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Thursday, February 13, 2014

Greek Judge Bans Investigative TV Show

A Greek judge has banned a leading private TV station from airing an investigative report into a deadly migrant boat accident, claiming it could compromise the ongoing official investigation. Mega TV says Thursday's order is an act of censorship ...

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Leading Greek TV station says judicial ban on investigative report an act of censorship

A Greek judge has banned a leading private TV station from airing an investigative report into a deadly migrant boat accident, claiming it could compromise the ongoing official investigation.

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Scientists see traces of European colonialism, Mongol empire in human genes

by  Associated Press Human genes reflect impact of historical events by FRANK JORDANS, Associated Press - 13 February 2014 12:00-05:00

BERLIN (AP) — Tell-tale relics of Europe's colonial period, the Mongol empire and the Arab slave trade can be found in the genes of modern humans, scientists said Thursday.

Researchers from Britain and Germany used almost 1,500 DNA samples from 95 different populations across the world to produce a map showing genetic links stretching back 4,000 years. By examining the moment when a particular part of DNA first appears, they were able to tie the genetic mixing of populations to historical events.

Some of these links have long been assumed, but others came as a surprise, said Daniel Falush, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, who co-authored the paper published in the journal Science.

DNA samples from the Tu people of China indicate they mixed with a European group — related to modern Greeks — around A.D. 1200. One likely possibility is the European DNA came from traders traveling the Silk Road.

Another interesting find seems to bolster the legend among the Kalash people of Pakistan they are descendants of Alexander the Great's army, Falush said.

Samples show that the Kalash were genetically isolated for a long period going back to about A.D. 300 — around the time of Alexander's military campaign in Asia.

"Our dating fits very well with their legend," Falush said.

Using a technique called "chromosome painting," the researchers were also able to illustrate the genetic flow caused by other historical events, such as the Arab slave trade that introduced African DNA to populations around the Mediterranean, the Arab Peninsula and what is now Iran and Pakistan from A.D. 800-1000.

The results help scientists to pin-point the population effects of such historical events, said Graham Coop, an associate professor of population genetics at the University of California, Davis.

"We have historical records of some of these events, but rarely do we know the demographic impact of such events," said Coop, who wasn't involved in the research.

Similar studies may become harder to perform in the future, as population mixing speeds up because of global migration, Falush said.

"We hope this will encourage people to collect samples soon," he said.

___

Online:

http://admixturemap.paintmychromosomes.com/

News Topics: General news, Science, Genetics, Biochemistry, Biology

People, Places and Companies: Germany, Europe, Western Europe

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Bank of Greece Breaks Silence on Bitcoin

Bank of Greece Breaks Silence on BitcoinCoinDeskThe Bank of Greece issued a brief statement on 11th February warning citizens of the potential risks associated with virtual currencies, such as bitcoin. In particular, the bank cautioned that investors should be mindful that losses related to changes ...and more »

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Europe's Huge Democracy Crisis

The government of Italy is on the verge of collapse, and that raises the possibility of the country having its third straight Prime Minister that wasn't elected.

First it was Mario Monti, who came in to replace Silvio Berlusconi.

Monti performed disastrously in the 2013 elections, but no party was able to gather an outright majority. So together they agreed to place liberal Enrico Letta into power. Letta was not on the ballot or the party's leader going into that election.

And now Letta's coalition is crumbling, and the powers that be may place Florence Mayor Matteo Renzi in power.

It's worth noting that this all began when Italy was having a borrowing crisis, and the ECB essentially engineered it so that Italy has to push Silvio Berlusconi aside in order to regain access to the market.

Italy is an extreme case, and the country famously goes through a lot of government. But strains of the same story are repeated elsewhere.

There's a line that's going around about how Europe never had a big debt default, but rather a democratic default. Alienation remains massive throughout the continent, and could manifest itself in a big way in May when elections for the European parliament take place, and populists are expected to have a strong showing everywhere. In Greece the government is wobbly, and polls continue to show the far left and the Neo-Nazis with a lot of support.

One European crisis is over; nobody thinks a government is in danger of default anymore, and the Eurozone probably won't break up. But the economy remains horrible in many places, and as long as that goes on, the credibility of governments there will continue to erode.

 

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Here Are The Silicon Valley Restaurants Where Techies Will Be Splurging On Valentine's Day Dates

Though Silicon Valley would usually remind you of bytes, not bites, the tech hub is arguably going through a bit of a dining renaissance

And when it comes to Valentine's Day dinner, some restaurants around the valley are likely to be packed with techies looking for a romantic and tasty meal. 

