Although employment barriers have dropped significantly around the world, many young Greeks would still rather look for work in Greece, according to ...
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How the world sees Greece
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Where Katniss, Wonder Woman and Marvel's new Thor come from
Some 2,500 years ago, the Greeks had a big Amazon moment. ... Little Greek girls even played with clay Amazon dolls with movable arms and legs.
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Suspended Greek Orthodox priest pleads not guilty to sex abuse, other charges
BANGOR, Maine — The former priest at St. George Greek Orthodox Church pleaded not guilty Wednesday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to four ...
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Paraguayan international student finds home in Greek community
After coming to Purdue without knowing any fellow students, joining the Greek system seemed to be a great way to get involved for one international ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.purdueexponent.org |
Troika Keeps Heat On Greece, Sends Reform List Back To Samaras
Unsatisfied with Greek proposals, the country's international lenders told the government to go back to the drawing board and come up with better ideas to fill a 2-3 billion euro gap if it wants an early exit from bailout deals. The post Troika Keeps Heat On Greece, Sends Reform List Back To Samaras appeared first on The National Herald.
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Greece prepares response to troika but bailout extension likely
Greece is preparing its response to the troika after the country's lenders demanded a firmer commitment from Athens on fiscal and structural measures, ...
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Leaders PAOK stun Olympiakos 2-1 to surge clear in Greece
Leaders PAOK stun Olympiakos 2-1 to surge clear in Greece PAOK Salonika secured a superb 2-1 win at Greek champions Olympiakos Piraeus on ...
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‘The Ancient Greek Hero’ in Boston
Have you ever pondered what it means to be human nowadays? Considering the fact that this question is extremely vague and difficult to be answered, a good first try would be to study what it really means to be a hero in ancient Greek times. This particular ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT usa.greekreporter.com |
PAOK extends lead in Greek title race, beats Olympiakos 2-1
ATHENS, Greece — Stefanos Athanasiadis and Facundo Pereyra scored as PAOK beat Olympiakos 2-1 Wednesday to extend its lead in the Greek ...
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Paulson Suspends Further Investment Plans In Greece
John Paulson, the hedge fund manager of Paulson & Co. decided to suspend his plans to invest further in Greece due to the political instability in the ...
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Greece will need bailout extension: EU source
Brussels: The EU`s huge bailout programme for Greece, which is due to end this month, will need to be extended but Athens and Brussels are still at ...
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Greece farmhouse long known as 'Fleming place'
There were a number of Flemings in the Charlotte and Greece area in the 19th ... Upon the completion of these contracts, the family moved to Greece.
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Putnam: Sea lion inspires Greece woman to write book
Ostrander worked with Maureen Whalen of Greece to edit the book and Jenelle Penders, also of Greece, to design the cover. It was released nine ...
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Campaigners winning war to wipe out landmines
Washington (AFP) - Global efforts to eradicate landmines are bearing fruit, campaigners said Wednesday, noting that the number of victims injured by the deadly weapons have fallen to the lowest level in 14 years.Nobel winners, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, said in its annual report that last year just 3,308 people were injured or killed by landmines or unexploded ordnance left over from different conflicts -- 25 percent fewer than in 2012.But it voiced concern about the situation in Ukraine, saying it remained unclear whether landmines have been laid in the bloody conflict between Kiev and pro-Russian rebels.In 2013 there was an average of nine victims a day, compared to 25 daily when the Landmine Monitor first started recording casualty rates in 1999. The vast majority, some 79 percent, were civilians.In another measure of success in the fight against the scourge, nearly all use and production of the deadly weapons has ceased around the world."While far too many people are still losing their lives and limbs to landmines, new casualties are at their lowest level ever recorded — possibly the best measure of how successful the Mine Ban Treaty has been," said Megan Burke, casualties and victim assistance editor of Landmine Monitor."But we can’t forget that there are hundreds of thousands