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EU Promises To Modernise Greece's Railways And Improve SafetyThe President of the European Commission has promised that the bloc will support Greece in modernising the railways and improving safety following last week's tragic train collision.
Man arrested on Lesvos for hobbling donkeyThe owner of a donkey on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos was arrested on Monday on charges of animal cruelty, in the area of Plomari, local media reports said.The unnamed suspect is accused of hobbling the donkey by tying its legs together, a practice known as “pastouroma” that is strictly prohibited under animal welfare law, as it can lead to serious injuries and even death.It involves tying the legs of animals (mainly productive and equine animals) together – usually one in front and one on the same side in the back, or in pairs – to restrict their movement.The owner of the donkey was also slapped with an administrative fine.
European rail agency head says warnings had been issued since 2014The European Railway Agency (ERA) has been warning successive governments in Greece, as well as the European Commission, since at least 2014 about safety gaps in the Greek railway system, according to ERA head Josef Doppelbauer, speaking to Kathimerini in the wake of last week’s deadly collision at Tempe.
Two doctors – one a candidate MP – suspended over rail inspector’s ‘bogus’ sick leaveTwo doctors working at a hospital in Volos have been suspended from duty pending a disciplinary inquiry after it emerged that they granted 30 days of sick leave to a key Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) supervisor just hours after the deadly train collision at the nearby Vale of Tempe.The inspector was reportedly responsible for supervising the station master who was on duty in the central Greek city of Larissa on the night of last week’s collision and whose actions appear to have contributed to the accident, which claimed 57 lives.He reportedly applied for sick leave for a month and produced a formal note to this end signed by two doctors at the Volos General Hospital, without, however, having been seen by either or having undergone any kind of medical examination. Meanwhile, one of the two doctors involved has been identified as Nikos Haftouras, who was expected to run as MP in the region of Magnisia on the PASOK ticket in the next general election.
April 9 elections unlikely after fallout from rail tragedyThe possibility of general elections being called for April 9, as widely speculated in recent weeks, is growing increasingly remote as the government deals with the fallout from last week’s deadly train crash in Tempe, central Greece.
Legend proves true as Roman temple is found under Leicester CathedralCenturies-old rumours that the Anglican cathedral was built on the site of an ancient site of worship have been confirmedFor centuries rumours have abounded that Leicester Cathedral was built on the site of a Roman temple.Now, the source of the folklore may have been uncovered.Archaeologists working at the cathedral have discovered evidence of a Roman shrine hidden beneath the structure, which may have been used by worshippers of a fertility or mystery cult.The small chamber, just 13ft by 13ft, was painted and contained an altar stone where sacrifices to a pantheon of Roman gods may have taken place.
Vatican set to return Parthenon fragments to GreeceThe Vatican and Greece are finalising a deal for the return of three sculpture fragments from the Parthenon that have been in the collection of the Vatican Museums for two centuries.The Vatican has termed the return an ecumenical “donation” to the Orthodox Christian archbishop of Athens and all Greece, not necessarily a state-to-state transfer.But it nevertheless puts pressure on the British Museum to conclude a deal with Greece over the fate of its much bigger collection of Parthenon sculptures.The fragments are expected to arrive in Athens later this month, with a March 24 ceremony planned to receive them.
Cat famous for appearing in opening credits of Antiques Roadshow diesMinou, the cat known for appearing in the opening credits of Antiques Roadshow, has died.
Goldman Sachs invests €108 million to build luxury resorts in GreeceGoldman Sachs will be investing a total of €108 million to build a luxury resort with a capacity of over 1,000 rooms, which will include hotel facilities, independent apartments – bungalows, in the hotel complex in Halkidiki, formerly owned by the Grigoriadis group, which passed into the ownership of funds associated with the US investment bank.The goal of the project is the renovation of the existing hotel complex in Kallithea, Kassandra in the Halkidiki municipality. As stated, the investment to be evaluated, with a budget of 107.65 million euros, is expected to employ more than 500 workers per year (full-time and part-time).The investment covers a complex extending over an area of 158 acres, has 850 meters of beach frontage, and consists of three existing hotel units: It is the 4* Pallini Beach, which was built in 1972 and last renovated before 2000, also the 4* Athos Palace, which was built in 1976 and renovated in 2005, the 5* Theophano Imperial Palace, which was also built in 1976 and most recently renovated in 2010, as well as bungalows and other facilities, namely restaurants, bars, swimming pools, conference rooms, tourist shops, sports facilities, water sports, parking spaces, storage areas, etc.The total surface to be built is approximately 69,000 sq.m. The company’s proposed remodeling plan aims to fully upgrade all existing hotel units. The aim is to create “a single, functionally ultra-modern, high-standard tourist resort, consisting of 5* luxury hotel units, independent luxury apartments (bungalows) and integrated catering, spa, and entertainment services”, as its plans state.
National insurance: How to plug gaps to boost pension after last chance deadline extendedA deadline for people to voluntarily plug gaps in their national insurance (NI) record in order to boost their state pension entitlement has been extended by the government.The decision means that people with gaps in their NI records, dating back to April 2006, now have more time to decide whether it is worthwhile filling them, to help towards their retirement income.So, how can you make use of the scheme to help boost your final retirement pot?
Nice BBC video report