Greek Frigate Sails to the Red Sea to Aid EU Mission

Greek frigate Red Sea
The participation of Hydra “involves risks, significant risks,” the Minister of Defense Nikos Dendias warned. Credit: Greek Navy

Greek frigate Hydra sailed toward the Red Sea on Monday after Greece assumed command of the EU’s maritime security operation which would aim to prevent attacks against ships and ensure freedom of navigation.

Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, emphasized during his visit to the Hydra frigate before sailing, that the participation of Hydra “involves risks, significant risks.”

He added, however, that Greece is compelled to take part: “Greece, as a maritime power with a leading role in world shipping, attaches great importance to the need to ensure free navigation, as well as the lives of Greek sailors.”

With a crew of two hundred, the frigate is designed in Germany and is part of the MEKO group of modular warships.

Earlier on Monday, a security committee headed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis ordered the participation of a Greek frigate in the Aspides operation, named after the Greek word for “shield,” that was launched last week.

The mission will be run from a military base in Larissa in central Greece under the command of Greek navy Cdre. Vasilios Griparis.

Greek frigate to contribute to maritime security in the Red Sea

The EU announced that “Aspides,” meaning “shields” or “protector” in Greek, will contribute to maritime security along the main sea lanes in an area including the Straits of Bab el-Madab, the Straits of Hormuz, and the international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Oman, and Persian Gulf.

The strategic objective will be to escort ships in the area of operation, provide situational awareness, and protect ships from multi-dimensional attacks at sea “in full respect of international law, including the principles of necessity and proportionality” in a sub-area of the region of operations.

Greece, a major commercial shipping power, has been directly affected by the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The port of Piraeus near Athens reported a drop of 12.7 percent in activity at its container terminal in January.

Germany, Italy, and France will also provide warships for the mission, joining the Hydra, while Italy will assume tactical command, according to Greek officials.

Officials in Athens have described the Aspides mission as defensive, adding that Greece would not take part in US-led attacks against Houthi military targets in Yemen.

In recent months, the dangers for shipping in the Red Sea region have increased dramatically, as Iranian-backed Houthi fighters have targeted commercial shipping with drone and missile attacks, as well as more brazen assaults by boat and helicopter.

Several Greek-owned vessels have been attacked by missiles suffering damage, but there have been no casualties.

The Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen, have declared their backing for Hamas in its war with Israel. They say they are targeting commercial vessels with links to Israel.

Greece Seeks to Permanently Host the IOC Presidential Vote

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Greece IOC
The flame lighting ceremony at the Ancient Olympia archeological site. File Photo. Credit: AMNA

Greece wants to permanently host the election of new International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidents in ancient Olympia, the Greek Olympics chief said in an interview Monday.

“My dream is to have this election in ancient Olympia, to remind everybody where the Games started, 2,800 years ago,” Hellenic Olympic Committee President Spyros Capralos told AFP.

“Every eight or 12 years to organize the election of the IOC president in Ancient Olympia, this is something that is feasible.

“I think that overall it would give positive vibes to everybody in the Olympic movement,” he said.

Greece is scheduled to host the next IOC presidential election in March 2025, when the term of IOC President Thomas Bach ends.

However, Bach has signaled that he may extend his tenure until 2029. He explained that his IOC colleagues wanted him to stay on, as they did not want an election campaign disrupting the preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

He added that many members also wanted to “express their recognition for the work accomplished by the IOC in the last 10 years.”

Ancient Olympia to host flame-lighting ceremony for Paris 2024

Under Olympic tradition, on April 16th, ancient Olympia will also host the flame-lighting ceremony for the torch relay of the Paris 2024 Games.

Its history begins in 1936 on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Berlin. With the help of a concave mirror, as the ritual defines, the lighting is performed by the High Priestess in the Temple of Hera (Heraion) at the archaeological site of Olympia. There, the priestess asks for the help of the sun god Apollo to light the torch as she makes the invocation.

The lighting ceremony will be followed by an eleven-day torch relay in Greece to the Panathenaic Stadium on April 26th, where the flame will be handed over to Paris organizers.

At the ceremony, Nana Mouskouri, one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, will be invited to perform, Capralos told AFP.

