Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias inaugurated a new drone manufacturing and R&D facility. Photo credit: AMNA
Greece on Friday inaugurated a new manufacturing plant to upgrade the production of drones (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs) on an industrial scale. Greek Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias led the inauguration ceremony of the 309th Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Manufacturing Plant in Malakasa, Attica.
“Unmanned Systems and Unmanned Countermeasure Systems, i.e. anti-drones, are an integral part of the new operational concept of the Armed Forces,” , the defense minister stated. “The new Unmanned Systems Manufacturing Factory is coming to transform an initial capability into an industrial-scale production. It is the first large industrial installation of the Greek Armed Forces that is completely specialized in the manufacturing of Unmanned Vehicles.”
The project inaugurated includes two distinct interventions in the Armed Forces Camp: Complete reconstruction and modernization of the old facilities of the Camp, with restoration of its static adequacy, as well as external and internal damages. The facilities will be converted into modern production, support, and technical work areas.
The facility covers an area of 2,800 sq. m. and the necessary actions are underway so that the works for the 309th Factory can begin within 2026.
More production lines and RD facilities
The Greek Defense Minister spoke about the new facility being part of the new Armed Forces project:
“The “2030 Agenda” is a holistic program for the protection of our homeland with a specific design. The “Achilles Shield” project, which extends to the sea, on land, in the air, but now also in cyberspace and space. And it has a basic concept, a basic parameter: the change of everything as we knew it. Today’s ceremony signals this program. Unmanned Systems and Systems for Countering Unmanned Systems, i.e. anti-drones, are an integral part of the new concept of operations. Autonomous Systems in the air, at sea, and on land, are the organic element of the modern operational environment, across the entire spectrum of missions.”
Dendias added the importance of the Greek Armed Forces being prepared to respond to international threats: “A country that has received an active threat against it, does not have the luxury of passively monitoring what is happening.”
The new facilities will develop production lines for class I and II drones, for research and development of class III drones, for Unmanned Ground Vehicles, for Unmanned Surface Vessels, for Unmanned Underwater Systems, as well as for the manufacture of anti-drones.
“A leap forward”
The Defense Minister said that the goal is to increase the annual production of class I drones to at least 10,000 from the current 4,000, the annual production of at least 300 class II drones, 300 ground vehicles and 300 anti-drones, while creating the capabilities for Research and Development of Surface Vessels and Submarine Vessels.
The second major intervention is the construction of a new building with a total area of 3,600 sq. m. to develop on two levels. It will constitute the core of the complex, housing advanced production lines, Research and Development areas, Laboratories and Test Centers.
Its construction will allow other than production increase, new specialized R&D capabilities, close cooperation with the defense industry and the country’s research institutions.
“Today,” Dendias emphasized, “we are taking a big step forward. I dare say, a leap. This new Unmanned Systems Manufacturing Factory is coming to transform an initial capability into an industrial-scale production. It is the first large industrial installation of the Greek Armed Forces, which is completely specialized in the manufacturing of Unmanned Vehicles. The 309th Unmanned Vehicle Systems Factory.”
Company said US government believes safeguards can be bypassed and product used to identify software vulnerabilities
Anthropic said it will “abruptly disable” its most advanced AI models for all users after the US government ordered it to suspend access to the models for foreign nationals, citing national security concerns.
The company received the export control directive to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for all foreign nationals, without being given specific details of the national security concern, Anthropic said in a statement.
Aperta campagna, a pochi chilometri da Milano. Oggi, a Inveruno, la nostra collega Erminia Guastella ha sposato Tiziano Scolari, compagno di una vita e papà della loro figlia Viola.
Le nozze arrivano dopo oltre un decennio condiviso insieme, tra lavoro, famiglia, amicizie e progetti costruiti giorno dopo giorno. A festeggiare con gli sposi, in un agriturismo immerso nel verde, parenti, amici e colleghi che hanno voluto accompagnarli in questa giornata speciale di inizio estate.
Giornalisti entrambi, siciliana lei e lombardo lui, Erminia e Tiziano hanno scelto una cerimonia semplice e informale, circondati dalle persone più care.
Erminia Guastella è da molti anni una delle figure centrali del lavoro del Fatto Quotidiano. Dietro numeri, strategie, social network, analisi dei dati e sviluppo dell’audience c’è il suo contributo quotidiano, spesso lontano dai riflettori ma fondamentale per la crescita del giornale.