of landmine survivors waiting for their needs to be met and their rights to be fulfilled."While none of the 162 signatories to the Mine Ban Treaty had broken their pledge not to use landmines last year, there are lingering concerns about the crisis in Ukraine."Stocks of anti-personnel mines are present in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists," the Landmine Monitor noted.But it stressed "it is not yet possible to determine whether antipersonnel mines have been used. Ukraine is a state party to the treaty.""Any use in Ukraine must be halted and fully investigated," insisted Mark Hiznay, senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. - US pledge a 'victory' - Campaigners also called on Yemen to do more to hold accountable those who laid anti-personnel mines in the Gulf country in 2011 -- the only time a state signatory to the ban has violated the treaty.Only 35 countries have not signed up to the international treaty, but most are abiding by its key provisions, although India, Myanmar, Pakistan and South Korea are still believed to be manufacturing the weapons.But the campaign hailed as "a victory for global recognition of the treaty" this year's pledge by the United States to step up the destruction of its stockpile of some three million mines and to ban US use of anti-personnel mines except on the Korean peninsula.More than 48 million stockpiled landmines have been destroyed since 1999, and only six signatory countries have failed to complete the destruction of their stocks.Ukraine, along with Greece and Belarus, remain in violation of the treaty as they have not got rid of such weapons within four years of signing the pact.However, in a negative side-effect of the campaign's success, global funding for mine clearance activities is shrinking even as campaigners strive to meet the goal of a mine-free world by 2025."Sustained levels of international funding remains vital as mine-impacted countries continue striving to clear their last minefields and to assist landmine victims," said Landmine Monitor editor Jeff Abramson.Join the conversation about this story »
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Greek Interior Ministry to Grant Political Asylum to Syrian Refugees of Syntagma Square
The Greek government’s will to find a solution over the 200 Syrian refugees who have been in a sitting protest for the 13th consecutive day in Syntagma square, opposite the Parliament in downtown Athens, and have gone on a hunger strike – except the children – for a week, expressed yesterday the Secretary General of Population and Social Cohesion of the Interior Ministry, Angelos Syrigos, adding that their presence at the square cannot be continued. Speaking at a press conference, Syrigos explained that granting them a political asylum is the only legal and possible solution. He said that this is a possibility that will provide them the right to travel to other European Union countries, but not permanently reside and work there. Talking to Greek newspaper “Kathimerini,” Syrigos revealed that the Greek government is also willing to ask for northern European countries to grant asylum to the 200 Syrian refugees, although he underlined that it does not expect to get a positive response in this request. “There is no intention from the north countries to take these people. We will raise the issue but we should expect a stern response. It is almost certain our request will be turned down,” he said to the Greek newspaper. In a meeting with the refugees, Syrigos urged them to apply for asylum in Greece but they appeared reluctant, as this could block their way to other European countries, which were their destination in the first place. “Taking into account the situation they found themselves in, we have told them that they have to make a decision soon. We did not ask them to leave now but we made clear that this situation cannot continue for many more days,” Syrigos highlighted. On their behalf, the Syrian refugees asked to be granted travel documents in order to travel to their destination countries and apply for political asylum there. Finally, as Syrigos described, 28,500 Syrian refugees crossed Greece’s borders, just in 2014.
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UVA President: Eliminate All Booze Except Beer
... by limiting alcohol provided at parties to beer and said the university must expand its own social options to provide alternatives to the Greek scene.
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Turkey's Davutoglu due in Greece for talks over Mediterranean dispute
Turkey's prime minister is set to visit Greece for negotiations as tensions swell among regional neighbors over energy deposits in the Mediterranean ...
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Timmerman: Greek community does much more good than bad
Based on past events and the rise of a negative perception across both campus and the nation, someone identifying as a fraternity or sorority member can meet a lot of disfavor these days. On a regular basis, anyone can find an article bashing this ...
