EARTHQUAKE ROCKS THE ISLAND OF CRETE, GREECE

ATHENS, Greece, July 1 (UPI) -- An earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale hit the southern Greek island of Crete Wednesday but police reported no damage nor injuries, Greek Radio said.

The quake's epicenter was 19 miles deep under the sea floor and about 80 miles off the city of Iraklion on Crete. It struck at 12:30 local time, the Athens seismological institute said.

In Athens, 280 miles to the north of Crete, a spokesman for the Greek Health Ministry said they did not feel the tremor, CNN reported.

No further details were immediately available.

Published: July 1, 2009 at 8:30 AM 

Source. UPI.com

Greece closes in on visa-free travel to US

Greeks may soon be able to travel to the United States without the inconvenience of applying for a visa. The country is now a step closer to joining the US Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), which currently includes most other EU countries.

Read More At SETimes.com

Courtesy of SETimes.com

Calathes Decides To Play In Greece

Calathes Decides To Play In Greece

WFTV9.com

Posted: 10:21 pm EDT June 29, 2009

Former Lake Howell and Florida Gators standout Nick Calathes told Channel 9 that he made his decision to honor his contract with Greece and play overseas. Calathes was selected 45th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves and then traded to the Dallas Mavericks.Prior to Thursday's draft, Calathes agreed to a 2 year deal with an option for a third that would pay him $3.5 million dollars with Euroleague team Panathinaikos. Both he and the Mavericks thought it would be best for the guard to play in Europe where he'll get more playing time to sharpen his skills.

Three days to go until another smoking ban hits Greece

On July 1st, Greece will impose a smoking ban in public places.  This will be the third attempt for Greece to try to enforce the ban.

Greece is Europe's biggest smoking nation and we are all curious to see if this one will stick!

The new law will impose thousands of restaurants and bars over 70 square metres will have to build sealed-off smoking areas.

Do you think the people will obey the new law?

What?!? A television show gets banned in Greece? The Moment of Truth

If you have ever watched TV in Greece you will find this almost impossible to believe.  Greek television is so open and liberal and I find it very bizarre that they would take the television show "The moment of Truth" off the air.

I hope Antenna Television fights Greece's television and radio council on this!

Courtesy of Telegaph.co.uk

The country's broadcasting watchdog has forced The Moment of Truth off the air after ruling that it was offensive and encouraged participants to "humiliate themselves for a reward".

The programme, which was a ratings hit, earned notoriety after a female contestant was asked if she had ever prostituted herself or engaged in a threesome.

Contestants, who are connected to a lie detector when they are asked probing questions, can earn six-figure sums if they are judged to have answered truthfully.

The quiz show was found to have overstepped the bounds of decency by Greece's National Television and Radio Council, which ordered Antenna TV, the commercial channel that screens the programme, to take it off air.

In a majority decision, the council ruled that the show should no longer be broadcast because it encouraged participants to reveal intimate details of their lives with "no regard for the players' decency and the effects on the social lives of their families".

The final episode went to air earlier this month. The show's concept has been sold to more than 20 countries.

Antenna TV accused the board of censorship and of compromising freedom of expression. It is reportedly considering taking the case to the European Commission.

The programme was launched last October and has became one of the country's most watched shows despite being aired at 11pm, winning up to 30 per cent of the national audience.

Family of British-Greek journalist plea for Iran release

The parents of a British-Greek journalist detained in Iran appealed for his release today insisting that their son was not a spy.

Iason Athanasiadis, also known as Jason Fowden, was arrested at Imam Khomeini Airport in Tehran at the end of last week on charges of “underground activities”. He had been about to fly out of the country after covering the election and its violent aftermath for The Washington Times.

Read More at Timesonline.co.uk

R.I.P. Farrah Fawcett

Farrah Fawcett dies @ 62. :( R.I.P.

Is Greece becoming the most expensive country in Europe?

Same item for sale at different Ikea stores across Europe.

Greece has whacked the price over 20% higher than the next highest country.

Wow!  I didn't know that the economy in Greece was surpassing everyone else!

Elli Kokkinou being interviewed at MAD Video Music Awards

Elli performed yesterday at the 2009 MAD VMA Awards.  She sang Pame Xsana and absolutely rocked it!

Maria Menounos directs new movie Serial Buddies

The "Access Hollywood" beauty has finished directing a new serial comedy titled "Serial Buddies".  ''It's kind of like Napoleon Dynamite meets Dexter,'' says Menounos, whose first movie, In the Land of Merry Misfits, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival two years ago.  Menounas, a close friend of the Howard Stern show actually casted Howard's buddy Richard Christie!

Other actors include, Donnie Wahlberg, Hal Rudnick, Paul Ashton, Gina Molina and Todd Wilson.

The movie is currently being submitted to several movie festivals this year!