Giulio in Cairo, Valeria at the Bataclan, Simone in Gaza: Our Millennial Explorers

Giulio, Valeria, and Simone are our global heroes. They were the Millennial explorers, Italians of the new millennium. Their interests went beyond social networking, selfies and temporary jobs. They placed themselves on the front lines in conflict areas. They deeply cared about human rights issues. They mastered many languages, and were driven by a desire to discover the world, in its contradictions and its riches. They were more progressive and socially conscious than their predecessors. They were part of a generation currently voting for politicians the age of their grandparents. Just recently, in the Iowa primaries, 84 percent of Democrats between the age of 17 and 29 voted for 74 year-old Bernie Sanders. Millennials also supported Podemos in Spain, Syriza in Greece, and the 66 year-old socialist Jeremy Corbyn in the UK. Giulio Regeni, who disappeared in Egypt on January 25th and was found dead on February 4, with signs of torture on his body, was the young man every parent wishes they had. He was a committed, intelligent, and talented young man, according to the reports that have emerged following his death. > Giulio, Valeria and Simone: the three victims of conflict, > terrorism, and war tried to use their knowledge of languages, the > Internet and technology for growth and development. The 28-year-old student from Fruili chose to leave his small town and traveled to the Italian city Trieste and later to New Mexico, United States, and then to the UK. He studied at Oxford and Cambridge. Then he found himself in Cairo, finishing up his PhD and doing research for his thesis on trade unions and the local economy. As you reflect on Giulio's career path, you can't help but recall another young Italian victim: Valeria Solesin, the 28 year-old doctoral student killed during the Bataclan attacks in Paris last November. She was studying demography at the Sorbonne. We also have to remember the Roman reporter Simone Camilli, who worked with several press agencies, among them the Associated Press, and was killed in Gaza in August 2014. He died in a blast as police were defusing an unexploded missile. He was the first reporter to die in the 2014 Gaza conflict. Giulio, Valeria and Simone: the three victims of conflict, terrorism, and war tried to use their knowledge of languages, the Internet and technology for growth and development. Like the generations that preceded them, they were after financial stability, but they didn't chase traditional jobs to achieve it. In 1271, when Marco Polo followed his father and uncle to China, he was 17. Magellan was sent to India at the age of 25. Columbus started sailing when he was 14. Their youthful experiences would come to change the world. Today, they would be called Millennials. Like Giulio, Valeria and Simone. _This post first appeared on HuffPost Italy. It has been translated into English and edited for clarity._ -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

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Greek Warrior Head Tshirts

We tend to forget how brightly colored statues in the Ancient World were. The bare marble classically-inspired statues of the renaissance were based on a misunderstanding of the available Greek and Roman antique 'models' in this regard. This is a lovely ...

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This might be one of the most sensible, scientifically-supported diets we’ve ever seen