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Greece, Cyprus and Israel to Table Plan for Pipeline from SE Mediterranean to Europe
Energy Ministers of Greece, Cyprus and Israel are expected to hold talks with European Union officials, on the sidelines of the European Energy Ministers council on December 9, regarding the planning of a new pipeline that will bring the newly discovered Cypriot and Israeli natural gas riches from Southeast Mediterranean to Europe. Talking to Reuters, Cypriot Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkitrypis revealed that the three countries, which have formed an unofficial alliance centered to energy, would put their case forward for a technical and feasibility study on building a pipeline through the Mediterranean westwards to Europe, tapping hydrocarbons discovered in the Levantine Basin. The 1,530 km-long pipeline will be the world’s largest and provide Europe with an additional 10 billion cubic meters of gas per year, playing a significant role in the continent’s energy security. Lakkotrypis said that the three men have already asked for a meeting with European Commissioner for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic. “The three Ministers of Greece, Israel and Cyprus have co-signed a letter and asked for a meeting on December 8, on the sidelines of the Energy Council happening on the 9th,” he explained. On his behalf, Greek Energy Minister Giannis Maniatis said that there will be announcements next week in Brussels, while during a speech in Athens he declared the project as “absolutely safe and viable.” Furthermore, an unnamed EU official has already confirmed the there has been a meeting request, so chances are high that the meeting will finally take place, as the ambitious project requires EU funding. Israeli Energy Minister Silvan Shalom has already tabled the issue during a ministerial meeting in Rome and had the first contact with Sefcovic. According to EU sources, deposits such as the Leviathan, discovered in the Eastern Mediterranean, could solve energy security problems for both the producer countries and their neighbors, as well as for the EU as a whole.
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Mysterious Abandoned Ship Found in Zakynthos
Port authorities are investigating the case of a cargo ship that was found abandoned on the steep west coast of Zakynthos, Greece, on Monday, December 1. The 57-meter ship, named “AMARANTHUS” originated from Palau Islands. Port authority officers patrolling the area of Porto Vromi spotted the abandoned ship and after a quick search, they found no crew members on board. However, they found hundreds of cigarette boxes in the ship’s holds. According to official documents that authorities found onboard, “AMARANTHUS” was the second name of Moldovan ship “ISIK 2.” After further investigation, they found that the original name had been hastily erased. Authorities also came across the crew members documents, all of whom originated from Ukraine, and alerted the Greek Police. Port authority officers tended to the ship so that it would not sink. They tied it safely and then sealed the hole that had been caused to the holds due to the ship crashing on rocks. Bad weather prevented them from towing the ship to the island’s main port. This is the second time such a case has occurred in Zakynthos. In 1982, the ship “PANAYIOTIS,” which belonged to a Cephalonian named Charalambos Kombothekras, was found ashore. Its main engine had malfunctioned and bad weather conditions caused it to go off course. The ship was filled with illegal cigarettes that were being transferred from Yugoslavia and Albania to Italy.
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Greek-Australian Company Builds Innovative Bushfire Shelter
Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne has teamed up with Frankston Concrete Products that belongs to Greek-Australian businessman ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT au.greekreporter.com |
MTV's Growing Up Greek on Tarpon Springs: “...everyone is either dating, related, or brawling each ...
They say any publicity is good publicity, but a new MTV special focused on the Greek youths of Tarpon Springs will test that theory. Growing Up Greek ...