We asked veteran Silicon Valley matchmaker Amy Andersen which restaurants were getting a lot of buzz from her clients. These restaurants are bound to be a hot ticket this Valentine's Day. 

Manresa, Los Gatos

Manresa is one of only two restaurants in the Silicon Valley to earn two Michelin stars, which it's now earned for five years in a row. Chef David Kinch uses unique ingredients like pine needles and flowering cactus he forages from the California coastline, and the lighting is low and romantic. 

Tamarine, Palo Alto

This Vietnamese fusion place tends to be packed with venture capitalists and techie types (Robert Scoble posted a picture of himself here, and he's obviously wearing Google Glass), so reservations should be made far ahead of time. According to Forbes, shaking beef is a top dish here, and they sell 1,800 orders a month. 

Sundance, Palo Alto

This is one of the most popular steakhouses in town, and the low lighting and booth seating are conducive for a romantic dinner. Among the restaurant's highlights are a cozy fireplace lounge and a wine list with 450 selections from around the world. 

Flea Street, Menlo Park

According to Oprah, this is Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's favorite restaurant and thus was a natural choice for when they met face-to-face in 2011. This intimate restaurant is known for its innovative farm-to-table menu in addition to being popular among the tech sector — Sandberg also dined here with Mark Zuckerberg in 2008 before she left Google for Facebook.  

La Fondue, Saratoga

Techies will enjoy the laid-back but romantic atmosphere at La Fondue, where they can choose from more than 50 different types of cheese and chocolate to dip bread, meat, and fruit into. 

The Village Pub, Woodside

This Michelin-starred restaurant is cozy and romantic, perfect for a special occasion. Silicon Valley elite have been known to make deals over steaks and fish here (SpaceX investor Steve Jurvetson has been spotted), but it's sure to be busy on Valentine's Day. 

Evvia, Palo Alto

Getting a reservation at this 18-year-old Greek eatery is practically impossible, but the top-notch cuisine and rustic setting are well worth planning ahead. 

Quattro, Palo Alto

The Four Seasons Silicon Valley's formal dining room is known for its outstanding tasting menus. A special four-course Valentine's dinner will go for a steep $150 per couple. 

Fuki Sushi, Palo Alto 

Sushi is huge with the Silicon Valley crowd, and Fuki's decor and cuisine delivers. Many tech figureheads are regulars here, including Cypress Semiconductor Corp. CEO T.J. Rogers, who says Fuki "has been my Saturday night spot for almost 20 years," according to the restaurant's web site. Facebook even opened a branch of the restaurant on their campus. 

 

SEE ALSO: How Google Grades Employees, And How You Can Use The Same System At Your Company

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Greek Finance Minister and Farmers Meeting Fruitless

The Greek Finance Minister, Yiannis Stournaras, had a meeting earlier today with representatives of the Greek farmers union. However, the two parties could not reach an agreement and the union underlined that they will do everything that is ...

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Greek farmers to meet with FinMin over tax grievances

A delegation representing farmers, who have been organizing protests on national highways over the past two weeks in protest at the government's taxation plans for their sector, was to meet on Thursday with Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras in a bid to b... ...

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Greek unemployment rises to 28 percent, a record high

Greek unemployment rose to new heights in November of last year, reaching a record 28 percent from a downwardly revised 27.7 percent in the previous month, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) said on Thursday. The rate is more than double the aver... ...

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School guard car convoy to reach Athens on Friday

School guards from across the country were expected to join a car convoy heading to Athens and scheduled to reach the Ministry of Administrative Reform on Friday. The convoy, which took off from Alexandroupoli, northeastern Greece, on Thursday, was expect... ...

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Foreign national, 44, arrested on child porn charges in southern Athens

A 44-year-old foreign national was arrested on Thursday in Voula, southern Athens, over charges of distributing child pornography on the Internet. Greek police had been alerted by German authorities about an Internet user who was using illegal material on... ...

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ECB's Coeure sees new talks on Greek debts in mid-2014

A new restructuring of Greece's debt is not being discussed by its international lenders though fresh discussions on the sustainability of Athens' debts are likely later this year, a European Central Bank board member said. Greece has been shut out from t... ...

