Formula 1 and UEFA announced on Friday that their scheduled events in Russia would be moved elsewhere, in a move aimed to penalize the country over its attack on Ukraine. European soccer’s governing body, UEFA, will relocate the May 28 final, which is the largest club soccer match in the world, to Paris. The match, […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros
Friday, February 25, 2022
“Ghost of Kyiv” Ukrainian Pilot May Have Shot Down Six Russian Planes
Reports of a Ukrainian pilot, dubbed “the ghost of Kyiv,” who single-handedly shot down six Russian planes, has inspired awe all across the internet. While the existence of the lone pilot has not yet been confirmed, Ukrainian citizens claim to have witnessed the aircraft “hunting” Russian fighter planes right over the capital city of Kyiv. […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Greece to evacuate embassy in Kyiv
Greece on Friday decided to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv, the country's Foreign Ministry said on Friday. "Due to the rapid deterioration of the security situation in Kiev, the Ambassador of Greece ...
Greece to repay last tranche of IMF loans early: Finance ministry
Greece is set to repay early the final tranche of the bailout loans it received from the International Monetary Fund IMF and part ...
Greek embassy staff leave Kyiv as fighting reaches city's outskirts
Greece's embassy staff and its ambassador in Kyiv are leaving the city, the country's foreign ministry said on Friday, but consulates in Mariupol and Odessa will remain open.
Greece clinch thrilling 72-71 finish against Turkiye in 2023 basketball World Cup quals
Turkiye suffer 2nd loss in qualifiers after Kostas Papanikolaou makes 2 free throws with 3 seconds on clock - Anadolu Agency ...
Eight confirmed dead after more bodies found on burned-out ferry off Greece
Rescuers in western Greece have discovered six more bodies on a ferry severely damaged by a fire en route to Italy last week, raising the death toll to eight.
Greece: More bodies found on burned-out ferry, deaths at 8
Fire Service rescuers in western Greece have discovered six more bodies on a ferry severely damaged by a fire en route to Italy last week, raising the death toll to eight
Director, Activist Sean Penn in Ukraine Filming Russian Invasion
American actor and filmmaker Sean Penn is in Ukraine, filming a documentary on the invasion of the country by Russia. Penn was already in the country gathering background as tensions broke over into outright warfare on Thursday when Russia moved on Ukraine in a full-scale invasion after taking over the easternmost Donbass region on Monday. […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
The Greeks of Utah: History Spanning More than a Century
The Greek Community of Utah is both typical of Greek communities in the US but also, due to the uniqueness of Utah, quite distinctive itself. Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Greek Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine Evacuated
The Greek embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine has been evacuated as Russian troops make their way into the capital city on Friday. All embassy staff, as well as any Greek citizens who wished to leave, have fled from the embassy, according to the Greek Foreign Ministry. Consulate offices in the cities of Mariupol and Odessa are […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Heavyweight Boxers Klitschko Brothers Vow to Fight for Ukraine
Heavyweight boxers the Klitschko brothers vowed to fight for Ukraine on Friday after the Russian invasion reached the capital of their country. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko and his brother, Wladimir Klitschko, who had offered their services to their country at a volunteers recruitment center in Kyiv, stated that they would give all they could to […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Greece recovers stolen antiquities
Greece has recovered more than 50 antiquities, most of them seized from the collection of a billionaire US art collector and philanthropist.
Bitcoin’s climate impact ‘comparable to Greece’, report claims
Bitcoin’s network is producing a similar level of CO2 emissions to the country of Greece, according to a new report assessing the cryptocurrency’s carbon footprint. The findings contradict other ...
Stranded Whales Prompt Greece to Pause Seismic Blasts
Greek authorities have launched an investigation amid fears seismic surveys may have caused beaked whales to become stuck off the coast of Corfu.
Greece gets Eurogroup green light to repay IMF loans early
Greece has received the Eurogroup’s approval to repay the final tranches of bailout loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) early along with a small part of bilateral loans from its euro zone ...