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Mysterious Abandoned Ship Found in Zakynthos
Port authorities are investigating the case of a cargo ship that was found abandoned on the steep west coast of Zakynthos, Greece, on Monday, December 1. The 57-meter ship, named “AMARANTHUS” originated from Palau Islands. Port authority officers patrolling the area of Porto Vromi spotted the abandoned ship and after a quick search, they found no crew members on board. However, they found hundreds of cigarette boxes in the ship’s holds. According to official documents that authorities found onboard, “AMARANTHUS” was the second name of Moldovan ship “ISIK 2.” After further investigation, they found that the original name had been hastily erased. Authorities also came across the crew members documents, all of whom originated from Ukraine, and alerted the Greek Police. Port authority officers tended to the ship so that it would not sink. They tied it safely and then sealed the hole that had been caused to the holds due to the ship crashing on rocks. Bad weather prevented them from towing the ship to the island’s main port. This is the second time such a case has occurred in Zakynthos. In 1982, the ship “PANAYIOTIS,” which belonged to a Cephalonian named Charalambos Kombothekras, was found ashore. Its main engine had malfunctioned and bad weather conditions caused it to go off course. The ship was filled with illegal cigarettes that were being transferred from Yugoslavia and Albania to Italy.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Why Fraternities Will Never Disappear From American College Life
As 2014 has repeatedly demonstrated, there are serious issues with collegiate Greek life, specifically with traditional social fraternities. Don't expect them to be removed from college campuses anytime soon, though. The year opened with an editorial from Bloomberg View calling for the end of student Greek life, claiming that "the fraternities that dominate so much of collegiate social life are of dubious value." These arguments have only increased in the wake of various fraternity controversies this semester, leading to suspended Greek systems for at least four schools — Clemson University, West Virginia University, University of Virginia, and San Diego State University — and a high-profile move by Wesleyan University to co-educate their campus fraternities. However, the recent — and seemingly increasing — backlash against fraternities is actually nothing new. Business Insider spoke with University of Northern Colorado history professor Nicholas Syrett — author of "The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities" — who said that the current conversation about banning fraternities has happened many times before. "It does seem to me that the focus on campus sexual assault and rape is relatively new, but this discussion is hardly unprecedented," Syrett said. Earlier this year, Newsweek writer Zach Schoenfeld investigated a string of Greek system shutterings in the 1980s and 1990s, which stemmed from "most of the usual suspects: worrisome hazing rituals, out-of-control alcohol abuse, sexism." Notably, though, as Shoenfeld and Syrett both point out, these schools were all small liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. Perhaps more importantly, none of the colleges that got rid of their Greek systems were particularly dependent on fraternities and sororities, either for students' social lives or campus housing. "When there have been discussions of doing this before, it hasn't happened," Syrett said. "The places that have gotten rid of fraternities were less dependent on them. The notion of repercussions hasn't been as strong." The only school that dismantled a truly entrenched fraternity system was Princeton University, said Syrett, and it's arguable how successful that change ultimately was. The "eating clubs" that were established in the wake of Greek life's demise, Syrett said, are not dissimilar from the system they were supposed to replace. One of Princeton's eating clubs, Tiger Inn, has recently made headlines for a series of lewd and sexist emails sent out to the membership by two student officers, who have since been removed from their positions. Even this semester's system-wide suspensions, which made headlines when first announced, appear to have had a minimal impact on Greek life. At Clemson, Greek life at least partially resumed within weeks of the original suspension. WVU's, SDSU's, and UVA's fraternity systems remain suspended, although UVA is set to resume Greek activities on January 9 — the first day of fraternity and sorority recruitment. Perhaps ironically, these large, often public universities are the very schools that could benefit most from a strong Greek system — with thousands of people on campus, fraternities offer smaller communities to students who might otherwise feel overwhelmed or lost in the shuffle. It's clear that there are serious problems within many fraternity chapters. Syrett told Inside Higher Ed in 2009, after his book first came out, that "ample evidence" exists that "demonstrates that fraternity members are involved in more binge drinking, hazing mishaps (some of which lead to serious injury and death), and sexual assault than most of their peers." Atlantic contributor Caitlin Flanagan also detailed many terrible qualities attributed to fraternities — from hazing to alcohol abuse to how they treat women — in an investigative feature for the magazine earlier this year titled "The Dark Power of Fraternities." However, despite the many issues and repeated calls for the end of collegiate Greek life, it seems exceptionally unlikely that fraternities and sororities will disappear anytime soon — if ever. Here are a few reasons why: Campus Housing Perhaps the biggest reason that collegiate Greek life will stay on campuses is the