Το Φεστιβάλ των Καννών απένειμε την Παρασκευή (15/05), αιφνιδιαστικά, έναν τιμητικό Χρυσό Φοίνικα στον Αμερικανό σταρ Τζον Τραβόλτα, για το σύνολο του έργου του, λίγη ώρα πριν από την προβολή της πρώτης του σκηνοθετικής απόπειρας. «Οι ταινίες που προτιμούσα ανέκαθεν στη ζωή μου ήταν πάντα εκείνες που βραβεύτηκαν με τον Χρυσό Φοίνικα. Δεν το πιστεύω, είναι πάνω από τα Όσκαρ», είπε ο ηθοποιός παραλαμβάνοντας το βραβείο του από τα χέρια του γενικού διευθυντή του φεστιβάλ, Τιερί Φρεμό. Ο Τραβόλα επέστρεψε στις Κάννες, στο φεστιβάλ που έδωσε μια νέα ώθηση στην καριέρα του στα μέσα της δεκαετίας του 1990, για να παρουσιάσει, στα 72 του χρόνια, την πρώτη του ταινία ως σκηνοθέτης. Δείτε περισσότερα στο ertflix.gr | Ακούστε περισσότερα στο ertecho.gr Η «Νυχτερινή πτήση για το Λος Άντζελες» προβάλλεται εκτός συναγωνισμού, στο τμήμα του φεστιβάλ για τις ταινίες γνωστών δημιουργών που δεν ανταποκρίνονται στα διαγωνιστικά κριτήρια. Παρουσιάζει τις περιπέτειες ενός μικρού αγοριού που ταξιδεύει με την ηθοποιό μητέρα του στην πόλη των Αγγέλων. Ο Τραβόλτα, ο γιος ενός Ιταλοαμερικανού ιδιοκτήτη καταστήματος ελαστικών και μιας Ιρλανδής μητέρας, ξεκίνησε την καριέρα του σε εφηβική ηλικία: στα 16 του εγκατέλειψε το σχολείο και εγκαταστάθηκε στη Νέα Υόρκη για να ασχοληθεί με την ηθοποιία και τον χορό. Δύο χρόνια αργότερα κέρδισε τον πρώτο του ρόλο στο Μπρόντγουεϊ, στο μιούζικαλ Grease. Το Χόλιγουντ ήταν εκείνο που τον έκανε διεθνώς διάσημο, μόλις στα 23 του, όταν προβλήθηκε στους κινηματογράφους ο «Πυρετός το Σαββατόβραδο». Έναν χρόνο αργότερα βραβεύτηκε με Χρυσή Σφαίρα για την ερμηνεία του στην κινηματογραφική εκδοχή του Grease και έγινε ένας από τους πλέον περιζήτητους ηθοποιούς της γενιάς του. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP) Η συνέχεια ωστόσο δεν ήταν η αναμενόμενη: ακολούθησε μια σειρά αποτυχημένων ταινιών –από εμπορική και καλλιτεχνική άποψη– μέχρι τη ρομαντική κωμωδία «Κοίτα ποιος μιλάει» το 1989, που τον επανέφερε στις επιτυχίες. Η πραγματική καλλιτεχνική του αναγέννηση όμως ήρθε το 1994, με το Pulp Fiction του Κουέντιν Ταραντίνο που έκανε αίσθηση στις Κάννες και κέρδισε τον Χρυσό Φοίνικα. «Μετά το Pulp Fiction μπορούσα πλέον να επιλέγω μόνο τις ταινίες που ήθελα εγώ» είχε δηλώσει σε μια συνέντευξή του το 2018. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP) Απέσπασε άλλη μια Χρυσή Σφαίρα το 1995 για την κομεντί «Πιάστε τον Κοντό» ενώ δύο χρόνια αργότερα πρωταγωνίστησε με τον Νίκολας Κέιτζ στην κλασική πλέον στο είδος της ταινία δράσης «Αδίστακτα πρόσωπα» του Τζον Γου. Η ζωή του Τραβόλτα ωστόσο σημαδεύτηκε από τραγωδίες: το 2009 ο γιος του, που έπασχε από επιληπτικές κρίσεις εκ γενετής, πέθανε στα 16 του ενώ η οικογένεια έκανε διακοπές στις Μπαχάμες. Η σύζυγός του, η Κέλι Πρέστον, με την οποία ήταν παντρεμένος από το 1991, πέθανε επίσης από καρκίνο του μαστού το 2020. Πηγή: ΑΠΕ ΜΠΕ www.ertnews.gr