“We hope in the handover ceremony that Nana Mouskouri will be able and will come to sing the national anthems,” he said.

“That would be a very special moment because Nana Mouskouri is somebody very well-respected and very well-known in France and Greece, but also all around Europe and the world,” Capralos added. Mouskouri, who has sold more than 350 million albums globally, turns ninety in October.

The Olympic Flame for the 2024 Paris Games will take to the seas from its birthplace in Greece, arriving aboard a three-masted tall ship in the French port of Marseille, a former Greek colony founded 2,600 years ago.

The Olympic flame arriving in the host country symbolizes the advent of the spirit of the Games. Before lighting the cauldron at the opening ceremony, the flame is carried by a multitude of torchbearers throughout the host country and into the host city.

For Paris 2024, the flame will be taken through all the regions of France as part of an epic relay that will pass through iconic locations, creating moments for people to come together and celebrate the event throughout the country.

4,300-Year-Old Tombs and Gold-leaf Mummy Discovered in Egypt

Egypt Discovers 4300-year-old Tombs
E4300-Year-Old Tombs and Golf-leaf Mummy Discovered in Egypt. Credit: ‎Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities / Public Domain.

Archaeologists in Egypt have recently discovered four 4,300-year-old tombs and a mummy wrapped in gold leaf.

Gold mummy

The mummy is made up of the remains of a man named Hekashepes and was found preserved within a sarcophagus. It is one of the oldest and most complete non-royal corpses ever discovered in Egypt.

It was discovered in a burial site at Saqqara, which is located 19 miles south of Cairo, down a 15-meter-long (Approx. 50-foot-long) shaft, together with four other tombs.

“I put my head inside to see what was inside the sarcophagus: a beautiful mummy of a man completely covered in layers of gold,” said Zahi Hawass, Egypt’s former antiquities minister, to the Associated Press.

In addition to the layers of gold around him, the mummy wore a band on his head and a bracelet on his chest, signifying that he was a man of great wealth, Hawass told CNN.

The tombs

One of the tombs belonged to a person known as the “secret keeper.”

It is believed that the person known as Khnumdjedef, who served as a priest, inspector, and supervisor of nobles, was the owner of the largest of the mummies that were discovered at the ancient necropolis.

Another belonged to a man named Meri, who held the position of senior palace official and had been granted the title of “secret keeper,” which gave him the authority to carry out particular religious rituals.

A judge and writer by the name of Fetek was laid to rest in the other tomb, which was discovered with a collection of statues regarded to be the biggest to have been unearthed in the region.

A fourth tomb belonged to a priest at the pyramid complex of King Pepi I, which also contained nine beautiful statues.

Among the tombs, archaeologists also discovered a number of other items such as amulets, deity statues, stone vessels, pottery, and a range of everyday tools.

Archaeologist Zahi Hawass, who has also served as Egypt’s minister of antiquities, stated that all of the findings were made between 2686 to 2181 BC during the Fifth and Sixth dynasties of the Old Kingdom.

“This discovery is so important as it connects the kings with the people living around them,” said Ali Abu Deshish, another archaeologist who was part of the excavation.

Saqqara is a burial place that has been in use for more than three thousand years and is now on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It is located in what was once the capital of ancient Egypt, Memphis, and is home to more than a dozen pyramids, one of which is the Step Pyramid, located near the shaft in which the mummy was discovered.

In recent years, Egypt has made a number of significant archaeological finds as part of the country’s ongoing attempts to revive its tourism economy.

The government has high expectations that the Grand Egyptian Museum will bring in thirty million tourists annually by year 2028.

How Versace Brought Ancient Greek Mythology Into Fashion

A mosaic of Medusa embedded in a pavement, symbol of Versace , inspired by Greek mythology
Versace blends ancient Greek mythology with modern luxury fashion from its iconic Medusa logo to timeless Greek motifs. Credit: incognito7nyc, Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0

Ancient Greece has always captivated the minds of fashion designers, but Versace is the one brand that has so many clear connections to ancient Greek aesthetics that they just can’t be ignored.

In the world of luxury fashion, very few names shine as brightly as Versace. Renowned for its popular bold designs and sought-after elegance, Versace stands out for its true craftsmanship. However, what is obvious is that this loved-by-millions Italian brand has a deep-rooted connection to ancient Greek culture.