practical benefit that the system grants colleges. Greek housing, for example, is so ingrained into many campuses that removing it would leave the schools with potentially thousands of students in need of a place to live and a logistical nightmare. When colleges began significantly growing during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to Flanagan, "the fraternities involved themselves very deeply in the business of student housing, which provided tremendous financial savings to their host institutions, and allowed them to expand the number of students they could admit." Flanagan also explains how this has become a potentially inescapable problem for colleges: Today, one in eight American students at four-year colleges lives in a Greek house, and a conservative estimate of the collective value of these houses across the country is $3 billion. Greek housing constitutes a troubling fact for college administrators (the majority of fraternity-related deaths occur in and around fraternity houses, over which the schools have limited and widely varying levels of operational oversight) and also a great boon to them (saving them untold millions of dollars in the construction and maintenance of campus-owned and -controlled dormitories). Outside Social Outlets Fraternities offer a social outlet to college campuses that operates outside of the school's budget and removes much of the potential liability that could threaten an administration. The Greek system's social benefit to colleges is highlighted in a Trinity College report from 2010 on the future of the school's fraternities and sororities. According to the report, "Between the College regulations and the law, [Trinity] had in fact allowed the popular, late-night social life to become the responsibility of the fraternities." The Trinity report cites "mutual benefits" for the school and its Greek system — "the College got a social outlet that did not come from the College budget and which existed at a small remove; and the fraternities got the attention and mystique accorded by peers." Flanagan also notes the social appeal of having fraternities for colleges, writing that "fraternities provide colleges with unlimited social programming of a kind that is highly attractive to legions of potential students, most of whom are not applying to ivy-covered rejection factories, but rather to vast public institutions and obscure private colleges that are desperate for students." Alumni Donations Schools may also be hesitant to get rid of fraternities because they fear a financial blow — Greeks tend to be more professionally succesful than unaffiliated students and will likely donate more to their alma mater. "At least one study has affirmed what had long been assumed: that fraternity men tend to be generous to their alma maters," according to Flanagan. This kind of pressure probably prevents colleges from removing Greek life, even if they want to. "Schools are beholden to donating alumni," Syrett said. "When they try and do something counter to the fraternities' interests, they have to worry about money." Students' Rights There is also another, more intangible, reason that fraternities won't disappear from college campuses anytime soon — it may be against the United States Constitution. When a school administration threatens their campus' fraternity system, students often respond that any ban would infringe on their right to freedom of association, protected by the Constitution. According to Flanagan, this argument may be "legally delicate," but it has "withstood through the years." She writes, "The powerful and well-funded political-action committee that represents fraternities in Washington has fought successfully to ensure that freedom-of-association language is included in all higher-education reauthorization legislation, thus 'disallowing public Universities the ability to ban fraternities.'" National fraternity leadership recognizes that individual houses need to be punished if they break school policy, or the law — but that shouldn't impact a college's entire system. In a statement to Business Insider, Pete Smithhisler, the head of the North-American Interfraternity Conference, said: When there are unsafe situations that arise for any student, colleges and universities must act according to their own policies and procedures to ensure the safety of the entire campus. However, the NIC is opposed to unilaterally punishing all fraternities and fraternity members based on allegations limited to a handful of bad actors – especially when they are behaving within the school’s rules, regulations and codes of conduct. Punishing an entire community for isolated or individual actions undermines the spirit of collaboration and education that is supposed to occur on campus. The NIC encourages colleges and universities to work collaboratively with students and fraternal partners to address the root causes or issues leading to the high-risk behaviors.SEE ALSO: People Who Were In Frats And Sororities Are Better At Their Jobs Join the conversation about this story »
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Greek Justice Minister Declares He Will Never Back Gay Marriage; Says It's Dangerous to Society ...
Greek Justice Minister Haralambos Athanasiou has said that he will never back legalizing same-sex marriage in the country, arguing that it harms ...
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Soccer-Greek championship results and standings
Dec 3 (Infostrada Sports) - Results and standings from the Greek championship matches on Wednesday Wednesday, December 3Atromitos Athinon 0 Veria 0 Kerkyra 1 Panionios 0 Panthrakikos 1 Platanias 0 PAS Giannina 0 Levadiakos 4 Xanthi 2 Kalloni 1 Standings P W D L F A Pts 1 PAOK Salonika 10 8 1 1 25 7 25 -------------------------2 Olympiakos Piraeus 10 7 2 1 23 6 23 3 Kalloni 11 5 4 2 10 4 19 4 ...
