Η έπαρση της ιστορικής σημαίας της Κομοτηνής από τον Δήμαρχο Γιάννη Γκαράνη στο Ηρώο της πόλης, ήταν το σημείο αναφοράς των χθεσινών επετειακών εκδηλώσεων για τη συμπλήρωση 106 ετών από την απελευθέρωση – από τον οθωμανικό, αρχικά, και τον βουλγαρικό, εν συνεχεία, ζυγό – της Κομοτηνής, και την ενσωμάτωσή της στον εθνικό κορμό. Ακολούθησε η υποδοχή μπροστά στο Δημαρχείο της θαυματουργού ιεράς εικόνας της Παναγίας Φανερωμένης Βαθυρρύακος, και η λιτάνευσή της, υπό του Σεβασμιωτάτου Μητροπολίτη Μαρωνείας & Κομοτηνής κ.κ. Παντελεήμονος, και παρουσία εκπροσώπων στρατιωτικών, πολιτικών και αυτοδιοικητικών αρχών, καθώς και πλήθους κόσμου, στον ιστορικό Ιερό Ναό Κοιμήσεως Της Θεοτόκου.   www.ertnews.gr

Αυξημένα περιστατικά φθορών και διαρρήξεων οχημάτων καταγράφηκαν το τελευταίο 24ωρο στα Ιωάννινα, με τις αστυνομικές αρχές να προχωρούν σε συλλήψεις και ταυτοποιήσεις δραστών. Από το Αστυνομικό Τμήμα Ιωαννίνων ταυτοποιήθηκε ημεδαπός, σε βάρος του οποίου σχηματίστηκε δικογραφία για φθορά ξένης ιδιοκτησίας κατ’ εξακολούθηση, καθώς σύμφωνα με την έρευνα προκάλεσε τα ξημερώματα της Τετάρτης ζημιές σε οκτώ σταθμευμένα οχήματα σε περιοχή της πόλης. Παράλληλα, αστυνομικοί της Υποδιεύθυνσης Δίωξης και Εξιχνίασης Εγκλημάτων Ιωαννίνων συνέλαβαν το βράδυ της ίδιας ημέρας ακόμη έναν ημεδαπό για απόπειρα κλοπής από σταθμευμένα αυτοκίνητα. Σύμφωνα με την αστυνομία, ο κατηγορούμενος έσπασε τα τζάμια δύο οχημάτων και ερεύνησε το εσωτερικό τους χωρίς τελικά να αφαιρέσει αντικείμενα. Την ίδια ώρα, έρευνα βρίσκεται σε εξέλιξη και για σοβαρές φθορές σε σούπερ μάρκετ στην οδό Βαλαωρίτου, όπου άγνωστος προκάλεσε εκτεταμένες ζημιές στις τζαμαρίες του καταστήματος τα ξημερώματα της Τετάρτης. Οι αρχές εξετάζουν υλικό από κάμερες ασφαλείας για την ταυτοποίηση του δράστη. www.ertnews.gr

A ruling by a Court in Athens put an end to the so-called “illegal” imposition of a monthly charge of 0.80 euros on deposit accounts of National Bank customers. The move of National Bank to automatically and without the consent of customers to converted their bank accounts from “simple savings/simple current” to “privilege account” with […] The post Court rules against National Bank monthly charge on deposit accounts appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

A Navy submarine reportedly entangled in trawl nets of fishing boats between the islands of Andros and Tinos in the Aegean Sea. Despite the accident, the submarine did not lose its propulsion and has already surfaced, thus continuing its participation in the exercise “KATAIGIS 26” – STORM 26- , sources told media. The submarine of […] The post Submarine entangled in trawl nets during Navy exercise in the Aegean appeared first on Keep Talking Greece.

