Ο 79χρονος πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, Ντόναλντ Τραμπ ανέφερε ότι η προγραμματισμένη ιατρική εξέταση στην οποία υποβλήθηκε την Τρίτη πήγε «τέλεια», καθώς η υγεία του βρίσκεται υπό αυξανόμενη παρακολούθηση εν όψει των 80ων γενεθλίων του τον επόμενο μήνα. Ο Τραμπ δεν έδωσε λεπτομέρειες για την εξέταση σε μια σύντομη ανάρτηση στο Truth Social, αναφέροντας απλώς ότι ολοκλήρωσε την εξαμηνιαία του εξέταση και πως «Όλα πήγαν ΤΕΛΕΙΑ». «Μόλις ολοκλήρωσα την εξαμηνιαία ιατρική μου εξέταση στο Στρατιωτικό Ιατρικό Κέντρο “Γουόλτερ Ριντ”. Όλα πήγαν ΤΕΛΕΙΑ. Ευχαριστώ τους εξαιρετικούς γιατρούς και το προσωπικό! Επιστρέφω στον Λευκό Οίκο», έγραψε χαρακτηριστικά. Η επίσκεψη του Τραμπ στο Κέντρο «Γουόλτερ Ριντ» ήταν η τρίτη σε 13 μήνες. Ο Τραμπ, του οποίου τα γενέθλια είναι στις 14 Ιουνίου, έγινε ο γηραιότερος άνθρωπος που ανέλαβε την προεδρία των όταν ξεκίνησε τη δεύτερη θητεία του τον Ιανουάριο του 2025. Ο Αμερικανός πρόεδρος συχνά παρουσιάζει τον εαυτό του ως πιο ενεργητικό και σε καλύτερη φυσική κατάσταση από τον Τζο Μπάιντεν, τον Δημοκρατικό προκάτοχό του που αποχώρησε από το αξίωμα πέρυσι σε ηλικία 82 ετών, αφού αντιμετώπισε ερωτήματα σχετικά με την καταλληλότητά του για τη θέση. Ωστόσο, πρόσφατες φωτογραφίες που δείχνουν ένα εξάνθημα με κηλίδες στον λαιμό έχουν ενισχύσει τις αμφιβολίες σχετικά με την υγεία του Τραμπ, μετά από εικόνες τον Ιούλιο του 2025 που έδειχναν πρησμένους αστραγάλους και ένα μελανιασμένο χέρι που είχε καλυφθεί με μακιγιάζ. Ο Τραμπ διατηρεί ένα ενεργό πρόγραμμα γκολφ, αλλά αστειεύτηκε για τη σχετική έλλειψη άσκησης σε μια πρόσφατη εκδήλωση στο Οβάλ Γραφείο, όπου ο υπουργός Υγείας του, Ρόμπερτ Κένεντι Τζούνιορ, είπε ότι ο πρόεδρος περπατά14,5 χλμ. κάθε φορά που πηγαίνει για γκολφ. «Όταν δεν χρησιμοποιώ το καροτσάκι», αστειεύτηκε ο Τραμπ. Ο γιατρός του Λευκού Οίκου, Σον Μπαρμπαμπέλα, δήλωσε ότι ο Τραμπ χρησιμοποιεί μια κοινή κρέμα ως «προληπτική θεραπεία για το δέρμα» για να αντιμετωπίσει το εξάνθημα στον λαιμό, αλλά δεν έδωσε λεπτομέρειες για το πρόβλημα που αντιμετωπίζει. Αφού δημοσιεύτηκαν τον περασμένο Ιούλιο οι φωτογραφίες των ποδιών και των χεριών του προέδρου, ο Μπαρμπαμπέλα ανέφερε σε επιστολή του ότι τα εξανθήματα ήταν καλοήθεις και ότι δεν υπήρχαν ενδείξεις για εν τω βάθει φλεβική θρόμβωση ή αρτηριακή νόσο. Το πρήξιμο στο πόδι του Τραμπ οφειλόταν σε μια «συνηθισμένη» φλεβική πάθηση, ενώ το χέρι του είχε μελανιάσει από τον πολύ χαιρετισμό, δήλωσε στους δημοσιογράφους η εκπρόσωπος του Λευκού Οίκου, Καρολάιν Λέβιτ. Ο Τραμπ δήλωσε τον περασμένο Οκτώβριο ότι είχε υποβληθεί σε μαγνητική τομογραφία εκείνο το μήνα. Ο Λευκός Οίκος αρχικά αρνήθηκε να μοιραστεί περαιτέρω λεπτομέρειες σχετικά με τον λόγο της εξέτασης. Η Λέβιτ είπε μόνο ότι η εξέταση έδειξε «εξαιρετική σωματική υγεία» για τον Τραμπ. Ο πρόεδρος δήλωσε αργότερα στους δημοσιογράφους ότι υποβλήθηκε στη μαγνητική τομογραφία στο πλαίσιο μιας δεύτερης ιατρικής εξέτασης. «Η μαγνητική τομογραφία είναι κάτι πολύ συνηθισμένο. Τι, νομίζετε ότι δεν έπρεπε να την κάνω; Άλλοι ⁠άνθρωποι την κάνουν. … Έκανα μαγνητική τομογραφία. Ο γιατρός ​είπε ότι ⁠ήταν το καλύτερο αποτέλεσμα που έχει δει ποτέ ως γιατρός», δήλωσε ο Τραμπ. Ιατρικοί εμπειρογνώμονες ⁠σημείωσαν ότι οι μαγνητικές τομογραφίες δεν αποτελούν συνήθως μέρος μιας ρουτίνας φυσικής εξέτασης και συνήθως συνταγογραφούνται για τη λήψη λεπτομερών εικόνων του σώματος. Σε ένα σημείωμα μετά τη δεύτερη εξέταση, ο Μπαρμπαμπέλα ανέφερε ότι η καρδιακή ηλικία του προέδρου – ένα επικυρωμένο μέτρο της καρδιαγγειακής ζωτικότητας μέσω ΗΚΓ – διαπιστώθηκε ότι είναι περίπου 14 χρόνια νεότερη από τηχρονολογική του ηλικία. Ο Τραμπ έχει επίσης δεχτεί ερωτήσεις μετά από περιστατικά όπου φάνηκε να κοιμάται κατά τη διάρκεια αρκετών συναντήσεων, συμπεριλαμβανομένης μιας συνεδρίασης του υπουργικού του συμβουλίου. «Κάποιοι είπαν ότι έκλεισε τα μάτια του. Κοιτάξτε, είχε γίνει αρκετά βαρετό», είπε ο Τραμπ στους αξιωματούχους που γελούσαν τον Φεβρουάριο. «Δεν κοιμήθηκα. Απλώς τα έκλεισα γιατί ήθελα να την κάνω από εδώ». Πέρυσι, στον Μπάιντεν διαγνώστηκε μια «επιθετική μορφή» καρκίνου του προστάτη που είχε εξαπλωθεί στα οστά του και υποβλήθηκε σε ακτινοθεραπεία. Πηγές: AFP, Reuters www.ertnews.gr