[always hungry book]Dr. David Ludwig We've been told a lot of things about diets over the years. Fat is bad for you. Everyone should get six to 11 servings of carbohydrates per day. Burn more calories than you eat, and you can lose weight. But it turns out that many of these recommendations don't line up with decades of published research on nutrition. Dr. David Ludwig, a Harvard Medical School nutrition and obesity expert, has a diet plan outlined in his new book, "Always Hungry? Conquer Cravings, Retrain Your Fat Cells, and Lose Weight Permanently." And it is among the most sensible, scientifically supported diets we've ever seen. WHAT YOU DO The program starts with a two-week boot camp designed to stamp out cravings. You completely cut all grains, processed sugars, starchy vegetables, alcoholic beverages, and artificial sweeteners from your diet. Legumes, non-starchy vegetables, and whole fruits (up to three a day) are allowed. Every meal should include a serving of protein (like meat, eggs, cheese, and Greek yogurt) and fat (like olive oil, avocado, and nuts). About half of your calories come from fat during this phase. Over phases II and III, you gradually add grains back in, but try to focus on whole, unprocessed ones like quinoa and oats. Phase II allows starchy vegetables (like squash), but still forbids white potatoes. By Phase III, the rules are very loose, but everyone is encouraged to find the amount of carbs and sugar that can be "tolerated": if you find yourself with insatiable hunger or cravings again, it's time to cut back. By the end of the program, about 40% of calories should come from fat, while 40% come from carbs, and 20% come from protein. [no carb low carb diet pork chop avocados food]Dr. David Ludwig WHY IT WORKS Ludwig's "alternative hypothesis" for why his plan works is somewhat controversial in the field, and some mainstream endocrinologists we talked to say it's based on conjecture rather than hard science. But he put together the plan citing his own extensive research (some of which can be found here, here, here, and here) as well as many other studies examining why we gain and lose weight.  Ludwig explained to Tech Insider his hypothesis, which he's been testing for years:  When we eat processed carbohydrates, like white bread or cookies, the insulin levels in our body skyrocket. That much is not contested. But Ludwig goes further. His idea is that this spike in insulin makes our fat cells suck up calories and hold on to them. With so many calories being stored in fat cells, the amount of calories in the blood are lower, so the brain thinks that the body is hungry.  And one of the fastest ways to get more calories in the blood is to eat more simple, processed carbohydrates. So we eat them — and then we crave more. It's a vicious cycle, Ludwig says, that can lead to a slowed metabolism, and eventually obesity. (Ludwig's research is also part of what's behind similar diets like the South Beach Diet.) He explains that the purpose of the diet's first phase is to "retrain our fat cells" to release the calories they're storing so the body can recognize when it's actually hungry again. Ludwig says this retraining occurs when you predominantly replace processed carbohydrates and added sugars with high-fat, whole foods.  "You lower insulin [and] calm chronic inflammation, so fat cells stop taking up so many calories and there are more for the rest of the body," Ludwig says. "Hunger naturally declines, metabolism speeds up, and you start losing weight with your body’s cooperation, not with your body kicking and screaming."  WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS Putting aside Ludwig's contested explanation for _why_ it works, the "Always Hungry" plan recommendations themselves line up with decades of sound research on diets. Scientific reviews have concluded: that low-fat diets are less effective than high-fat or low-carb diets; that sticking to a diet is the most important part of any plan; that cutting calories isn't sustainable; and that consuming too much added sugar can contribute to weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Ludwig insists — citing results from the pilot study testing the plan — that participants truly don't crave processed carbohydrates or sugars in the same way once they reach phase III, so it doesn't feel like you're depriving yourself of food you want. It's sustainable. [Old Couple Walking]Dr. David LudwigThat's also partially because participants don't count calories, and can eat when they're hungry. Beyond the eating plan, Ludwig makes additional recommendations that are firmly grounded in weight-loss research, including getting enough sleep, keeping stress levels at bay, and adding enjoyable activities so you'll actually want to exercise. It's truly a lifestyle plan — and one that is designed for lasting change. Participants should feel satiated by Phase III, such that they can continue indefinitely and avoid the yo-yo effect often sparked by the constant hunger that accompanies many diets. As Ludwig continues gathering data on people following the plan, he might be able to convince the skeptics that he's right. But as with much in the world of nutrition and health, we often know _that _things work before we know why they do. The mantra of the program is: "Forget calories, focus on the quality of the food, and let your body do the rest." That sounds like good advice to us. NOW WATCH: Eating habits that can improve your health — according to scientists

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Students get chance to meet the GREEKS

The Multicultural GREEK Council held their spring Meet & Greet event on Thursday night in Rosebud Theater. The night allowed students to get a ...

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Questions about Penn's hiring practices loom after GREEK life admin. faked credentials

After Kenny Jones, the former associate director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life revealed last week that he never received his doctorate, the ...

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Oil price drop, capital controls resulted in decline in GREEK exports last year

When fuel is excluded, the value of GREEK exports amounted to 18.28 billion euros, up 8.2 percent year-on-year. The president of the Panhellenic ...

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Art company draws Panthers, Broncos as superheroes, GREEK gods

Super Bowl 50 may very well carry the overtones of a GREEK epic or comic book movie. And to celebrate, Nobilified, a Philadelphia-based art company, ...

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Flu death toll rises to 51 in Greece, doctors urge vaccinations

Athens, February 5, 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Marina Spyropoulou Seven people lost their lives of flu complications over the past 24 hours in Greece, taking the death toll this season to 51, among them three children, according to the latest statistics by the Greek Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO). There were 114 […]

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Greek emergency services workers march for better pension deal

Athens (AFP) - More than 2,000 police, coastguards and firefighters took to the streets of cash-strapped Athens on Friday in protest at pension reforms as the country reeled from a paralysing general strike, according to AFP. The demonstration came a day ...