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Meeting between finance minister, farmers, ends in deadlock

A meeting between Greek Finance Minister Yannis Stournaras and farmers protesting new tax regulations for their sector ended in a deadlock in Athens on Thursday, with agriculturalists saying that they will be increasing their nationwide action. Stournaras... ...

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Weapons of alleged Turkish terrorist 'clean,' forensic experts say

Forensic experts of the Greek Police on Thursday said that the weapons found in a counter-terrorism squad raid on an Athens apartment on Monday that led to the arrest of four Turkish nationals are "clean," meaning that there is no ballistic evidence to su... ...

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Gaza fisherman hooks statue of ancient Greek god Apollo

CNNGaza fisherman hooks statue of ancient Greek god ApolloCNNJerusalem (CNN) -- When fisherman Jawdat Ghurab spotted a dark shape underwater off the shores of Gaza last summer, he at first thought it was a body. But once it was hauled to the surface, it became apparent that he'd stumbled across something very ...and more »

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Millions of pounds of overseas aid money spent in Britain

Scrutiny of aid allocation reveals UK spent £12m on PR campaigns and more than £300,000 on Scottish schools

More than £300,000 ($550,000) of UK aid money to tackle poverty overseas was spent on global citizenship lessons in Scottish schools and was among millions of pounds worth of the aid budget spent in Britain.

This included almost £12m ($20m) on public relations or projects and campaigns to boost UK public support for overseas development, according to statistics published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The UK, which is far from the worst offender in terms of spending aid funds at home, was once seen as an exception among rich countries for counting little domestic spending as aid. However, since 2009 the amount of aid spent on education and immigration services in Britain has more than doubled, from £21.4m ($35.6m) to almost £48m ($80m) in 2012 – or more than the total UK bilateral aid to Rwanda, Liberia and Mali.

The ringfenced aid budget is under renewed scrutiny this week after the prime minister, David Cameron, rejected a suggestion by the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, that it should be raided to cover the cost of the recent flooding in south-west England, insisting a choice did not need to be made on "either protecting our overseas aid budget or spending the money here at home".

The UK reported giving £5.4bn ($9bn) to developing countries in 2012, with the rest of the aid budget passed on to multilateral institutions such as the UN and World Bank. But OECD statistics (published in US dollars) suggest at least £441m ($735m) in UK bilateral aid was not transferred to developing countries – an amount greater than that given to India, Afghanistan or Ethiopia, and more than eight times UK aid to Zambia. Most of this money £318m ($528m) went to administering the UK aid programme and cancelling or rescheduling debts £67m ($112m).

A spokesman from the Department for International Development (DfID) said UK aid is spent in line with OECD rules and that there was "no reason this money can't be spent within the UK".

But few taxpayers are aware that donors are allowed to spend aid money at home and that only a certain percentage of the money governments announce for overseas development will reach developing countries.

The UK has for years counted millions of pounds in pension payments to former British colonial officers as official development aid – and the Ministry of Defence, facing significant cuts, wants to take money from the ringfenced aid budget.

The Guardian's analysis of the OECD figures shows more than £138,000 ($230,000) was spent on military and security training for officials from African countries including Ethiopia and Sudan at the UK defence academy. A further £56,000 ($93,000) was spent on "English language and culture training" and a "study visit" to the UK for North Korean officials.

More than £36,000 ($60,000) was spent on training for the chief public relations officer for the government of St Helena. No details are given in the OECD data on exactly what kind of training this public relations officer received.

A further £12m ($20m) was spent on salaries and other costs of UK experts and consultants., including almost $2,800 for a visit to North Korea by a "UK renewable energy expert".

The OECD's rules state that spending must have "the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries" as its main objective in order to qualify as official development assistance (ODA). In practice, however, the rules – which are up for review this year – have allowed donors to count a range of activities.

Donors can count spending on students from developing countries in their schools and universities, for example, and the costs of supporting refugees and asylum-seekers from developing countries for up to 12 months. A number of other expenses can also count, even if they do not lead to a transfer of money or resources between rich and poor countries.

Amy Dodd, co-ordinator of the UK Aid Network, said allowing donors to claim spending in their own countries risks undermining the core principle of aid – that it should be spent solely to further development and poverty eradication. "The most effective aid is the aid that supports a country's development, not just by funding a project but also by supporting the development of local capacity or institutions, which means the aid needs to actually reach that country," she said.

Dodd said that while the UK does not count as much domestic spending as aid as other donors, it could do better.