Ενώπιον των ανακριτικών αρχών της Θεσσαλονίκης κλήθηκαν να απολογηθούν οι τρεις ανήλικοι που συνελήφθησαν για την ένοπλη ληστεία σε κατάστημα ψιλικών στην Τριανδρία, την προηγούμενη εβδομάδα. Πρόκειται για δύο 17χρονους κι έναν 15χρονο, οι οποίοι, σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, ήταν ήδη τρόφιμοι σε ειδικό κατάστημα κράτησης νέων, για εμπλοκή σε παρόμοιες πράξεις που φέρεται να τέλεσαν κατά το παρελθόν. Κατά τις ίδιες πληροφορίες, είχαν παραβιάσει τους όρους διαμονής στο συγκεκριμένο κατάστημα, όταν τα ξημερώματα της 21ης Μαϊου απείλησαν με όπλο τον υπάλληλο τού ψιλικατζίδικου, αρπάζοντας 700 ευρώ από το ταμείο, διάφορα καπνικά προϊόντα και το τσαντάκι του με προσωπικά έγγραφα και αντικείμενα. Από την Αστυνομία ανακοινώθηκε η εμπλοκή στη ληστεία και τεσσάρων συνεργών τους που δεν έχουν ταυτοποιηθεί ακόμη. Όπως έγινε γνωστό, υπάλληλος του καταστήματος κράτησης φέρεται να αναγνώρισε από το βίντεο της ληστείας, το οποίο είδε το φως της δημοσιότητας, έναν από τους δράστες και ενημέρωσε σχετικά τις Αρχές. Μάλιστα, επιστρέφοντας τα επόμενα 24ωρα στη συγκεκριμένη δομή κράτησης, ένας εκ των τριών κατηγορουμένων φέρεται να εκμυστηρεύτηκε αρχικά την εμπλοκή του στη ληστεία- ανακαλώντας όμως στη συνέχεια την συμμετοχή του. Απολογούμενοι στην αρμόδια ανακρίτρια, και οι τρεις αρνήθηκαν ότι είναι αυτοί που τέλεσαν την ένοπλη ληστεία. Οι δύο 17χρονοι κρίθηκαν, με σύμφωνη γνώμη εισαγγελέα και ανακρίτριας, προσωρινά κρατούμενοι, ενώ στον τρίτο (που συμπληρώνει τον επόμενο μήνα το 15ο έτος της ηλικίας του) επιβλήθηκε αναμορφωτικό μέτρο κι επέστρεψε στο ειδικό κατάστημα κράτησης νέων. ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ www.ertnews.gr