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How the circumflex became France's bête noire

A major drama has broken out in France after the local language police decreed one of their cute little accents to be largely redundant NOM: Circumflex, or in French, circonflexe. QUEL ÂGE A-T-IL? Oh, it goes back thousands of years, to ancient Greece. Continue reading...

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Can Greek life survive?

During the first week of spring semester — “Welcome Week,” as it’s popularly known — the women of the Panhellenic community at UC Berkeley were forbidden by the presidents of their sororities from attending parties at unaffiliated fraternities ...

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France, Germany pile pressure on Turkey to stem migrant tide

[Migrants and refugees keep themselves warm near a fire at a gas station near the northern Greek village of Idomeni as they wait to cross the Greek - Macedonian border on February 5, 2016]The massive flow of migrants into Europe must be slowed with the help of Turkey and better screening of asylum applicants on arrival on the continent, the interior ministers of France and Germany said Friday.

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Total 'chases GREEK deep-water block'

The news wire quoted an unidentified official at GREEK refinery player Hellenic Petroleum as saying it had bid along with Total and Italy's Edison for ...

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An Ancient GREEK “Laptop” Making Global Media Rounds

“Is this ancient GREEK statue proof someone took a laptop back in time?” England's Daily Mail asked in a headline. The story on their website has been ...

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GREEK, German, French Interior Ministers Urge Tightening of EU Borders

GREEK, French and German interior ministers discussed the refugees influx in the European Union and came to conclusion that it is necessary to ...

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GREEK February 4th general strike: a revival of mass struggle

An analysis by the GREEK comrades of the IMT of Thursday's general strike, an important political development marking a new stage in the class ...

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Desperate EU to Criminalize Humanitarian Assistance in Greece

… , Frontex in Greece has to obey both EU and local Greek law … difficult for NGOs working in Greece. Some have even threatened refugee …  European shores in their thousands. Greece – being one of the initial …

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Here's the truth about the stock market in 16 charts (DIA, SPY, SPX, QQQ)