At the heart of this intriguing connection lies the brand’s iconic logo. Versace’s symbol is a sign that perfectly exemplifies the company’s affinity to a civilization that has long inspired the world in so many different fronts, including the world of fashion.

The roots of Versace’s love affair with ancient Greece

The brand was founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace. This Italian pioneer was a figure whose influence on the fashion industry remains unparalleled to this day.

Versace was born in 1946 in the south of Italy in Calabria, an area once known as “Magna Graecia” or “Greater Greece.” Versace grew up in a region that was surrounded by ancient Greek history and mythology. This influenced his creative vision deeply, as the environment in which he grew up was, in a sense, truly Greek. A prodigy in the world of design, he soon became known for his ability to blend classical elements of art with modern sensuality. This unique blend made Versace’s collections sought-after.

Gianni’s fascination with the Greek culture and, particularly, ancient Greek aesthetics was, for him, both a stylistic choice and a real homage to a civilization that flourished in his birthplace and celebrated beauty, power, and the minimalistic human form.

Through his innovative designs, Versace redefined fashion. He mixed the opulence of ancient Greece with the special traits of contemporary life, leaving a legacy that continues to inspire.

Versace conquers the world of fashion

Due to his exceptional talent, it didn’t take long until the brand quickly rose to prominence. Versace became globally known for its innovative designs and daring nature, captivating the souls and minds of millions of customers worldwide.

Because Gianni’s childhood was marked by a clear interest in Greek mythology and history, this shaped his professional career deeply. It was a passion that would later be used in Versace’s creations with a unique and distinctive character. This fascination managed to become the foundation upon which the brand was built. Ancient Greek inspiration became key to defining the brand with the grandeur of ancient civilizations and obtaining its unique character.

The design patterns of Versace reflect the company’s deep admiration for the Greek culture, and this is abundantly evident by its use of motifs and themes that reflect the tales and choices of ancient Greece.

The relatively short journey of this glamorous brand exemplifies how Gianni Versace’s visionary approach merged the past with the present. His inspiration created garments that are not simply clothes. They are pieces of art as well as fashion statements.

The versace Logo, Medusa, inspired by Greek mythology
The Versace logo, featuring Medusa and meanders, in the Versace haut-culture boutique on Dong Khoi street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Credit: Blowing Puffer Fish, Flickr, CC BY 2.0

The Medusa logo: The symbolism behind Versace’s iconic logo

The choice of Medusa as the logo of Versace is the frontal evidence of Gianni’s genius. Additionally, it showcased his ability to draw significant symbolism from ancient Greek mythology and turn it into powerful fashion messages.

According to Greek mythology, Medusa was once a beautiful maiden. However, her hair was turned into snakes by the goddess Athena as a form of punishment. This curse made her look so terrifying that people who dared to lay eyes on her would turn to stone.

Yet, for Versace, Medusa represented something completely different. For him, she was the definition of beauty, irresistibility, and represented the power of being different to the masses. This reinterpretation of Medusa’s popular story aligned perfectly with the image of the brand that Versace wanted to create. Today, the allure of Versace’s designs is undeniable. It continues to grow in popularity by captivating those who gaze upon their bold patterns.

At this point, we should point out that Medusa’s image also conveys a message of strength and empowerment. Through the eyes of Gianni Versace, these little things became traits that the company aspires to transfer to those who chose to use their products.

Of course, largely due to Versace, this emblem managed to become something bigger than a logo. It is a statement and declaration of the brand’s bold Greek inspirations. Through Medusa, Versace brought a message of beauty that transforms no matter how different it might look to the eyes of the ordinary people.

Versace’s timeless aesthetic inspired by ancient Greece

Versace’s timeless collections are a testament to the global appeal of Greek motifs and patterns. These ancient symbols have been cleverly adapted to fit today’s world of modern luxury fashion with great success.

The Greek key pattern, for example, also known as the meander or “meandros,” symbolizes the pure form of infinity and unity. This iconic element is always prominently featured in Versace’s clothing, accessories, and even the interiors of its boutique stores. It continues to serve as a constant reminder of the brand’s roots in ancient Greek art.

