Following allegations of damage to Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine-era monument in Istanbul that was turned into a mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has accused Greece of ill-treating the Ottoman Empire’s cultural heritage.
Following allegations of damage to Hagia Sophia, a Byzantine-era monument in Istanbul that was turned into a mosque by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has accused Greece of ill-treating the Ottoman Empire’s cultural heritage, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported.
The fact that those who are supposed to be upset by (the damage to) Hagia Sophia did not oppose the destruction of mosques in Greece, (monuments of) cultural heritage dating back to the 16th century, which have been turned into cinemas , exhibition spaces, hotels and warehouses, is too serious and speaks of hypocrisy “, wrote the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey on Twitter
“The Greek administration, which refuses to even provide graves to Muslims after they die, is trying to deceive its own people with gross delusions … You cannot cover the sun with mud,” the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement.
We remind you that on April 18, damage was found on the Imperial Gate of the thousand-year-old Hagia Sophia in Istanbul. It was turned into a mosque in 2020, having previously functioned as a museum.
Adults who drink 2.5-4.5 cups of coffee daily are less likely to die in the next seven years than those who don’t. Coffee drinkers have a 29% lower risk of death. It doesn’t matter if they add sugar.
The Guardian writes about this, citing a study by the Southern Medical University in Guangzhou.
The results are based on the analysis of data from 171 thousand people from the British Biobank database. Chinese scientists have been tracking the fate of volunteers for seven years since 2009.
“Due to the observational nature of this study, its conclusions cannot be considered conclusive. The results may be due to coffee drinkers being generally wealthier and healthier than non-drinkers,” metabolic medicine professor Naveed Sattar warned.
In Italy, since 2018, a special police unit has been operating to protect forests and the environment. On the roof of his headquarters in Rome are hives – bees help carabinieri track the level of pollution of ecosystems.
“We use bees as indicators of biodiversity. They explore an area of 1.5-2 square kilometers. Thanks to them, we can obtain information that is not normally available about atmospheric pollutants: dioxins, for example. Bees provide more accurate data on the level of pollution in areas too large for standard monitoring,” Lieutenant Colonel Giancarlo Papitto explained to Euronews.
Insects are in daily contact with air, water and soil. Returning to the hive, they bring traces of toxic substances. They are analyzed by scientists.
They want to create colonies of inspector bees in all regions of Italy. Half a million euros have been allocated for this.
Spiders that are found in houses are usually harmless to humans.
However, this does not prevent many men and women from experiencing real horror every time they catch their eye.
But you can isolate yourself from these creatures. Flowers and herbs will help in this, which scare them away with their aroma.
Marigold
Bright and lush flowers serve as a real decoration of the site.
In addition, their smell repels various pests, as well as snails and spiders.
It is for this reason that many plant these plants around the perimeter of the garden.
Chrysanthemums
Spiders cannot tolerate the substance that the flower secretes. We are talking about feverfew, which is also often used in the manufacture of insect repellents.
Lavender
You can even put dried flowers in a vase. They won’t let spiders into the house.
Mint
The spiders will run away from the mint-growing house.
You can also make an infusion of this herb and spray it around your home to get rid of them for sure.
Rosemary
It is enough just to put a pot with this plant at the windows or doors to protect the home from intruders.
Basil
Simply spreading the leaves on surfaces around the house is enough to drive away the spiders.
Melissa
We need to make an infusion. Leaves and stems should be cut and filled with water. As soon as the infusion is ready, it must be sprayed to get rid of not only spiders, but also midges.
Eucalyptus
It is enough just to spread it around the house, so that you will never see a cobweb in the corners again.
Erdogan says he told his colleagues not to hold bilateral talks with Greece anymore
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on June 1st that he had told his colleagues not to hold bilateral talks with Greece again, the latest reversal after resuming talks last year to resolve their differences in the Mediterranean after a five-year hiatus, Reuters reported.
These talks have made little progress. Erdogan said last week that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “no longer exists” for him, accusing the Greek leader of trying to block sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey during a visit to the United States.
Turkey and Greece, both NATO allies, have long been at odds on a number of issues, such as maritime borders, the extent of their continental shelves, airspace and ethnic divisions in Cyprus.
Bulgaria is still failing to meet two of the conditions for adopting the euro. This is clear from the European Commission’s (EC) Convergence Report 2022.
The report assesses the progress that each member state of the European Union (EU) has made on its path to the single currency of the Old Continent. It also forms the assessment of the decision of the Council of the EU, with which individual countries can adopt the euro.