A clear trend of cost-saving during this year’s summer holidays among Greeks is highlighted by a survey conducted by the Hellenic Institute of Retail Consumer Goods Research (IELKA). The trend is mainly attributed to reduced disposable income and increased costs of transport, accommodation and food. The survey was conducted in May 2026, based on a […] The post One in two Greeks will not go on vacation in summer 2026 appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

A 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. slipped from the view point of the famous Shipwreck of Zakynthos – Zante – and fell to a depth of ten meters, stranding in in inaccessible spot of the steep cliff. Authorities were set on alert and firefighters launched a rescue operation with special equipment and managed to retrieve […] The post Zakynthos Shipwreck: Tourist falls into the void; dramatic rescue (VIDEOs) appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

The handshake is a form of body language that dates back to ancient times. Ca. 350-325 BC. Credit: Marie Lan Nguyan/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 2.5 Most of us don’t think twice about the handshake, but this everyday gesture has roots that go back to the Ancient Greek world. What makes its origin story especially fascinating is that it likely began out of fear. In the ancient world, extending an open hand was a way of showing that no weapon was hidden and no sudden attack was intended. The earliest known handshake The earliest known depiction of a handshake appears on a 9th-century BC Assyrian stone relief from Mesopotamia. The artwork shows the Assyrian King Shalmaneser III shaking hands with a Babylonian king to seal a military alliance. Carved onto the throne base of Nimrud, the image was intended to represent a mutual pact of peace and cooperation, showing that the gesture functioned as a tool of diplomacy thousands of years before it became a casual everyday greeting. Assyrian King Shalmaneser III and a Babylonian ruler seal an alliance with a handshake on this 9th-century BC artifact. Credit: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 The weapon hand and the Ancient Greek handshake In the Ancient Greek world, and across much of the wider Mediterranean, approaching a stranger could be genuinely risky. The right hand, often understood as the weapon hand, was the one used to draw a sword, grip a spear, or conceal a dagger. Hence, when a Greek traveler extended his empty right hand toward someone, he was making a clear, deliberate statement. Without saying a word, he was essentially signaling: I could hurt you, but I will not. This voluntary act of vulnerability was, in its own way, a form of courageous politeness. It meant temporarily setting aside your primary means of attack and trusting that the other person would do the same. The Ancient Greeks took this practical gesture of the handshake and gave it deeper meaning. They called it dexiosis (δεξίωσις), from the word dexios (δεξιός), meaning “right” or “right-handed.” In practice, however, it came to represent far more than its literal sense. The patron deities of Athens and Samos clasp hands in this ancient marble stele commemorating a political alliance between the two entities. Credit: Marsyas, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5 The handshake ran the Greek world As Ancient Greek civilization flourished, dexiosis became a physical seal of trust between people. Greek city-states used the handshake to cement alliances, merchants used it to close deals, and it even appeared in marriage ceremonies as a symbol of the joining of two families. The Greeks considered the gesture to be so significant that they carved it into stone. A well-known 5th-century BC relief from Athens depicts Athena, representing the city of Athens, and Hera, representing Samos, clasping hands in a representation of a real political alliance between the two powers. The handshake, immortalized in marble, left a lasting record of its importance in Ancient Greek political life. Perhaps the most moving examples of dexiosis in the Ancient Greek world are not found on treaties or civic monuments, but on funerary steles. These marble gravestones, now displayed in museums and archaeological sites across Greece, were among the most common memorials families left for their loved ones. Time and again, these carvings portray the same scene of a deceased person seated in calm dignity while clasping the right hand of a standing spouse, parent, or child. Here, the gesture has nothing to do with weapons or politics. Instead, it serves as a final farewell. In these images, the Ancient Greeks expressed the belief that the bond between the living and the dead could not simply be severed by death itself. Love, as they seemed to understand it, did not end when someone crossed into the Underworld. From Greece and Rome to your next handshake The Romans, ever practical, adopted dexiosis and the gesture of the handshake from the Greeks wholesale, renaming it dextrarum iunctio, meaning the joining of right hands. They stamped the image on coins and embedded the gesture into legal contracts as a symbol of fides, or loyalty. Then came the Middle Ages and a subtle shift. Knights and nobles, who had a habit of concealing daggers in their voluminous sleeves, began vigorously pumping the clasped hands up and down just in case anything dangerous might fall loose. That shaking motion, born from medieval suspicion, is essentially what we still do today, participating in an unbroken chain of human behavior that stretches back thousands of years.