GREECE; European funds necessary to address the energy crisis
The Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday morning – something which Greece is unequivocally condemns – creates a new state of affairs for the international community, the European Union and the surrounding region, which obviously also affects Greece, government spokesperson Yiannis Economou said at the press briefing on Thursday. “Russia’s attack on Ukraine, as Prime […] The post GREECE; European funds necessary to address the energy crisis appeared first on Hellenic News of America.
FM Dendias on evacuation of Greek citizens, diaspora from Ukraine; meets with ambassadors
An evacuation plan for Greek citizens and diaspora Greeks with a related identity card in the Ukraine has been activated, Greek Foreign Affairs Minister Nikos Dendias said on Thursday, and several have contacted authorities for this. At a meeting of the ministry’s crisis management unit, Dendias said that “the plan is out of necessity adapted […] The post FM Dendias on evacuation of Greek citizens, diaspora from Ukraine; meets with ambassadors appeared first on Hellenic News of America.
Greek President Sakellaropoulou holds official luncheon for visiting Israeli President Herzog
Greece strongly condemns the Russian attack against an independent country, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said during an official lunch in honor of visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog, and expressed the hope that common sense will prevail and a diplomatic solution will be found. At the dinner at the Presidential Mansion in Athens, Sakellaropoulou welcomed Herzog […] The post Greek President Sakellaropoulou holds official luncheon for visiting Israeli President Herzog appeared first on Hellenic News of America.
Greece accused of violating European citizen rights and forcing people fleeing persecution back across the border in landmark legal case
The case is made on behalf of a French student who left France to study at a Turkish university. After being politically persecuted and spuriously condemned to six years in prison by the Turkish ...
Eurogroup statement on the early repayments of IMF and GLF loans by Greece
On 25 February 2022, the Eurogroup issued a statement welcoming the early repayment by Greece to the International Monetary Fund as well as a partial prepayment of its loans under the GLF.
Why Greece is the place to go this summer with Jet2holidays
… could spend the summer in Greece with Jet2holidays. Pictured: Labranda … from the UK to 15 Greek airports across 19 destinations, … as Brit-favourite islands; Corfu, Zante, Crete, Mykonos and Santorini. Thanks … of international options and Greek cuisine with a la …
Love Story of Greek Swans Ends Tragically in Death, Heartbreak
The love story of two swans in Kastoria, Greece has ended, with the female swan’s death and a heartbreaking display, as the male swan was left reeling her loss on Tuesday. For the past week, Kastoria residents have been enchanted with the swan couple. That enchantment ended on Tuesday, as the injured female succumbed to her […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Russia Says Won’t Enter Talks Until “Ukraine Stops Resistance”
Russia said on Friday that it will not enter into any talks until Ukraine stops its resistance against its invasion. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated at a news conference in Moscow that Russia rejected any talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, admitting openly that his country was trying to oust Ukraine’s democratically-elected government. He […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Ukrainian Stands Ground Courageously to Stop Russian Army Convoy
Video footage captured near Ukraine’s capital Kyiv apparently shows a citizen trying to stop a Russian convoy of armored vehicles advancing towards the city, which is preparing for an assault on the second day of the war unleashed by Moscow. Russian vehicles are seen maneuvering to avoid hitting the man. It is not known what […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Meet the Only Greek Coffee Grower in the World
Greek Coffee grower DImitrios Christopoulos arrived in Colombia a few years ago, without knowing anything about coffee. Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Biden to Nominate Ketanji Brown Jackson to Supreme Court
US President Joe Biden is set to announce the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court on Friday, according to The New York Times. Jackson, judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and graduate of Harvard Law School, would be the first black woman to serve […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Afghan refugees in Turkey live in fear of deportation
Ankara [Turkey], February 25 (ANI): Afghan refugees who entered Turkey after paying fortunes to human traffickers are now struggling with a very difficult situation - fearing police may deport them as they are without any official documents or visa. "I went to cross the border for the second time but I was deported once from Greece and a second time from Bulgaria," said Hameed, a refugee, reported Tolo News. The refugees
Poet, translator & philhellene Edmund Keeley dies at age 94
Renowned scholar, translator and philhellene Edmund Keeley passed away on February 23 at age 94. Also a preeminent essayist and poet, Keeley was responsible for many people’s first encounter with the works of major Greek poets George Seferis, Odysseas Elytis, Constantine Cavafy, Yiannis Ritsos and Angelos Sikelianos through his translations into English, faithful to the […] The post Poet, translator & philhellene Edmund Keeley dies at age 94 appeared first on Hellenic News of America.