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Painted Decoration in Amphipolis Is Brought to Light [Photos]
Painted decoration is revealed gradually as maintenance work is progressing in the seven sections of marble architraves belonging to the third and most sophisticated chamber of the funerary monument, in the Casta hill of Amphipolis, announced the Greek Culture Ministry earlier today. The marbles, on which the decoration is painted, were placed over the uprights of the walls and beneath the roof’s marble beams, which, as announced, also have painted decoration, namely imitation panels with attached rosettes. As stated in the announcement, in one of the segments of architraves, an animal figure can be seen in the middle, probably a bull and two forms on either side, in movement, one female and one male. Urns and winged creatures can be seen on each side, while the right winged creature is heading to a tripod boiler. In many areas of the depiction, such as the garment and the female figure’s head, the male’s clothes, the winged creature and the boiler, one can observe traces from red, blue and ocher. Finally, the upper part of the architrave is also decorated in Ionian style.
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Catford student cleared of Greek murder after 16-month prison 'hell' could face retrial
A Catford student cleared of murder in Greece has spoken in public for the first time about his 16-month prison ordeal - as the prospect of a retrial ...
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Greece proposes lottery to battle VAT evasion
The Greek government included the "VAT Lottery" in a list of proposals sent to its EU and IMF creditors on ways to battle endemic tax evasion and overcome a potential budget shortfall next year. The document, seen by Reuters on Wednesday, did not go into ...
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AEK Athens Charging back to the Top!
AEK Athens is historically the third most successful Greek team after Olympiacos and Panathinaikos. They’ve won 11 championships and 14 cups. In an attempt to clear all accumulated debt after years of corrupted ownership, the club was relegated to the third division. Similarly to the story of Glasgow Rangers in Scotland. A known fact that unfortunately can´t be proven, is the fraudulent activity met in Greek football. One of those acts took place when AEK was relegated. They were meant to be dropped in the fourth division thus turning the club into an amateur one and subsequently needing three years minimum to get back to the top division. However, rapid decisions were made, blending the third and fourth divisions into one, eliminating the latter one, which now meant, that AEK could return to the SuperLeague in just two years! A year and a few months since that decision, AEK’s plan has worked accordingly. They stormed through division three, winning the league by a margin of 18 points and crusaded up to division two and now, they’re already on top, with five wins in the same amount of games. They’re last win was against previously unbeaten Panachaiki in Patra 1-3. It goes to show that the Athenian club is levels above anyone else in the league. After all, Dimitrios Melissanidis, the club’s owner when achieving their last championship back in 1994, returned ambitious to conquer what’s been missing from AEK’s trophy room for over 20 years. In search of that moment, Petros Mandalos and Michalis Bakakis who are currently international with the Greek national team, and also Iberian midfielders Helder Barbosa and Miguel Cordero decided to be part of AEK’s building process, knowing that in a year from now they’ll be formulating a team ready to break Olympiaco’s regime. So far this season, AEK has played four games on the road and one at home having beaten all teams that sit right below her. Apollon Smirnis, Panachaiki, Chania and Panegialeos all left with their chins ducked in their necks. Trainos Dellas, head coach and previous captain for many years, has decided to lead AEK to its renaissance. So far he’s produced a team that refuses to underestimate its opponents even though the players are aware of their superior skills but at the same time eager to return as fast as possible to the holy land. The fans, last and most importantly, followed their beloved team to sorrow and now they’re ready to finally bring AEK of Athens back where she belongs. As a result, besides Olympiacos, PAOK and Panathinaikos, AEK’s attendance is higher than any other team.
