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Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Greece: A Volatile Situation

It was around springtime that the Samaras-Venizelos coalition government was flying high given that, after a long absence, Greece was able to return to the financial markets and float a new bond issue that was ten times oversubscribed and at an ...


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Holiday Greek pastry sales continue through Nov. 10

The deadline is Nov. 10 for ordering pastries from St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church's 2014 Holiday Greek Pastry Sale . Available for sale are: ...


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Greece ranks among global leaders in tourism growth

Tourism in Greece has done particularly well in 2014, having grown 16.7 percent year-on-year, while the head of the World Tourism Organization stressed on Wednesday the added value this growth can generate in the economy and praised the government’s efforts at maintaining stability in the country and supporting progress in the sector.


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European Cups: Greek Teams Against Europe’s Finest

Juventus, Fiorentina, Tottenham and Eindhoven are the clubs that Olympiacos, PAOK, Asteras Tripolis and Panathinaikos will have to face respectively this week for the European Cups. Olympiacos – Juventus Olympiacos has the hardest of all missions facing Italian champions Juventus for the Champions League contest, with players such as Andrea Pirlo, Carlos Tevez and Arturo Vidal. The Reds have only awful memories from their disputes with La Vecchia Signora, as two of their previous matches resulted in tragic defeats. During the 1998-99 season, Olympiacos had presented one of their greatest teams of all time under the guidance of Dusan Bajevic who lead them to the final 8 of the Champions League tournament. With a 2-1 loss in Juventus stadium Dele Alpi in the first game, the Reds were almost through after Sinisa Gogic scored a remarkable header in the decisive second game at the OAKA stadium in Athens. It wasn’t until the 85th minute that Dimitrios Eleftheropoulos came out of his goal to punch the ball away but instead misjudged its course, letting Antonio Konte easily boot the ball in the net, snapping the draw and disqualifying Olympiacos. A few years later and specifically in December 2013, Juventus hosted the Reds only to see them walk away with a 7-0 defeat, the biggest a Greek team has ever endured in the Champions League. PAOK – Fiorentina The club from Thessalonika has appeared as decisive as ever to finally win the championship after almost 30 years of wait. They’re top of the league, producing some fine football with maestro Angelos Anastasiadis as their head coach. The European cup journey comes second in their agenda but any great result is always welcomed. They started off with a blimey 5-0 win over Dynamo Minsk only to lose hideously in the next round to Guingamp 2-0 away. Now they face top of the group Italian monsters Fiorentina in search of their most prestigious victory of the season. Tottenham – Asteras Tripolis Last time Tottenham lost at home for a Europa League game was against PAOK for the 2011-12 season. The score was 1-2 with Athanasiadis and Salpingidis producing the goals while at the same time being a man down. So far this year, Asteras has suprised us all with the excellence of their play in Europe, grabbing a win at home against Partizan and a tie to Besiktas in Turkey and sitting atop of the group. In hopes of developing a team that will be able to deal with the Europa League’s finest clubs this year, Staikos Vergetis will put together his finest eleven to make a statement that Asteras can and will qualify to the final stages. Eindhoven – Panathinaikos Gone are the days when both these teams were considered some of Europe’s finest. The difference here is that Eindhoven is on its way up in once again becoming that team as they have won seven out of nine Eredivisie games sitting in first place four points ahead of Ajax Amsterdam. On the contrary, Panathinaikos debts of the past have really made an impact on the club, preventing them from putting together a well-built team. They sit at sixth place after their recent loss to OFI Crete at home and in addition to the two Europa League losses (at home vs Dynamo Moscow and Estoril in Portugal) it’s safe to say their season is in shambles.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Tooth decay a huge problem among Greek teens

Almost 85 percent of 15-year-old Greek children suffer from tooth decay, according to a survey conducted by the Hellenic Dental Association (EOO).


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Turkey's EU accession not to be halted by Greek Cypriots

ANKARA — Turkish officials expect the EU to fulfill its responsibility and reject a complaint by the Greek Cypriot administration aimed at halting ...


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In Greece free press pays the price for crossing the government

Lagarde list," but few had actually seen it.The list contained the names of 2,000-plus possible Greek tax evaders who held Swiss bank accounts, and was given by former French Finance Minister ...


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Greek Coalition Govt Leaders to Redefine Policy

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Government Vice President and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos agreed to redefine government policy over a number of issues – including the way the two partnering parties handle the Troika – after the ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Greek PM Meets with Austrian President in Athens

Austrian Federal President Heinz Fischer met with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras earlier today. The meeting lasted roughly one hour and covered a range of issues. According to government sources, Samaras and Fischer discussed in good climate ...


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Twitter's Audacious Plan To Infiltrate All Your Apps

Because it isn’t just a tool for developers any more than Greek horses were meant to beautify Troy.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.wired.com