[New York Stock Exchange 1987] As markets reporters, our most important responsibility is to provide readers with some helpful context for what's going on. This is particularly important during periods of heightened volatility like what we've been experiencing for the past few months. For this post, we're going to skip the laundry list of reasons why stocks might be getting whipsawed right now. Rather, we're gonna think longer term and bigger picture. Every major sell-off in history has been accompanied by a mix of economic concerns, monetary policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, or some other source of consternation that might make a rational person demand a higher premium for putting their capital at risk. The details are different each time. But structurally, it's generally the same story: it's risky out there. Amid all this, one pattern has stood the test of time: stocks will go down a lot, but then they'll go up a lot more. The explanation behind this is complicated. But ultimately, it's about people wanting a better future. Human ingenuity develops the technology and processes that make the goods and services we want and need cheaper and more accessible. Standards of living go up for more and more people, and aggregate demand and profits go up. It's important to note that a major reason why the big stock market indices go up is because obsolete companies die and are regularly being replaced by innovators and disruptors who have all sorts of growth ahead of them. Turnover in the S&P 500 is very high as the life of an S&P 500 company gets shorter and shorter. The Dow Jones Industrial Average of 1896 looks nothing like the Dow Jones Industrial Average of today. Let's go to some charts. From Credit Suisse's Lori Calvasina, here's how the S&P 500 has tumbled from peak to trough around recessionary periods. During these challenging economic times, the S&P 500 has averaged a decline of 33% during recessionary pullbacks. While a recession isn't the base-case scenario for most economists right now, concerns of a recession happening soon are high. If you fear a recession is imminent, here's some context. [stocks] Next, Calvasina illustrates how the S&P 500 soars from trough to peak around those same periods.  “Since 1929, the S&P 500 has averaged a gain of 62% during recessionary rebounds,” Calvasina observed. “Recessionary rebounds in the S&P 500 have had an average duration of 284 trading days, and a median duration of 298 trading days.” [stocks] Using some very basic math, if you fall 33% and then surge 62% from that low level, then you are up 9% from where you started. In other words, the cumulative gains of the stock market far outpace the cumulative declines. Everything we've talked about so far is captured nicely in this next chart from JP Morgan Asset Management's David Kelly, which is on a log scale and includes annotations of major world events. [stocks] We like to think of this chart as how Warren Buffett sees the stock market. Indeed, it echoes the message of a New York Times op-ed Buffett wrote during the darkest moments of the financial crisis. Here's the key excerpt: ...A little history here: During the Depression, the Dow hit its low, 41, on July 8, 1932. Economic conditions, though, kept deteriorating until Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in March 1933. By that time, the market had already advanced 30 percent. Or think back to the early days of World War II, when things were going badly for the United States in Europe and the Pacific. The market hit bottom in April 1942, well before Allied fortunes turned. Again, in the early 1980s, the time to buy stocks was when inflation raged and the economy was in the tank. In short, bad news is an investor’s best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America’s future at a marked-down price. OVER THE LONG TERM, THE STOCK MARKET NEWS WILL BE GOOD. IN THE 20TH CENTURY, THE UNITED STATES ENDURED TWO WORLD WARS AND OTHER TRAUMATIC AND EXPENSIVE MILITARY CONFLICTS; THE DEPRESSION; A DOZEN OR SO RECESSIONS AND FINANCIAL PANICS; OIL SHOCKS; A FLU EPIDEMIC; AND THE RESIGNATION OF A DISGRACED PRESIDENT. YET THE DOW ROSE FROM 66 TO 11,497... It's worth noting that the Dow is at 16,267, up 41% from the 11,497 level Buffett mentioned in his 2008 piece. Bottom line: investing can be scary. And you can very well get decimated in the near-term. But if you're managing your risk properly and you have the time and the stomach for the volatility, it can be very lucrative and a whole lot of fun. ...well, at least that's what the history shows. Having said all that, let's take a look at a couple more charts that offer some helpful context for stock market investors. THE STOCK MARKET CAN WIPE YOU OUT. "Figure 45 shows various markets and industries which have suffered severe losses in relatively short order in recent decades, e.g., the UK (1972-74), the Nasdaq (2000-03), Greece (2008-12) and Mining (2008-09),"Citi's Jonathan Stubbs wrote. "Hence, buyer beware." IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, A HUGE SELL-OFF IS PROBABLY GOING TO HAPPEN. “Despite average intra-year drops of 14.2%, annual returns positive in 27 of 36 years,” JP Morgan Asset Management’s David Kelly observed. AVERAGE RETURNS RARELY HAPPEN. "Since 1926, the average annual return for US stocks has been a little more than 10%, and this seems to be pretty common knowledge for even neophyte investors," Vanguard analyst Donald Bennyhoff wrote. "So 10% would seem to be a reasonable expectation for an average year, right? Our illustration ... shows how often that assumption is erroneous, but it is also irrelevant." See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Big share in the global fleet and also in the global sinking of charters

Athens, February 5, 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Olga Mavrou “In spite of the major difficulties in Greece and abroad the Greeks, with 4,500 ships, own 20% of the global fleet  and 50% of the European fleet”, said Theodoros Veniamis,  president of the Union of Greek Ship-owners, at their annual general meeting. He also said that the imposition […]

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Chinese interested in three Greek tenders

Athens, February 5, 2016/Independent Balkan News Agency By Olga Mavrou According to sources, COSCO, after the acquisition of Piraeus port, is planning to own as much s possible in order to build a “chinese” road to the rest of Europe. So COSCO is not interested only in the  logistics centre in Thriasio Pedio, in Attica, […]

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EU needs detention and removal centre for migrants

[EU Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs Diitris Avramopoulos gestures ahead of a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg]European Union countries that register arriving migrants also need detention and removal centres to handle those that are not granted the right to stay in the 28-nation bloc, European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said. In an interview with the Euractiv information website, Avramopulous also said that countries facing the biggest migration pressure like Greece and Italy, should build such centres alongside expanding "hotspots" for handling those who have arrived and are waiting for a decision. "But detention or removal centres are also needed for those who receive the decision to return, particularly if there is a risk of absconding and if they are not willing to return voluntarily," Avramopulous told Euractiv.