Την πρώτη της επίσκεψη στην αμερικανική βάση στη Σούδα πραγματοποίησε πρόσφατα η πρέσβης των ΗΠΑ Κίμπερλι Γκίλφοϊλ και σε μήνυμά της τονίζει τη «στρατηγική σημασία αυτού του ζωτικού κόμβου για την περιφερειακή ασφάλεια, τη συνεργασία στο πλαίσιο του ΝΑΤΟ και τη σταθερότητα σε ολόκληρη την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο». «Η πρώτη μου επίσκεψη στη βάση της Σούδας ανέδειξε τον τρόπο με τον οποίο αυτός ο ζωτικής σημασίας κόμβος συμβάλλει στην περιφερειακή ασφάλεια, στην ετοιμότητα του ΝΑΤΟ και στη σταθερότητα σε ολόκληρη την Ανατολική Μεσόγειο», αναφέρει σε ανάρτησή της στο «Χ». «Εντυπωσιάστηκα από τις δυνατότητες και τις επιχειρήσεις που καθιστούν τη βάση της Σούδας απαραίτητη για τους κοινούς στόχους μας στον τομέα της ασφάλειας». «Ο επαγγελματισμός και η αφοσίωση του αμερικανικού και ελληνικού στρατιωτικού προσωπικού, σε συνδυασμό με την ισχυρή υποστήριξη των τοπικών ελληνικών αρχών και των εταίρων της τοπικής κοινωνίας, αντανακλούν τη βαθιά εμπιστοσύνη και συνεργασία που συνεχίζουν να ενισχύουν τη συμμαχία μας κάθε μέρα», τονίζει. My first visit to NSA Souda Bay underscored how this vital hub advances regional security, NATO readiness, and stability across the Eastern Mediterranean. I was impressed by the impressive capabilities and operations that make NSA Souda Bay indispensable to our shared security… pic.twitter.com/ECxRFrYYGR— Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle (@USAmbassadorGR) May 15, 2026 ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ www.ertnews.gr

Greece is entering a two-day period of intense atmospheric instability, which will be affected by two barometric lows and will bring Sahara Dust and mud showers. One of the barometric lows comes from the coast of North Africa, while the second from more northern latitudes. According to the forecast by Clearchos Marousakis, the result is […] The post Sahara dust and mud showers to affect Greece, May 16-17 appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party is seeking to give him the power to declare an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending as far as 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from Turkey ’s coast. According to Bloomberg, Turkey is drafting legislation to give President Erdogan personal authority to unilaterally declare a 200 nautical mile exclusive […] The post Turkey to declare unilaterally EEZ up to 200 n.m. appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