Bronze Age depiction of a procession of Minoan ships from Akrotiri, Thera. How did the Mycenaeans conquer Minoan Crete? Credit: Public domain How did the Minoan civilization on ancient Crete and the Cyclades come to an end? The single greatest factor involved was the conquest of Minoan Crete by the Mycenaeans. How and when did this conquest take place, and did it even really happen? Relations between the Minoans and the Mycenaeans The Minoan civilization dominated Crete and many of the Cyclades for much of the Bronze Age. It was mainly confined to the Middle Bronze Age. Archaeologists define this period as extending from approximately 2000 to around 1550 BC. During this era, there was extensive trade between the Minoans and Mycenaeans. Archaeologists have found numerous Minoan luxury items among the Mycenaeans of that period, and vice versa. Genetic studies also reveal that the two peoples were closely related. The archaeology of the Eastern Mediterranean as a whole from that era shows that the Minoans were the dominant trading force. While the Mycenaeans did engage in far-reaching trade, as well, Minoan Crete was much more prominent as a center of international trade. The Mycenaeans conquer Minoan Crete However, this relationship between the two peoples changed in the Late Bronze Age. This is the period from roughly 1550 to 1200 BC, according to most archaeologists. About a century into this period, around approximately 1450 BC, we see evidence of massive changes on Crete. The most obvious archaeological evidence of social upheaval from this period are the destruction layers. Various important Minoan cities (including Knossos, the most powerful city) were destroyed at this time. We find such destruction all over the island. Although earthquakes do happen on Crete, the destruction that we see in this period was clearly targeted. In many cases, only religious buildings or administrative buildings were destroyed, while surrounding structures remained untouched. There is no doubt whatsoever that humans were responsible for these destruction events. Internal conflict or external invaders? The presence of man-made destruction events across Crete does not necessarily mean that the island was invaded. Why do many scholars conclude that Minoan Crete was conquered by the Mycenaeans? The reason, in part, is that there is clear evidence that the Minoans were preparing for warfare in the decades leading up to this event. For example, this is evident from the construction of defensive walls. For centuries, the Minoans had not placed much value on the construction of grand walls for defensive purposes. However, in the decades leading up to approximately 1450 BC, the Minoans began constructing defensive walls with great fervor. They built defensive towers, dug new wells, converted living quarters into storage areas, and so forth. Everything indicates they were preparing for warfare. If destruction events around 1450 BC were the result of internal conflict, this does not satisfactorily explain the aforementioned evidence. With internal conflict, we would expect to see the building of defensive structures emerge concurrently with the destruction layers, but the former decidedly precedes the latter. A seaborne invasion The evidence makes it clear that Minoan Crete was conquered by outside invaders, such as the Mycenaeans. Since it is obviously unlikely that the invaders declared their intent to invade decades in advance, we can only conclude that fighting was already going on prior to around the year 1450 BC, though evidently in a setting that left little to no archaeological evidence. Therefore, the logical conclusion is that the Minoans were facing attacks at sea. This is evidently what led to their deciding to prepare for war. Supporting this conclusion is evidence from several Minoan islands. One example is Kythera. This is an island which is right at the doorstep of southern Greece. However, rather than being controlled by the Mycenaeans, it was a Minoan settlement much like Crete. In the first part of the Late Bronze Age, the Minoan settlement on Kythera was destroyed. At about the same time, Minoan settlements on Rhodes and Milos constructed defensive walls, suggesting they were under threat of attack. Undoubtedly, there was a powerful seafaring nation which threatened the Minoans during this period. Mycenaeans, the conquerors of Minoan Crete The fact that the Mycenaeans conquered Minoan Crete is made clear by this and other evidence. The evidence recounted thus far points to the probability that a powerful, seafaring nation must have been attacking the Minoans. What other seafaring nations existed at that time that were powerful enough to go up against such a large trading empire? There are not many options. The Mycenaeans, being geographically closest, are unarguably the most likely culprits. Consider the fact that the Minoan settlement on Kythera, right next to Greece itself, was destroyed a second time in the Late Bronze Age at about the same time as the destruction of Knossos and other Cretan cities. Confirming the case is the fact that the material culture of the Mycenaeans emerges in substantial quantities on Crete just after the destruction of the Minoan cities. Furthermore, the script utilized by administrative centers suddenly changed. Previously, it had been Linear A, the script of the Minoans. However, after the destruction events, it changed to Linear B, the script of the Mycenaeans. Without doubt, the evidence is clear that the Mycenaeans conquered Minoan Crete around the year 1450 BC.  