In 2012, almost 20% of total bilateral aid from OECD donors, totalling £10.8bn ($18bn), was not transferred to developing countries and instead spent on activities in the donor country or put towards the cancellation or rescheduling of debts. For Italy and Belgium, this figure was closer to 40%; for the UK it is about 8%.

Approximately 90% of Greek bilateral aid was spent in Greece, primarily on students and asylum seekers.

Collectively, OECD donors spent more than £4.5bn ($7.5bn) in 2012 on education and immigration services in their own countries – more than their total bilateral aid to Afghanistan, India, Vietnam, or any other developing country.

Among the more unusual items of spending: Norway spent almost £45,000 ($75,000) in aid on activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Norwegian aid. Canada, meanwhile, spent £81,000 ($135,000) on special issues of children's magazines presenting the country's involvement in international development throughout history.

AidFloodingNatural disasters and extreme weatherClaire Provosttheguardian.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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Greek coast guard says it has rescued 37 migrants found on half-sunken boat in eastern Aegean

Greece's coast guard says it has rescued 37 migrants from a half-sunken boat drifting in the eastern Aegean.

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Yoplait Greek Opts For Taste-Off Strategy

"We're using numerous channels, including social media, television and in-store taste tests, to achieve broad reach," Yoplait Greek's integrated marketing manager, Seth Pedersen, tells Marketing Daily. The Yoplait Greek Taste-Off campaign launched late ...

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Is this Greece dad reality TV's next 'Ninja Warrior'?

Is this Greece dad reality TV's next 'Ninja Warrior'?Rochester Democrat and ChronicleIn the basement of his Greece home, he practices traversing the ceiling, gripping swinging plastic cylinders about the size of a soda can. Pull-ups there, though, mean raising his chin over a bar, then using nothing but his own momentum and sheer force ...

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Messinian Olive Oil Leads Greek Olive Oil Production

The prefecture of Messinia has been declared the leading Greek prefecture in olive oil production. Thirty-eight percent of this year’s olive oil production in Greece came from Messinia, especially in a problematic period for the Greek olive oil industry. “Only this year has Messinia produced 38,000 tons of olive oil when the total olive oil production in Greece was about 100,000 tons.” said the president of the Panmessinian Association of Olive Oil Producers, Antonis Korakakis. He also stressed that this year, total Greek production decreased by 35 percent as compared to previous years, considering the weather and other natural conditions destroyed the crops and affected the production. “Messinia ranked first because it was less affected by the problems. Conversely, in Crete and in Northern Greece the production decreased by 80 to 90 percent,” Korakakis explained. As far as olive oil price is concerned, this year the producers are selling each kilogram of olive oil for 2.70 euros compared to 2.80 euros last year. Furthermore, he pointed out that the producers should always try to standardize their oil and promote it to the markets in order to earn more money and thrive.

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Downtown Athens Redevelopment Project Gets “Green Light”

A 78.5-million-euro project for the redevelopment of the Panepistimiou-Patission axis, the extension of the tram line and related traffic measures that will breath new life into the center of Athens, Greece, was given the “green light” on Wednesday. The project is entering its final stretch towards its implementation following the signing of the environmental impact study by Environment, Energy & Climate Change Minister Yiannis Maniatis. The project, scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016, consists of a number of smaller projects that are divided into two entities to be funded with 37,974,000 euros by the ministry of the environment through the Operational Programme for Environment & Sustainable Development (EPPEPAA), and with 40,526,000 euros by the Regional Authority of Attiki through the Regional Operational Programme (PEP Attiki). The project chiefly concerns the extension of the tram line from Syntagma Square to Egyptou Square via the Amalias, Panepistimiou and Patission streets. The redevelopment of the public space between Acadimias and Stadiou streets, as well as interventions on Amalias and Patission streets up to Egiptou Square that will give a priority to pedestrians are also included in the project, while traffic circulation measures will help redesign public transportation routing for easier access to downtown Athens. Athens’ Syntagma and Omonia Squares will be turned into “green urban squares”, while work will be carried out at Dikeossinis Square and Korai Street to turn them into a free public space. (source: ana-mpa)

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Decline in Greek Newspaper Circulation Continues

The decline in Greek newspaper circulation during 2013 continues. The data concerning political newspapers showed a very sharp drop in the circulation of daily newspapers. More specifically, Greece’s afternoon newspapers which were selling an average of 100,000 copies have faced a 24 percent decrease in circulation, while the morning papers usually sell only 8,000 copies. There has been a smaller but nonetheless significant decline of 7 percent on  Sunday newspapers which along with other weekly papers sell a total of about 750,000 copies. Sunday papers alone sell roughly 644,000 copies and the remaining weekly papers sell about 101,000. This undoubtedly reduces the influence press has on the general public.