Each piece of the Versace line tells a story. It is a story of beauty and myth, of past and present. It ensures Versace’s followers that wearing their brand doesn’t just offer them a fashion statement but an experience and connection to the cultural heritage of Greece.

Versace’s journey beyond the runway

Following Gianni’s assasination in 1997, Donatella Versace, Gianni’s sister, took over. Under her leadership, the brand never stopped honoring its Greek-inspired heritage. Donatella’s tenure saw Versace embrace modern trends and technologies. Nonetheless, the essence of ancient Greece remained a cornerstone of the brand’s identity.

This delicate but beautiful balance between innovation and tradition has managed to ensure Versace’s place in the pantheon of luxury fashion. This is the reason why Versace’s influence extends beyond the runway. It became, over the years, a cultural icon with its designs featuring in movies, music videos, and red-carpet events.

The brand’s ability to stay relevant and continually reinvent itself while staying true to its roots is a testament to the lasting legacy of its founder and the timeless appeal of its Greek inspirations.

The timeless allure of Greek-inspired fashion

From the Medusa logo to the meander, Versace has masterfully crafted a modern way of paying respects to the rich heritage of Greece.

The brand has created a unique identity that is not just timeless but also exceptionally contemporary and modern. This serves as proof that the past can indeed inform the present.

Educator Makes $1 Billion Gift; Buys Free Tuition for Everyone at Bronx College

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American educator Ruth Gottesman makes 1 billion dollar gift to college
American educator Ruth L. Gottesman made the largest gift to any medical school in the US. It will transform the lives of students in The Bronx and beyond, as they will not have to pay tuition to Albert Einstein College of Medicine in perpetuity. Photo supplied.

Today, Albert Einstein College of Medicine announced it has received a transformational gift of one billion USD from Ruth L. Gottesman, Ed.D., Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and Montefiore Health System board member. This historic gift—the largest made to any medical school in the country—will ensure that no student at Einstein will have to pay tuition again.

“This donation radically revolutionizes our ability to continue attracting students who are committed to our mission, not just those who can afford it,” said Dr. Yaron Tomer, the Marilyn and Stanley Katz Dean at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Additionally, it will free up and lift our students, enabling them to pursue projects and ideas that might otherwise be prohibitive. We will be reminded of the legacy this historic gift represents each spring as we send another diverse class of physicians out across the Bronx and around the world to provide compassionate care and transform their communities.”

Transformational $1 billion college gift ensures no student will ever pay tuition again

This transformational gift is intended to attract a talented and diverse pool of individuals who may not otherwise have the means to pursue a medical education. It will enable generations of healthcare leaders who will advance the boundaries of research and care, free from the burden of crushing loan indebtedness.

With this donation, all current fourth-year students will be reimbursed their spring 2024 semester tuition and, effective beginning in August of this year, all students moving forward will receive free tuition at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Albert Einstein College of Medicine was founded in 1955 with a mission to welcome all students, without restrictions. Today, this gift furthers that mission by removing the financial restrictions for those without the economic means to afford medical school.

Dr. Gottesman joined Einstein’s Children’s Evaluation and Rehabilitation Center (CERC) in 1968. At a time when learning problems were often unrecognized and misdiagnosed, she developed widely used screening, evaluation, and treatment modalities that have helped tens of thousands of children.

In 1992, she started the Adult Literacy Program at CERC, the first of its kind, which is still in operation. In 1998, she was named the founding director of the Emily Fisher Landau Center for the Treatment of Learning Disabilities (at CERC). Dr. Gottesman earned her bachelor’s degree at Barnard College and her master’s and doctoral degrees from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is Clinical Professor Emerita of Pediatrics (Developmental Medicine) at Einstein.

Over the course of her 55-year association with the College of Medicine, Dr. Gottesman’s dedication and philanthropic vision have helped make Einstein the remarkable institution it is today. She and her late husband, David S. Gottesman, have been enormously generous donors in the past to Einstein’s innovative research and education initiatives.