BC-SOC--Europa League Glance

by  Associated Press BC-SOC--Europa League Glance Associated Press - 22 October 2014 13:56-04:00 BC-SOC--Europa League Glance Europa League At A Glance By The Associated Press GROUP STAGE GROUP A GP W D L GF GA Pts Villarreal 2 1 1 0 5 1 4 Apollon Limassol 2 1 0 1 3 6 3 Monchengladbach 2 0 2 0 2 2 2 FC Zurich 2 0 1 1 3 4 1 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) 3, FC Zurich (Switzerland) 2 in Nicosia Monchengladbach (Germany) 1, Villarreal (Spain) 1 Thursday, Oct. 2 FC Zurich (Switzerland) 1, Monchengladbach (Germany) 1 Villarreal (Spain) 4, Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Monchengladbach (Germany) vs. Apollon Limassol (Cyprus), 1905 GMT Villarreal (Spain) vs. FC Zurich (Switzerland), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) vs. Monchengladbach (Germany), 1700 GMT FC Zurich (Switzerland) vs. Villarreal (Spain), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 FC Zurich (Switzerland) vs. Apollon Limassol (Cyprus), 1905 GMT Villarreal (Spain) vs. Monchengladbach (Germany), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Apollon Limassol (Cyprus) vs. Villarreal (Spain), 1700 GMT Monchengladbach (Germany) vs. FC Zurich (Switzerland), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP B GP W D L GF GA Pts Club Brugge 2 1 1 0 3 0 4 Torino 2 1 1 0 1 0 4 FC Copenhagen 2 1 0 1 2 1 3 HJK Helsinki 2 0 0 2 0 5 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Club Brugge (Belgium) 0, Torino (Italy) 0 FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 2, HJK Helsinki (Finland) 0 Thursday, Oct. 2 HJK Helsinki (Finland) 0, Club Brugge (Belgium) 3 Torino (Italy) 1, FC Copenhagen (Denmark) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Club Brugge (Belgium) vs. FC Copenhagen (Denmark), 1905 GMT Torino (Italy) vs. HJK Helsinki (Finland), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 FC Copenhagen (Denmark) vs. Club Brugge (Belgium), 1700 GMT HJK Helsinki (Finland) vs. Torino (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 HJK Helsinki (Finland) vs. FC Copenhagen (Denmark), 1905 GMT Torino (Italy) vs. Club Brugge (Belgium), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Club Brugge (Belgium) vs. HJK Helsinki (Finland), 1700 GMT FC Copenhagen (Denmark) vs. Torino (Italy), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP C GP W D L GF GA Pts Asteras Tripoli 2 1 1 0 3 1 4 Besiktas 2 0 2 0 2 2 2 Tottenham 2 0 2 0 1 1 2 Partizan 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Besiktas (Turkey) 1, Asteras Tripoli (Greece) 1 Partizan (Serbia) 0, Tottenham (England) 0 Thursday, Oct. 2 Asteras Tripoli (Greece) 2, Partizan (Serbia) 0 Tottenham (England) 1, Besiktas (Turkey) 1 Thursday, Oct. 23 Partizan (Serbia) vs. Besiktas (Turkey), 1905 GMT Tottenham (England) vs. Asteras Tripoli (Greece), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Asteras Tripoli (Greece) vs. Tottenham (England), 1700 GMT Besiktas (Turkey) vs. Partizan (Serbia), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Asteras Tripoli (Greece) vs. Besiktas (Turkey), 1905 GMT Tottenham (England) vs. Partizan (Serbia), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Besiktas (Turkey) vs. Tottenham (England), 1700 GMT Partizan (Serbia) vs. Asteras Tripoli (Greece), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP D GP W D L GF GA Pts Celtic 2 1 1 0 3 2 4 Red Bull Salzburg 2 1 1 0 4 3 4 Dinamo Zagreb 2 1 0 1 5 2 3 Astra Ploiesti 2 0 0 2 2 7 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) 5, Astra Ploiesti (Romania) 1 Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) 2, Celtic (Scotland) 2 Thursday, Oct. 2 Astra Ploiesti (Romania) 1, Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) 2 Celtic (Scotland) 1, Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Celtic (Scotland) vs. Astra Ploiesti (Romania), 1905 GMT Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Astra Ploiesti (Romania) vs. Celtic (Scotland), 1700 GMT Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) vs. Red Bull Salzburg (Austria), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Astra Ploiesti (Romania) vs. Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia), 1905 GMT Celtic (Scotland) vs. Red Bull Salzburg (Austria), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia) vs. Celtic (Scotland), 1700 GMT Red Bull Salzburg (Austria) vs. Astra Ploiesti (Romania), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP E GP W D L GF GA Pts Dinamo Moscow 2 2 0 0 3 1 6 PSV Eindhoven 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 Estoril Praia 2 1 0 1 2 1 3 Panathinaikos 2 0 0 2 1 4 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) 1, Estoril Praia (Portugal) 0 Panathinaikos (Greece) 1, Dinamo Moscow (Russia) 2 Thursday, Oct. 2 Dinamo Moscow (Russia) 1, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) 0 Estoril Praia (Portugal) 2, Panathinaikos (Greece) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Estoril Praia (Portugal) vs. Dinamo Moscow (Russia), 1905 GMT PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) vs. Panathinaikos (Greece), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Dinamo Moscow (Russia) vs. Estoril Praia (Portugal), 1600 GMT Panathinaikos (Greece) vs. PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Dinamo Moscow (Russia) vs. Panathinaikos (Greece), 1600 GMT Estoril Praia (Portugal) vs. PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) vs. Dinamo Moscow (Russia), 1700 GMT Panathinaikos (Greece) vs. Estoril Praia (Portugal), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP F GP W D L GF GA Pts Inter Milan 2 2 0 0 3 0 6 Saint-Etienne 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk 2 0 1 1 0 1 1 FK Qarabag 2 0 1 1 0 2 1 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan) 0, Saint-Etienne (France) 0 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) 0, Inter Milan (Italy) 1 in Kiev Thursday, Oct. 2 Inter Milan (Italy) 2, FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan) 0 Saint-Etienne (France) 0, Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) vs. FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan), 1905 GMT Inter Milan (Italy) vs. Saint-Etienne (France), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan) vs. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine), 1600 GMT Saint-Etienne (France) vs. Inter Milan (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Inter Milan (Italy) vs. Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine), 1905 GMT Saint-Etienne (France) vs. FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan), 1905 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 FK Qarabag (Azerbaijan) vs. Inter Milan (Italy), 1600 GMT Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk (Ukraine) vs. Saint-Etienne (France), 1700 GMT ___ GROUP G GP W D L GF GA Pts Sevilla 2 1 1 0 4 2 4 Feyenoord 2 1 0 1 2 3 3 Standard Liege 2 1 0 1 3 2 3 Rijeka 2 0 1 1 2 4 1 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Sevilla (Spain) 2, Feyenoord (Netherlands) 0 Standard Liege (Belgium) 2, Rijeka (Croatia) 0 Thursday, Oct. 2 Feyenoord (Netherlands) 2, Standard Liege (Belgium) 1 Rijeka (Croatia) 2, Sevilla (Spain) 2 Thursday, Oct. 23 Rijeka (Croatia) vs. Feyenoord (Netherlands), 1700 GMT Standard Liege (Belgium) vs. Sevilla (Spain), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Feyenoord (Netherlands) vs. Rijeka (Croatia), 1905 GMT Sevilla (Spain) vs. Standard Liege (Belgium), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Feyenoord (Netherlands) vs. Sevilla (Spain), 1700 GMT Rijeka (Croatia) vs. Standard Liege (Belgium), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Sevilla (Spain) vs. Rijeka (Croatia), 1905 GMT Standard Liege (Belgium) vs. Feyenoord (Netherlands), 1905 GMT ___ GROUP H GP W D L GF GA Pts Everton 2 1 1 0 5 2 4 FC Krasnodar 2 0 2 0 2 2 2 Lille 2 0 2 0 2 2 2 VfL Wolfsburg 2 0 1 1 2 5 1 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Everton (England) 4, VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) 1 Lille (France) 1, FC Krasnodar (Russia) 1 Thursday, Oct. 2 FC Krasnodar (Russia) 1, Everton (England) 1 VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) 1, Lille (France) 1 Thursday, Oct. 23 FC Krasnodar (Russia) vs. VfL Wolfsburg (Germany), 1600 GMT Lille (France) vs. Everton (England), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Everton (England) vs. Lille (France), 1905 GMT VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) vs. FC Krasnodar (Russia), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 FC Krasnodar (Russia) vs. Lille (France), 1600 GMT VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) vs. Everton (England), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Everton (England) vs. FC Krasnodar (Russia), 1905 GMT Lille (France) vs. VfL Wolfsburg (Germany), 1905 GMT ___ GROUP I GP W D L GF GA Pts Napoli 2 2 0 0 5 1 6 Sparta Prague 2 1 0 1 4 4 3 Young Boys 2 1 0 1 6 3 3 SK Slovan Bratislava 2 0 0 2 0 7 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Napoli (Italy) 3, Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 1 Young Boys (Switzerland) 5, SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) 0 Thursday, Oct. 2 SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) 0, Napoli (Italy) 2 Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) 3, Young Boys (Switzerland) 1 Thursday, Oct. 23 SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) vs. Sparta Prague (Czech Republic), 1700 GMT Young Boys (Switzerland) vs. Napoli (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Napoli (Italy) vs. Young Boys (Switzerland), 1905 GMT Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) vs. SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia) vs. Young Boys (Switzerland), 1700 GMT Sparta Prague (Czech Republic) vs. Napoli (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Napoli (Italy) vs. SK Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), 1905 GMT Young Boys (Switzerland) vs. Sparta Prague (Czech Republic), 1905 GMT ___ GROUP J GP W D L GF GA Pts Dynamo Kiev 2 2 0 0 6 1 6 Ste Bucharest 2 1 0 1 7 3 3 AaB Aalborg 2 1 0 1 1 6 3 Rio Ave 2 0 0 2 0 4 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Rio Ave (Portugal) 0, Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 3 Ste Bucharest (Romania) 6, AaB Aalborg (Denmark) 0 Thursday, Oct. 2 AaB Aalborg (Denmark) 1, Rio Ave (Portugal) 0 Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) 3, Ste Bucharest (Romania) 1 Thursday, Oct. 23 AaB Aalborg (Denmark) vs. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), 1700 GMT Ste Bucharest (Romania) vs. Rio Ave (Portugal), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) vs. AaB Aalborg (Denmark), 1905 GMT Rio Ave (Portugal) vs. Ste Bucharest (Romania), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 AaB Aalborg (Denmark) vs. Ste Bucharest (Romania), 1700 GMT Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine) vs. Rio Ave (Portugal), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Rio Ave (Portugal) vs. AaB Aalborg (Denmark), 1905 GMT Ste Bucharest (Romania) vs. Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), 1905 GMT ___ GROUP K GP W D L GF GA Pts Fiorentina 2 2 0 0 6 0 6 Guingamp 2 1 0 1 2 3 3 PAOK 2 1 0 1 6 3 3 Dinamo Minsk 2 0 0 2 1 9 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Fiorentina (Italy) 3, Guingamp (France) 0 PAOK (Greece) 6, Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) 1 Thursday, Oct. 2 Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) 0, Fiorentina (Italy) 3 in Borisov Guingamp (France) 2, PAOK (Greece) 0 Thursday, Oct. 23 Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) vs. Guingamp (France), 1700 GMT PAOK (Greece) vs. Fiorentina (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Fiorentina (Italy) vs. PAOK (Greece), 1905 GMT Guingamp (France) vs. Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Dinamo Minsk (Belarus) vs. PAOK (Greece), 1700 GMT Guingamp (France) vs. Fiorentina (Italy), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Fiorentina (Italy) vs. Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), 1905 GMT PAOK (Greece) vs. Guingamp (France), 1905 GMT ___ GROUP L GP W D L GF GA Pts Legia Warsaw 3 3 0 0 3 0 9 Trabzonspor 2 1 0 1 2 2 3 Lokeren 2 1 0 1 1 1 3 FC Metalist Kharkiv 3 0 0 3 1 4 0 GROUP STAGE Thursday, Sept. 18 Legia Warsaw (Poland) 1, Lokeren (Belgium) 0 FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) 1, Trabzonspor (Turkey) 2 in Lviv Thursday, Oct. 2 Lokeren (Belgium) 1, FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) 0 Trabzonspor (Turkey) 0, Legia Warsaw (Poland) 1 Wednesday, Oct. 22 FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) 0, Legia Warsaw (Poland) 1 in Kiev Thursday, Oct. 23 Trabzonspor (Turkey) vs. Lokeren (Belgium), 1700 GMT Thursday, Nov. 6 Legia Warsaw (Poland) vs. FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine), 1905 GMT Lokeren (Belgium) vs. Trabzonspor (Turkey), 1905 GMT Thursday, Nov. 27 Lokeren (Belgium) vs. Legia Warsaw (Poland), 1700 GMT Trabzonspor (Turkey) vs. FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine), 1700 GMT Thursday, Dec. 11 Legia Warsaw (Poland) vs. Trabzonspor (Turkey), 1905 GMT FC Metalist Kharkiv (Ukraine) vs. Lokeren (Belgium), 1905 GMT News Topics: Soccer, Men's soccer, Sports, Men's sports, Professional soccer People, Places and Companies: France, Spain, Kharkiv, Switzerland, Croatia, Romania, Germany, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Poland, Milan, Slovakia, Belarus, Denmark, Moscow, Minsk, Zagreb, England, Warsaw, Prague, Serbia, Bucharest, Zurich, Greece, Belgium, Turkey, Dnipropetrovsk, Lille, Helsinki, Azerbaijan, Kiev, Portugal, Russia, Austria, Finland, Bratislava, Western Europe, Europe, Eastern Europe, Italy, United Kingdom, Middle East Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Greek PM: Tourism Can Lead Us to Exit the Crisis