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Greece Wants Greek Ship-Owners to Contribute More

According to Posidonia Exhibitions SA, Greek ship-owners set a new record of orders to shipbuilding companies in 2013. The number of orders made by Greek ship-owners is estimated at 25 percent of the global order book. In fact, last year Greek ship-owners cashed 13 billion dollars to purchase 275 newly constructed vessels of more than 24.5m deadweight tonnage. According to the global order book, the Greek ship-owners are the biggest investors for 2013 as they invested approximately 4.5 billion dollars in this sector. A steady source of funds for the expanding Greek fleet is the stock exchange market, primarily of New York. Since the Greek ship-owners have the largest independent fleet in the world, Greece’s government decided to make their contribution to the country’s finances obligatory. Until now, Greek ship-owners were not obliged to contribute in any way to the country’s finances as they had agreed with Greek Minister of Finance to do so voluntarily. In particular, the Greek ship-owners will have to pay a tripled tonnage tax in order to help Greece’s economy recover. The Greek ship-owners have already expressed their frustration towards this new measure taken by the Greek government.  The President of the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), Mr. Theodoros Veniamis claimed that this new measure is unconstitutional. He added that the problem is not the amount of money that many of the ship-owners will have to pay, but the fact that the Greek government violated its agreement with the Greek-shipping community. The Greek-shipping community has made it crystal clear that it is willing to give the Greek government some time to reconsider this measure. However, if nothing changes, the Greek ship-owners threatened that their fleets will no longer sail under Greece’s flag or that their companies will be moved abroad.

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Albanian police seize 2 tons of marijuana

Albanian authorities say they have seized 2 metric tons of marijuana hidden in a rocky part of a bay and destined for Greece or Italy.

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Greece's Unemployment Nightmare Continues To Get Worse

Business Insider AustraliaGreece's Unemployment Nightmare Continues To Get WorseBusiness Insider AustraliaAccording to the Hellenic Statistical Authory (ELSTAT), Greece unemployment rate climbed to 28.0% in November 2013 from 27.7% the month prior. This is a record high for the country, and its far higher than the eur0 zone's average of 12.1%. From ELSTAT:.Record High: Greek Unemployment Rate Nov 28.0%Greek ReporterGreece's Unemployment Rate Climbs To 28%RTT NewsGreece Jobless Rate Hits Fresh Record High In NovWall Street JournalArka News Agency -Balkans.com Business Newsall 15 news articles »

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Greece unemployment up to 28%

All together, around 1.38 million in Greece are unemployed, with this figure expected to rise further in the first three months of 2014. Harsh austerity measures have failed to stop the Greek economy from shrinking, and none feel the effects of this more ...

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Economic chaos sees Greek voters swing to fringe parties

Economic chaos sees Greek voters swing to fringe partiesEUobserverThe anti-fascist protest in which Mihalis was injured was meant to counter a rally organised by Golden Dawn to commemorate the deaths of Greek soldiers in 1996 due to a dispute between Greece and Turkey over an islet in the Aegean Sea. Before the ...and more »

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Greece on high alert after extremists declare war on 'German capitalist machine'

Greece on high alert after extremists declare war on 'German capitalist machine'RTThe Popular Fighters also called on their followers to step up attacks during Greece's rotation of the presidency of the European Union which started at the beginning of this year. As the situation continues to deteriorate in Greece, the country has ...

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Former blue-collar workers in Greek town turn to soup kitchens, trash as unemployment rises

For Perama, the ships have sailed.

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Record High: Greek Unemployment Rate Nov 28.0%

Greek ReporterRecord High: Greek Unemployment Rate Nov 28.0%Greek Reporterunemployment22 Greece's unemployment rate rose further to a new record of 28 percent in November from a downwardly revised 27.7 percent in the previous month, the country's statistics agency ELSTAT (Hellenic Statistical Authority) said on Thursday.UPDATE 1-Greek jobless rate hits new record of 28 pct in NovemberReutersGreek Jobless Rate Hits Record HighWall Street JournalGreek unemployment rate hits record 28 per cent in NovemberEurope Online MagazineMSN Money -Capital.gr (press release)all 12 news articles »

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Greek jobless rate hits fresh record high of 28.0% – live

Bad economic news out of Greece, which should dampen the claims that the country has put the worst of its financial crisis behind it. The unemployment rate in Greece hit an all time high of 28% in November, up from 27.7% in October, on a ...