The four main criteria include price stability linked to inflation, the state of public finances in relation to deficits and debt, exchange rate stability, and long-term interest rates.
According to the EC, Bulgaria still does not meet the criteria for the adoption of legislation on the euro and the stability of prices and inflation levels.
Sofia fulfills the conditions related to the state of public finances, exchange rates and long-term interest rates.
Sweden is also failing in two directions. Stockholm is also expected to make progress on legislation as well as on exchange rates.
The other European countries that are not part of the Eurozone – Poland, Romania, Hungary and the Czech Republic – do not meet more than the mandatory criteria.
The only other country that is a member of the EU but does not use the single European currency is Denmark. However, it benefits from an exception in its Accession Treaty, which allows it not to adopt the euro.
All EU Member States are obliged to adopt the European currency once they meet the necessary conditions. It is up to each country to approach the eurozone, and none of them is limited in time.
The European Commission notes that Croatia, which last joined the EU in 2013, is fully ready to adopt the euro on January 1st, 2023. A few days ago, the Zagreb parliament passed a law adopting the euro early next year. Croatia applied to join the eurozone in the summer of 2019, one year after Bulgaria.
One week ago, the Bulgarian government adopted the plan for the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria, and the deadline for the Cabinet to set this to happen was January 1, 2024. The main part of it was related to making changes in the laws to adapt to the standards set by the EC.
Although the decision was adopted by the Council of Ministers, the ministers of the BSP and “There is such a people” voted against it. They justified their actions by the lack of economic analysis of the possible consequences of the adoption of the single currency, as well as by the lack of discussion among coalition members.
A day after the decision, the leader of the pro-Russian Vazrazhdane, which is in favor of Bulgaria’s withdrawal from NATO and the EU, Kostadin Kostadinov, said the party was launching consultations to initiate a national referendum for or against adopting the euro. The decision itself was described by Kostadinov as “another national betrayal” by Kiril Petkov’s cabinet.
Against the decision is the former caretaker Prime Minister and leader of the newly formed Bulgarian Rise party Stefan Yanev. He described the situation as the closure of “the last remnant of the sovereignty of the Bulgarian state”.
After 15 years in Russia, Starbucks will leave the country to join companies such as McDonald’s, Shell, Renault, Visa and Mastercard, which are finally saying goodbye to the Russian market.
The coffee giant has announced that the brand will no longer be present in Russia. Starbucks has 130 locations in the country, representing less than 1% of the company’s annual revenue. Starbucks will pay its nearly 2,000 Russian workers six months’ wages and help them move to new job opportunities outside the company.
Both consumers and investors are pushing Western companies like Starbucks to sever ties with Russia to show opposition to the Kremlin’s war with Ukraine, but it takes time to leave licensing deals. Starbucks has suspended all business with the country since March 8. The break included deliveries of all Starbucks products and the temporary closure of cafes. 200,000 people worked in foreign companies that left Russia
In its latest quarterly results, published in early May, the company did not disclose the financial impact of the suspension of business operations. Former CEO Kevin Johnson has promised to donate the proceeds from Russian business to humanitarian causes.
But it was certainly a smaller financial blow than the one inflicted on McDonald’s, which has been in Russia for more than 30 years. The fast-food giant said shutting down significant operations in Russia and Ukraine cost it $ 127 million in the first quarter. Both markets account for 9% of its revenue in 2021. The company has about 850 restaurants in Russia, most of which are run directly by it.
McDonald’s has announced that it will sell the seats for an undisclosed fee to a Siberian franchisee who will operate them under a new brand.
Dozens of Russian airlines have opened a special account in rubles “C” for leasing payments to foreign companies, Vedomosti reported today, quoted by TASS, citing a federal official and a source close to the government. Russia will service its foreign debt under the ruble gas payment scheme
Among the airlines that are willing to pay for foreign aircraft in rubles are Aeroflot, Pobeda, Russia, Russia, S7 Airlines, Smartia, Yakutia, Alrosa, Yamal “,” Polar Airlines “,” Aurora “, according to the newspaper. Five other airlines – Ural Airlines, Izhavia, Nordstar, Rusline, I Fly – are in the process of opening such accounts, the publication said.