The origin of the name of the pyramids is almost as mysterious as the structures themselves. Credits: Jacky Lee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons In English, the impressive monuments built by the ancient Egyptians at Giza are called ‘pyramids’. Where does this word come from? What does it mean in ancient Greek, and what does this reveal about the pyramids themselves? Furthermore, what did the ancient Egyptians themselves call them? The origin of the word ‘pyramid’ The modern English word ‘pyramid’ has a long and relatively stable history. It originates from the French ‘pyramide’, which, in turn, comes from Old French ‘piramide’ in the twelfth century CE. This Old French word was borrowed directly from the Latin ‘pyramides’. Interestingly, this Latin word is the plural. The singular in Latin is ‘pyramis’. However, when the word was borrowed into Old French, the plural was used for the singular, with the ‘s’ removed from the end. Going back even further, the Latin word for pyramid originally came from ancient Greek. In the Greek language, the singular was ‘pyramis,’ identical to the Latin. The plural, meanwhile, was ‘pyramides’, again, just like Latin. What does this mean in ancient Greek? What is the actual etymology of this word in ancient Greek? That is, what did their ancient word for a pyramid mean? Interestingly, there is much debate surrounding this issue. Some scholars argue that it comes from the word ‘pyros’, meaning ‘wheat’. The reasoning behind this is that this word for wheat led to the word ‘pyramis’ being used for a certain type of cake made from wheat. We see this usage as early as the writings of Ephippus, who lived during the fourth century BCE. According to this theory, the Egyptian pyramids received their name due to their resemblance to the shape of a cake. However, according to one scholar, a crucial problem with this theory is that the shape of those wheat-based cakes is unknown. Therefore, their name, derived from ‘pyros’ (wheat), might have a completely independent origin from the name of the Egyptian pyramids. Another theory suggests that the term “pyramis” may originate from the root “pyr” (πῦρ), linked to grain, combined with “amis” (αμίς) derived from the verb “amaō” (ἀμάω), meaning to reap or to gather. This interpretation implies that the ancient Greeks may have understood the pyramids as large storage structures or granaries used for collecting and preserving grain. The last theory suggests that the ancient Greek word for the pyramids derives from the word for fire, which is ‘pyr’ in Greek. Ancient Historian Ammianus Marcellinus states,  “Some derive the word pyramís from pyr (fire), because of its shape tapering to a point, like that of a flame.” However, this theory lacks substantial scholarly support. Does the Greek word for the pyramids have an ancient Egyptian origin? A theory that has some favor among linguists is that the Greek word for the pyramids ultimately comes from ancient Egyptian. One possibility is that the word comes from the Egyptian phrase ‘pr-m-ws’. This phrase is attested as early as c. 1550 BCE. It appears in a manuscript known as the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus. The phrase refers to the height of the pyramid, not the pyramid itself. Although this phrase was associated with the pyramids, it could conceivably have come to be used to describe the structures themselves. Whether this is plausible or not is debatable. The ancient Egyptian word for the pyramids If ‘pr-m-ws’ was not the Egyptian word for the pyramids themselves, then what did they call them? The ancient Egyptian word for ‘pyramid’ was ‘mr’. This is sometimes rendered as ‘mer’ or ‘mir’. The origin and meaning of this Egyptian word is unknown. However, many scholars believe that it may originally have meant ‘heap of stones’. Others believe that it may have meant ‘tower’, while others believe that it meant ‘high place’. In any case, there is general agreement that the ancient Egyptians used this word, ‘mr’, to refer to the pyramids themselves, and not to the geometric concept of a pyramid shape. Could this word have been the origin of the ancient Greek ‘pyramis’? Some linguists believe so. They propose that this word went through a process known as metathesis, where the order of the letters in a word is swapped around. In this case, the suggestion is that the word ‘mr’ was altered to ‘rm’. There is reason to believe that the speakers of ancient Coptic in Egypt would have placed a ‘p’ before this, producing ‘piram’ or ‘phram’. The ancient Greeks could then have adapted this into ‘pyramis’. Place of ascension Some researchers and Egyptologists link the Egyptian root mr (also written as mer) to the meaning “to ascend” or “to rise.” This connection is made because, in various ancient Egyptian texts, mr derivatives are used to describe upward movement, especially in a spiritual or symbolic sense. For example, the king’s soul is often depicted as rising or ascending to join the sun god Ra or transform into a divine spirit. Based on this linguistic root, some scholars suggest that the Egyptian word for pyramid may reflect the pyramid’s function as a place of ascension. The structure symbolized a stairway or gateway through which the deceased pharaoh’s spirit could ascend to the heavens. This theory is supported not only by the linguistic evidence in the root mr itself but also by its consistent use in religious and funerary texts, where the concept of rising and transformation after death is central. While an interesting theory, this is highly speculative. Appropriately, given all the mysteries surrounding the Pyramids of Giza, the very origin of their name is far from clear.