“We do not need another memorandum, as we are not just exiting it, but Greece will also be absolutely safe in the post-memorandum era.” With these words, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras described what he sees as the near future of Greece during the 13th Tourism and Development Conference of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE). Furthermore, in an attempt to send a message to the opposition, the Greek PM went on to say that his administration will not allow anyone to block the reforms and negate all these that have been achieved. While condemning political instability and polarization, Samaras underlined the government’s achievements over the past two and a half years and said many more are to come, as long as Greece will stay firmly on the reform track, which benefits the country and its people, and does not make a u-turn to political uncertainty. “Tourism can be the locomotive for us to exit the crisis and enter development, but it can also be the catalyst for the development of many other industries,” he said, revealing that the Greek tourism industry will receive a 500-million-euro cash injection per year for investments from Brussels. Continuing, the PM underlined that Greece can evolve into a unique island tourism destination by developing specified sub-sectors, such as medical and religious tourism. “With a 20% contribution in GDP and breaking one record after another, Greek tourism has been upgraded in quality compared to the past in relation to the competition,” he added, mentioning that political stability is a prerequisite for the success of such an industry, aiming to attract as many visitors as possible in the years to come. “There are some who react and we found them against us when we abolished cabotage on cruise tourism and even heard them suggest to eliminate SETE as a government’s social partner,” he concluded.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Pulse: SYRIZA Shows 5% Lead