Greece approves its biggest naval modernisation in 20 years
Athens, Greece – Greek opposition parties have joined the government in approving the country’s biggest naval modernisation in 20 years. Over the next four years, Greece will spend 2.26bn euros ...
OPAP nets Gold Sponsorship of Greek Basketball
OPAP SA, the operator of the Greek national lottery and retail sportsbook franchises, has become the principal sponsor of the Hellenic Basketball Federation (EEC). At a press conference hosted at the ...
Win one of 10 great sunshine breaks with Jet2holidays – including Spain, Croatia, Greece & Portugal
TO celebrate our Sun Like It Hot campaign, we’ve teamed up with our friends at Jet2holidays to give away TEN fantastic holidays to marvellous Mediterranean hotspots. The ten stunning holidays include ...
Russian Tanks Rolling Through Kyiv, Ukraine
Russian tanks have been seen rolling through the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv on the second day of Russia’s invasion. Social media videos are showing what appears to be Russian tanks driving through Obolon, an area just north of Kyiv’s city center. Later, Ukraine’s defense ministry confirmed that Russian forces had infiltrated the residential district. Оболонь […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Elon Musk Under Investigation for Alleged Insider Trading
US regulators are investigating whether recent stock sales by Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his brother, Kimbal Musk, violated insider-trading rules, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. The investigation began in 2021, after Musk and his brother sold $108 million worth of Tesla shares, according to the Journal. The sale happened the day before Elon […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
The Ukrainian refugee crisis has already begun
Passengers arrive on a train from Odessa via Lviv in Ukraine to the railway station in Przemysl, Poland, on February 24. | Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images The time for the US and its European allies to act is now. The United Nations has estimated that about 100,000 Ukrainians have already been displaced as a result of the Russian invasion, and that number could ultimately grow to 1 to 5 million. The international community is making preparations to meet their humanitarian needs — though perhaps not quickly enough. Just hours after Russia’s assault began on Thursday morning, there were massive traffic jams, sold-out train tickets, and long lines at ATMs in Kyiv as people tried to flee with little clue as to how long they might be gone or if they’ll ever return. “There is a significant movement of the population, but it is also hard to say whether people are moving permanently or for the short-term,” said Irina Saghoyan, the eastern Europe director for Save the Children, which has been on the ground in Ukraine since 2014. For now, central Europe is welcoming Ukrainians with open arms. Receiving countries include Poland, which is planning to accommodate up to 1 million Ukrainians, as well as Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, and Moldova, where 4,000 Ukrainians arrived on Thursday. But those countries aren’t currently equipped to handle the volume of refugees that are likely to arrive on their borders in the coming weeks, and European and US leadership need to scramble to help build up that capacity. The primary receiving countries in central Europe simply don’t have the capacity to meet those needs on a large scale and on a prolonged basis. Poland, for example, only accepted about 5,200 refugees in the first nine months of 2021. A million is a big step up. “The amount of resources being dedicated to this may not be sufficient to the full scope and scale of the crisis,” said Daniel Balson, the advocacy director for Europe and Central Asia for Amnesty International. Ukrainians’ needs go beyond temporary provisions of food, clothing, and shelter that can sustain them through the cold weather. They are facing the prospect of long-term displacement, and that means they need formal pathways to legal status, access to resettlement services, permanent housing, education, and healthcare. They also need vaccination for Covid-19, which has ravaged Ukraine in recent months; only about 36 percent of Ukrainians are vaccinated. European Union states will likely bear the brunt of any potential influx of Ukrainian refugees. That will require a lot of money and infrastructure that aid organizations can’t provide in full. But there’s a role for the US, too. It can provide even more financial support and humanitarian aid than it already has. And while it has been helping to ensure that Ukrainians have a place to go, it also can help