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National Bank of Greece (ADR): What the Future Looks Like

As Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras puts it, the only way for Greece to overcome the crisis is to support the weakest elements in the economy and restart the whole economic system. In order for the country to get back on its feet, it is necessary that ...

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Markets slide on uncertainty over US rates after latest jobs figures

America’s jobless rate has fallen to 4.9% after US companies took on 151,000 new hires in January, fewer than expected * Non-farm payroll rises by just 151k.. * ....but average hourly earnings jump * Analysts: It’s a mixed report * Full story 5.33pm GMT OVER IN GREECE, THOUSANDS OF POLICE MEN (BACKED UP BY FIREMEN AND COASTGUARD OFFICIALS) ARE MARCHING THROUGH ATHENS CHANTING “WE SAVE LIVES, DON’T DROWN OURS “ IN REFERENCE TO PENSION CUTS, writes Helena Smith. All are in uniform. They’re protesting pension funds being amalgamated and demanding that they be excluded from planned reforms by virtue of the sensitivity of their jobs. Protestors have descended on the capital from all over Greece, including the southern Aegean, site of mass refugee arrivals. The union of police employees from Trikala are participating with a banner that reads: “No to the measures of death. Stop the cuts.” 5.02pm GMT The initial reaction to the US jobs numbers, which showed a weaker than expected rise of 151,000 in non-farm payrolls, was that a US rate rise was therefore off the table in the immediate future. But as the afternoon wore on, investors began to concentrate on the rise in average earnings and the fact that the jobless rate was at an eight year low. So the prospect of a rate rise was suddenly back on the agenda, and as a consequence the dollar rose and markets fell. Continue reading...

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Refugee crisis: Thousands stranded at Macedonia border after tougher crossing rules introduced

Thousands of refugees have been left stranded near the Greece-Macedonia border after new rules for moving between countries were introduced. Macedonia is only letting refugees, many of whom are escaping war in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq, cross the border after they undergo a 30-minute interview about why they came to Europe. Abdula, a refugee from Iraq, said, "You can see this, there is no place to sleep.

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Thousands flee as Russian-backed offensive threatens to besiege Aleppo