Alla coppia arrivano gli auguri della redazione, del direttore e del vicedirettore de ilfattoquotidiano.it, Peter Gomez e Simone Ceriotti, per una vita insieme piena di serenità, amore e nuove avventure da condividere.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) fired 70 staff members working in Gaza after long-standing claims from Israeli authorities that the agency is a collaborator with the Hamas terrorist group.
"Today, the Commissioner-General ad interim of UNRWA, Christian Saunders, took the decision to terminate the employment of 70 UNRWA staff members in Gaza with immediate effect," UNRWA wrote in a Friday statement.
UNRWA insisted its decision was not an admission of guilt, but one taken "to mitigate safety and security risks for the refugees the Agency serves under its mandate and for UNRWA personnel and premises."
The agency claims it has "repeatedly asked the Israeli authorities to provide information and evidence to substantiate allegations against individual UNRWA staff members in Gaza but has received no response to date."
"The dismissal of the staff is not part of a disciplinary process and does not constitute in any way a validation of the claims made against them," the UNRWA statement read.
The firings follow a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) investigation that referred more than 100 UNRWA staff members for suspension or dismissal.
USAID's investigation, the results of which the agency published June 5, assessed that a number of UNRWA's employees were deeply enmeshed in Hamas' civil society and military operations.
The investigation results included mention of "a deputy school principal serving as an al-Qassam deputy company commander in the Ain Gallout/5th infantry battalion, a deputy school principal serving as squad leader for the Khan Younis Brigade/2nd infantry battalion" and "a teacher with expertise as a sniper for Hamas."
The investigation also found numerous school teachers and principals it claimed to have participated directly in Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attacks.
"Since October 7, evidence of numerous incidents of Hamas exploiting UNRWA infrastructure and UNRWA employees being involved in terrorist activity has been exposed. Civilians in Gaza have even stated that UNRWA is Hamas," the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) wrote in a January web post.
Additionally, the IDF claimed, citing intelligence findings, that "among the 12,521 UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip, at least 1,462 (12%) are members of Hamas or other designated terrorist organizations."
Israel's Foreign Ministry pushed back on UNRWA's defense framing and claims that Israel had not supplied evidence of employee-Hamas collaboration.
"UNRWA's statement on the termination of 70 employees, while blaming the victim, Israel, and without even mentioning the word 'Hamas,' is a cynical cover-up," the ministry wrote in a statement shared on X.
"The responsibility to purge terrorism lies solely with the UN, yet Hamas membership remains simply acceptable within UNRWA's ranks. By harboring terrorists and letting its facilities serve as Hamas headquarters, UNRWA has become an arm of Hamas," the statement concluded.
UNRWA, for its part, denies being an active collaborator with Hamas, but insists working with the group is an operational necessity for distributing aid in Gaza.
"UNRWA, similar to other United Nations entities, does not have police or intelligence capacities and must rely on the cooperation and assistance of Member States, including the State of Israel as the Occupying Power, to protect its operations and neutrality amid high risks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the agency wrote in its Friday statement.
In April, UNRWA's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) announced the results of an investigation into 19 employees accused of participating in Oct. 7. UNRWA terminated 12 of the employees in January. Of the remaining seven cases, UNRWA had dismissed one, citing a lack of evidence. The remaining six cases were still under investigation as of April, according to the agency.
Portugal has denied visas to at least 20 midwives from Africa and Asia who were due to attend a major international congress in Lisbon this weekend – and no one
Workers began stripping President Trump’s name from the exterior of the Kennedy Center early Saturday morning, hours past a court-ordered deadline. Justice Department (DOJ) attorneys representing the historic performing arts center asked a district court late Friday evening for a 12-hour extension to the 11:59 p.m. Friday deadline. The attorneys cited safety concerns due…
Workers began stripping President Trump’s name from the exterior of the Kennedy Center early Saturday morning, hours past a court-ordered deadline. Justice Department (DOJ) attorneys representing the historic performing arts center asked a district court late Friday evening for a 12-hour extension to the 11:59 p.m. Friday deadline. The attorneys cited safety concerns due…
The South Lawn has hosted Easter egg rolls, state arrivals and countless presidential helicopter departures. This week, it got a fighting cage.
