mention the Tempi train disaster and call for accountability.

Key May Day Rally Locations
Athens: Syntagma Square, 10:30 a.m.
Thessaloniki: Venizelos Statue, 10:30 a.m.
Piraeus: Municipal Theater Square, 10:00 a.m.
Patras: Georgiou Square, 10:30 a.m.
Heraklion: Eleftherias Square, 10:00 a.m.
Ioannina: Labor Center, 10:30 a.m.

Source: Tovima.com

Pope Francis, the first Latin American and Jesuit pontiff in history, has died, the Vatican confirmed Monday in a video statement. His death closes a transformative chapter in the Catholic Church, marked by bold efforts toward reform, fierce internal opposition, and an unwavering commitment to simplicity, inclusivity, and social justice.

A New Era Begins
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936, Francis was elected pope on March 13, 2013, following the historic resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. His election broke centuries of tradition: he was the first non-European pope in 1,300 years and the first to choose the name “Francis,” inspired by the humble saint from Assisi known for his advocacy for the poor and care for creation.
His first words from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica—“Brothers and sisters, good evening”—set the tone for a pontificate that would challenge norms, favor mercy over dogma, and bring the papacy closer to the people.

Simplicity and Service
According to Reuters, Francis shunned the trappings of his office from the outset. He refused the grand papal apartments, preferring to live in the modest Vatican guesthouse. He traded the bulletproof limousine for a blue Ford Focus and wore his old black shoes and a simple silver-plated cross. His vision was clear: “How I would like a Church that is poor and for the poor.”
His first papal trip was to Lampedusa, Italy, where he mourned migrants who died crossing the Mediterranean. That visit foreshadowed a pontificate deeply attuned to the plight of refugees, the marginalized, and victims of human trafficking.

Reformer and Controversial Figure
Francis inherited a divided Church and did little to conceal his intention to reshape it. He made significant structural reforms, overhauling the Vatican’s constitution and allowing lay Catholics—including women—to head major departments. He also named more women to senior roles than any of his predecessors.
Under his leadership, nearly 80% of the cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope were appointed by him, potentially cementing his legacy—but not guaranteeing its continuation. Despite his reforms, many progressives found him too cautious, while conservatives fiercely resisted his changes.

Clashes with Conservatives
The tension reached a boiling point in the U.S., where conservative Catholicism often intertwined with right-wing politics. Francis faced public opposition from prominent figures like Cardinals Raymond Burke and the late George Pell, the latter calling his papacy a “catastrophe” in an anonymous memo revealed in 2023.
Critics accused Francis of diluting doctrine. He was condemned by traditionalists for approving conditional blessings for same-sex couples, challenging the Latin Mass, and denouncing the death penalty in all cases. Some conservative cardinals even accused him of heresy and likened him to the Antichrist.
Francis responded with characteristic restraint—until 2023, when he stripped Burke of his Vatican privileges and removed outspoken U.S. Bishop Joseph Strickland.

Confronting Scandal
Francis’ tenure was also shadowed by the Church’s long-running sexual abuse crisis. Though the bulk of the abuses predated his papacy, he was criticized for initially defending figures accused of cover-ups. His turning point came in 2018 after a disastrous visit to Chile, prompting him to order a full investigation that led to mass resignations among the Chilean bishops.
He later issued reforms making bishops directly accountable and abolished the “pontifical secrecy” that had cloaked abuse cases—measures hailed as steps in the right direction but criticized by survivors as insufficient.

Voice for Peace and Justice
Francis championed causes beyond Church walls. He was a relentless critic of war, capitalism without conscience, environmental destruction, and arms proliferation. His encyclical Laudato Si’ became a rallying cry for climate action. He mediated a U.S.-Cuba thaw in 2014 and signed a controversial agreement with China over bishop appointments.
Despite frequent appeals for peace in Ukraine and Gaza, he failed to broker major diplomatic breakthroughs. His labeling of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill as “Putin’s altar boy” marked a new low in Vatican-Russian Church relations.

A Global Pastor
Francis traveled widely, making over 45 international trips, often to places never before visited by a pope, including Iraq, the UAE, and Mongolia. His 2019 visit to the Arabian Peninsula and signing of a document on interreligious fraternity was seen as historic—and heretical by some traditionalists.
In response to Islamist extremism and global terrorism, he called killing in God’s name “Satanic,” and he openly challenged organized crime during a visit to Sicily.

Human Touch and the “Francis Effect”
Francis’ style was deeply personal. Known as the “cold call pope,” he often phoned ordinary people who wrote to him. His openness with journalists, compassion for LGBT people—“Who am I to judge?”—and heartfelt appeals during COVID-19 earned him widespread admiration beyond Catholic circles.
He never lost touch with his roots. A fan of Buenos Aires’ San Lorenzo football team, he remained “a man of the streets,” even as pope.