According to an unnamed federal official, no money has yet been received in the C account, as contracts with leasing companies usually include letters of credit (amounting to three monthly lease payments) and maintenance deposits. Thus, the terms for prepaid lease payments for different airlines can vary from three to eight months, and after their expiration, companies will begin to review lease payments, the source said. The Russian ruble continues to appreciate against the dollar
In mid-April, the Russian government imposed temporary rules to fulfill the obligations of Russian airlines and organizations to foreign entities, recalls TASS. The document defines the procedure for implementation in 2022 of contracts providing for the acquisition, lease and leasing of aircraft. If the foreign lessor company has a structural unit registered in Russia, the payments will go to its account in a Russian bank in rubles. The amount will be equal to the value of the liabilities in foreign currency. Payments will be made at the official exchange rate of the Russian Central Bank on the day of fulfillment of obligations.
The first Ukrainian diocese in the Russian-occupied areas left the UOC and came directly under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. This is the Diocese of Rivne and Sverdlovsk in the southern part of Luhansk region. The short message on the diocese’s website is worded as follows:
The meeting of the diocesan council and the clergy of the Diocese of Rivne adopted the following decision:
1) to suspend the mention of Metropolitan Onuphrius as head of the UOC during the services;
2) The dioceses of Rivne and Sverdlovsk remain under the omophorion of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
The decision comes as no surprise, as both Russian and Ukrainian media outlets claim that in the occupied territories, Ukrainian dioceses will come directly under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, by analogy with the territories Russia wants to include within its borders. The occupied regions are joined by a “referendum” and the dioceses by a “meeting of the diocesan councils”.
This process was also discussed at the local council in Kyiv on May 27. The council even gave “operational freedom” to the metropolitans in the occupied territories to make “decisions inconsistent with the clergy.”
The Crimean dioceses and the Donetsk diocese said a few days ago that they would not apply the amended UOC statute without stating unequivocally that they were leaving the UOC jurisdiction, but this is expected.
In Russian political and ecclesiastical circles, this process is hailed as inevitable. It is explained by the fact that just as the creation of Ukraine was a “mistake”, so the existence of the UOC is a mistake that must be corrected in the annexed territories. Speeches in this spirit are numerous, for example:
Alexander Dugin – the ideologue of the Eurasian movement, the “Russian world” and the war in Ukraine: “On the UOC Council. In the current situation, no one should have illusions. There is no way we can keep the UOC in the ROC without transferring all of Ukraine to Russia. In fact, it was clear back in 2014. We just postponed it for a while. The unity of the Church can be preserved only together with the restoration of political unity. And until the complete liberation of the whole territory of Ukraine from Nazism, it is simply useless to deal with this issue…
The capitulation (of the Ukrainians) is not a good idea, because they will want to save what they have left. So we will be in the wrong place again – not on the border with Poland, Romania and Hungary, but much further east. The same things will flourish under new cover in the criminal terrorist structure. Once we started so abruptly, we definitely can’t stop now. Our task is to erase from the ground a very specific misunderstanding ”(May 30, 2022).
Deacon Pavel Shulzhenok: “The creation of the UOC was a fatal mistake and a time bomb, as much as the creation of Ukraine itself. There can be only one solution – in the liberated territories, direct subordination to the Moscow Patriarchate must be established. Kyiv itself must also be liberated. The UOC-MP is doomed in principle. “
An extraordinary meeting of the Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate was held in Moscow on May 29, dedicated only to the decisions of the local Assembly of the UOC in Kyiv on May 27.
The position expressed is stronger than the one stated immediately on the day of the Kiev Council by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. The Moscow Patriarchate does not recognize the decisions of the council, insofar as they must be approved by the Moscow Patriarch. The amendments to the Articles of Association have not been considered as “not yet officially published”.
Dissatisfaction is expressed that Moscow Patriarch Kirill is not mentioned in worship in “some dioceses”. According to him, this has created division in the Ukrainian Church and contradicts church canons. The “canons of the Double Council” are mentioned in general, probably referring to Rule 15 of the Council of Constantinople (861) on bishops and metropolitans who dare to sever communion with their patriarch and do not mention it as defined and established. , his name of divine services. ” The mention of this canon is a hint of a possible strengthening of Moscow’s position.
The Russian patriarch “shows understanding and unreserved support” for the plight of pastors and Christians in Ukraine, caused by schismatics, local authorities, the media and extremist organizations. Russian troops are not mentioned as a problem.
The patriarch defended himself against accusations by Ukrainian bishops, who said, albeit in a mild form, that they “disagreed with the Moscow patriarch’s position on the war.” He said he sympathized with all those “affected by the disaster” and called for “civilian casualties to be avoided”.