[aleppo syria damage]Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters BEIRUT (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Syrians fled an intensifying Russian assault around Aleppo on Friday, and aid workers said they feared the city which once held two million people could soon fall under a full government siege. Iran reported one of its generals was killed on the front line assisting government forces, direct confirmation of the role Tehran is playing along with Moscow in what appears to be one of the most ambitious offensives in five years of civil war. The government assault around Aleppo, and advances in the south of the country, helped to torpedo peace talks this week in Geneva. President Bashar al-Assad's forces and their allies are making a new bid to achieve victory on the battlefield after Russia's intervention ended months of stalemate. The last 24 hours saw government troops and their Lebanese and Iranian allies fully encircle the countryside north of Aleppo and cut off the main supply route linking the city - Syria's largest before the war - to Turkey. Ankara said it suspected the aim was to starve the population into submission. Aleppo would be the biggest strategic prize in years for Assad's government in a conflict that has killed at least 250,000 people and driven 11 million from their homes. Video footage showed thousands of people, mostly women, children and the elderly, massing at the Bab al-Salam border crossing. Men carried luggage on top of their heads, and the elderly and those unable to walk were brought in wheelchairs. Some women sat on the side of the road holding babies and awaited to be allowed into Turkey. "It feels like a siege of Aleppo is about to begin," said David Evans, Middle East programme director for the U.S. aid agency Mercy Corps, which said the most direct humanitarian route to Aleppo had been severed. [syria aleppo siege]Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters The leader of a prominent rebel group active in northwestern Syria confirmed that government-allied forces were tightening their grip on the northern Aleppo countryside, and that heavy Russian bombing carried on unabated. NON-STOP RUSSIAN AIRSTRIKES "The Russian (air) cover continues night and day, there were more than 250 air strikes on this area in one day," Hassan Haj Ali, head of Liwa Suqour al-Jabal, a group that fights under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army, told Reuters. "The regime is now trying to expand the area it has taken control of ... Now the northern countryside (of Aleppo) is totally encircled, and the humanitarian situation is very difficult," he said. Syrian state TV and a monitoring group said the army and its allies had seized the town of Ratyan north of Aleppo, building on gains made earlier in the week. Haj Ali said the town had not yet fallen, but that there were "very heavy battles". The Syrian army and its allies broke a three-year rebel siege of two Shi'ite towns in Aleppo province on Wednesday, cutting off a major supply line from Turkey to Aleppo. Aleppo, Syria's commercial hub, has been divided for years between a section under government control and areas that are in the grip of rebels. Much of Aleppo, including a UNESCO heritage old city, is largely in ruins. Haj Ali said most of the fighters on the government side were "Iranian and from Hezbollah, or Afghan". [syria airstrike]Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier-General Mohsen Ghajarian has been killed in Aleppo province, as had six Iranian volunteer militiamen. The five-year civil war pits a government led by Assad, a member of the Alawite sect derived from Shi'ite Islam, against a range of insurgents who are mainly Sunni Muslims, backed by Saudi Arabia, other Arab states and Turkey. Western countries have also lined up in opposition to Assad. THE SYRIAN ARMY IS GAINING IN THE SOUTH Since 2014, the Sunni jihadist group Islamic State has run a self-proclaimed caliphate in eastern Syria and Iraq, under air assault from a U.S.-led coalition. Russia launched its own separate air campaign four months ago to aid its ally Assad, transforming the battlefield and tipping momentum his way. But swathes of the country are still in the hands of armed rebels, including Islamic State in the east, Kurdish militia in the north, and a mosaic of groups in the west who have been the target of many of the Russian air strikes. In addition to the advance in the north near Aleppo, Syria's government forces and allies made further gains in the southern province of Deraa, recapturing a town right outside Deraa city. That advance could provide a more direct supply line for the army from Damascus and allow it to assert control over most parts of the city. [SyriaMapJanuary2015]Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters It has been backed by some of the heaviest Russian air strikes since it began its bombing campaign in September, a rebel spokesman in the area said. Peace talks convened this week in Geneva were the first diplomatic attempt to end the war in two years but collapsed before they began in earnest. The opposition refused to negotiate while Russia was escalating its bombing and government troops were advancing. NATO said Moscow's intensified bombing campaign undermined the peace efforts and warned Russia was creating tensions by violating the air space of Syria's neighbour Turkey, a NATO member which shot down a Russian warplane in November. Russia has accused Turkey of preparing a military incursion into northern Syria. Ankara dismissed this as propaganda intended to conceal Russia's own "crimes". Aleppo was threatened with a "siege of starvation", and Turkey had the right to take any measures to protect its security, it said. THE STRIKES UNDERMINE THE PEACE PROCESS Moscow says its targets in Syria are restricted to Islamic State and al Qaeda's Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, both of which were excluded from peace talks and officially anathema to the countries supporting the insurgents against Assad. [al nusra figher US machine gun]Abdalrhman Ismail/Reuters "Why did the opposition that left Geneva complain about the offensive in Aleppo, which is actually targeted against Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front) and other radical extremist groups?" said Russia's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Alexey Borodavkin. "Jabhat al-Nusra is a terrorist organisation recognised by the U.N. Security Council. It’s a branch of al Qaeda. The opposition should be happy that terrorists are defeated. But, on the contrary, they were disappointed and left negotiations." That position is rejected by Western and Arab countries, which say most Russian strikes are against other opponents of Assad, not the banned groups. "The intense Russia air strikes, mainly targeting opposition groups in Syria, is undermining the efforts to find a political solution to the conflict," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. Russian violations of Turkish air space were "causing increased tensions and ... create risks", he added. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, said it was ready to participate in separate U.S. ground operations against Islamic State. The United States welcomed the Saudi offer, although Washington so far has committed only to small scale operations by special forces units on the ground in Syria. (Additional reporting by Suleiman Al-Khalidi in Amman, Humeyra Pamuk in Istanbul, Parisa Hafezi in Ankara and Tom Miles in Geneva, writing by John Davison and Peter Graff, editing by Peter Millership) NOW WATCH: An AT&T spokesperson and former refugee is now helping Syrian refugees in Greece

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Amazon's first original movie, Spike Lee's 'Chi-raq,' is available to stream on Prime right now

