Tag: Second

Heatwave shutters Acropolis in Athens for second consecutive afternoon

Authorities in Greece closed down the Acropolis in Athens during the afternoon on Thursday for a second day as the country swelters under unseasonably high temperatures.

The Culture Ministry said the hilltop citadel, which is Greece’s most popular ancient site, was closed from midday to 5 p.m. local time because of the heat.

All other archaeological sites in the Greek capital were also shut during the same hours. People who had booked visits for that period could use their tickets later in the day until the sites close at 8 p.m., the ministry said.

7 WAYS TO STAY SAFE IN THIS SUMMER’S SCORCHING HEAT

Temperatures exceeded 104 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday in much of central and southern Greece, including greater Athens, the Cyclades and Crete.

Officials are on heightened alert for wildfires, which plague Greece every summer.

The minister responsible for civil protection, Vassilis Kikilias, said Thursday posed a particular wildfire risk due to the combination of high temperatures and winds.

“The early start of the heat waves, combined with the dry winter, has led to a very difficult fire season,” he said.

The fire service also warned of a very high wildfire threat on Friday.

Authorities in Athens are providing air-conditioned areas to the public and have issued fans to secondary schools where end-of-year and university entrance exams are being held.

Temperatures are expected to drop on Friday and Saturday.

Duke pulls away from top-seeded Houston in gritty second half to advance to Elite Eight

Duke men’s basketball is back in the Elite Eight after outlasting a physical Houston with a 54-51 win in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Friday night. 

Houston’s top-ranked defense kept Duke at bay in the first half, but the Cougars suffered a tough blow when All-American guard Jamal Shead went down with an apparent foot injury while driving towards the basket with just a little over six minutes left in the half. 

After remaining on the ground visibly in pain, Shead was helped up and eventually walked back to the locker room. 

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According to reports, his X-rays came back negative, and he was diagnosed with a severely sprained right ankle. He would remain on the sidelines for the rest of the game. 

But without Shead, Duke managed to pull away in the second half. 

Kyle Filipowski had 16 points and nine rebounds to lead the charge, but Jeremy Roach’s 14 second-half points kept the momentum going. 

“I’m really proud of these guys and really proud of the game tonight – that was a big time college basketball game,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after the game. 

NC STATE’S CINDERELLA STORY CONTINUES, AS UNDERDOG WOLFPACK KNOCKOFF MARQUETTE TO REACH ELITE 8

Scheyer went on to compliment Houston’s fortitude despite the loss of Shead, and made a point to silence any criticisms about Duke’s own toughness after a loss to Tennessee in the second round last year. 

“Look, we started four freshmen last year,” he began, “I think for us, some of the criticism about toughness or whatever – try being at Duke as a freshman or sophomore and battling your ass off in the tournament, and then talk to me about being tough.” 

Duke now moves on to face Atlantic Coast Conference rival North Carolina State for a spot in the Final Four.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Bible verse of the day: Believers look forward to Christmas, but also 'await Christ's second coming'

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). 

This Old Testament Bible verse foretells Christ’s birth and mission as delivered by the prophet Isaiah, whose ministry spanned 60 years, according to Israelmyglory.org. 

One North Carolina-based ministry leader today says he is “fascinated” by Old Testament prophecies, noting that there are “hundreds of them.”

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: JESUS MAKES ‘GLORIOUS ANNOUNCEMENT,’ PROMISES HOLY SPIRIT WILL BRING ‘REMEMBRANCE’

The prophets “pronounced their prophecies approximately 700 years before the child we celebrate at Christmas was born in human form in the little town of Bethlehem,” Judge Phil Ginn, president of the Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, told Fox News Digital via email. 

“Here’s the striking part,” Ginn continued. “The Jesus we know and worship as Christ-followers fulfilled all of the prophecies that speak of his first coming over 2,000 years ago.”

Ginn also said that the scientific and statistical prospects for this occurring are “quite staggering.” 

