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Greek fighter jets collide

(AFP) – 2 hours ago

ATHENS — Two Greek fighter jets collided in mid-air on Thursday, the defence ministry said, with one of the pilots apparently managing to eject safely.

The collision between the two F-16 planes, a one and two-seater respectively, happened south of the island of Crete, a ministry source told AFP.

"We're just getting the information now," the spokesman who declined to be named said. "Three pilots were involved, and one of them was apparently seen ejecting from the aircraft."

Reports said two of the pilots have so far been picked up from the sea, one of them badly hurt.

The jets were part of a four-plane team on a training mission out of Souda airforce bay in the island's northwest, the defence ministry said.

Greek fighter pilots are in constant readiness over the Aegean Sea due to frequent incursions by Turkish aircraft into Greek-controlled airspace disputed by Turkey.

In a similar incident in 2006, a Greek pilot was killed when his plane collided with a Turkish jet during one of the regular mock dogfights in the area.

From: AFP

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Before...

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THE PALM FOREST at Preveli - 23 August, 2010
Ecological disaster

Within a few hours it was turned into ashes, a unique scenery, which every year attracts thousands of visitors from Greece and around the world. The palm is charmed by the unique palm forest in western Crete by the exotic beauty of the past. Flames incinerated one of the most heavenly scenery of the island, which became known worldwide through television specials and pictures in the biggest magazines and newspapers worldwide.

Unfortunately , the fire was not unique. One hot plate after another over the weekend and apart from the Preveli cremated also huge areas of the Peach City of Phoenix in Rethymnon in Rethymnon Akoumia in Koutsounari, Ierapetra, and for the third time in six weeks in the woods of Selakano.

The images of all destroyed areas by the horrific fire are disheartening. Where until 24 hours ago several amenities formed a benchmark, there are now only ashes and embers.

In the hell of the fire that burnt areas of eastern and western Crete, the weather became an ally of the arsonists. Firefighters struggled with the winds, which exceeded in intensity 10 Beaufort, and there was no help from the air, since the two helicopters could not stand the intensity of winds.

Preveli

The palm forest was charmed in flames early this morning and the damage is incalculable. It is estimated that nearly 5000 hectares of forest are burnt. "This is a huge disaster for the second largest palm forest of Crete , destroying ecology, culture and tourism, "said Civil Protection Officer of Rethymno, Bayartakis about the consequences of the fire in the area.

The first flames sprang around 5.20 yesterday morning Gianniou position , located between Prevelis Lefkogeion and municipality in Phoenix.
Dozens of Firefighters have made enormous efforts to contain the fire, that directed towards, and threatened, the historic monastery in the region.
The commander of the Fire Services of Crete, Nikos Gifu, said the fire started somewhere in the street and expanded thereafter.

[...] 50% of the palm forest is burned.

From: Haniotika Nea

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Technical problem prevents flights taking off in Greece


Athens - A technical problem prevented flights leaving Greek airports for more than two hours on Sunday morning, aviation authorities said.

Hundreds of passengers were stuck in planes waiting for take-off clearance while a communications malfunction with the air traffic control network was resolved.

The problem began at 8 am (0500 GMT) and lasted until 10:30 am (0730 GMT), a civil aviation authority official told Greek radio.

Flights were able to land normally during the communications breakdown.

The secretary-general of the Greek air traffic controllers union, Giannis Kormoulakis, described the situation as "chaotic."

"The entire communications network is down," he told Greek radio. "All departing flights have been halted."

Kormoulakis said the problem was due to "17 years of neglecting to modernize the technical equipment for airspace surveillance."

Officials said a back-up system was being used for contact between the flight-control towers, but this had a limited capacity.

Newspapers linked the problem to claims by air traffic controllers for higher wages. The controllers have staged several strikes this year to press their demands.

On Friday, A technical malfunction at Europe's joint air traffic control agency, Eurocontrol, disrupted 700 flights over northern Europe.

By : dpa
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Celebration of gruyere from Anopoli, Sfakia
Huge crowd together

Each year there is a revival of the celebration for the Madariani Gruyere of Sfakia by farmers of Anopoli. The promoter of the Cultural Association of the village managed to attract over a thousand visitors, which this year was held on the evening of Sunday, August 15, exceeding the visitors number of all previous years.