[chiraq]Amazon Amazon's first original movie, Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq," is available to stream on Prime. While Amazon and Netflix have licensed old movies for ages, both have recently begun aggressive moves into the original film business. The pair went on a buying spree at Sundance, outbidding traditional distributors for indie films. One source at a theatrical distributor said, "We are shooting bullets, but Netflix and Amazon are using machine guns!" The companies believe there is a market for niche films that is being underserved by Hollywood. “There are movies that people really want to watch that are no longer being made and no longer being put in movie theaters because studios don’t want to make them anymore,” Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos said, according to Vanity Fair. This sentiment certainly rings true for "Chi-Raq." When asked why he sold the film to Amazon, Spike Lee replied, "They're a great company. And also everyone else said no." "Chi-Raq" had a theatrical run starting in December and snagged $2.6 million at the domestic box office. But the true test of its worth for Amazon will be how it performs on Prime. The film is a modern-day rendition of "Lysistrata," by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, and stars Nick Cannon and Wesley Snipes. In "Chi-Raq," a gang leader's girlfriend organizes a sex strike to curb the violence on Chicago's South Side. Stream the film on Prime here>> NOW WATCH: Amazon will open over 300 brick-and-mortar bookstores — we visited the first one

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Is This Ancient Greek ‘Laptop’ Proof That Time Travel Is Real?

A statue showing a young girl holding up what appears to be a laptop - complete with USB ports - has sparked a frenzy among conspiracy theorists. The statue, ‘Grave Naiskos of an Enthroned Woman with an Attendant’ is in The J. Paul Getty Museum in ...

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Foreign Minister Kotzias’ interview with the Athens News Agency (ANA-MPA Turk)

JOURNALIST: Mr. Minister, where do Greek-Turkish relations stand following the recent meeting you had with Mr. Cavusoglu, your Turkish counterpart, in Istanbul?N. KOTZIAS: I think that Greek-Turkish relations are relations that have a number of problems that must be solved, and the solution will be based on international law as well as on trust between the two peoples and the corresponding competent services and, above all, between the prime ministers of Turkey and Greece, and between the Turkish foreign minister and myself. We are carrying out open, honest discussions, and I think that the state of trust is better than...

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Alternate FM Xydakis meets with the Polish Ambassador to Greece, Anna Barbarzak (Foreign ...

The Alternate Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Nikos Xydakis, met at the Foreign Ministry today with the Polish Ambassador to Athens, Anna Barbarzak.During the meeting, which took place in a friendly atmosphere, the collocutors discussed the activities being planned by the Polish Embassy in sectors such as economic and educational cooperation.Moreover, they focused on current European affairs, including the refugee crisis and EU-UK relations.

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The Latest: Protests in Athens Over Pension Changes

Officers from Greece's coast guard joined colleagues from the police and fire service demonstrate in central Athens against austerity measures and a planned overhaul of the pension system

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EU Commission sees progress in GREEK review talks but work not over yet

Asked about progress in negotiations with the GREEK authorities, EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said that "discussions are ...

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Is Gaza paying the price of the Cypriot-Israeli-GREEK alliance?

The Israeli, Cypriot, GREEK summit held in Cyprus's capital city, Nicosia, is another example of how Tel Aviv's predictions regarding its gas discoveries ...

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Greece’s frightening inability to deal with the refugee influx

… 28-nation European Union. But the Greeks, still suffering from economic depression … port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, January 31, 2016. Credit: Reuters … from Greece, which would in turn transform much of impoverished Greece into …

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Sources: Total-Led Consortium Bids for Greek Offshore Gas Drilling Block

… of Greece, an official with Hellenic Petroleum said on Friday. Greece, which … south of the island of Crete last summer and unsealed the … and offshore blocks in western Greece. (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing …

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Refugees stranded in Greek terminal

Refugees are facing a third night stranded in a passenger terminal in Greece due to a blockade of the streets. They are stuck in Piraeus because farmers are blocking the roads in protest at austerity measures. Nick Thorpe reports.

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Members of the Greek Police Force Show Their Anger Outside Maximos Mansion

Nine members of the Greek police revealed signs against the government’s pension reform plan outside the prime minister’s mansion today, surprising both their own colleagues and the PM’s security guard. The signs read “Alexis, why are you killing ...

