Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 12-06-23

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Shipping sector can help country exit crisis

[02] PM Samaras undergoes successful eye surgery

[03] Large cache of explosives found on Lesvos

[04] The Saturday edition of Athens' dailies

[05] Antiquity smuggling arrest

[06] Fifth Modern Nemead

[01] Shipping sector can help country exit crisis

He spoke at a handover ceremony in which he took the helm of the new portfolio from caretaker Development, Competitiveness & Shipping Minister Yiannis Stournaras.

Mousouroulis stressed that the country excels in the shipping sector which can play a decisive role in the efforts made to exit the economic crisis. amna

He underlined that efforts will focus on the reinforcement of the shipping register and referring to the oceangoing shipping sector, he said that it will be utilized to upgrade the country's international representation. As regards coastal shipping, he stressed that the cooperation of all shipping sectors is necessary to ensure its sustainability and optimum operation. amna

On his part, new Deputy Minister George Vernikos stressed that the country needs a shipping ministry worthy of Hellenic maritime history.

[02] PM Samaras undergoes successful eye surgery

The surgery was performed by a medical team headed by the director of the ophthalmology clinic at the Attikon teaching hospital in west Athens. amna

According to reports, over the last few days Samaras experienced discomfort in his eye. amna

On Saturday his doctors said the surgery was unavoidable.

[03] Large cache of explosives found on Lesvos

On Wednesday, police located a carton containing 380 makeshift rounds of ammunition, each with a delay fuse, in a truck about to board a ferry in the port of Mytilene. Police remained at the scene and waited the recipient to appear. On Friday a suspect who tried to retrieve the carton was arrested. amna

A search of the suspect's car revealed, among others, nine wire and wireless remote control detonation devices, 11 metal launchers and nine recently used electricity-based explosives. amna

A search of the man's residence, with the assistance of a sniffer dog, revealed a large number of properly stored and active explosives.

[04] The Saturday edition of Athens' dailies

The targets of the new government and an imminent EU Summit at the end of June mostly dominated the headlines on Saturday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Relief of weaker classes".

AVGHI: "Only troika has 'red lines' ."

AVRIANI: "Prime Minister Antonis Samaras' first battle at EU Summit".

DIMOKRATIA: "Shock with Antonis".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "They're exorcising dissolution of euro zone with 130 billion euros".

ESTIA: "Eurozone's rescue".

ETHNOS: "Eyes on EU Summit".

IMERISSIA: "Signal for tax reduction - Operation change of climate".

KATHIMERINI: "130 billion euros for development".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Facing the troika and EU summit'.

RIZOSPASTIS: "Unified antisocial policy and intensification of competitiveness".

TA NEA: "Goal! 130 billion euros for development".

[05] Antiquity smuggling arrest

Police recovered two ancient amphorae and a rare icon from his residence. amna

The finds will be sent to the culture ministry in order for experts to evaluate their archaeological and commercial value.

The suspect was sent before a Nafplio prosecutor.

[06] Fifth Modern Nemead

The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games is a movement born from nearly 40 years of excavation by the University of California at Berkeley in the panhellenic Sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea, Greece, and from the enthusiasm and dedication of local residents of Nemea who feel that they could make an important contribution to today's world because of their personal ties to Nemea.amna

It was at Nemea that the ancient Greeks celebrated athletic and religious festivals that were part of the cycle of games at Delphi, Isthmia, and (best known today) Olympia. It was at one of these four sites (on a rotating basis) that, for a brief period each year, wars and hostilities were suspended by virtue of a sacred truce, and all Greeks gathered in recognition of their common humanity. This impulse toward peace - albeit limited to a few days each year - was the first in the history of mankind on an organized, regular, and international scale. Thus, the festivals at Nemea, Olympia, Delphi, and Isthmia are the direct ancestors of today's United Nations and Olympic movement. The ancient stadium discovered at Nemea is, therefore, an important monument in the history of such institutions.amna

The Olympic movement has become an ever more important and complex international event, and a symbol of the nobler aspirations of our human race. But it has also become increasingly removed from those who are not extraordinarily athletically gifted. The average person, inspired by the ancient lessons of peace and hopeful of participation in the movement finds even the role of spectator difficult to fulfill at the modern Olympics, according to the organisers.amna

The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games believes that there is scope for the average person to participate in such an international athletic festival where no records will be kept and no medals awarded. Races will be organized by gender and age, and participants will be rewarded only by bare feet sore from contact with the same stones and the same soil where ancient feet ran more than 2,000 years ago.amna

The 5th Modern Nemead, organised by the Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games, opens Friday afternoon at the Temple of the Nemean Zeus with the lighting of the Flame, followed by a procession to the ancient stadium of Nemea.

The Games proper begin on Saturday, with such events as a 90 meter race in the ancient stadium, and a 7.5 kilometer race called "Hercules' Steps" from Ancient Keones to the ancient stadium, while a number of artistic events will also be staged.amna

A total of 1,300 people from all over the word have registered for the Games, among them a number of families with young children. The youngest "contestant" is just five years old, and the oldest, a man from the US, is 82. The aim of all the participants, is to be "rebaptized in the 'Light' of Ancient Greece".amna

More information may be found on the website of the Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games http://nemeangames.org/).

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