The festival was successfully launched several years ago by the Agricultural Society of Anopoli but progress stopped for reasons unknown to a steady from 2004 to date, according to the Cultural Association of the village's first president, Mr Fani Arvanitaki .For this year's celebration, the President of the Cultural Association was Mr. George Protopapadakis, who said: "Collective responsibility established the celebration of gruyere as an institution, after all the villagers can help in realising it. This year's festival is dedicated to the great case of the Sfakia Education and will not stop fighting for the upgrading of education provided at that location. Anopoli, apart from being in high mountains and a historic village that gave birth to great figures of fighters, against all odds manages to raise enough people with new families. In recent years especially it is growing rapidly, acquiring a tourist infrastructure. We are a large village with nine neighborhoods, Kambia, Mariani, Skala , Kambo, Pavliani, Agios Dimitrios, Giro, and the root Limnia, which are all inhabited.

For the evening celebration we have invited the great artist Perikles Tzouganakis, while dancing will be performed by the traditional music and dance Association "Ta Sfakia" and 'rizitika' traditional songs will be sung by the Cretan Association "Chrysothemis". Among us are many local councilors, political candidates , the president of New York Cretan Association Mr. Giannis Kriaras, the chairman of the Association of Greeks Sfakia Mr. Pavlos Polakis, and celebrates the presence of the independent MP Ms Sofia Sakorafa, who is on holiday in our region". There were beautiful views of the wonderful Anopolitiki "gravierovradia" table which was set with great care, and the dances lasted until dawn.

From: Haniotika Nea
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BY THE MINISTRY OF SHIPPING - 13 August, 2010
Competition for ferry line Sfakia - Gavdos

The competition for the exclusive service rights of the coastal line Sfakia - Gavdos for the period from August 28, 2010 until October 31, 2013 has been started by the Ministry of Economy, Competitiveness and the Marine.

The notice was posted yesterday on the website of the Ministry (www.yen.gr). Disbelief about this development is stated in the "Chaniotika Nea" by both the president of the Community of Gavdos, Stratis Lambakis, and the Prefect of Chania, Grigóris Archontakis, who were informed by reporters.

In the notice is stated, inter alia, that the ship or ships of the company chosen to perform the services between Sfakia - Gavdos and back are as follows:

• three services a week for the period 28/08/2010 to 31/10/2010.
• two services a week for the period 01/11/2010 to 31/10/2013.

The call further indicates that the selected company will have two ferry boats, a passenger- and a passenger and a truck - ferry.

In the first case it is noted that all ferries should have capacity of at least forty passengers in winter and summer, and effective surface area of at least two hundred and fifty square metres for vehicles and the ability to carry at least one truck.

In the second case the passenger ship should have a capacity of at least forty passengers in winter and summer and the truck - ferry to have an effective surface area of at least two hundred and fifty square metres for vehicles and the ability to carry at least one truck.

[...] Owners / shipping companies wishing to express interest in applying for launching these ships / vessels can contact the Directorate of Marine Transport in Piraeus up to and including 20 August 2010.

In the notice is also stated that the Directorate of Marine Transport will decide within fifteen days from the closing date [...].

Furthermore, it is noted that the Ministry of Economy, Competitiveness and the Marine may exclude owners from the proceedings of this call, even if they meet the procedural and substantive requirements, if it is justified that they and their ships have previously committed serious or repeated breaches of the terms for performing routes.

From: Haniotika Nea

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IN THE WATER AREA OF LOUTRO
Five people nearly drowned by wrong maneuvering of boat - 9 August, 2010

One wrong maneuver was sufficient to lead five people in the water who were aboard a vessel at a distance of 40 meters from the shore of Loutro, Sfakia. Fortunately, none of the five were injured and rescued directly by another boat that followed.

The incident took place last Saturday afternoon. The Port Police of Sfakia reported an incident of a sinking ship in the sea area of "Mouros", in the bay of Loutro . Directly to the point rushed the boat "Doxa" , which had on board the Coast Guard officer for an investigation, but it directly found the vessel.

Then, after it was found that this was the private vessel "Pantelis L.", on which allegedly were a total of five people (three men and two women), who a little earlier had fallen into the sea after a wrong manipulation of the captain, sailing within about 40 meters from the beach heading for the harbor entrance of Loutro. Five people were cleared from the sail boat and "supposedly" they landed on shore in good health.