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Greece’s anti-corruption tsar retires

Former supreme court justice Leandros Rakintzis, aged 78, steps down 6 years later than planned

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Greek Government Expresses Hope for a Quick Agreement

As the first round of talks between Greek government officials and the country’s official creditors has been completed, the mood among the former is on the upswing even though nothing specific has been agreed so far between the two sides. However, Greek ...

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Increasing obstacles for migrants on Greece-FYROM border

The International Organization for Migration estimates "68,778 migrants and refugees reached the Greek…

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Cultural appropriation’: Dartmouth Greek system bans Indian head from public display

On Monday, Dartmouth’s Greek Leadership Council passed a new rule which forbids Greek houses from displaying the Dartmouth Indian head. Dartmouth’s frats and sororities are already banned from “engaging in acts of cultural appropriation,” The ...

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Greece with Simon Reeve, BBC2

Simon Reeve’s travelogues have developed from bouncy gap-year hedonism to probing beneath the often touristy surface towards more urgent issues. Greece with Simon Reeve (Sunday, BBC2 8pm) combines the traveller’s enthusiasm for the surrounding beauty ...

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Take a quick trip to Greece at Stirling's 12 Islands

Is the winter weather getting you down? How about taking a break in the Greek isles? It's a short trip, no plane ticket is necessary. Just get over to Twelve Islands Greek Taverna in Stirling for a delicious mini-vacation, with authentic food in generous ...

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German ministers push Turkey to stem flow of migrants

German Interior Minister de Maiziere has said Europe must focus on reducing the number of migrants arriving on the continent. He has called for faster deportations of ineligible asylum seekers from Greece to Turkey.

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The Latest: EU official: Greece is overcoming hotspot delays

BERLIN (AP) — The Latest on the influx of migrants into Europe (all times local): 4:15 p.m. A European Union official says Greece is making "rapid progress" in overcoming delays in building screening centers for migrants and refugees on islands facing ...

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Turkish Cypriot presidency hopes elections on Greek side won’t harm peace talks

Turkish Cypriot presidency has expressed its wish that the elections scheduled for May to elect Greek Cypriot administration will not harm the ongoing peace talks between the two sides

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Deputy FM Mardas meets with the Polish Ambassador to Greece, Anna Barbarzak (Athens, 5 February ...

Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas met at the Foreign Ministry today with the Polish Ambassador to Athens, Anna Barbarzak. During the meeting, which took place in an excellent atmosphere, the collocutors reaffirmed the excellent level of political, economic and trade relations between the two countries, as well as the mutual interest in further deepening these relations.Particular emphasis was put on the increasing presence of Greek exports in Poland, the high level of bilateral trade, strengthening tourist flows to our country, and the strong interest of Greek foundations, agencies and enterprises in strengthening cooperation with their Polish counterparts.Special reference was...

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Deputy Foreign Minister Amanatidis meets with the head of New Democracy’s overseas Greeks ...

The head of New Democracy’s overseas Greeks department, Anastasios Dimoschakis, paid a visit to Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis today.During the meeting, which took place in a very good atmosphere, Mr. Amanatidis briefed Mr. Dimoschakis on the Foreign Ministry’s current actions regarding Greeks of the Diaspora, as well as on the government’s planning for coming actions bearing on the Deputy Minister’s portfolio.Both collocutors came out in favor of staying in contact, not only to remain apprised of actions, but also to carry out a substantial dialogue.

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PM Alexis Tsipras Says Greece Is Doing Its Part in Management of Refugee Crisis

Following the conclusion of his meeting with the Interior Ministers of France and Germany, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras underlined again the point that the refugee crisis is a European, not a Greek problem, while pointing out that Greece carries a ...

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Scuffles break out over construction of migrant centre on Greek island of Kos

Scuffles broke out on Friday on the Greek island of Kos between police and a small group of residents protesting against the construction of a registration and reception centre for migrants, police officials said. "About 100 people tried to enter the facilities under construction, and we fired teargas," one of the Police officials said.

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Police protest outside GREEK premier's residence ahead of larger rally

A group of police officers stage a protest outside the Maximos Mansion on Friday morning, holding banners expressing their discontent with a pension ...

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