Demosthenes was an ancient Greek general who fought for Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Credit: Greek Reporter, Public domain. Few have heard of the ancient Greek general Demosthenes, whose exploits during the Peloponnesian War have largely been overshadowed by more famous figures like Pericles and Lysander. Not to be confused with the famous orator of the same name, Demosthenes was an accomplished Athenian general who served his polis (city-state) between 426 and 413 BCE. His signature strategy was using surprise attacks to catch the enemy off guard. Demosthenes’ military career ultimately began and ended with disaster. This may explain why he is often overlooked in the canon of great ancient Greek generals. However, throughout most of his career, Demosthenes was a pioneer of surprise attack, light infantry tactics, and unconventional thinking. Defeat in Aetolia Our main source on Demosthenes is Thucydides, a fellow Athenian general and the famous historian of the Peloponnesian War. Demosthenes first burst onto the scene in 426 BCE, at the head of an Athenian military expedition to Western Greece. The campaign was initially successful. The Athenians and their allies wrestled control of most of the island of Lefkada after Demosthenes ambushed an enemy force at the town of Ellomenus. With overwhelming numbers, the capital of Lefkada was ripe for a siege and eventual capture. However, the Messenians, an ally of the Athenians, persuaded Demosthenes to divert his attention and invade Aetolia on the Western Greek mainland. This angered the Acarnanians—also Athenian allies—who had urged Demosthenes to maintain operations in Lefkada. In their anger, the Acarnanians refused to assist Demosthenes. This was a major problem because he relied on their local expertise for intelligence and their capabilities as light infantry. Demosthenes sought to replace the Acarnanians with the Locrians, but he again followed the advice of the Messenians and pressed on into Aetolia without waiting for them. This proved disastrous. Without the local knowledge of either the Locrians or Acarnanians, the Athenians and their allies entered Aetolia essentially blind. Demosthenes was surprised by the Aetolians in Aegitium who had assembled an army. The Aetolian javelin throwers peppered the Athenians and their allies at long range and quickly retreated before they could be engaged in melee. Demosthenes’ army held until the captain of his archers was killed and he lost his ability to shoot back at the Aetolians. Demosthenes’ heavily armored hoplites had no hope of outrunning the lightly armed Aetolian infantry and were continually struck by missiles until the entire Athenian army broke and fled the battlefield. Battle Scene on Ancient Krater Vase, National Archeological Museum, Athens, Greece. Credit: alexdavidbaldi. CC BY-2.0./flickr Victory from the jaws of defeat Demosthenes feared to return to Athens after his defeat and did not accompany the survivors upon their return. For an ancient Greek general, returning home after a defeat could be just as dangerous as the risks endured on the battlefield. He instead stayed in western Greece, awaiting an opportunity to reverse his fortunes. The defeat in Aetolia emboldened Athens’ enemies and the Ambraciots – a western Greek people originally from Corinth  – invited the Spartans to assist their upcoming military campaign. The Spartans responded by dispatching General Eurylochus to the region as the head of an army mostly comprised of Peloponnesians. The Spartans and Ambraciots captured several settlements before combining their forces to threaten Naupactus, a strategically vital port for the Athenians. Demosthenes narrowly avoided disaster by reinforcing Naupactus with about 1,000 hoplites. The port city had strong walls and the attackers could not conduct a successful assault if the walls were adequately manned. The siege was abandoned but the Spartan threat remained in the region. Eurylochus and his Ambraciot allies next set their sights on the city of Amphilochian Argos. The Amphilocians and Acarnanians again turned to Demosthenes to command their forces and prevent disaster, despite his earlier failure in Aetolia. Demosthenes was outnumbered in the ensuing battle at Olpae. However, he positioned a force of 400 hoplites and light infantry in a concealed position before the battle started. When the two armies met, Eurylochus gained the upper hand and was well-positioned to outflank Demosthenes on the left. At this moment, the ambushing force emerged and outflanked the Spartans and their allies. Eurylochus was killed in the fighting and his army fled. The following day, Demosthenes won another victory against an Ambraciot army on their way to reinforce their companions. Demosthenes’ forces snuck out at night to occupy the largest of two hills at Idomene. They then descended on the unsuspecting Ambraciots and utterly destroyed them in a surprise attack. Having won two major victories, Demosthenes could now return to Athens where he awaited a hero’s welcome. Black figured ancient Greek amphora depicting cavalrymen. Credit: mharrsch. CC BY 2.0/flickr Pylos and Sphacteria The following year, Demosthenes played a critical role in the battles of Pylos and Sphacteria, two engagements that marked a turning point in the conflict between Athens and Sparta. The campaign began when Demosthenes, on an expedition to Corcyra, decided to fortify Pylos, a strategic location on the southwestern coast of the Peloponnese. Pylos’ natural defenses and proximity to Sparta made it an ideal base for Athenian operations. Despite the initial reluctance of the other generals on the expedition who held senior command, Demosthenes convinced them to support his plan, setting the stage for a confrontation with Spartan forces. The Spartans quickly recognized the threat posed by the Athenian occupation of Pylos. They launched a large-scale offensive, aiming to dislodge the Athenians. Demosthenes, however, skillfully used the rugged terrain and limited resources at his disposal to repel multiple Spartan assaults. His strategic use of light troops and the terrain’s natural advantages allowed him to hold out against a superior Spartan force, exemplifying Athenian resilience and tactical ingenuity. Notably, the Spartan commander Brasidas – another rising star of the Peloponnesian War – attempted a seaborne assault on the shore of Pylos. He crashed his ship into the rocky shore and tried to rush the Athenians. However, he was struck by several missiles and gravely wounded. As the siege at Pylos unfolded, the Spartans stationed a garrison of 420 hoplites, including 120 elite Spartiates, on the nearby island of Sphacteria to secure the harbor and prevent a complete blockade. However, the Athenians used their naval superiority to cut off supplies to the island, trapping the Spartan garrison. The situation devolved into a prolonged stalemate, with Athens unable to force a decisive victory and Sparta unwilling to concede. To break the deadlock, Demosthenes and Cleon, an Athenian politician, launched a bold assault on Sphacteria. The Athenians employed light-armed troops, such as archers and javelin-throwers, to harass and weaken the heavily armored Spartan hoplites. This strategy, combined with the Spartans’ exhaustion and dwindling supplies, forced the defenders into a desperate retreat. Facing starvation and relentless attacks, the Spartans ultimately surrendered an unprecedented event that shocked the Greek world and undermined the reputation of Spartan invincibility. The surrender of the Spartan garrison, including elite Spartiates, was a psychological and strategic blow to Sparta. It marked one of the rare occasions in Spartan history when their warriors capitulated rather than fight to the death. For Athens, the victory at Sphacteria was a significant triumph, boosting morale and providing leverage in future negotiations with Sparta. The captured Spartans became valuable bargaining tools, further enhancing Athenian influence during the war. 5th century BC hoplite. Credit: Jona Lendering / Wikimedia Commons CC0 Downfall and death In 424 BCE, Demosthenes and Hippocrates (of no relation to the famous physician) launched an effort to seize Megara but were thwarted by the Spartan general Brasidas. The Athenians managed to capture the port of Nisaea but Brasidas’ intervention prevented the city itself from falling. The standoff at Megara essentially ended in a stalemate. Following this setback, Demosthenes travelled to Boeotia, where he supported a democratic revolution and worked to assemble forces for a planned invasion of the region. However, a lack of coordination between Demosthenes and Hippocrates undermined their efforts, culminating in Hippocrates’ defeat at the Battle of Delium and Demosthenes was forced to abandon the venture. Following the failure of the campaign in Boeotia, Demosthenes was sidelined for several years until he was dispatched in 413 BCE to Sicily as part of Athens’ efforts to bolster its faltering expedition against Syracuse during the Peloponnesian War. Arriving with reinforcements, he sought to act decisively and break the stalemate. Demosthenes launched a bold night assault on the fortified heights of Epipolae, aiming to surprise the Syracusans and gain a critical advantage. However, the attack ended in disaster as the Athenians became disoriented in the dark, and their forces were routed by the combined Syracusan and Spartan defenders, led by Gylippus. Following this failure, Demosthenes advocated for a strategic retreat, recognizing the expedition’s diminishing chances of success. However, his suggestion was overruled by Nicias, the senior commander, who insisted on continuing the campaign. When the Athenians finally attempted to withdraw, their efforts were thwarted by a Syracusan blockade and pursuit. Demosthenes and his forces were surrounded and captured, leading to his execution alongside Nicias. Where does Demosthenes rank amongst other ancient Greek generals? Regarding Demosthenes, historian Graham Wylie notes, “Tricks and deceit were his very stock in trade, and he used whatever weapons and troops could do the job best.” At a time when most Greek generals favored the use of heavily armed hoplites in conventional battles, his use of surprise tactics and light infantry was truly innovative. Demosthenes’ imperfect battlefield record prevents him from ranking among the very top ancient Greek generals, like Alexander, Philip, Philopoemen, and Epaminondas. Nevertheless, he deserves tremendous credit for handing Sparta some of the most shocking defeats at Pylos and Sphacteria.