The "Pantelis L." -according to the same communication- remains submerged at a depth of 15 meters without being observed as a marine pollution, and forms no danger to the safety of navigation, but should be lifted with care by the owner.

Please note that a week ago three people were killed in a boat, and were found by maneuvering in the marine area of Drapania Kissamos and in this case it had bad consequences for them, since rescue did not come in time, while their boat crashed on the rocks and suffered serious damage.

From: Haniotika Nea

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Record dance - 7 August, 2010

Thousands of Cretans are to join hands this evening in a human chain that will form on the side of the road from Hania to Lasithi, which stretches for 200 km, in bid to break the world record for the longest dance. The dancers, who are to convene at 7.30 p.m., are aiming for a place in the Guinness World Records book.

From: Kathimerini

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hi - i want to hire a car on 6th august for 4.5 hours, how much will it cost?

thank you!

P

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Umbrellas 'do not block all solar radiation'
July 22 2010 at 03:15AM

Madrid - Hiding out under a beach umbrella may offer you far less protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation than you expect, according to a new study by Spanish researchers.

As much as 34 percent of ultraviolet radiation, found to cause skin cancer and cataracts, reaches the ground covered by a beach umbrella, the University of Valencia researchers found.

This is because the umbrellas catch almost all of the direct rays but not the diffused radiation that penetrates through from the sides, according to the research published in the journal Photochemistry and Photobiology this week.

To carry out the study, researchers placed an ultraviolet ray sensor on the base of a blue and white canvas umbrella with a radius of 80cm and a height of 1.5m.

"The umbrella intercepts the direct radiation that comes from the sun, but part of the diffused radiation, which makes up approximately 60 percent of the total, reaches the sensor from the sky not covered by the umbrella," study co-author Jose Antonio Martinez-Lozano said.

In addition to the use of umbrellas, doctors recommend people use sun creams, hats and clothing when at the beach to guard against ultraviolet radiation, and avoid hours when the sun is at its highest. - AFP

From: [www.iol.co.za]

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Tax spurs sale of private islands - 19 July, 2010
Negotiations currently going on between owners and interested buyers over a number of islets

The supply of private islands in the market has grown considerably in the last few months, although demand has been far smaller.

Sources suggest that at least 27 islands and islets have been put up for sale at various points recently, although some of their owners have then decided to temporarily withdraw the "for sale" notice, hoping to see the economic climate improve or at least an organized plan for the tourist use of those pieces of land.

The focus – as is usually in this segment of the market – is on the islands owned by the Onassis family, Athina Onassis in particular. They are the well-known Skorpios, as well as Kastri, Starti and Tsokari, which are next to the town of Nidri on Lefkada.

Market sources argue that there have been certain proposals for the acquisition of some of these islands and negotiations are currently ongoing. Interested buyers are said to be major local entrepreneurs, offshore companies of Greek and foreign interests and even investors from the Middle East who would eye a private island for their own use.

Other islands to have gone on the market are Atokos, which belongs to the Tsakos family, Patroklos (near Attica) of the Giatrakos family, Revmatonissi (in the Cyclades) owned by Dolly Goulandri and Carlonissi (in the Ionian) of the Vlastos family. Some, however, have now been withdrawn.

Yet regardless of the prestige a private island offers its owner, the baggage that comes with it tends to be far greater. In the last couple of years demand for islands has been low in Greece, which has disappointed many owners, some of whom have inherited them and are unable to meet the tax costs of ownership of an entire island.

The situation has become even worse for them recently given the lack of cash flow in the market, which has led to island prices dropping by 10 percent in the owners' effort to attract buyers.

Even so, the cost of a private island ranges between 5 and 10 million euros – sometimes more for the larger ones. The price depends on the location of the island, its distance from the mainland, its size and whether it can be developed.

Mike Vassiliou, the head of FIABCI Greece, the local arm of the International Real Estate Federation as well as the director of NAI Real Estate company, suggests that "the most important thing for an island is its proximity to land, for easier connection with utility networks.

"Another crucial factor is the existence of water on it, which can bear on an island's value, while its natural ports for easier access are also significant," he adds.

There is another reason why buyers may be turning to private islands nowadays, and that is the forthcoming adjustment in the land prices used for tax purposes, as today's buyers could reap significant capital gains in the future.

From: Kathimerini
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