“I am profoundly grateful to Dr. Gottesman for this historic and transformational gift,” said Philip O. Ozuah, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Montefiore Einstein. “I believe we can change healthcare history when we recognize that access is the path to excellence. With this gift, Dr. Gottesman will fund excellence in perpetuity and secure our foundational mission of advancing human health.”

“Each year, well over 100 students enter Albert Einstein College of Medicine in their quest for degrees in medicine and science,” said Ruth L. Gottesman, Ed.D., Chair of the Einstein Board of Trustees and Montefiore Health System board member. “They leave as superbly trained scientists and compassionate and knowledgeable physicians, with the expertise to find new ways to prevent diseases and provide the finest health care to communities here in the Bronx and all over the world. I am very thankful to my late husband, Sandy, for leaving these funds in my care, and l feel blessed to be given the great privilege of making this gift to such a worthy cause.”

Dan Tishman, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Montefiore Einstein, commented: “Ruth Gottesman’s extraordinary and unprecedented gift gives new meaning to selfless determination and transformational philanthropy. She has always been an inspiration to her fellow board members and the entire Montefiore Einstein community. She will have the lasting gratitude of all who choose to train and learn here.”

RELATED: The Strategist of Philanthropy: George D. Behrakis

Atlantic Ocean May Seal off by Impassable Volcano Range

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Atlantic Ocean Volcano Range
A new study claims that the Atlantic Ocean may seal off by a volcano range. Credit: Mr. Elliot Lim, CIRES & NOAA / NCEI

Around 180 million years back, the giant landmass of Pangea split up, creating the Atlantic Ocean.

Since then, the Atlantic Ocean has been getting bigger while the Pacific Ocean has been getting smaller. It can be spotted in the Pacific’s “ring of fire,” where land is closing in on the ocean.

However, it seems that the Atlantic’s growth might not go on forever. A recent study using computer models suggests that in about twenty million years, in terms of geology—the Atlantic Ocean might develop its own fire ring.

New research claims Gibraltar zone is still active

The authors of the study claim that the Gibraltar zone, previously thought to be inactive, is still active and will become active yet again.

Over billions of years, oceans go through what’s called the Wilson Cycle. First, a continent breaks apart, creating an ocean. Then, as continents move away from each other, the ocean gets bigger. Eventually, there’s a turning point called subduction initiation.

This is when the heavy plates at the ocean’s edge start sliding under lighter continental plates. After that, the ocean starts getting smaller until the continents at its edges crash into each other, according to the study.

Subduction zones don’t just appear out of nowhere. For subduction to occur, the super-strong tectonic plates have to crack and bend. Typically, subduction starts when it moves from one ocean into another.

This process is called subduction invasion. Based on the study, it is taking place at Gibraltar, which is at the very bottom of the Iberian Peninsula.

“There are two other subduction zones on the other side of the Atlantic—the Lesser Antilles, in the Caribbean, and the Scotia Arc, near Antarctica,” explained João Duarte, the lead author and a researcher at the University of Lisbon, Portugal. “However, these subduction zones invaded the Atlantic several million years ago.”

The Mediterranean Sea is a closing basin carrying Africa and Europe

The Mediterranean Sea is like a closing basin, where the oceanic plate slides beneath the continental plates carrying Africa and Europe. There is a subduction zone around Gibraltar, but it’s been slowing down over the past few million years, leading many researchers to believe it was inactive.

However, newer 3D modeling in this study suggests otherwise. Subduction invasion is a complex process that needs advanced modeling tools and supercomputers, which weren’t around a few years ago, according to Duarte.

Now, we can simulate the formation of the Gibraltar Arc with lots of details and predict how it might change far into the future, Duarte further explained.

Duarte and his team believe that the Gibraltar subduction zone is just taking a break—like a period of quiet. They predict that its activity will pick up again in about twenty million years. At that point, it will start invading the Atlantic Ocean and begin the process of shrinking it.

US Air Force Man Dies After Setting Himself on Fire at Israeli Embassy

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Israeli embassy in Washington, US, where a US Air Force member set himself on fire.
Israeli embassy in Washington, US, where a man of the US Air Force set himself on fire. Credit: tedeytan. CC BY 2.0/flickr

An active-duty airman of the US Air Force has died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. while shouting, “Free Palestine, free Palestine!”