coordinate resettlement so no one country has to bear the entire burden, while also making it easier for Ukrainians to come to the US. The time to act is now. The number of Ukrainians in need of humanitarian aid could balloon quickly, particularly given Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear in previous conflicts that he has no qualms about targeting civilians, like when he ordered airstrikes on Syrian civilian infrastructure in 2019. Indeed, he has already started bombing Ukrainian hospitals in violation of international humanitarian law. EUROPE IS WELCOMING REFUGEES, UNLIKE IN PAST CRISES Europe is facing down what could be its biggest refugee crisis since 2015, when more than a million migrants and refugees arrived on the continent. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday that the EU has been preparing to “welcome and host” potential Ukrainian refugees for weeks in coordination with front-line member states. Von der Leyen said European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the EU’s humanitarian arm, is ready to provide for the basic and immediate needs of internally displaced Ukrainians. And the EU will increase its financial assistance for refugees beyond the $1.2 billion in aid that is already available, though has yet to commit to an exact amount. So far, Ukraine’s western neighbors have pledged to take in refugees fleeing Russia’s attack. On Thursday, Ukrainians began showing up on their borders by the thousands and there appear to be many more on the way given the crowded roadways. Poland, the largest country on Ukraine’s western flank, is expected to be the primary destination for refugees. There are currently eight reception points along every border crossing where they can get food, medical assistance, and information. And there’s transport available to move them from those sites to other regions of the country if need be. “We have a calling to ensure our national security, but also ensure the best conditions for Ukrainian citizens who will be seeking shelter in Poland from war,” the Polish deputy minister of internal affairs and administration BÅ‚ażej Poboży told the media outlet Radio ZET in Polish on Thursday. But even countries that don’t directly border Ukraine have offered up support: Czech Republic, for instance, has offered to deploy its police force to Slovakia’s eastern border to help manage the influx of refugees. This kind of mobilization across Europe to come to Ukrainians’ aid stands in contrast to past responses to migrant crises. Just months ago, Poland decided to utilize troops and construct a $400 million wall to repel predominantly Muslim asylum seekers at its border with Belarus. Over the past few years, Hungary has passed laws criminalizing support for asylum seekers and limiting the right to asylum and has allowed police to automatically expel any unauthorized migrants. And in 2015, the influx of Syrians fueled the rise of populist, anti-immigration, eurosceptic, and far-right parties across Europe. Why is this time any different? EU countries might be more open to absorbing Ukrainians fleeing the wrath of their adversary. But there might also be more willingness to accept Ukrainians because they are white, European, and majority Christian, revealing the “troubling rise of nationalist movements rooted in fear of the other,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, the president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service. There’s still a lot European countries need to work out, including finding more permanent accommodations for Ukrainians. That will involve developing a regional resettlement scheme and ensuring that the kind of overcrowding that occurred in Greece and Italy in 2015 doesn’t happen again. Ukrainians can stay in the EU without a visa for up to 90 days, but it’s an open question what kind of legal status they might get thereafter. That will need to be cleared up as well. THE US CAN SUPPORT THE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE IN EUROPE Geography dictates that central Europe will likely be the epicenter of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. But the US still has a role to play. “The responsibility to support refugees and asylum seekers in Europe cannot fall squarely or exclusively on Europeans,” Balson said. “The US constantly talks about the need to show solidarity in various spheres; there’s a need for solidarity in support for asylum seekers.” Many of the 5,500 US troops deployed to Poland have already been helping set up processing centers. But some migration experts in Poland have raised concerns that Poland has nowhere near the capacity to absorb 1 million refugees as it has promised. As of earlier this month, there were