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How the world sees Greece
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Epiphany celebration Monday in Tarpon Springs
The Tarpon Springs’ Greek Orthodox community hosts its 108th annual Epiphany celebration, also known as the Feast of Lights, Monday.
Family says photo in USA TODAY is missing Greece man
A Greece man missing since Wednesday may have been located in the Washington D.C. area.
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Applied Science: Knowing Greek would be helpful
Applied Science: Knowing Greek would be helpfulNew Philadelphia Times ReporterThe New Philadelphia Science Club is back with another science question in The Times-Reporter. Each week a new science-related question is given, and everyone is invited to participate by either mailing the answer to the club at the address below or ...and more »
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The Heroic Greek Doctor
Greek ReporterThe Heroic Greek DoctorGreek Reportergiatros Greek doctor, Chris Giannou has experienced many wars and civil conflicts and has traveled in many deserts, mountains and inhospitable areas risking his life. His only tool is his faith in his work. Giannou is currently one of the few doctors ...
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Bridge For Greek Special Needs Kids
Bridge For Greek Special Needs KidsGreek ReporterFor Athens kindergarten teacher Sophia Fokianou, 48, a new after-school volunteer program to help students with special needs, such as her 18-year-old daughter, has been a life saver. “It was a big relief for me … a dream come true,” Fokianou told ...
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Former defence ministry official in Greece turns graft supergrass
AFPFormer defence ministry official in Greece turns graft supergrassSouth China Morning PostA probe into long-forgotten defence contracts has given authorities in bailed-out Greece a small financial victory, along with the promise of revelations into decade-old corruption. More than €9 million (HK$95 million) has been handed over to the state ...Probe on contract gives gain to GreeceManila Standard TodayGreek Defense Probe Brings Belated GainsDefenseNews.comGreek defence probe brings belated gainsBusiness Recorderall 12 news articles »
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From the steppe to central Spain, Europe echoes to the howl of the wolf
The shepherds' ancient foe is back in numbers – and now packs are breeding a mere 40 miles from Madrid
A twig snaps, a crow calls, but nothing moves in the dense pine forests of Spain's Guadarrama mountains. Vultures and eagles soar over the snowcapped peaks and wild boars roam the valleys below, as they have for centuries. But for the farmers who work this land, a threatening and worrying comeback is taking place in this timeless landscape, home to Spain's newest national park.
After an absence of 70 years, the wolf is back in the Guadarrama hills and breeding just 40 miles from Madrid.
There have been sightings for several years of lone males, but camera traps recently picked up a family of three cubs, two adults and a juvenile. To the consternation of the farmers who believed that this ancient foe had left the hills for ever, breeding packs are expected to follow. The bloody results are plain to see. In the past two months around 100 sheep and cattle have been killed near Buitrago, in the northern foothills of the Guadarrama mountains, says Juan Carlos Blanco, a wolf specialist and adviser to the Spanish environment ministry.
"Guadarrama can support two, even three, packs. We think there are now six packs within 100km of Madrid. When they arrive in a new area the shepherds do not know what to do. Then they find ways to protect their flocks with dogs or fences. It's a natural event and the wolf will not go away now," he says. "Maybe hunters will exterminate one pack, but others will take its place. Wolves are very flexible and resilient."
Spain is now a wolf stronghold. While the population had diminished to just a few packs in isolated regions in the 1960s, there are now thought to be more than 250 breeding groups and more than 2,000 individuals.
"As wolf numbers grow so does the number of attacks on animals. From 2005 there were about 1,500 attacks a year. Then in 2008 it jumped to over 2,000," says Luis Suárez, WWF biodiversity officer in Madrid. "In the past seven years 13,000 sheep, 200 goats and several hundred cows have been attacked across Spain."
In the 19th century the European wolf was almost driven to extinction as hunters made a living from the bounties paid by villagers. But conservationists are surprised at how fast wolves have returned during recent years, populating areas where they were last seen more than 100 years ago.
Wolf populations in Europe quadrupled between 1970 and 2005 and there may now be 25,000 animals, says the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They have been seen within a few miles of major cities including Berlin, Rome and Athens. Last month one was found near the Dutch hamlet of Luttelgeest, just 30 miles from Holland's densely populated North Sea coast.
They are also reportedly expanding their range in France, Germany, Poland, Scandinavia and Italy, with sightings in Belgium and Denmark. In the past 10 years, says Blanco, wolves have arrived in the Pyrenees from Italy and the Alps. "They have crossed 450km and a lot of roads to get there. So far they are not breeding there, but it's only a matter of time," he says.
In Germany, where they were hunted out of existence in the 19th century, there are now thought to be around 160 wolves in 17 packs in the state of Brandenburg. Cubs were born last year in Heidekreis in Lower Saxony for the first time in 150 years, and there were sightings in the states of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz.