A new poll by Pulse showed that Greece’s main opposition party SYRIZA has a 5% lead over ruling New Democracy. For vote intention, SYRIZA gathered 27% of the votes, followed by New Democracy with 22%, while Golden Dawn was third with 7%. Meanwhile, PASOK was in fourth place with 6.5%, followed by “To Potami” with 6% and the Greek Communist Party (KKE) with 5.5%. Independent Greeks (ANEL) collected 3% of the votes so they would be in the verge of staying out of the Greek Parliament, while Democratic Left (DIMAR) and LAOS collected 1.5% and 1% respectively, which means that they would not have any representatives in Parliament. The indecisive votes amounted to 9.5%, while blank votes and abstention rose to 7%. After the final estimates, the national elections voting intention is as follows: SYRIZA 28.5% New Democracy 23.5% Golden Dawn 7.5% PASOK 7% To Potami 6.5% KKE 6% ANEL 3.5 % DIMAR 1.5% “Other Party” 4.5% Undecided 10.5% In addition, the survey recorded very interesting facts regarding the person that Greeks believe would be more suitable as Prime Minister and whether the Presidential election must be made by the present Parliament. Furthermore, respondents were also questioned about which government they think will be able to get the country out of the Memorandum and their view on who is responsible for the recent economic turmoil in Athens Stock Exchange and the Greek bonds’ spreads.


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Happy Hour: Mad Greek in Cleveland Heights rolls out diversity, taste at a deep discount

The Mad Greek serves a stellar Happy Hour -- and not just because it's reasonably priced. The Greek-Indian restaurant features a long list of ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.cleveland.com

Austrian president sees Greek economy on positive course to exit crisis

In a statement to Greek national news agency AMNA, Fischer stressed that he found it "difficult to imagine how Austrians would react if they had to go ...


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At least 11 banks to fail European stress tests, three in Greece, report says

Three banks in Greece, three Italian lenders and two Austrian ones are among those that preliminary data showed had failed the tests, Efe said.


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Happy Hour: Mad Greek in Cleveland Heights rolls out diversity, taste at a deep discount

The Mad Greek serves a stellar Happy Hour -- and not just because it's reasonably priced. The Greek-Indian restaurant features a long list of ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.cleveland.com

Report Published: "The Future of the Syrups and Spreads Market in Greece to 2018"

Boston, MA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/22/2014 -- The Future of the Syrups & Spreads Market in Greece to 2018 is the result of Canadean's extensive ...


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Opening of ‘Athena’ Greek School’s New Building in Romania

During his two-day visit to Romania this Wednesday and Thursday, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kyriakos Gerontopoulos attended the opening of “Athena” Greek School‘s new building. Later, he took a tour around the classrooms and other areas of the ...


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What crisis? South of Greece reinventing itself as 'Greek Riviera' to rival Monaco thanks to luxe hotels loved by Queen Letizia and Cristiano Ronaldo (and beach club parties ...

Four years ago, Greece was hit by one of the worst economic crisis in history with concerns about social unrest and the country's possible departure from the eurozone keeping holidaymakers away. With tourism being the country's biggest industry, the ...


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SIAL 2014: Greek yoghurt firm Fage targets Europe

Greek dairy manufacturer Fage is eyeing growth in Europe as the Greek yoghurt craze in the US loses steam. Katy Askew caught up with the company ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.just-food.com

Ben Bradlee helped launch Jimmy the Greek’s writing career, and other sports facts about the former Post editor

As you might have guessed, a journalist and editor like Ben Bradlee had plenty of intersections with the sports world during his legendary career. Here are a few of them. And yes, I’ve told my colleagues they should feel free to mine my corpse for ...


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NBG CEO Optimistic Ahead of Stress Tests

Speaking at a conference of the Greek Institute of Internal Auditions on “Internal control in the middle of developments,” National Bank of Greece (NBG) CEO Alexandros Tourkolias revealed that most of the bank’s loans are investment loans, spent over the creation of new working positions. NBG, he added, prioritizes the support of real economy combined with a plan for its restructure, which is still in papers and soon will be realized. “National Bank of Greece has strong liquidity,” Tourkolias declared, adding that “with the existing figures, we can sleep soundly,” sending a message for the bank’s capital adequacy, just a few days ahead of the results of Greek banks’ stress tests by the European Central Bank (ECB). The NBG CEO said that the bank’s new business model will be in accordance with the country’s development model and will be based on extroversion, support for new technologies and human resources, leaving extreme internal consumption that was followed during the pro-crisis period in the past. In addition, Tourkolias declared that loans will be smaller, while on the contrary, the companies’ involvement in their investment plans bigger, in order to be sustainable and enjoy greater yields. Regarding NBG’s internal control over time, he underlined that it is the compass for its activity and said that Greek banks have developed an advanced system of internal control that is continuously adjusted to new requirements. As for the new European supervisory to be put in place, he said that it will be suffocating and diverse, requiring immediate response to those controlled, while both the domestic and European system will be put under test, as it will experience vibrations. “At National Bank we are properly prepared and stand ready, having inter alia, strengthened internal audits and given clear instructions,” he concluded. Bloomberg: Three Greek Banks Will Fail Stress Tests Citing Efe News Service, Bloomberg reported that three Greek banks will be amongst those that will fail the stress tests – the results of which will be published this coming Sunday – spreading discomfort on the Greek side. Based on anonymous sources, the report said that apart from the three Greek banks, three Italian, two Austrian, one Cypriot, one Portuguese and one Belgian are going to fail the stress tests as well. As Bloomberg underlined, the facts can still be revised as they are preliminary, adding that all Spanish banks will pass the stress tests. Efe News Service’s report comes to a complete contrast with all previous reports on the issue.