only 2,000 spots for refugees across all the centers operated by the government’s Office of Foreigners. The Polish border guard had room for only 800 people (its facilities can hold a total of 2,300), though authorities said they would be able to make additional spots available. It will need to do so, and quickly, and is likely to rely on international funds and personnel to make those expansions happen. A State Department spokesperson told Vox on Wednesday that the US has been coordinating with the government of Ukraine, European allies, international organizations, and NGOs on contingency planning and preparedness efforts. It was engaging diplomatically to ensure neighboring countries keep their borders open to those seeking international protection. And it was “actively planning to augment ongoing US humanitarian support in Ukraine” in response to Russian aggression, they said. It’s not yet clear, however, what form that support will take. The UN Refugee Agency, which has a longtime presence in Ukraine, has been asking the international community for $190 million in humanitarian assistance, a request that hadn’t yet been answered as of Wednesday. That would help fund the agency’s 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for Ukraine and meet the needs of an estimated 1.8 million people, nearly half of which are children or elderly, said Shabia Mantoo, a spokesperson for the agency. Congress could also work to pass an emergency supplemental bill that would provide further resources for US embassies in affected countries. That would increase the effectiveness of relocation pipelines and provide further support to Ukrainians and other impacted individuals in the region, O’Mara Vignarajah said. And though the US government has said that Putin has closed the door to diplomacy, Saghoyan said there is an urgent need to negotiate for a humanitarian corridor that would allow people who want to leave the country to do so safely and for humanitarian groups to continue to operate in Ukraine without fear of reprisal or harm after military activity subsides. On Thursday, safety concerns forced Save the Children to close its offices in Ukraine, which according to Saghoyan have served more than 350,000 children since 2014, though it is still partnering with civil society groups on the ground to assist displaced people. HOW THE US COULD WELCOME UKRAINIANS There are policies that the US can pursue stateside that would help some Ukrainians resettle in the US. Biden could immediately and unilaterally increase the number of spots allocated to Europeans under the US refugee admissions program. That number is capped at 10,000 for the current fiscal year, and as of January 31, 335 of those slots had already been filled, mostly by Ukrainians. But it can take months or even years to come to the US as a refugee, which might be too long for Ukrainians in crisis. And the capacity of the US refugee program abroad continues to be limited due to pandemic-era shutdowns and Trump administration cutbacks. “The Biden administration should aggressively focus on rebuilding the processing efficiency and capacity of the refugee program abroad, which has continued to lag throughout its first year in office,” O’Mara Vignarajah said. Biden could also provide temporary protected status to Ukrainians who have already arrived in the US, which would temporarily shield them from deportation and allow them to work legally. That kind of status is typically offered to citizens of countries suffering from armed conflicts like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to the Migration Policy Institute, there are an estimated 30,000 Ukrainians already living in the US who do not have American citizenship or other kinds of permanent status. Biden can also allow Ukrainians to come to the US on humanitarian parole, which allows people facing urgent humanitarian need to enter and stay in the US without a visa. The benefit of parole is that it can be approved within a matter of days or hours, as opposed to the many months or years it typically takes to process a visa. It’s the same mechanism that allowed tens of thousands of Afghans to come to the US following the American withdrawal last year. But given that the airports in Ukraine are now closed or destroyed by Russia and Biden has said that his administration will not carry out an evacuation, it’s not clear if any significant number of Ukrainians would be able to reach the US even if any of those immigration pathways were available. That makes the US’s imperative to support the humanitarian response in receiving nations in Europe even stronger.
Former heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko plans to fight for Ukraine along with brother ...
