State Department Appoints Officials to Address Havana Syndrome

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Friday that the Biden Administration has appointed two officials to direct the State Department’s investigation into cases of Havana Syndrome.

Countries rush to buy Merck, Pfizer’s experimental Covid-19 pills

Merck & Co Inc has signed nine deals to sell more than about 3 million courses in total of its experimental Covid-19 pill molnupiravir to governments around the world as nations scramble to tame the pandemic.

Words of Wisdom from Ancient Greek Philosophers Featured in App

The “Greek Philosopher” app gathers more than six hundred of the most profound words of wisdom from the major schools of ancient Greek thought — and delivers them straight to you on your mobile device.

Based on original sources, this work is a compilation of carefully-selected quotes of ancient Greek philosophy spanning from the sixth century BC to the first

Thinkers from the Greek schools of Stoicism, Cynicism and Epicureanism are among the thirty-six Greek philosophers featured in the app.

Ancient Greek philosophy

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early third century BC, who was greatly inspired by the teachings of Socrates. Stoicism is a philosophy of ethics, with or without a belief in God.

According to its teachings, the path to Eudaimonia (i.e. happiness, fulfillment, flourishing) for humans is found in fully accepting the moment as it presents itself; by not allowing oneself to be controlled by the desire for pleasure or fear of pain, by using reason to understand the world, and by treating others fairly.

According to Cynicism, social values, material goods and luxuries kept man away from true happiness — which can only be found by living in the simplicity of nature.

Epicureanism refers to a way of life that encourages its adherents to seek modest, sustainable pleasure in the form of a state of ataraxia (tranquility and freedom from fear) through knowledge of the workings of the world, and limiting their desires.

 

 

Economic Freedom in Greece Improving, Albeit Slowly

Greece has made its way up four positions in the Global Economic Freedom Index since 2019, but this movement establishes the country in just the 78th place out of 165, according to the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World annual report.

The report was released on Tuesday in Greece and Cyprus by the Center for Liberal Studies.

Summer heatwaves this year break new records

The heatwave recorded this summer between July 28 and August 5 was a record-breaker in terms of duration and temperatures, according to a study by the National Meteorological Service.

The study divides the nine-day heatwave into two phases, the first from July 28-31 and the second from August 1-5. Very high temperatures were recorded during the first phase, but the maximums remained below the July records.

As the days went by the temperatures rose, with the result that in the first five days of August the maximum temperatures exceeded or approached the absolute maximum temperatures for August in several areas.

Record highs of August were recorded mainly in Serres (43.4C vs a previous 43.3C), Thessaloniki (40.5C vs 40.4C), Astros (45C vs 42.2C), Lamia (45.4C vs 43.8C), Elliniko (43C vs 41.8C), Elefsina (44.8C vs 43.5C), Argos (46.3C vs 43.2C), Kalamata (43.2C vs 41.4C) and Nea Philadelphia (45.3C vs 43.6C).

Uncertainty over reopening of schools

The educational system has never faced the kind of operational uncertainty it has faced in the last 20 months. A few weeks from the beginning of the scholastic year, heads of schools, parents, and teachers are baffled by the educational authorities’ lack of clear guidelines.

Admittedly the development of COVID-19 remains unpredictable with the consequence that the health authorities often have to reverse decisions aimed at accelerating the return to normality. No one can seriously challenge the concept that the government should give safety the highest consideration when issuing public health directives.

 

However, the long-term effects of preventing students from returning to the classroom after almost two years of disrupted teaching methods must never be underestimated. Students benefit from in-person learning, and safely returning to in-person instruction in autumn is also a priority.

The scant information coming from the education authorities indicates that post-secondary students will return to in-person learning in September. The majority of these students have been vaccinated, and as such, they present a lower risk of getting seriously ill if they contract COVID-19.

However, primary and secondary schools are likely to operate similarly to last year. This means mandatory indoor mask-wearing for all students, staff, teachers and visitors to primary and secondary schools regardless of vaccination status. It also means that the concept of the bubble will still be observed to prevent unnecessary contact.

 

Anti-vax teachers to face salary cut, suspension

Educators who refuse to be vaccinated or to undergo regular testing for Covid-19 before going back to class will face a salary cut and other disciplinary measures under a joint ministerial decision that is currently in the pipeline, Kathimerini understands. 

Meze: Small Greek Dishes that are Perfect for Food Lovers

In Greece great food isn’t hard to come by; however, have you ever considered making a meal out of delicious Greek meze, or small plates, and accompanied by the perfect complimentary Greek drink?

Meze, or mezedes in the plural, can offer you a variety of creative little dishes, so you can get a taste of everything. Just think of it as tapas, Greek style!

Meze is found throughout the Mediterranean and North Africa, and while there are many similarities across cultures, there are many mezedes that are completely unique to Greece.

Unvaccinated Teachers Must Show Negative Tests to Enter Schools in Greece

the development of wine tourism