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Annual SDT Greek Grind takes over Classic Center for charity

The biggest Greek philanthropy event on campus, Sigma Delta Tau’s annual SDT Greek Grind, is here. SDT Greek Grind is a widely-anticipated event for members of Greek life and other students who look forward to watching the show and cheering on their ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.redandblack.com

Greece seeking tailor-made backstop facility

According to Bloomberg, Greece is preparing a proposal for a tailor-made credit line to be available in case access to credit markets is not possible in ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT english.capital.gr

Ex-Deutsche Bank Advisor: Germany and Greece Most Likely to Exit Eurozone

Thomas Mayer, ex-chief economist and advisor at Deutsche Bank and current President of Flossbach von Storch Research Institute, said that the two countries most likely to exit the Eurozone are Germany and Greece. During an interview for his new book “The New Order of Money: Why Do We Need a Currency Reform,” Mayer said that Greece cannot survive its sovereign debt inside the Eurozone and Germany could leave the common currency if the European Union proceeds with debt monetization. The German economist believes that if the Eurozone shrinks, we will go back to the question of each country having its own currency, competing with the rest of the EU currencies.


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Greek Primary Surplus Rises to 2.532 Billion Euros

The Greek Finance Ministry said on Tuesday that during the first nine months of the year (January – September) the primary budget surplus is 2.532 billion euros, sharply up from the budget target for a surplus of 1.551 billion, but slightly down ...


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Greek Club Scholarship

The Kokomo Greek Club will award a $400 scholarship for college expenses on Dec. 6 during the December breakfast meeting. Current, fulltime ...


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Greek Food Festival starts Friday

The Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church will host their 25th Greek Food Festival this Friday and Saturday. One of the food items that draws ...


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Missing Sphinx Head Found in Ancient Greek Tomb

Archaeologists have discovered the missing head of one of the two marble sphinxes guarding a huge Macedonian tomb under excavation in Amphipolis, Greece. Enclosed by a marble wall 1,600 feet (490 m) in perimeter, the monumental burial mound at Amphipolis in northern Greece could be the largest of its kind in the Greek world. The archaeologists leading the ongoing excavation have not yet ...


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David Einhorn Gave Two Trade Ideas At An Elite Wall Street Conference — Here's The Full Presentation

Greenlight Capital CEO David Einhorn gave two ideas on Monday at the Robin Hood Investors Conference. One was a long position — in solar company SunEdison. And the other was a long/short — long Greek banks, short French government debt. We've got the full presentation for you here. It starts off with Einhorn's long thesis on SunEdison (slides 1-37). It's the best performing solar company of the year, and he thinks it can only get better. The stock currently trades at $19.22 per share but he thinks that it's worth $32 per share.  Around slide 38 Einhorn sorts out some of the mess that is Europe, focusing on Greece first. He argues that the worst is behind the country. The hardest decisions about austerity and the country is now "living within its means." He recommends going long Grek banks — Alpha, Piraeus, NBG and Eurobank. France, on the other hand, is just starting to look ugly (that starts on slide 67). It's over-budget, suffers from high unemployment, and needs reform. Once the bond market realizes all of that, Einhorn says, it's time to short French government debt.Einhorn Robin Hood Presentation Einhorn Robin Hood Presentation Sixty years ago, the first photovoltaic solar cells were used to make a toy Ferris Wheel turn. See the rest of the story at Business Insider


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Greek club Irodotos get heavy punishment after fan death

ATHENS, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Greek third division team Irodotos have been docked 15 points and ordered to play 10 matches behind closed doors following the death of an Ethnikos Piraeus supporter, the Hellenic Football Federation (EPO) said on Wednesday.


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Tsipras Reassures Defense Chiefs

SYRIZA) leader Alexis Tsipras told Greece's military leaders he would not orchestrate any major changes in defense policies if he comes to power. The post Tsipras Reassures Defense Chiefs appeared first on The National Herald.


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Prague-based SmartWings grows in Greece; parent company Travel Service active in ACMI market

With extreme seasonality in its operations, SmartWings' fleet tends to be flexible with aircraft 'borrowed' from various places for the peak summer ...


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Belarus' MPs ratify international road transport agreement with Greece

An opportunity for additional quota for hauls to and from third countries provided by Greece is of special significance. It will promote the growth in the ...


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Sphinx's head found in Greece's largest tomb

THESSALONIKI—The head of a near-intact marble sphinx has been discovered in the largest tomb ever unearthed in Amphipolis, northern Greece, ...


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Greek Households Owe €70 Billion in Taxes

Tax debts owed to the Greek state reached a new high in September, amounting to 70.16 billion euros. Total tax debt in August was 69.24 billion. Many Greek households are struggling to remain consistent with their payments. Statistics show that new debts ...


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Greek Cypriots in UN complaint over Erdogan's TRNC visit

The Greek Cypriot administration has launched a complaint with the United Nations about Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's recent visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). According to an official press release, the Greek Cypriot ...


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Turkey continues gas exploration despite Greek Cyprus threat to block EU talks

ANKARA, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey is continuing its seismic surveys off the Cyprus Island, despite opposition from Greek Cypriots, who have ...


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Greece Suffers Significant Decrease in Births due to Crisis

A decline in birth rates and an aging population have emerged as further side effects of Greece’s ongoing economic crisis. For the past six years, Greece has also suffered a significant increase in abortions. According to the daily newspaper “Efimerida ton Syntakton,” 4 out of 10 women in Greece will give birth to one less child than they were planning. Some will never have children. According to Aikaterini Stypsanelli, a doctor at Alexandra Hospital, the crisis has reduced births by 30%. “There are women that, even though they desire to have children, are forced to undergo an abortion because they simply can not afford to have a baby. Growing up children looks like a mountain in their eyes,” he said. Even an abortion’s cost is unbearable for many of them; as a result, women turn to risky medicines in order to disrupt the pregnancy. As a result of their unavailability to create their own families, many Greek women experience depression and a growing sense of guilt. Katerina, 35, was working in the public sector but now, she says, she faces the daily risk of unemployment. “Since I was a little kid I wanted to have many children. Even without a husband I believe I could make it, if only the situation was different. Now I cannot even cover my own basic needs. Every month I leave a bill unpaid and I have completely limited my entertainment. I only spend money on the necessary,” she says, adding that she lives a lonely life. “There are nights when I remember what my life used to be like before the crisis in order to fall asleep. When I am tired of crying, I am dreaming of the day that all these will be gone. Yet, in 5 years I will be 40. Am I going to make it?” she wonders. Giannis Mouzalas, a gynecologist working for Doctors of the World (Médecins du Monde), explains the new reality in Greece: “Currently we have 3 million uninsured people and 10 million insecure, meaning that none of them knows if he next month will find them unemployed or at least unpaid.”