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew during a visit to Imbros, his native island, a symbolic center for the Greeks of Imbros and their efforts to preserve their heritage. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou : Greek Reporter The Greek community of Imbros is rebuilding its presence on the island after decades of displacement, demographic decline, and policies that transformed one of the Aegean’s historic centers of Hellenism. Imbros, known in Turkish as Gökçeada, lies in the northeastern Aegean Sea near the entrance to the Dardanelles. The island has long held a special place in Hellenism, Orthodox Christianity, and the history of the Greek minority in Turkey. Eleni Apistola, president of the Imbrian Association, told Greek Reporter that the Greeks of Imbros are experiencing a fragile but meaningful revival, with education, church life, cultural activity, and the gradual return of families to their ancestral homeland now driving that effort. “The history of Imbros is not simply the past. It is responsibility and perspective,” Apistola told Greek Reporter. She added that every return to the island, every cultural event, and every effort to support the local community helps sustain the Greek presence there. A view of Imbros, known in Turkish as Gökçeada, where the island’s Greek community is working to preserve its heritage and rebuild its presence after decades of displacement. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou / Greek Reporter How the Greek community of Imbros was displaced According to Apistola, the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne decisively shaped the modern course of the Greek community of Imbros. The treaty left Imbros and Tenedos under Turkish sovereignty, although their populations were then almost entirely Greek. Article 14 of the treaty provided for special local administration and protections for the islands’ non-Muslim population. Apistola said Turkey never implemented those guarantees in practice. Instead, authorities confiscated communal properties and banned the teaching of the Greek language on both islands. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou / Greek Reporter The community saw improvement between 1951 and 1964, when Greek education resumed and the island’s Greeks experienced intellectual and economic growth. Greek schools operated with hundreds of pupils, and the Central School opened. The future Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew studied there. That period gave way to what Apistola described as a systematic process of de-Hellenization from 1964 through the 1980s. Authorities closed Greek schools, expropriated agricultural land, restricted livestock farming and fishing, established open agricultural prisons, and relocated Muslim settlers to the island, changing the demographic balance. For decades, the authorities also restricted access to Imbros through short-term special permits for visitors. Apistola revealed that such policies pushed the overwhelming majority of the Greeks of Imbros to leave for Greece and other countries. Around 6,500 Greeks of Imbros abandoned their ancestral homes. Greek school on Imbros, whose reopening marked a turning point for the revival of the island’s Greek community after decades of displacement. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou / Greek Reporter Greek schools bring new life to Imbros After 1990, as restrictions on access to the island eased, Greeks of Imbros gradually began visiting their homeland again, either on vacation or with the goal of resettling. A major turning point came in 2003, when young Greeks of Imbros formed the Coordinating Committee of Imbrians. Their work helped internationalize the Imbros issue and contributed to the Council of Europe’s 2008 adoption of Resolution 1625 on Imbros and Tenedos. The resolution set out a roadmap for the survival of the Greek presence on the two islands and placed the reopening of Greek schools among its key priorities. Apistola noted that members of the Turkish delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe also supported the resolution. In 2013, after years of work by Imbrian organizations in Greece, Greeks of Imbros around the world, and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Greek minority primary school reopened on Imbros. A middle school and high school followed two years later. Apistola said the reopening of the schools, fifty years after their closure, gave the Greek community of Imbros new momentum. It encouraged families to return, restore their homes, and imagine a future on the island once again. Daily life for Greeks on Imbros today Daily life for Greeks who live permanently on Imbros has become calmer and more organized than in previous decades, Apistola told Greek Reporter, although serious challenges remain. The Greek community maintains schools, churches, cultural activities, and a visible presence, especially in the island’s four remaining Greek villages. Around six hundred permanent residents of Greek origin now live on Imbros. About