Giorgos

Facing pressure from Brussels for the sale of some of Public Power Corporation's most precious electricity plants, the Greek government is hoping that a market test later this fall will be successful enough to avert the concession of hydroelectric units.

TRACK & FIELD: Pole vault sensation Katerina Stefanidi extended its unbeaten run to 15 triumphs winning the Diamond League final in Brussels on Friday clearing 4.85 meters. Stefanidi completed a perfect 2017, poaching IAAF's diamond for the second year in a row.

The government on Thursday tried to downplay a protest by the Rouvikonas (Greek for Rubicon) anti-establishment group in the courtyard of the Greek Parliament building the previous day, while accusing the conservative New Democracy opposition of trying to put an alarmist spin on the incident.

The Bios venue in downtown Athens is screening iconic silent movies, accompanied by music, on its rooftop. On Wednesday, July 12, it will be showing Henri-Georges Clouzot's "L'Enfer" (Inferno), a tale of crazy jealousy inspired by Dante and Proust, which was unfinished when released in 1964 and is shot partly in black-and-white and partly in color. The screening starts at 9.15 p.m.

The Greek Festival (www.greekfestival.gr) has invited piano duo Stefanos Nasos and Apostolos Palios and percussionists Marios Nikolaou and Marinos Tranoudakis to present a performance showcasing the winning combination of piano and percussion, at the Olympia Theater on Monday, June 26, starting at 9 p.m.

A former senior Defense Ministry official, two brokers and two entrepreneurs have appealed to Greece's Supreme Court to overturn a ruling indicting them for allegedly pocketing kickbacks from old defense deals.

Thirty-five comic acts are slated to appear in 28 different shows on three different stages over the course of three days from Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 21.

Following the brief Easter break, Greek officials are preparing to head to Washington for talks with the country's lenders that Athens hopes will contribute to a so-called "global" agreement, including debt relief, being clinched in the coming weeks.

Costas Mitroglou scored from Greece's only shot to earn the national team a precious 1-1 draw in Belgium for the World Cup qualifiers that has boosted the Greek chances for a top-two finish, behind the Belgians.

Attempts by Greek government officials to bridge a gulf in dragging negotiations with representatives of the country's international creditors failed to bear fruit on Friday, indicating that a breakthrough in bailout talks may be unlikely until May.