In particular, today’s decision of the Moscow Synod states:
1. We express our full support and understanding for the archpastors, pastors, monks and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is under unprecedented pressure from representatives of schismatic structures, local authorities, media, extremist organizations and the nationalist part of society.
2. We call on the entire Russian Orthodox Church to pray fervently for the strengthening of our brothers in Ukraine, to give them courage and God’s help in their daily work on the Christian witness.
3. We note that the status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is defined in the charter of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia of October 27, 1990.
4. We note that the amendments to the Statute of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church adopted by the Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church must be considered in accordance with the established procedure for their compliance with the said charter and the Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church, according to which these amendments must be submitted to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for approval.
5. We emphasize that Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, with the deepest sympathy for all those affected by the disaster, has repeatedly called for every effort to be made to avoid casualties among the civilian population and for all members of the Russian Orthodox Church to pray. sincerely for the speedy restoration of peace and to provide all possible assistance to all those affected, including refugees, homeless people and livelihoods.
6. We regret that a number of dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have stopped mentioning the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, which has already caused division in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and is contrary to Rule 15 of the Twice Council.
7. We testify that the entire Russian Orthodox Church prays for the preservation of the unity of the Church and for an end to the bloodshed as soon as possible.
Rome, Italy. Bust statue of Pythagoras, famous philosopher, mathematician and scientist. Sculpture in Villa Borghese park.
When it comes to the deaths of celebrities from ancient Greece, every story is more absurd than the last
When we think of ancient Greece, we imagine the birth of civilization and the mecca of culture.
That time was a period of great development for humanity – from the creation of democracy to the breakthroughs in philosophy, science and art. Brave heroes and genius innovators seemed commonplace.
But according to Greek mythology, this was an extremely dangerous time, and Greece itself was an unpleasant place to live.
Many of the greatest minds of all time – Pythagoras, Heraclitus – have perished as a result of their own innovations. Strange objects falling from the sky, which were no exception at the time, also posed a serious risk!
When it comes to the deaths of celebrities from ancient Greece, each story is more absurd than the last.
Some of the most curious deaths in the history of ancient Greece:
Pythagoras
Pythagoras was one of the few Greek philosophers whose name is remembered by most people today. This is due to the Pythagorean theorem. He is also known for his incredible achievements in mathematics and science, but he also had some rather strange beliefs.
Pythagoras believed that humans and beans came from the same source and were therefore closely related. Pythagoras experimented with burying a few beans and noticed that they looked like human embryos when he dug them up a few weeks later. So he came to the conclusion that the bean carries a soul and eating or even damaging it would be murder. One of Pythagoras’ death stories tells that he angered a nobleman named Kilon when he refused to allow him to join his followers (he ran a commune of like-minded people). Kilon organized an angry mob tasked with killing Pythagoras in revenge. Pythagoras escaped and escaped the crowd, but when he reached a field of beans, he refused to compromise his convictions and decided not to cross. He was therefore captured and killed.
Pirch
Pirch is a legendary Greek general and military hero, known for his incredible feats in a number of battles. He was preparing for another victory in battle, or perhaps for his honorable death, as he led his army into battle to capture the city of Argos.
An old woman watched from the roof of her house as Pirch and his men passed through the city. Her son took part in the resistance, and she saw Pirch point directly at him. Knowing that her son would not survive the clash with the famous general, she took matters into her own hands. She grabbed a tile from the roof of her house and threw it on Pirch’s head. She managed to hit him right in the head and threw him off his horse. That’s how she managed to kill the great general.
Icarus
The history of Icarus is still known today. He was the son of a famous craftsman named Daedalus, who was known for building the Labyrinth for King Minos. Minos wanted to keep the Labyrinth a secret, so he locked Daedalus and Icarus in a tower. However, the innovative father and son devised an escape plan. Using feathers and wax, they created two pairs of wings so they could fly out the window. However, they had to be careful where they flew, as the wax melted extremely quickly due to heating from the sun, and the feathers could begin to fall off when wet from seawater. After jumping from the tower and starting to float in the air, Icarus forgot this fact and began to fly higher and higher. The wax melted and its wings fell apart, then it fell into the water and died.
Heraclitus
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus suffered from edema, a disease in which fluid builds up under the skin, causing painful swelling. The doctors told him there was no cure, but the genius believed he was smarter than them and could find a solution. Heraclitus covered himself with cow dung from head to toe, believing that this would remove the fluid from his body. He lay in the sun waiting for the medicine to work, but the stool dried up and became a hard shell that made him unable to move. Unfortunately, a pack of wild dogs came across his immobile body and ate it.