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Greek team punished for fan's death

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A third division football team in Greece has been punished by the country's football association after a fan died after being attacked by home fans at a match in September.


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Turkey expects EU to reject complaint by Greek Cypriots

Turkish officials expect the EU to fulfill its responsibility and reject a complaint by the Greek Cypriot administration aimed at halting Turkey's progress toward EU membership. The Greek Cypriot administration announced Tuesday that it would ...


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Here's A Quick Guide To What Traders Are Chatting About Right Now

JonesTrading's Dave Lutz has a roundup of what traders are chatting about right now: Good Morning!  US Futures are mixed, with Nasdaq and Russell in the green, while the S&P is off small.   Overnight Macro headlines were relatively benign, save reports 3 Greek banks, 3 Italians, 2 Austrians, 1 Cypriot, 1 Portuguese and 1 Belgian set to fail stress tests (results Sunday) – That said, the EU Fins are holding a bid, with the SX7E in the green.   The DAX is up 30bp, but volumes remain light on the content, with volumes down 25-50% to 5day averages (school holiday) – Financials seem to be the outperformers, while tobacco stocks are among the worst.    Over in Asia, Russia’s MICEX is off almost 1% as Ruble pressure continues as no resolution in the gas crisis developing.   Most other Asian markets took their cue from strong US tech earnings, as Nikkei climbed 2.5% (still GPIF tailwinds) - Aussie popped 1% on benign inflation data as Banks outperformed again, and Strong tech helped Hang Seng jump 1.4%.    Save Korea, volumes across Asia were roughly 20% light as well. The US 10YY is under pressure, dropping below 2.2% as it follows Bund yields south (Citi saying 10Y bunds going to 65bp) – US Treasuries have been losing their bid later into the afternoon after the Euro players head home – so look for rates to possibly pop into the afternoon.   The DXY is higher, gaining ground against Sterling on dovish BoE comments, and Euro hit as EU's Juncker pledges to unveil major investment plan this year.    Despite the headwinds, commodities are generally higher, with Brent up 60bp and near session highs, Copper up 45bp – while the Grains and Beans are seeing continued covering. Scheduled Catalysts today include MBA Mortgage Applications at 7:30, CPI at 8:30, Bank of Canada Rate Decision and Bank of Portugal's Neves speaks at 10, we have DOE data for Crude at 10:30.  There is NO POMO at 11, but sometime before the opening we should get the AIA's Architecture Billings Index for September.   While focus is on earnings, I’ll be watching Tech today – YHOO up 3.5%, while TSLA, AAPL, FB seem to be holding yesterday’s gains – while It will be important for Semis to build on yesterday’s 3% gain.   Airline stocks are retreating 1% after yesterday’s surge, yet I saw no fresh Ebola headlines overnight, that’s still a risk for the bulls.  Homebuilders have surged higher, gaining over 10% in the last week, but the ITHB hit a wall at the 200dma – look for some profit taking.  Finally we have been seeing sharp covering in OIH, XOP and XLE this week – Let’s see how WTI acts into DOE today (3million barrel build expected) - now that contracts have rolled.SEE ALSO: 10 Things You Need To Know Before The Opening Bell Join the conversation about this story »


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DIPLOMACY Turkey 'determined' to continue gas exploration amid threats from Greek Cyprus

Ankara has vowed to continue gas exploration activities off Cyprus, despite Greek Cyprus' threats to block Turkey's ongoing EU accession talks in an ...


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Boise Goes Greek with Orpheus and Eurydice

A figure of Greek mythology, Orpheus was a poet and a musician who could play so beautifully, it was said he could “charm the birds, fish and wild ...


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Cameron and Miliband at PMQs: Politics Live blog