Local media and commemorative organizers report that the British royal will attend 85th anniversary ceremonies on Crete later this month, although Buckingham Palace has not yet officially confirmed the visit

Both sides want to stabilize U.S.-China relations, but disagreements remain

Among the victims in Kyiv was 12-year-old Lyubava Yakovleva, whose father was killed during the war.

Prosecutors in Nantes say the shooting was drug-related, but the victim's aunt says he was not involved.

Analysts say the moves have been fuelled by concerns a Burnham-led government would increase government borrowing.

The regulator say the energy supplier breached licence conditions aimed at protecting customers in vulnerable situations.

Gerardo Merida Sanchez was arrested in Arizona on May 11 before being transferred to New York.

Trump called New York Times journalist reporting on the Iran war as “treasonous” while claiming a 'victory'.

First, the Ebola outbreak tears through eastern DR Congo, killing at least 65 people and triggering fears of wider regional spread. Also, final stretch in Cape Verde ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for Sunday.  And, Ethiopia’s coffee sector is under pressure as global prices plunge. But  in a striking paradox, local consumers are paying far more, with coffee prices tripling in just six months. 

Palestinian activist Ramy Shaath is facing deportation proceedings from France, as his presence in the country is now considered a “serious threat to public order” by authorities, his lawyer said on Friday. The activist, a co-founder of the Urgence Palestine organisation, had been detained in Egypt between 2019 and 2022 before being released and allowed to join his wife in France.