fifty students attend Greek schools across all levels, and more than forty students have already graduated from them. Over the past fifteen years, Apistola said, the community has seen a gradual revival. Some families have returned, professional activity has increased, and cultural life has grown stronger. Many Greeks on the island work in restaurants, tourism, agriculture, livestock farming, and small family businesses. The diaspora also maintains a strong bond with Imbros, as many Greeks of Imbros return seasonally or invest in their ancestral land. For Apistola, Greek education remains one of the most hopeful signs for the community’s future. Demographic decline and property issues remain major challenges Despite recent progress, the Greek community of Imbros still faces serious obstacles. Apistola identified demographics as the most urgent challenge. The number of permanent Greek residents remains small, and the population continues to age. She also pointed to unresolved problems involving property, inheritance rights, bureaucracy, economic development, and the preservation of Greek language and identity among younger generations. The community’s future, she said, depends on job creation, sustainable development, and the ability to encourage young families to settle permanently on the island. Saint George on Imbros, one of the island’s important religious landmarks and a symbol of the enduring presence of its Greek Orthodox community. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou / Greek Reporter The Imbrian association’s role in preserving memory and rights The Imbrian Association was founded in Athens in 1945 and moved its headquarters to Nea Smyrni in 1975. Today, it is the largest Imbrian organization in the world and plays a leading role in preserving historical memory and keeping Greeks of Imbros in the diaspora connected. Apistola said the association works to protect Imbrian cultural heritage, promote the rights of Greeks of Imbros in their homeland, and support those who have returned to the island in recent decades. Together with the Imbrian Union of Macedonia-Thrace, the association has become a key source of support for Greeks of Imbros who resettle in their ancestral homes. In 2016, the Imbrian Association gained Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Apistola described this as the result of years of participation in international forums through civil society and citizen diplomacy. She said the association aims to present the Imbros issue as a matter of fundamental human rights and freedoms. The association also organizes cultural events, seminars, and publications dedicated to Imbrian identity. It keeps the community’s concerns visible in Greek public life and maintains channels of communication with Turkish authorities and Turkish society. Patriarch Bartholomew and Imbros’ international voice Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who was born on Imbros, has played a decisive role in bringing international attention to the island, Apistola told Greek Reporter. According to Apistola, his personal journey, from a small village on Imbros to the highest office of the Orthodox Church, gives powerful symbolic meaning to the story of the Greek community of Imbros. In her public remarks, Apistola said, the Patriarch often refers to his birthplace, highlights the struggle of the Greeks of Imbros for survival, and calls for the practical restoration of injustices suffered by the island’s Greek Orthodox minority. She cited the 2024 Pan-Imbrian Conference in Athens, organized by the Imbrian Association, as one important example. There, she said, the Patriarch connected historical memory with the future of the community. This year, Patriarch Bartholomew is expected to celebrate his name day on June 11 on Imbros, drawing religious and other figures from around the world. Apistola also noted that international attention will return to the island in August, when he visits for the 65th anniversary of his ecclesiastical ministry following his ordination as a deacon at the Cathedral of Panagia on Imbros. The anniversary coincides with the 35th anniversary of his election as Ecumenical Patriarch. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on the island of Imbros. Credit: Vasiliki Xeinou / Greek Reporter A message to young Greeks of Imbros and the diaspora Apistola urged young Greeks of Imbros to maintain their connection to their roots, traditions, language, and historical memory. She described Imbros not simply as a place of origin but as a living symbol of resilience, culture, and continuity for Hellenism. Young people are encouraged to remember the stories and experiences of their ancestors, continue to defend the rights of their community, and visit the island often. Support for the island’s permanent residents, schools, and Church are vital as is taking part in cultural initiatives in Greece, the United States, Australia, Europe, South Africa, and especially on Imbros itself. Apistola also sent a message of unity and encouragement to Greeks of the diaspora. She described the revival of Imbros as a “small miracle” based on selfless love, methodical work, and a shared vision for a special corner of Hellenism. Even small communities, she said, can survive and rise again when they have unity, faith, and active participation.