“Mathematician Peter Stoner [used] the science of probabilities and determined that if Jesus fulfilled only eight of the Messianic prophecies, it is equivalent to the probability of one in 10 — followed by 17 zeros,” Ginn continued.

He said that, according to Stoner, “that many silver dollars” would “cover the entire state of Texas 2 coins deep.”

KIRK CAMERON DECLARES A ‘WIN’ OVER TWO PUBLIC LIBRARIES THAT DENIED HIM STORY HOURS BUT NOW HAVE ‘CAVED’

He continued, “Then, if you marked one of the dollars, stirred the whole mess and asked a blind man to find the one that was marked, you could begin to understand the unique standing of Jesus as the promised Messiah of both Israel and the entire world as well.”

Maybe it is time we “followed the science” as we celebrate Jesus’ human birth, he added.

“Isaiah reminds us that another name for our Messiah will be the Prince of Peace,” Ginn also said.

While we pray, “especially at Christmastime for peace on earth,” there will “be no peace until Christ is on his earthly throne,” Ginn continued.

BIBLE VERSE OF THE DAY: ‘HUMILITY’ ALLOWS US TO TRUST AND ‘CAST OUR CARES ON GOD,’ SAYS FAITH LEADER

“So, while we look forward each year to our celebration of Christmas, the true followers of Christ anxiously look forward to his coming again,” he underscored.

“The Bible tells us that one day the eastern sky will explode with the glory of our new king,” Ginn also said. 

“It is that same Bible which so accurately foretold of the first coming of the Christ child so many years ago,” he continued.

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“The prophecies of his second advent into the earthly sphere are being fulfilled before our eyes every day,” he said, “so, just maybe, we should be looking forward to that great event while we celebrate his Nativity this Christmas.” 

He added, “Even so, come Lord Jesus!”‘

Stay tuned for more Bible verses of the day during the Advent season. To see yesterday’s Bible verse, click here. 

Max Verstappen wins F1 Dutch Grand Prix in home country for second straight year

Max Verstappen gave his home Netherlands fans what they wanted on Sunday in the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort.

The Red Bull Racing leader, who already had a large lead in the 2022 F1 driver standings with 284 points coming into this race, took home the victory with his home fans watching. 

“It’s always special to win your home GP. This year I had to work for it even more. An incredible weekend and I’m really happy we got the Dutch GP.”

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Mercedes’ George Russell came in second, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the final podium spot in third place, and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished fourth. 

MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS BELGIAN GRAND PRIX AFTER F1 STAR STARTED FROM 14TH POSITION

Red Bull’s Helmut Marko came into this match saying the Mercedes team was “very strong,” but “the start is essential.”

Verstappen was at the first starting position followed by Leclerc, Carlos Saintz, Hamilton, Sergio Perez and Russell. And while it was a back-and-forth jostle for first place, Verstappen’s strategy with his Red Bull team worked out. 

“It was not a straightforward race but we had to push, of course with safety car, virtual safety car, making the right calls,” he said. 

RED BULL’S MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS F1 CANADIAN GRAND PRIX

Verstappen keeps his win streak alive, pushing it to four straight races now and his 10th win on the season. Verstappen won last year’s Dutch Grand Prix as well. 

There was some drama from the Mercedes camp in this race, though, regarding Hamilton and Russell. Hamilton was leading toward the end of the race, but Russell wanted soft tires on his car in a pit stop. Mercedes allowed that to happen, and Hamilton was audibly ticked off on the team’s radio. 

The move left Hamilton exposed in first place and he ended up dropping all the way back to fourth in the end. 

“I can’t describe how p—– I am,” he said over his team radio via Sky Sports. 

But it seemed that Hamilton cooled down a little bit later. 

“To all the mechanics, fantastic job today,” he said. “Those are the best pit stops we’ve had all year, so thank you for the continued efforts. Let’s keep pushing. We’ll still get points today.” 

“We like to keep it close, you know, always,” Russell said after the race on the podium regarding his passing of Hamilton toward the end.

Verstappen’s lead in the F1 standings moves to 109 points, which is an extremely comfortable margin.