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Greek jobless rate hits new record of 28 percent in November

Greece's jobless rate scaled a new high of 28 percent in November, data showed on Thursday, with no let up in the pace of job shedding despite tentative signs of economic recovery elsewhere. Unemployment inched up to 28 percent from a revised 27.7 percent in the previous month, as the labour market continued to buckle amid the country's austerity-fuelled economic slump. "As expected, the labour ...

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Christos Fasarakis Indicted for Money Laundering in Drug Ring

NEW YORK –  The Greek-American community is Astoria was shocked to learn of the indictment and arrest on February 11 of Christos Fasarakis, well-known to the community as a banker, family man and former president of the Cretan Association “Omonia.” Fasarakis, 42 years old and the father of three, was among seven defendants whose charges […]

The post Christos Fasarakis Indicted for Money Laundering in Drug Ring appeared first on The National Herald.


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Greek Touches on St. Valentine’s Day

... biggest lies told and poems upon poems written — all in the name of love. This vitalizing love brings us to the celebration of Eros, every year on February 14th, referred to as St. Valentine’s Day. Lovers and couples celebrate and show ...

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Bulgaria and Greece rank last in EU press freedoms

Greek ReporterBulgaria and Greece rank last in EU press freedomsEUobserverBRUSSELS - Bulgaria and Greece rank at the bottom of EU countries in terms of press freedom. Thirty one European countries rank among the top 50 best performers in the press freedom index (Photo: DRB62). The findings are part of a larger report out on ...Press Freedom in Greece Drops After ERT Shutdown (Video)Greek ReporterGreece plummets to 99th place in press freedom indexEnetEnglishBulgaria ranks worst among EU countries in 2014 World Press Freedom indexThe Sofia Globeall 251 news articles »

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Greeks Find Hope In The Theater Of Nostalgia

Greeks Find Hope In The Theater Of NostalgiaOPB NewsGreek vocal icon Marinella, center, sings "Children of Greece," a song once sung to Greek soldiers as Italian and German forces invaded the country. As they endure hard times today, Greeks are turning to theater that shows triumphs over adversity in ...and more »

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Greek truckers show plight as groceries show up frozen

KathimeriniGreek truckers show plight as groceries show up frozenKathimeriniTrucking, like more than 300 other Greek professions, was ordered deregulated as part of the deal for 240 billion euros ($327 billion) in international aid. The whole revamp has yet to produce the promised benefits because of a combination of Greek ...and more »

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The secret lives of Rho Gammas, Greek life's recruitment guides

The secret lives of Rho Gammas, Greek life's recruitment guidesDiamondback OnlineThey cannot wear their letters, represent their chapters at public Greek life events, post pictures with their sisters or use their last name. They “disaffiliate” from their chapters and become a part of something separate: They become Rho Gammas. Rho ...

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Greek shipowners investing big

The Sofia GlobeGreek shipowners investing bigThe Sofia GlobeOn the back of positive sentiment about the future, 2013 saw Greek shipowners placing a record number of orders, estimated at 25 per cent of the global orderbook, with shipbuilders remaining upbeat as to future newbuilding investments funded by Greek ...

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Chobani to Donate Yogurt Meant for Olympic Athletes

Chobani's quest to get its Greek yogurt to the Sochi Olympics is coming to an end.The company says it will donate a shipment of about 5,000 cups of yogurt it had hoped to send to U.S. athletes at the Winter Games.

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Greece plummets to 99th place in press freedom index

'While freedom of information is occasionally abused in some European Union countries, it is repe...

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Wary Greeks say economy can only improve

Wary Greeks say economy can only improveDeutsche WelleGreek and international companies put their newest products on display at a food and beverage trade fair near the Athens airport. In the modern hall, stands run by the conference's exhibitors are stylish and well visited. It looks like many other trade ...

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Topic matches for "multicultural greek council"

Some awards that were given were Most Improved Chapter awards, Chapters of the Year Awards and the Chapter of Excellence Awards ... which has had one formal meeting since its formation.Ray, who advocated for diversity education at the diversity task ...