The central square of the Paxos village has been renamed Edward Kennedy Square. Credit: AMNA The handwritten note by late U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy dating back to August 1968 is exhibited in the small art gallery that used to be a taverna in Edward Kennedy Square, located in Lakka village on the Greek island of Paxos. Dedicated to the owners, Spiros Mantelas and his wife Sarenia, of the taverna which Kennedy would visit, the note, dated August 1968, reads: “The memory of your hospitality, friendliness and good food I will bring with me back to my home in the United States. Edward Kennedy US.” The commemorative note is now exhibited in a glass showcase posted on the war gallery. The handwritten note by Edward Kennedy. Credit: AMNA Kennedy spent several summers on the Greek island of Paxos The longest-serving U.S. Senator spent summers on Paxos, and it is said that he enjoyed Lakka. The Mantelas taverna was his favorite place to eat, according to Paxos Deputy Mayor, Giorgos Lichnos. “His handsome face, his rich, blond hair and his tall body attracted all the girls on the island, but he preferred to come to this small taverna and eat his favorite handmade souvlaki grilled on charcoal,” Lichnos said. Ted Kennedy was pictured in 1967, a year before his unforgettable vacation on Paxos. Public Domain It has been over fifty years since Edward Kennedy wrote that note to the Lakka taverna owner, but the older villagers who were young at the time remember the “strange” tall American who walked the streets of the island and enjoyed its beauties away from his life of public service. He visited the island on numerous occasions and was known as ‘Teddy’ to the locals. The U.S. Senator became friends with some of the locals. His death in August 2009 was met with sadness by those who knew him, but his name lives on. Locals and tourists dine at the taverna on Edward Kennedy square. Credit: AMNA The Greek island of serene beauty in the Ionian Sea Paxos, in the Ionian Sea boasts serene getaways, summer fun, links to ancient history, and cozy harbors perfect for exploring by boat. Also called Paxoi, it offers another side of Greek culture, hosting festivals that showcase the fine arts every year in one of the most spectacular natural landscapes in existence. Paxos is actually comprised of a series of islands that dot the Ionian Sea just south of the more well-known island of Kerkyra, or Corfu. Home to only 2,500 people, the island is packed with travelers every summer but becomes a quiet Brigadoon once again when autumn descends. That must have been the case even in ancient history, as well, when, according to Greek mythology, the god Poseidon created the island by striking the island of Corfu with his trident, breaking a piece off in order for him and his wife Amphitrite to enjoy some quiet all to themselves.  

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It's a simple action movie that grew into a billion-dollar global franchise. "The Fast and the Furious" marked its 25th anniversary with a midnight showing at the Cannes Film Festival. Lead actor Vin Diesel was joined on the red carpet by the daughter of his late co-star Paul Walker, to whom he paid an emotional tribute. FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Eve Jackson also tells us about the other films that have festival-goers revved up, from an "unhinged" slasher flick with Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, to a film starring Barry Keoghan as the charismatic leader of a Circassian immigrant family.

FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Eve Jackson brings us the latest from the Cannes Film Festival, including a look at one of the wildest movies the festival has seen in a while: "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma", from director Jane Schoenbrun. It's part-slasher movie, part-fever dream and part-commentary on fandom and identity. It stars Gillian Anderson, who we know best for "The X-Files" and "Sex Education". Opposite her is "Hacks" actress Hannah Einbinder playing a young queer filmmaker.