Rolling coverage of all the days political developments as they happen, including David Cameron and Ed Miliband at PMQs 12.29pm BST Julian Huppert, a Lib Dem, asks Cameron to welcome the fact an NHS bidder won a Cambridgeshire NHS contract.Cameron says under this government the NHS is being properly run by clinicians. 12.28pm BST Steve Reed, the Labour MP, asks who is to blame for the failure to deport foreign criminals.Cameron says the buck stops with him. The NAO report is very good, he says. Since 2013 there has been a proper government strategy to deal with this, the report says. But there are still too many human rights obstacles in the way. 12.27pm BST There has been some drama in the public gallery.Angry bloke chucked something against glass security screen in public gallery before being bundled out #pmqsCommotion in the public gallery as a man is dragged out, apparently shouting (can't hear due to security screen). #PMQs 12.25pm BST Cameron says Chuka Umunna recently did not know where Worcester was. He needs to get in touch with Worcester woman, he says. 12.24pm BST Labours Stella Creasy asks about the murder of a constituent in Greece. Why has the government sent police to Thailand, but not to Greece in this case.Cameron says he thinks the family involved did get funding to cover legal help in Greece. 12.22pm BST John Baron, a Conservative, asks what the government can do to help the relatives of nuclear test victims. One third of their children have been born with problems, he says.Cameron says the government has done more to recognise this problem than other governments. 12.21pm BST Labours Nic Dakin asks Cameron to rule out any more VAT increases while he is in post.Cameron says his plans do not involve more tax rises. He wants to cut taxes. The people who will want to put up taxes are those that want to increase spending, the Labour party. 12.20pm BST Gareth Johnson, a Conservative, says there was recently a jobs fair in Dartford with more jobs on offer than people looking for them.Johnson praises Bluewater for organising the event. 12.19pm BST Cameron praises Jim ONeills RSA report on regional devolution. He will be meeting ONeill later today. There is a real opportunity to create a northern powerhouse, he says. 12.18pm BST Labours Jamie Reed says he has a 10-year-old constituent who said Cameron did not answer his question about a local hospital. Is every maternity unit in England now under review?Cameron says he wants to see district general hospitals with maternity unit. The amount of money going to the NHS in England is going up. 12.16pm BST Henry Smith, a Conservative, asks Cameron to confirm that high-quality manufacturing is on the rise.Cameron agrees. 12.16pm BST Labours Chris Evans asks what Cameron is going to do to stop elderly people being scammed on the internet.Cameron says the National Crime Agency is able to look at this. 12.14pm BST The SNPs Angus MacNeil asks Cameron to confirm that full fiscal autonomy is on the table for Scotland.Cameron says he will keep the promises he made. But he hopes the SNP will keep to it promise to accept the referendum settles this matter for a lifetime. He is not sure Alex Salmond is doing this. 12.13pm BST Andrew Percy, a Conservative, asks about flood defences on the Humber.Cameron says he will look carefully at Percys proposals. 12.12pm BST Labours Kelvin Hopkins asks about foetal alcohol syndrome warnings.Cameron says this is a growing problem. He is happy to listen to Hopkinss suggestions. 12.11pm BST Cameron says the government is on track to meet its apprenticeship targets. The Conservatives want to create 3m in the next parliament. 12.10pm BST Snap PMQs Verdict: A comfortable win for Miliband; Camerons OECD counter-attack didnt quite work because he was so evasive on the substantive points Miliband raised. 12.08pm BST Miliband says Cameron cannot give a masterclass on leadership. He is changing his policy on the EU all the week. Why wont Lynton Crosby let Cameron back a levy on tobacco firms to fund one-week cancer tests.Cameron quotes an NHS body criticising Labours plans. Miliband flunked his big decision this week - sacking Ed Balls. 12.06pm BST Miliband says Cameron is supposed to answer the questions. Cameron could not defend the NHS. Why? Because he told us his top-down reorganisation would save money. It has cost £3bn. Will say what he is saying in private, that it has been a disaster.Cameron says he can defend his record. But he wants a comparison. So will Miliband let the OECD look at the failures in Wales. 12.02pm BST Ed Miliband says leading health organisations warned last week that health and social care services were at breaking point. Why?Cameron says Miliband did not answer the Welsh question. In England there are 1.3m more outpatients, 6m more outpatient appointments, and 2,500 more nurses. 12.00pm BST Andrew Griffiths, a Conservative, asks about the NHS in Wales. Should there be a full inquiry and an apology from Labour?Cameron says in the NHS in Wales doctors and nurses are working round the clock to deliver good care, but they have been let down by the Welsh assembly. Labour MPs have called for an inquiry. The OECD want to do a study. Cameron says he supports that. Does Miliband? 11.59am BST PMQs is staring early. 11.59am BST Here are some PMQs predictions.Expect Miliband will lead on Fiona Woolf at PMQs but stop short of calling for her to resign.Expecting to hear a lot about ballooning borrowing figures at #pmqs .... 11.48am BST But Number 10 is still backing Fiona Woolf.No 10 says Cameron believes it is 'very important' for child sex abuse inquiry to hv confidence of victims - but backs Fiona Woolf as chair 11.46am BST Labour is stepping up the pressure on Fiona Woolf to step down as chair of the child abuse inquiry. On the Daily Politics, Caroline Flint, the shadow energy secretary, has just said:I think its really difficult for her to stay. 11.41am BST After PMQs were getting an urgent question on the NAO report into foreign prisoners.UQ granted to @YvetteCooperMP at 12.30 to ask the Home Secretary about the absconding of foreign criminals 11.39am BST You can read all todays Guardian politics stories here. And all the politics stories filed yesterday, including some in todays paper, are here.As for the rest of the papers, heres the PoliticsHome list of top ten must-reads, and heres the ConservativeHome round-up of the political stories in todays papers. Freedom of movement across the EU must be made easier, the incoming president of the European Commission has demanded. In a blow to David Camerons hopes of curbing EU migration, Jean-Claude Juncker, whose appointment was fiercely opposed by No 10, has told one of his new commissioners to promote freedom of movement. Mr Osbornes claim that he will balance the books in the next parliament without any new tax rises and that he would then deliver a £7.2bn income tax cut were rejected by the minister charged with controlling public spending.Danny Alexander, Liberal Democrat Treasury chief secretary, said: These numbers reinforce the point that money is tight and will be so for many years as we build our way to full recovery. 11.26am BST Yesterday Mike Read was defending his Ukip Calypso as a bit of fun. This is what he told BBC London radio.I dont have a racist bone in my body. I work across all cultures and creeds, I travel the world. It was just meant to be a bit of fun.People are very very very quick to take offence now at something that years ago would have been deemed to be a bit of satire and a bit of fun. But now with social media everybody can assume that you meant something appalling by it, which of course I didnt. Ive got so many chums out in the Caribbean. Ive spent a lot of time out there. 11.14am BST My colleague Claire Phipps has discovered whos to blame for making Mike Read withdraw his Ukip Calypso. Its the PC Brigade, according to Twitter.Still, we all know who's *really* to blame for Mike Read scrapping #ukipcalypso, don't we? #PCbrigade pic.twitter.com/Q5hoespgvh 11.12am BST Jake Yapps YouTube response to Mike Read is fun. 11.00am BST And heres some Twitter comment on Mike Read.From Labour MP Diane AbbottDJ Mike Read withdraws UKIP Calypso song. Thank goodness. Completely puerile http://t.co/Td2GwH1ALNMike Read's hapless one day run of his Wilde musical took some beating but he's done it somehow.Unless Mike Read delivers his apology in the accent of Topol from Fiddler On The Roof or Apu off The Simpsons, I for one am not interested.Mike Read has pulled his Calypso song. Which means it ran for about three times as long as his Oscar Wilde musical.Er, Mike Read's u-turned on his calypso? No staying power, some people. 