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WSU physics prof pokes playful fun at Greek astronomy

WSU physics prof pokes playful fun at Greek astronomyEl EstándarAnd it's amazing what the scholars of ancient Greece were able to figure out, said Stacy Palen, a Weber State University physics professor and the Ott Planetarium director. Palen spoke Tuesday at WSU's Stewart Library, offering a talk called "The ...

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Australian restaurateur, Cuban chef tap their Greek roots at Upper East Side's ...

Australian restaurateur, Cuban chef tap their Greek roots at Upper East Side's ...MiamiHerald.comRustic Bar Meli is the latest venture from Greek-Australian restaurateur Liza Meli of Ouzo and Anise. The ballroom dancer from Sydney landed in Miami on her way to South America 20 years ago and never left, finding her passion in food and flamenco.

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Greek Member of Mafia Suspect Arrested

The FBI and the Italian Police arrested 24 persons suspected of being members of a heroin and cocaine trafficking group linking Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta syndicate with the notorious Gambino and Bonanno crime families in the U.S. After several ...

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UNK Greek Life releases fall 2013 grades

UNK Greek Life releases fall 2013 gradesUnkantelopeEach semester, UNK Greek Life hosts a Scholarship Awards Night in order to recognize the Greek students and chapters who excelled academically, obtaining semester GPAs of 3.5-4.0. This semester, the UNK Greek Life event was held on Wednesday, Feb.Greek LifeThe Captain's Log16th Annual Port City Step Show set to electrify HomecomingUNCW Seahawkall 3 news articles »

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Man Charged With Raping 16-Year-Old Girl in Patras

A 16-year-old girl from Patras had disappeared without a trace last Saturday after telling her parents she was going to have coffee with a friend. Today, however, she reappeared at the local police station shocked by what had happened to her. A 43-year-old man was arrested this morning and has been charged with raping and kidnapping the young girl. He is currently being held in the Patras police station. It all started a few days ago when the 43-year-old met the young girl. Last Saturday, February 8, they met for coffee and the man asked to take the 16-year-old girl back to his place. Upon arriving at his home, he raped her and held her captive refusing to let her leave the house or even call her parents. The young girl’s distraught family called the police when the girl didn’t return home. Greek police have been searching for her since Sunday. On Tuesday evening she managed to escape and run to the nearest police station where she reported the rape and kidnapping to police officers. After hearing the girl’s testimony, officers arrived at the 43-year-old man’s house in Patras and arrested him. He allegedly denies all the accusations. In order to determine his innocence, police are conducting a forensic investigation.

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New Democracy’s Marx Brothers For Mayor

