Greece is globally recognized for its touristic lures of idyllic beaches and a laid-back lifestyle. Prior to the outbreak of the global pandemic, the World Travel and Tourism Council said that tourism generated over one-fifth of Greece’s total GDP. This year, the country faced a record number of travelers during its summer tourism season. In the month of August alone, the country received nearly 1 million travel arrivals per week, according to the Greek Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias. A report from ForwardKeys on this year’s summer tourism revealed that, of the top ten “sun and beach” locations in Europe, …

Blockchain and crypto are coming to a local weather station near you - or at least that’s what one group of Athens-based engineers is trying to accomplish. WeatherXM is using a combination of blockchain-based data verification with crypto incentives to get people worldwide to capture their local weather data for more accurate forecasting. Cointelegraph sat down with WeatherXM co-founders, CEO Manolis Nikiforakis and chief technology officer Nikos Tsiligaridis for an interview in Athens, Greece. They talked about how Web3 tools provide the best solution to the lack of quality and the quantity of available weather data. The company is deploying …

Even though the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has yet to fully recede, an increasing number of countries are beginning to open up their borders to tourists once again. Furthermore, with large-scale vaccination drives taking place all over the world, it appears as though by the time summer rolls around again, it will become possible for many individuals to travel to certain holiday destinations once again. In fact, according to the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, American tourists will be able to pay a visit to their favorite European Union countries during summer 2021, given that they are …

The COVID-19 pandemic has served both as an x-ray onto existing vulnerabilities in the global financial system, and as an accelerator for destabilizing tendencies, including higher sovereign and consumer debt in emerging markets. At an online meeting of the Central Bank Governors' Club, hosted this week by Bank of Russia Governor Elvira Nabiullina, representatives were unanimous in their expectations of the far-reaching consequences of the current crisis. At the meeting, the 26 central bank representatives that convened from Central Asia, the Black Sea region, the Balkan countries and beyond, also noted the pandemic-induced expansion of e-commerce, as well as digital …

After spending 30 months in detention, Greek authorities have finally extradited the Russian national and alleged Bitcoin (BTC) money launderer Alexander Vinnik to France. Prosecutors in France are charging Vinnik, operator of the defunct BTC-e crypto exchange, with multiple counts of money laundering, extortion and conspiracy. Vinnik also has pending extradition requests from both Russia and the United States. The alleged Bitcoin criminal has previously stated his preference for extradition to his native homeland, which Greek officials have turned down. Thus, after the conclusion of his trial in France, Vinnik will return to Greece to face another extradition to the …

According to a Facebook post by Alexander Vinnik’s lawyer, Zoe Konstantopoulou, the alleged BTC-e money launderer has successfully been extradited to France. Social media update In a post on the social media site at UTC 8:10, Konstantopoulou wrote: “Alexander is at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Paris, as my French colleague informed me, while the Greek authorities are hiding and pretending to know nothing. She hasn't been allowed to see him yet and they will try to question him tonight, exhausted and without communication or information! I already sent a request to postpone his hearing for tomorrow If this is not …

Greece’s Council of State ruled for the extradition to France of former operator of now-shuttered crypto exchange BTC-e and Russian national Alexander Vinnik. English-language local news outlet Greek Reporter reported on the court’s decision on Jan. 23. Yesterday, Russian news agency TASS reported that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov protested: “The decision to extradite him to France is inadmissible as long as no explanations have been provided why he is not extradited to Russia. His family has been broken up, his right to life and health violated. Greece is obliged to hold prisoners in conditions that do not allow torture …

The lawyers for Alexander Vinnik, the alleged operator of defunct crypto exchange BTC-e, have filed a complaint alleging violation of Vinnik’s rights. Written on behalf of Vinnik’s young children, the complaint has been filed with a Greek court to prevent the allegedly approaching criminal’s extradition to France and the United States. Vinnik’s extradition from Greece was allegedly scheduled for last weekend Timofey Musatov, the head of Vinnik’s legal representation alleges that Vinnik’s extradition had been scheduled for last weekend, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Jan. 17. Musatov suggested that Vinnik’s extradition had been planned for this past weekend based …

Greece’s top administrative court has suspended a decision to extradite Alexander Vinnik, a Russian national suspected of laundering of billions of dollars through a cryptocurrency exchange. According to Reuters on Dec. 23, Vinnik’s lawyer said that the decision to extradite is suspended until the court hears an appeal, the date of which is still pending. As Cointelegraph reported, the Greek Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights had decided to extradite Vinnik to France earlier this month. At the time, the Russian Embassy expressed its regret that the Greek government “ignored” Russia’s request to extradite Vinnik to the country of …

Alexander Vinnik, the alleged former operator of now-defunct crypto exchange BTC-e, will be extradited to France, according to a new decision from Greece. Following years of disagreement on what jurisdiction should care about the alleged Bitcoin (BTC) laundering suspect, the Ministry of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights has reportedly decided to finally extradite the Russian citizen to France. The news was reported by the Russian Embassy in Greece on Twitter on Dec. 20. Russian Embassy expresses regret over Greece “ignoring” requests to bring Vinnik to the country of his citizenship Noting that the decision was delivered by the Minister for …

Former operator of now-shuttered crypto exchange BTC-e, Russian national Alexander Vinnik, has appealed with a Greek court for his release or extradition to Russia, local media outlet Kathimerini reported on March 21. Vinnik — who is accused of fraud and laundering as much as $4 billion in Bitcoin (BTC) over the course of six years — has reportedly filed an appeal with Piraeus court for his release or extradition to Russia for humanitarian reasons. Prior to that, Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova asked both the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet and Greek Justice Minister …

Russia’s Commissioner for Human Rights has asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to help extradite the former operator of now-defunct crypto exchange BTC-e, Alexander Vinnik, from Greece to Russia. The news was reported by Russian news outlet TASS on March 5. At a meeting between commissioners Tatyana Moskalkova and Michelle Bachelet on March 5, Moskalkova reportedly noted that Vinnik has been in critical condition because of the hunger strike he started in November, 2018. Moskalkova also pointed out that Vinnik’s wife is seriously ill and is on the brink of death. The ombudswoman said: "Given the extraordinary …