"The wolf has been able to reclaim territory in the Alps by crossing over from Italy and it has now spread as far as the Lozère region in central France. In 2012, individuals from the Alpine population formed the first pack in 150 years in the Calanda mountains of Switzerland and four cubs were confirmed to have been born this year," says a report from the Zoological Society of London and others.
Wolves traditionally flourish in times of political and economic crisis. Their return to Europe in the past 20 years is thought to be linked to widespread rural depopulation and the collapse of the Soviet Union. The demise of the USSR saw a near 50% increase in the number of wolves in the 1990s, as animals that had been kept under control by state-sponsored culling were left to roam unchecked and many packs crossed into sparsely populated areas of Poland, Germany and Scandinavia.
Some conservationists say the economic recession in Spain, Portugal, Greece and elsewhere has also helped them spread into new areas. "People have migrated from rural areas, allowing the wolf to reoccupy abandoned land. The recession has left less money for farmers to protect their animals, says Suárez. "More money in the economy means more money for protection. Worse circumstances in the recession have seen a progression of rural people to the cities and an increase in wolf numbers," he says.
"Land is being abandoned. The woods regrow, so there are more deer, less hunting pressure, and more food for wolves," says Peter Taylor, British ecologist and editor of Rewilding journal, who lives in the Czech Republic. "Wolves are returning to many of their old haunts in Europe and also wandering into long-forgotten territory. There are breeding pairs now in Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Alpine Italy, the Apennines and Alpine France," he says.
"Wolves have always been hated by country people, but they do not threaten people," says Blanco, who expects to see numbers continue to grow in the next decade. "We must help farmers tolerate them," he says. But the image of the wolf as a danger to be exterminated is strong in countries to which it has recently returned. Its re-emergence has pitted conservationists against farmers furious that wolves are killing their livestock.
"It leads to resentment among older people left in villages where the young have moved to the cities," says Taylor. "In contrast to lynx and bear, nobody has tried to reintroduce wolves – they just wander in. They are seldom welcome. They remind older people of hard times – a sign that civilisation is slipping backwards perhaps."
Wolves are a protected species and most countries offer to compensate farmers for the animals they kill. But many are now being hunted illegally and poisoned. Farmers and shepherds invest in fences and fierce dogs to protect their animals, says Taylor. "They have lost the habit of defending their flocks. In areas where wolves never disappeared, they have always had some losses, but they are used to protection. Farmers are more desperate because the prices they get are low."
Suárez adds: "Officially, 130 wolves have been killed [since 2005] in Spain, but the real numbers are unknown. They are being poisoned."
María Vázquez, who works with farm advice group Asaja in Aviola, helping farmers with electric fences and dogs, says: "We're not against wolves, but we need help. The number of attacks on livestock is growing."
As their populations grow, the wolves' best friends may be tourists flocking to Guadarrama and other conservation zones. The animals' presence just a few miles from city centres is proving popular with politicians and a draw to city residents. Visitor numbers to Guadarrama and other wild areas in Europe where wolves have moved in are growing fast, and governments are mostly happy to invest in modest protection measures in return for being hailed as friends of the environment.
"Their return to Guadarrama is a good thing, but for people with animals it's trouble. We are willing to pay subsidies," says Spain's environment secretary, Federico Ramos. "We have to understand that ideas about the wolf are changing. In the past they were a serious problem, but now people are sympathetic. It's not the devil; it's just an animal. We must learn to live together."
Additional reporting: Paul Evans
WildlifeSpainConservationAnimalsJohn Vidaltheguardian.com © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds |
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Swiss Probe Greek Defence Bribe Link
Switzerland has blocked CHF10 million ($11 million) of suspected bribery funds held in Swiss banks and opened investigations into three alleged accomplices of a Greek money laundering scandal. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FPO) confirmed ...
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Greece tackling EU presidency while still insolvent
Greece has assumed the presidency of the European Union. The government took over the presidency during the week with promises that Greek would soon be out of recession. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said: "In 2014, Greece will return to the markets and ...
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Greek economy slowly improving, but major problems persist
European Jewish PressGreek economy slowly improving, but major problems persistTulsa WorldGreeks greeted the New Year after many spent hours lining up in tax offices to pay austerity levies on time. And heavy smog has returned to the country's capital after decades this winter as households left with no heating throw scrap wood and garbage ...Greece takes over European Union rotating presidency from LithuaniaEuropean Jewish Pressall 3 news articles »
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Greek defence probe brings belated gains
Business RecorderGreek defence probe brings belated gainsBusiness RecorderHe has since named about a dozen other suspects, most of them businessmen and weapons intermediaries, but justice officials are hoping to net bigger fish among the Greek political elite. "We are determined, any hint of corruption will be investigated ...and more »
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Columbia's Greek Rank Site Explodes
BwogColumbia's Greek Rank Site ExplodesBwogIf you've never heard of Greek Rank, it's a website that posts Greek news and information as well as allows members to score frats and sororities at universities across the country. Columbia's page wasn't too active in rankings or comments until late ...