Next to watching a Marx Brothers movie, nothing is as entertaining these days as watching Greece’s New Democracy Capitalists running around like Keystone Cops trying to figure out who’s in charge and who’s doing what to who and why because the alleged leader, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, is trying to herd cats without a whip. Samaras’ coalition, that includes the invisible PASOK Anti-Socialists who didn’t even register in one poll at the three percent level needed to enter Parliament, has only a three-vote majority, and that would evaporate if he tried to reprimand or oust a growing number of miscreants and late-to-the-party rebels. Chief among them is Nikitas Kaklamanis, 67, who was a one-man train wreck as Mayor of Athens from 2007-10, a tenure marked by his flitting around to the theater while the city disintegrated around him, which would have made him perfect for  A Night at the Opera but not as a manager of the nation’s capital. Since politicians in Greece never die nor fade away, after he was beaten by New York-born George Kaminis – who was backed by a coalition of leftist parties including PASOK but quickly wised up and became an Independent – Kaklamanis found a home in the Parliament where he was content for a few years taking orders from Samaras on how to vote. A doctor who didn’t take the sage advice not to treat himself, in this case for constant bouts of screaming ineptitude, he’s decided he wants his old job back. The only problem is that Samaras has anointed Aris Spiliotopoulos, 47, another water carrier for the party, to be backed by New Democracy to take on Kaminis, who’s proved to be a capable administrator even as Samaras has kept cutting his budget. With another of his MP’s already under the spotlight for allegedly being involved in a bad loan scheme when he was working for a municipality, and another being looked at for allegedly stashing money in secret foreign bank accounts at the same time the government was urging people during a crushing economic crisis to be patriotic and keep their money in Greece, Samaras didn’t need the distraction of Kaklamanis running against his own party. Since he can’t run as New Democracy’s candidate – at the same time he’s a New Democracy MP – Kaklamanis will put together a temporary political group (party) so he can run against his party’s candidate and, by proxy, himself. What Groucho Kaklamanis has done in challenging Chico Spiliotopoulos has effectively given an outside shot at neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, who’s crazy as a loon, to have a shot at winning this thing because the two New Democracy candidates are going to split the vote from the right. If that’s not enough to weaken the right, the Independent Greeks, made up of New Democracy rejects and ejects, said it’s backing Vassilis Kapernaros – who’s also being audited for allegedly sending money out of the country for its choice.  But wait – there’s more. READ THE FINE PRINT Two more New Democracy outcasts, now Independent deputies Vyron Polydoras and Costas Zois, who launched a new political party, Union for the Homeland and the People,  have reportedly invited Alexia Evert, daughter of late Miltiadis Evert, a former New Democracy President, to be its candidate. That means she’d be running against her father’s own party too.  Pretty soon you’re going to need a program to keep track of this. Kaklamanis is going to sing his platform and it goes something like this: “The last time I ran this place I didn’t know what to do with it. If you think this city’s bad off now, just wait til I get through with it.” A bewildered Samaras, who’s trying to keep the Troika of the European Union-International Monetary Fund-European Central Bank (EU-IMF-ECB) at bay with one hand while trying to tame his unruly party members with the other, can’t do much about it because he needs every vote. All he could say when asked about Groucho and Chico running against each other was, “Whoever stands, stands.” With leadership like that you can bet it won’t be a New Democracy candidate. Where’s LBJ when you need him? Spiliotopoulos reportedly even wasn’t Samaras’ first choice as it was said that Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyianni, who’s easy on the eyes indeed and by most accounts has helped produce record tourism just when the country needs money the most, turned down his invitation. So now all Samaras has done in anointing a reluctant candidate and letting Kaklamanis spit in the Prime Minister’s face instead of being told to sit back down and collect his $10,000 a month or be booted for good reasons – not for defying orders to back austerity – is embolden Kasidiaris, who was arrested along with other Golden Dawn leaders and henchmen on charges of running a criminal gang. You can bet that Little Adolf Kasidiaris already imagines himself being Mayor of Athens and ordering a roundup of immigrants to be executed in Syntagma Square or put on boats and pushed out to sea toward Africa or the Middle East after looking at the Chinese Fire Drill that is New Democracy. The Capitalists like to poke fun, with much good reason, at the major opposition Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), a motley collection of Communists, anarchists, Maoists, Trotskyites, Stalinists and Che Guevara admirers and Fidel Castro suck-ups for being discombobulated but this New Democracy debacle makes SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras look like J. Robert Oppenheimer. So let Groucho Kaklamanis and Chico Spiliotopoulos settle this by meeting and going over the contract for who’s running for what. It will go something like this: Kaklamanis: Now pay particular attention to this first clause, because it’s most important. There’s the party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part. How do you like that, that’s pretty neat eh? Spiliotopoulos: No, that’s no good. Kaklamanis: What’s the matter with it? Spiliotopoulos: I don’t know, let’s hear it again. Kaklamanis: So the party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part. Spiliotopoulos: Well it sounds a little better this time. Kaklamanis: Well, it grows on you. Would you like to hear it once more? Spiliotopoulos: Just the first part. Kaklamanis: What do you mean, the party of the first part? Spiliotopoulos: the first part of the party, of the first part. At that point, they throw up their hands and decide New Democracy doesn’t have a party of the first part or second part, and doesn’t really have a party at all. They tried to throw in a sanity clause at the end but everyone knows there’s no sanity clause, especially in Greece.  

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Northern Greece: Treasure Hunters

  A multi-member group of Greeks from Thessaloniki and Serres have started digging in several spots in a nearby region of Amphipolis, north Greece, looking for lost treasure that is rumored to be hidden in the field of the region. Every day, large digging machines are passing by the small village in Amphipolis as they are heading to the fields where the treasure is supposed to be hidden. Every time the locals pass, they start endless conversations, making various comments about the “hunt of the lost treasure.” “They will find nothing but an empty shell” says the majority of the villagers as they claim that there is no story of a hidden treasure in their region. Some villagers stated to ANA-MPA that “the treasure hunters do not dig under some marked areas, trees or big rocks. Instead they randomly dig huge holes of great depth.” The treasure hunters however, continue to search for the hidden treasure without losing hope.

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