A massive arena now looms over the White House grounds, the iconic UFC octagon at its center, thousands of seats fanning out around it and rows of standing areas in the back. Down at the Ellipse, a giant stage with jumbotrons has been erected for an overflow watch party where tens of thousands of fans are expected to gather Sunday. Sponsors — Bud Light, Crypto.com, Polymarket, a nicotine pouch brand, a blockchain company, a grill manufacturer, a personal-injury law firm and more — line the rails of the ring.
And beside it all, partially obscured but impossible to miss: the construction site for a new East Wing ballroom — an ongoing project the White House would rather you not photograph. (At a walkthrough of the UFC setup on Thursday, one Secret Service officer made a reporter delete an iPhone photo of it on the spot.)
On Sunday, all of it comes to a head. UFC Freedom 250 — formally billed as a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, less formally as President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday party — will take place, with Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje headlining a card of fighters.
It is, by any measure, a strange thing to do to the White House. Here’s how it came together.
Wednesday, June 10
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira poses for photographs with two championship belts during the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
No. 1 UFC heavyweight fighter Ciryl Gane answers questions during the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
UFC lightweight champion Ilia Topuria poses for photographs at the UFC Freedom 250 Media Day at the JW Marriott Hotel.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Thursday, June 11
Construction continues on the UFC “Claw” and the octagon fighting ring on the South Lawn of the White House. Strobe lights lined along the “Claw” are expected to light up at night for a more dramatic look during the event. At the media preview of the arena, far-right commentator Jack Posobiec was heard saying: “It’s literally Vegas.”
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
A visitor takes a photo from the Washington Monument as workers construct a UFC fighting ring on the South Lawn of the White House. To the right of the White House South Lawn, partially blocked by the visitor’s hand, is what used to be the White House East Wing — now a construction site of the new White House ballroom.
Daniel Heuer / Bloomberg via Getty Images
The UFC octagon and fighting arena during a media preview ahead of a planned UFC fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C.: Some of the event’s sponsors can be seen on the rails of the octagon ring — including Bud Light, Crypto.com, Polymarket, a nicotine pouch brand, a blockchain company, a grill manufacturer, a personal-injury law firm and more. The floor of the ring, which typically touts more sponsors, was covered up during the preview.
Aaron Schwartz / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Friday, June 12
Fans attend the UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference at the Lincoln Memorial.
Ed Mulholland / Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Mixed martial artist Daniel Cormier, left, and UFC commentator Jon Anik at the UFC Freedom 250 Press Conference.
Andy Burnham, the Labour candidate for the Makerfield by-election, supports giving migrants immediate access to Britain’s welfare state and social housing. In the past, when not on the campaign trail, he has […]
Scotland face Haiti in a crucial World Cup 2026 Group C opener at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts on Sunday, with both nations knowing a win could be vital to their hopes of reaching the knockout rounds ahead of tough clashes with Brazil and Morocco.
Una donna di circa 30 anni è rimasta gravemente ferita in seguito a un attacco di squalo avvenuto nelle acque antistanti Coogee Beach, a Sydney, in Australia. La vittima è stata prontamente soccorsa dopo l’aggressione, che le ha causato serie lacerazioni a una gamba e a un braccio. La donna è stata trasportata d’urgenza in ospedale, dove si trova attualmente ricoverata in condizioni critiche. Le spiagge della zona est di Sydney sono state chiuse in seguito al grave incidente.
Come riporta il The Guardian, il servizio di salvataggio Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) ha dichiarato che la donna è stata portata in ospedale “semi-cosciente e in grado di respirare”. Un portavoce della polizia del Nuovo Galles del Sud ha affermato che la donna “è stata tirata fuori dall’acqua da alcuni passanti che le hanno prestato i primi soccorsi in attesa dell’arrivo dei servizi di emergenza”.
“La polizia ha prestato i primi soccorsi alla donna, che si ritiene abbia circa 30 anni, la quale ha riportato gravi ferite a braccia e gambe, prima dell’arrivo dei paramedici del servizio di ambulanza del Nuovo Galles del Sud”, hanno dichiarato le forze dell’ordine.
La polizia ha provveduto a sgomberare il vicino Coogee Oval per permettere l’atterraggio dell’elicottero dei soccorsi, prontamente intervenuto per trasportare la donna in ospedale. Un frequentatore abituale della spiaggia di Coogee, presente al momento dell’attacco, ha riferito che uno dei componenti del suo gruppo aveva udito un grido prima che venisse lanciato l’allarme squalo. Il gruppo si è immediatamente avvicinato, constatando che qualcosa di grave era accaduto a circa trenta metri di distanza.
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