US Air Force Man Dies After Setting Himself on Fire at Israeli Embassy

In a video, the man, identified as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, declared that he will “no longer be complicit in genocide” before setting himself alight in full military uniform. Bushnell was on fire for about a minute before the Metropolitan Police Department extinguished it, arriving in response to the incident on International Drive at around 1 PM yesterday, Sunday, February 25th, to assist the Secret Service.

The deceased military man walked up to the embassy and began livestreaming on the video streaming platform Twitch, a person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press. US serviceman Bushnell then put his phone on the ground in front of the embassy and doused himself with with accelerant before drawing his lighter and setting himself on fire. The video was later removed from the video platform.

An air force spokesperson confirmed to Agence France-Presse that Bushnell was an active member but did not provide any further details. A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy said no staff were injured and the man was “unknown to them.”

A Facebook post, which has been attributed to Bushnell, was shared numerous times on Twitter today, stating, “Many of us like to ask ourselves, ‘What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?’ The answer is, you’re doing it. Right now.” The authenticity of the post could not be immediately verified.

The police said an explosive ordinance disposal unit was called to the scene as a supposedly suspicious vehicle was present, possibly linked to the individual. No hazardous material was found, according to The Guardian.

Leading up to the Fire at the Israeli Embassy in the US

The Israeli embassy in the US has been at the center of protests by pro-Palestinian demonstrators calling for a ceasefire to the Israeli military onslaught in Gaza in which Hamas-run agencies claim the death toll is nearing 30,000. The offensive comes after cross-border attacks in Israel by Hamas on October 7th, which killed around 1,200 people and saw more than 200 people taken hostage.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health service, Israeli strikes have killed 29,692 Palestinians in Gaza since October, two-thirds of them women and children, and injured 69,879.

In a different incident in December last year in Atlanta, US outside the city’s Consulate General of Israel, a demonstrator also partook in an act of immolation. That individual was taken to the hospital with burns shortly afterwards.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is currently seeking cabinet approval for a military operation in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, where over half of the enclave’s population is seeking refuge.

If you find yourself negatively affected by the contents of this article, you can visit the Samaritans site for support.

Vanishing Y Chromosome in Males Casts Uncertainty About Future of Men

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The Y Chromosome in male humans is gradually degenerating, which may mean the end of the human race.
The Y Chromosome in male humans is gradually degenerating, which may mean the end of the human race. Credit: Flickr / Sekgei Public Domain

The Y chromosome, which contains the male-determining gene in humans and other mammals, is degenerating in the human species and may cease to exist after a few million years. This would lead to extinction unless humans evolve a new sex gene.

How the Y chromosome, the “Male Gene,” works

Female humans, along with other mammals, have two X chromosomes, while males have just one. This is paired with a much smaller Y chromosome in men. The X chromosome contains around nine hundred genes, which carry out lots of tasks unrelated to sex, and the Y contains far fewer genes (55) along with a great deal of non-coding DNA, such as simple, repetitive DNA that appears not to have any particular function.

The Y chromosome is important because it contains the gene that initiates male development in the embryo, which switches on at around twelve weeks into pregnancy. This male-inducing gene switches on others that regulate the development of a testis, and the embryonic testis produces male hormones (testosterone, among others), which leads to the development of a baby boy.

This master sex gene was identified as SRY (sex region on the Y) in 1990 and works by triggering a genetic pathway beginning with a gene called SOX9, which is crucial for male determination in all vertebrates.

The Y is disappearing

The majority of mammals have an X and Y chromosome similar to those of humans. The X carried lots of genes, while the Y contains SRY and a few others. This biological system has innate difficulties, due to the uneven amount of X chromosome genes in males and females.

In discovering the evolution of this system, it is useful to look at the duck-billed platypus, which has entirely different sex chromosomes. In platypuses, the XY pair is simply an ordinary chromosome with two equal members. This suggests the mammal X and Y were an ordinary pair of chromosomes not too far back in evolutionary history.

This further suggests that the Y chromosome has lost around almost nine hundred active genes over the 166 million years that humans and platypuses have been evolving separately. Consequently, this amounts to a loss of around five genes per million years, meaning the last fifty-five genes will have disappeared within the next eleven million years.