10.53am BST Heres more from the Press Association on Mike Reads decision to apologise for his Ukip Calypso and withdraw it from sale.The song, which includes the line when we take charge and the new prime minister is Farage, also criticised the prime minister. Read, a former Conservative supporter, used the song to warn his listeners against trusting David Cameron, singing: The British people have been let down, thats why Ukip is making ground. From Crewe to Cleethorpes, from Hull to Hendon, they dont believe Camerons referendum. 10.48am BST Mike Reads apology came after Chuka Umunna, the shadow business secretary, criticised his Calypso in an LBC phone-in. Heres an extract from a Telegraph story about his comments.In one of the most outspoken attacks on Ukip by a Labour frontbencher, Mr Umunna said a Calypso song released by Ukip, sung in a faux-Caribbean accent, was distasteful, adding: A lot of people have said they think its racist. I dont know whether his intention was to be racist. [Ukip] are asking people to give them the benefit of the doubt when a stream of Ukip candidates and supporters have come out with the most offensive and racist things over the months. What really worries me about this is there is not more of a row about the things we see coming out of Ukip. Its almost as if people price this in. 10.38am BST Matthew Norman has a good column about the Mike Read Calypso in todays Independent. He says the song is offensive in many ways, none of which are to do with race.Heres an extract.The lyric, which dwells on such Faragean staples as illegal immigration and insanely meddlesome Eurocrats, is pitiful (though credit him for trying to rhyme referendum with outer Hendon). The guitar playing is bad, the singing worse, and the accent worst. Whether he was aiming at Jamaica or calypsos birthplace of Trinidad is unclear. Not since Richard Madeleys Ali G has a white, middle-class Englishman vocally missed as vast a target as the entire Caribbean by such a margin.Immediately, the Ukip Calypso drew the familiar accusation of racism not primarily for such references as illegal immigrants in every town, but because it is a West Indian musical form. On any day, this familiar racism debate would have missed the point. Coming a few minutes before a black South African judge passed sentence on an Afrikaner who would once have been her master, the discussion on yesterdays Today programme sounded especially ridiculous. 10.33am BST And here is the offending song. 10.30am BST Heres the full quote from Mike Read.Im so sorry that the song unintentionally caused offence. That was never my intention and I apologise unreservedly if anyone has taken offence. Ive asked the record company to withdraw the single immediately. 10.25am BST The former Radio 1 DJ has apologised for unintentionally causing offence with his Ukip calypso.The Press Association has just snapped this.Former Radio 1 DJ Mike Read today apologised for unintentionally causing offence with his Ukip Calypso, sung with a mock Caribbean accent, adding that he has asked his record company to withdraw the song from sale. 10.23am BST In a Commons committee MPs are debating the affordable homes bill, a private members bill introduced by the Lib Dem MP Andrew George that would exempt people from the bedroom tax if they are unable to move to a smaller property. The bill got a second reading because Labour and Lib Dem MPs united to vote it through, in the face of opposition from the Conservatives.But the committee hearing (where a small number of MPs submit the bill to line-by-line scrutiny) doesnt seem to be getting off to a good start.Tories doing lots of vexatious points of order merely to delay consideration of the affordable homes bill. #bedroomtaxTory high command is here in the shape of @GregHands Clearly they hate the idea of ending the #bedroomtax1st Session of @AndrewGeorgeLD Affordable Homes Bill and series of time wasting points of order by filibustering Tory members of committeeTory Taliban MPs clearly livid at attempts to remove disabled people from #Bedroomtax and trying to 'talk out' the Affordable Homes Bill8 spurious points of order in 10 mins - outrageous Tory filibuster in Affordable Homes Bill Ctte trying to stop us arguing agt #bedroomtax 10.06am BST Heres more on the row about Fiona Woolf.Sharon Evans, a member of the inquiry panel, chief executive of the Dot Com Childrens Foundation and a sexual abuse survivor, told that programme that she was confident that the inquiry could do a good job.We have Graham Wilmer, who is another victim ... We have representatives of HMIC [HM Inspectorate of Constabulary], we have a family law barrister whos been in care himself. I think theres been so much focus on Fiona Woolf, which I understand, but she is just the head of the panel. There are nine people in total, with an enormous background and expertise in this.I would like people to be reassured that there are victims on this panel and we are determined to get to the bottom of this. One of the things that Graham and I hope is that the fact we are here and we are part of this will give people confidence. We do want to listen.I am absolutely appalled at Fiona Woolfs appointment. Its like putting Wayne Rooney in charge of an investigation of the nuclear energy industry. MP John Hemming tells me Fiona Woolf should stand down from abuse enquiry, she's "clearly a fully fledged member of the establishment" 9.38am BST The BBCs Robin Brant says a legal challenge has been launched against Fiona Woolfs appointment as chair of the child abuse inquiry.STORY: a legal challenge has been launched to the appointment of fiona woolf as the chair of the child sexual abuse inquiry. 9.35am BST For the record, here are todays YouGov GB polling figures.Labour: 33% (no change from YouGov yesterday) 9.23am BST The Home Office is under fire on two fronts this morning. There is still considerable controversy about Theresa Mays decision to appoint Fiona Woolf, a lawyer and the Lord Mayor of London, to head the child abuse inquiry. On the Today programme Alison Millar, a solicitor representing abuse victims, said Woolf should step down because of the evidence about her attending five dinner parties with Lord Brittan, the former home secretary whose handling of abuse inquiries in the 1980s will be considered by the inquiry. Millar told the Today programme this morning:This is not about Fiona Woolfs ability or her integrity. This is about her independence and her ability to lead this inquiry in a way that is credible to the survivors of abuse whom I represent. Somebody who seems to be on dinner party terms with a senior political figure whose knowledge this inquiry will be scrutinising is somebody who from the perspective of my clients does not have the necessary independence .... This evidence of dinner parties with Lord Brittan really puts her beyond the pale in terms of her credibility with my clients.There is absolute focus within government on dealing with this issue of foreign national offenders, on seeing that we have seen changes. For example, under the Immigration Act we are cutting down on the bureaucracy that stops it. Continue reading...


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New Greek bailout unveiled to contain debt crisis

President of European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso (R), President of European Council Herman Van Rompuy (C) and Greek Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou attend the press conference after the ...


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More Big Fat Greek Kids

Greek children aged 7-9 have the highest average body weight among 16 European countries surveyed by the World Health Organization. The post More Big Fat Greek Kids appeared first on The National Herald.


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Archaeologists discover lost Sphinx head in Greece

Athens, Oct 22 (IANS/EFE) Archaeologists excavating the tomb of Amphipolis in northern Greece have uncovered the head of one of the two sphinxes ...


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Turkish Bank Boosts Capital Buffers for Greek Parent's Benefit

The Turkish lender has been a significant asset for NBG, helping the Greek parent weather the eurozone financial crisis better than its peers, and ...


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