Final Years and Legacy
His health declined in later years, with surgery in 2021 and mobility issues confining him to a wheelchair. But he remained mentally sharp and active, navigating a complex world and a Church in flux.
Francis’ legacy is a Church more engaged with the world, more open to dialogue, and less confined by tradition. His papacy leaves a profound impact—marked by courage, contradiction, and compassion.
In his own words, spoken during the darkest days of the pandemic: “We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us.”
Now, the Church must decide who will steer next.

Source: tovima.com

One in four women and over four in ten young people in Greece are considered low-wage earners, meaning they earn €5 an hour or less, according to the latest data from Eurostat.
Greece ranks among the EU countries with the highest proportion of low-paid workers. Specifically, 21.7% of workers earn two-thirds or less of the median gross hourly wage—placing Greece fourth after Bulgaria, Romania, and Latvia. The EU average is 14.7%, while in the Eurozone it’s slightly lower at 14.3%.
While wage inequality is a concern across Europe, Greece is moving in the opposite direction of the EU trend. Since 2006, the percentage of low-wage workers in Greece has been rising. It dropped to 12.8% in 2010, but by 2014—at the height of the financial crisis—it had climbed to 21.7%, where it remains today (up from 19.65% in 2022).
By contrast, countries like Portugal (1.77%), Sweden (4%), Iceland (4.4%), and Finland (6.5%) report the lowest levels of low-paid workers. In several other countries—including Norway, Italy, Slovenia, Switzerland, France, and Denmark—less than 10% of workers fall into the low-wage category.
Greece’s Median Wage Half the Eurozone’s
Eurostat data (last updated in 2022) shows that the median gross hourly wage in Greece is around €8—half the Eurozone average of €16.15. In Greece, low-wage earners make under €5.3/hour. For comparison, low-wage workers in Germany earn around €12/hour, and in Switzerland over €25/hour.
Women and Youth Hit Hardest
Women and young people are the most underpaid demographics. In the EU, 18.2% of women are low-paid compared to 12.5% of men. In Greece, nearly one in four women (23.4%) earn €5/hour or less—placing the country on par with Bulgaria.


When it comes to young workers under 30, Greece fares even worse. While the EU average is 25.1%, a staggering 43% of young Greeks are low-paid—the second-worst rate in Europe, behind Belgium. However, Belgium’s median hourly wage is nearly three times higher than Greece’s.
Tourism Sector Leads in Low Wages
Greece’s tourism sector is the top contributor to low wages. According to Eurostat, 35.1% of those working in accommodation and food services earn two-thirds or less of the median wage. This sector employs about 750,000 people in Greece.
The second-lowest paid sector is administrative and support services, including outsourced and contract workers, where 32% are low-wage earners.
Contract Type and Education Matter
Wage levels are strongly influenced by the type of employment contract and education. Among workers with temporary contracts, 27.2% are low-paid, compared to 12.6% with permanent contracts. Additionally, 28% of workers with low educational attainment are low-paid, compared to just 4.8% of those with higher education and 17.5% with a medium level of education.
A Persistent and Growing Gap
Greece not only has one of the highest rates of low-wage earners but also one of the lowest average annual adjusted full-time earnings in the EU. The gap with the EU average remains wide—and even wider when adjusted for purchasing power, where Greece falls below Bulgaria, according to 2023 figures.
Source: Tovima.com

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance at Rome’s Palazzo Chigi on Good Friday, April 18, in a meeting marked by optimism over ongoing negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, as well as a reaffirmation of strong transatlantic ties.
“We’re feeling a sense of optimism and positivity regarding the Russia-Ukraine negotiations. I’ll be briefing the Italian prime minister accordingly,” said Vance at the start of the meeting.
The American vice president also noted that the talks would include broader discussions on bilateral relations and trade.
“We’ll be talking not only about the ties between our two countries but also about certain trade negotiations—both between Italy and the United States and between the U.S. and the European Union,” he added.
Meloni emphasized the strength and strategic value of the Italy-U.S. partnership.
“Italy and the United States are undoubtedly committed to deepening their cooperation,” she said, expressing her appreciation that Vance had chosen to spend Easter in Italy.
“Italy can be a very important partner for both Europe and the broader Mediterranean region. Our relationship with the United States is a privileged one,” Meloni noted.
She also referred to her recent meeting in Washington with U.S. President Donald Trump and his team as “fantastic,” underscoring the momentum in diplomatic engagements between the two countries.
Source: tovima.com