The case of the Y chromosome in rodents

There are two species of rodents that have already lost their Y chromosome and continue to survive. This includes the mole voles of eastern Europe and the spiny rats of Japan. Their X chromosome remains in a single or double form in both sexes.

Spiny Rat.
Spiny rat. Credit: Jo Richmond. CC BY-2.0/flickr

It is unknown how the mole voles determine sex without the SRY gene, but a team led by Hokkaido University biologist Asato Kuroiwa has made headway with the spiny rat. It is a group of three species on different Japanese islands. Kuroiwa’s team discovered that most of the genes on the Y of spiny rats had been relocated to other chromosomes, but the SRY was not found, nor was the gene that substitutes for it.

In 2022, the research team published their study in the academic journal PNAS, having eventually discovered sequences that were in the genomes of males but not females. They refined them and then tested for the sequence on every individual rat. The team discovered a very minute difference near the key sex gene SOX9. It was on chromosome three of the spiny rat. A small duplication—just seventeen thousand base chromosome pairs out of more than three billion—was present in all males and no females.

The researchers posited that this tiny bit of duplicated DNA contains the switch that would usually turn on SOX9 in response to SRY. When they introduced this duplication into mice, they found that it boosts SOX9 activity, meaning the change could allow SOX9 to work without SRY.

The future of the Y chromosome?

Much speculation has been made about the eventual disappearance of the human Y chromosome, particularly with regard to the future of the human race. Several lizards and snake species are female-only and can produce eggs from their own genes via parthenogenesis. However, this is not possible in humans and other mammals because they have at least thirty crucial “imprinted” genes that only work if they come from the father via sperm.

In order for humans to reproduce, sperm is needed. By association, males are hence necessary. This means the end of the Y chromosome could spell the extinction of the human race unless, as the new findings suggest, humans can evolve a new sex-determining gene.

The Story of the Greek Tycoon Who Married a Jordanian Princess

greek thermiotis jordan princess
Jordanian Princess Iman and her fiance, Greek-Venezuelan Jameel Alexander Thermiotis. Credit: Royal Hashemite Court

When Jordanian Princess Iman married Jameel Alexander Thermiotis in March 2023, Greeks across the world wondered about the groom’s connection to the country.

Thermiotis, whose first name is Dimitrios, or Jimmy, was born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1994 to Alexandros Thermiotis and Corina Hernández.

He was referred to as Jameel in the official announcement of the couple’s wedding because it is the closest Arabic name to Jimmy.

The young Greek businessman has one brother and a sister, Alejandros and Alexia, both of whom are younger.

A video shared by Jordan TV then showed the couple walking into a reception area where they were joined by the Ma’an traditional zaffe troupe before cutting their wedding cake surrounded by family members.

A live broadcast of the intimate ceremony and celebration was carried by Jordan TV.

The princess was accompanied by her brother Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II as they made their way to the religious ceremony.

 

Fiancé of Jordanian princess Iman has roots from Andros

Thermiotis, 30, studied Business Administration and Business at Florida International University and founded a venture capital firm called Outbound Ventures LLC, which is based in New York, in 2015.

Princess Iman, 27, is the second child of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan. She has one sister, Princess Salma, who is 23, and two brothers, Crown Prince Hussein, 30, and Prince Hashem, 19.

The Princess’ grandfather was King Hussein and her grandmother is the English-born Princess Muna, his second wife. Princess Iman completed her degree at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

Thermiotis has ancestral links to the Greek island of Andros, where his grandfather was born. Dimitrios Thermiotis, from whom the young man took his name, was born on the island in 1922 and grew up there.

As an adult, he left Greece for Venezuela, where he started several successful companies and soon became one of the most significant businessmen in Latin America.

The elder Thermiotis married his wife Leonor Felizari, and the couple had three children, Diana, Katerina, and Alexandros, the younger Thermiotis’s father.

The couple were known for their extensive charity work in Latin America and the US, where they relocated to later in life.

In 2017, the entire Thermiotis family visited Andros. Sadly, just one year later, the elder Dimitrios Thermiotis passed away in Miami.