Greece has filed its 8th grant disbursement request and 7th loan disbursement request from the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, covering 34 milestones and marking a significant step toward closing out the program.

Lithuanian regulators say expanded infrastructure in Kaliningrad enables GPS signal falsification up to 450 kilometres away, affecting navigation systems across several European countries.

Two schoolchildren, their chaperone and the minibus driver were killed in the crash, says a Belgian minister.

Moscow's rhetoric may point to the Kremlin's nervousness over the war's direction, our defence correspondent writes from Kyiv.

BP declined to comment on whether bullying behaviour was part of the reason for his immediate dismissal.

Lord Wolfson tells the BBC Next now typically receives double the number of applicants for one role than it did two years ago.

Broadcasting rights for FIFA World Cup 2026 in India have been at a deadlock only weeks ahead of June 11 kickoff.

Al Jazeera’s Obaida Hitto brings you the latest from southern Lebanon amidst increasing Israeli attacks.

A group of Senegalese football supporters jailed following their country's chaotic, violence-plagued Africa Cup of Nations final in Morocco in January returned home on May 24 after being pardoned by the Moroccan king. In February, Moroccan courts had sentenced them for hooliganism following the controversial AFCON final which opposed Senegal to Morocco. FRANCE 24's Caitlin Kelly tells us more.

Ghana is introducing a new e-visa system, which is to be free of charge for all African citizens. The country hopes that this free visa will attract both tourists and investors, as Ghana hopes to improve its economy. It is now the sixth African country to remove all visa fees for African citizens. But there are concerns over control at the borders. FRANCE 24's Justice Baidoo spoke to Ghanaians over the new measure.