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Probe on contract gives gain to Greece
AFPProbe on contract gives gain to GreeceManila Standard TodayProbe on contract gives gain to Greece. By AFP | Jan. 05, 2014 at 09:01pm. Athens—A corruption probe into long-forgotten defence contracts has given authorities in Greece a small financial victory, along with the promise of revelations into decade-old ...Greek defence probe brings belated gainsBusiness Recorderall 7 news articles »
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Greece takes over European Union rotating presidency from Lithuania
European Jewish PressGreece takes over European Union rotating presidency from LithuaniaEuropean Jewish PressATHENS/BRUSSELS (EJP)--- Since January 1 Greece assumes the rotating presidency of the European Union as the Greek government led by Antonis Samaras continues its efforts to revive the country's battered economy and to contend with growing ...Insolvent Greece says it can handle EU presidencyMalaysia SunGreek economy slowly improving, but major problems persistTulsa Worldall 4 news articles »
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Bring it on Home: Greece
Bring it on Home: GreeceSTLtoday.comWho and where • From left, Chris Hamilton, Kevin Hamilton and Adam Hamilton of Alton pose at the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The trip • The Hamilton “mancation” was a cruise trip for a father-and-son vacation to celebrate Chris' MBA graduation. Travel ...
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Angry Lebanese protest over attack on priest's library
Tripoli (Lebanon) (AFP) - Hundreds of Lebanese took to the streets of the northern city of Tripoli on Saturday to protest the torching of a decades-old library owned by a Greek Orthodox priest. Assailants set alight the Saeh library belonging to Father Ibrahim Surouj on Friday night, destroying two-thirds of the 80,000 books and manuscripts it stored, a security official told AFP. But the Greek Orthodox priest forgave those responsible for the attack, in a statement aired on television on Saturday.
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Theodorakis Nixes Greek Presidency Idea
ATHENS – Famed Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis, who has been on a rant against the government and the country’s international lenders, has rebuffed a suggestion from PASOK Socialist chief Evangelos Venizelos, who’s also Deputy Premier/Foreign Minister, to be a candidate for Greek President, a position which is filled by the Parliament. It is now held […]
The post Theodorakis Nixes Greek Presidency Idea appeared first on The National Herald.
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Uninsured, Greek Cancer Patient Dies
ATHENS – A cancer patient who, like many during Greece’s economic crisis, didn’t have health insurance, has died after he was unable to find a state hospital that would treat him, according to officials where he was being cared for, the Metropolitan Community Clinic at Elliniko. The charity clinic – which provides free medical assistance […]
The post Uninsured, Greek Cancer Patient Dies appeared first on The National Herald.
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The Reasons Why Greece is So Corrupt
This isn’t opinion, it’s fact: Transparency International ranks Greece the most corrupt country in the European Union, which is saying something when you consider Italy is practically owned by the Mafia. Greeks in the Diaspora either don’t want to hear Greece’s problems or don’t care anymore because they’ve finally figured out they are the good […]
The post The Reasons Why Greece is So Corrupt appeared first on The National Herald.
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Yvette Manessis Corporon pens When the Cypress Whispers
NEW YORK – The Greek American experience is about pursuing and realizing dreams, or facilitating them for others – especially one’s children. Tasos Manessis is one of the community’s top restaurateurs, but he once had another dream. His daughter Yvette Manessis Corporon is senior producer of the entertainment news show Extra. The Emmy award […]
The post Yvette Manessis Corporon pens When the Cypress Whispers appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greece Revising Defense Bid Procedures
As a corruption scandal in the Greek Defense Ministry has widened to implicate top military officials, the government said it would change the way contracts are let and awarded. Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said he’s making the revision to “safeguard transparency and to protect the prestige, trustworthiness and national mission of the armed forces,” as […]
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Liapis Cottage in Greece Built With Community Funds
Greek ReporterLiapis Cottage in Greece Built With Community FundsGreek ReporterThe Greek TV station “Alpha” presented a document in which Michalis Liapis' aunt submitted a request from EOT (Tourism Organisation in Greece) in June, 21, 1995, to start operations for the renovation of the house. According to the former minister's ...
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Yocado Dip: Spicy Greek Yogurt Recipe by Chef Maria Loi
Yocado Dip: Spicy Greek Yogurt Recipe by Chef Maria LoiLatinaChef Maria Loi at Loi restaurant in NYC will blow you away with her native Greek cuisine, but its her delicious Greek yogurt that'll keep you coming back. The day we ate at her restaurant, she packed some of her signature appetizer up for us and we ...
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Greek leader Olympiakos beats Kalloni 4-0
Greek leader Olympiakos beats Kalloni 4-0MiamiHerald.comATHENS, Greece -- Alejandro Dominguez scored a goal and assisted on two others to lead Olympiakos to an easy 4-0 home victory over newcomer Kalloni in the Greek league on Saturday. Olympiakos, with 17 wins and a draw, is 13 points ahead of PAOK, ...and more »
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