Princess Iman of Jordan engaged to Greek Jimmy (Jameel) Thermiotis

The princess got engaged in July 2022 and it was followed by the announcement of her brother, Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II’s engagement to Saudi national Rajwa Khaled bin Musaed bin Said bin Abdulaziz al-Saif a month later.

“The Royal Hashemite Court is pleased to announce the engagement of Her Royal Highness Princess Iman bint Abdullah II to Mr. Jameel Alexander Thermiotis, on Tuesday, 5 July 2022, in the presence of Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah, as well as Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, Prince Hashem bin Abdullah II, and Princess Salma bint Abdullah II, in addition to members of Mr. Thermiotis’ family,” the announcement from the Royal Hashemite Court states.

“The Royal Hashemite Court extends its sincere congratulations to Her Royal Highness Princess Iman and Mr. Thermiotis on this occasion and wishes them a lifetime of happiness,” it concludes.

The Princess’ mother, Queen Rania, congratulated her daughter and her fiancé on social media, writing: “Congratulations my dearest Iman; your smile has always been a gift of love that I’ve cherished since the day you were born. I wish you and Jameel a life filled with love and laughter!”

Tourist Development Threatens Iconic Beach on Mykonos

Agrari Beach, Mykonos island, greece
Agrari Beach, Mykonos Island, Greece. Credit: wikimedia commons / karlygr CC BY 3.0

A massive tourist development threatens one of the few unspoiled beaches of Mykonos, the Agrari Beach, local site Mykonoslive.tv reports.

According to the report, locals are disturbed by a 154 million euro proposed development plan which foresees the creation of a 5-star hotel, with a capacity of 82 bedrooms and 12 furnished houses.

Company Southrock has reportedly purchased 47 acres of the area overlooking the long sandy beach, which, although popular with locals and tourists, still offers plenty of space for yourself.

Agrari Beach is usually split in half — umbrellas and sunbeds on one side, just sand on the other.

It offers crystal-clear water and a more reasonably-priced restaurant when compared to the rest of Mykonos. The gay crowds that can’t find space at neighboring Elia, often spill over to this beach.

Related: Mykonos Beach Among the Most Expensive in the World

Tourist development on Mykonos may lead to the destruction of natural beauty

Residents complain that the development will bring about the destruction of the natural beauty of the area, Mykonoslive.tv reports.

It says that Agrari is one of the last corners of the island that offers tranquility and the possibility for Mykonians and tourists to enjoy swimming and sunbathing by spreading their towels on the golden sand or paying for sunbeds at reasonable prices.

The few businesses operating in the area offer authentic Mykonian hospitality, treating customers as friends.

Mykonos does not need investments that decisively alter the natural landscape. Because it is certain that the relief of the area, the impressive rocks that in mythology were called the Stone Forest, will be destroyed, the report claims.

Social media users are angry about the development at Agrari

The report also carries comments from social media with many expressing anger and disappointment at the news.

One Facebook user writes: “The island has lost its soul a long time ago. Very rarely do you find a quiet and natural corner without cement, electric cables and garbage… It will be the beginning of the end for the beauty of Mykonos… This is called GREED which the ordinary Mykonian is not interested in”.

Another user comments: “Money has become the nightmare of a paradise like Mykonos. Don’t you locals leave this little island. Hours upon hours it looks like a war zone to my eyes. Whatever natural beauty God gave to this magical island, they destroyed it. I am a foreigner, but Mykonos has stolen a part of my heart.”

A third user from France says: “Don’t let it happen! In France and especially in Corsica when something like this happens, we go to court and if we don’t get justice there we go and camp on the spot and prevent the trucks from starting work. Agrari is the last authentic spot of Mykonos. I remember years ago turtles jumping out of the sand. Turn to environmentalists and the European Commission for help. Organize a big protest.”

With more than two million visitors a year, Mykonos is one of the world’s hottest vacation destinations — and a source of prosperity in Greece’s economic revival.

Since the country’s decade-long financial crisis ended in 2018, Greece has surfed on a recovery fueled by tourism and investment. Investors have come to Mykonos in droves, eager to cash in on a gold mine of development for luxury properties, sprawling hotels and high-wattage nightclubs for the free-spending crowds.

Related: The Island of Mykonos Throughout the Millennia