Vasiliy Lomachenko, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and three-division champion, fled Ukraine for GREECE, according to Sports Illustrated.
Double-taxation talks between GREECE and Australia begin
The Australian Embassy in GREECE said in a statement on Facebook that the negotitaitions were launched following the September 2021 announcement by ...
Heathrow and Gatwick: Latest travel rules for GREECE, Turkey, Cyprus and Egypt
Fully vaccinated travellers are free to travel to GREECE providing you can show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative Covid PCR test, undertaken ...
Kevin Grunder joins Stevens as the new Assistant Director of GREEK Life
As an undergraduate student, he was engaged in his fraternity and overall GREEK Life community at Rider. “Prior to coming to Stevens, I worked as ...
Get Russian Blinis and GREEK Gyros in Vineland this weekend
Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church and St. Anthony GREEK Orthodox Church will host events featuring terrific traditional food.
Big entertainment weekend planned in Ocala/Marion County, Florida
A Mardi Gras celebration and an annual GREEK festival leads off the entertainment calendar for this weekend in Ocala/Marion County.
Ukrainian midfielder playing for Italian team shows ‘NO WAR IN UKRAINE’ shirt after scoring Europa League goal
Ruslan Malinovskyi had a surreal Thursday, scoring two goals in a knockout game and revealing a “NO WAR IN UKRAINE” shirt on international television as his home country was being attacked by Russia. Malinovskyi, a Ukrainian midfielder for Italian Serie A club Atalanta, displayed the shirt after the first of his two goals against Greek side Olympiacos in the Europa League quarterfinal in Athens. His two goals led the team to a 3-0 win. The Russian invasion had ripple effects throughout the sports world on Thursday. Events called off, boycotts beginGerman Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel had...
UPDATE 1-Greece sees no disruption in gas flows, suppliers line up cargoes -minister
Gas flows to Greece are smooth and Greek gas suppliers have lined up additional gas cargoes if needed, Energy Minister Kostas Skrekas said on Friday, a day after Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion ...
Russian Blinis or Greek Gyros? Why choose one when you can enjoy both this weekend?
Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church and St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church will host events featuring terrific traditional food ...
Greek opposition parties condemn Russian military intervention in Ukraine
EU not a strong geopolitical force Alexis Tsipras said while Yanis Varoufakis said that the EU is watching helplessly ...
American Philhellene Scholar Edmund Keeley Dies at 94
Renowned scholar, translator and philhellene Edmund Keeley passed away on February 23 at age 94. Also a preeminent essayist and poet, Keeley was responsible for many people’s first encounter with the works of major Greek poets George Seferis, Odysseas Elytis, Constantine Cavafy, Yiannis Ritsos and Angelos Sikelianos through his translations into English, faithful to the […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Russia Massacres Entire Ukrainian Soldier Unit Refusing to Surrender
Brave Ukrainian soldiers – all 13 of them – that were guarding a tiny island in the Black Sea refused to surrender to a Russian warship. They held their ground and were killed in a bombardment. Their defiance defending their homeland at Snake Island has stirred emotions as the audio of their final words has […] Read the full story on GreekReporter.com.
Greek lender Piraeus Bank’s Ukraine operations only 0.2% of assets
Piraeus Bank, one of Greece’s four largest lenders, said on Friday its operations in Ukraine comprise a financial institution, JSC Piraeus Bank ICB, and investments in real estate assets. Together ...
GREECE – Romania Agree to Boost Road, Student Tourism
“GREECE is the number 1 tourism destination for Romanians and tourism spending is considerable, especially for Northern GREECE,” said Kikilias who ...
Small-but-mighty Greek letter programs bring vibrant, philanthropic engagement to campuses
… have caused certain Greek clubs to become inactive … co-educational, Latino-oriented Greek letter intercollegiate fraternity. … Colorado college campuses handling Greek life? Haley Wiedeman, … oversees the Greek organizations. She said the Greek Council has …