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Nikos Romanos: From Aggressor to Victim
The Greek state has an uncanny ability to haphazardly follow the letter of the law, often neglecting the wider picture, thereby creating issues that tend to cause an uproar without there being any sound substantial reason. It recently occurred with a young offender, Nikos Romanos,who has been emprisoned for 14 months in Avlona, near Athens, convicted of taking part in an armed robbery in the northern town of Velvento in February of 2013. Along with three other accomplices, Romanos was sentenced to fifteen years for the burglary but, more importantly, even though the charges were dropped, also stood accused of being an active member of the urban guerrilla group, "Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire." Interestingly, during his time in prison, Romanos took it upon himself to prepare for the rigorous entrance exams of the School of Business Administration of Athens which he eventually passed. Indeed, the state was so impressed that it awarded him 500 euros for his success and invited him to meet the president of the Republic, both of which the 21-year-old refused. Romanos subsequently applied to attend his university courses as he is so entitled by Greek law. According to the pertinent regulation, he may leave his cell for 24-hour periods in order to pursue his studies, so long as he returns to prison in the evening. Regardless, the Greek state went on to refuse his request leading Romanos, claiming his right to an education, to begin a hunger strike on November 10. Over two weeks later, on November 28, he was eventually transferred to hospital under stringent police custody where, according to his lawyer and a family doctor who was allowed to visit him, Romanos' condition is critical and deteriorating. Following the Public Prosecutor of Piraeus' refusal to entertain Romanos' demands, the case was taken up by the Greek Minister of Justice, Charalambos Athanasiou, who, in a lengthy statement, washed his hands of the matter, referring it to a higher legal body. Athanasiou is none other than the Minister who originally praised Romanos for his achievements. In the meantime, the young man's health continues to worsen and various task groups, from lawyers to doctors to hospital officials, are urgently calling on the Government to find a quick political solution to the dilemma. It turns out that a similar sabbatical was granted to a pathologically jealous murderer, Panagiotis Frantzi, who strangled his wife and "dismembered her body in a way even a butcher would be jealous of." Back in 1997, Frantzi, a student at Athens' Economic University, was granted a special educational leave so he could follow, at a minimum, the mandatory courses of his curriculum. In the two cases, the Greek government is guilty of applying a double standard. For, in the instance of Frantzi, a convicted murderer, it granted him permission to study. With respect to Romanos, on the other hand, the authorities are pretending that no legal framework exists for granting such a furlough. Rather, it has left him to slowly wilt away in the throes of a hunger strike that could, potentially, cost him his life. In the meantime, Romanos' youthful co-prisoners have initiated their own, parallel hunger strikes, further complicating things for the government. The perplexed state has inadvertently created a group of "heroes" with Romanos taking on the persona of a victim rather than that of a felon. By refusing his self-evident right to higher education, it has allowed him to take advantage of the situation and generate significant public sympathy. With their bureaucratic bumbling, the authorities have transformed Romanos and his co-conspirators from armed aggressors who plundered to finance their activities into defenders worthy of compassion. Obviously, the state's position is untenable as it is unacceptable to grant clemency to a convicted murderer while, at same time, denying it to an armed robber. The fiasco that has ensued is proof, once again, of how the Greek authorities are too often lacking in their political decision making and of how a government can fall prey to its bureaucracy when a clear legislative framework is not in place.
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Corruption still alive and well in post-bailout Greece
Brush with bankruptcy was meant to end country’s culture of deceit, but malfeasance and mistrust remain widespreadThis summer, a lift at Athens’ largest public hospital broke down. When a repair technician arrived at the scene he couldn’t believe his eyes: knee-deep at the bottom of the shaft were hundreds of envelopes, the repository of bribes given to doctors who, pocketing the money, had then dispensed with the telltale fakellaki.“Corruption in Greece is alive and well,” said Aliki Mouriki, a sociologist at the National Centre for Social Research. “In fact, if anything, people are now so squeezed they have fewer inhibitions about taking bribes than before the crisis.” Continue reading...
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Germany Is Screwing All Of Europe Because It's Too Big
"Poor old Germany. Too big for Europe, too small for the world". That's what former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger famously once said about Germany. And the statement still holds some truth today. Right now, Germany's politicians and the Bundesbank (the country's portion of the European Central Bank) are the two major things holding back more financial stimulus in Europe, which could, if approved, revitalise the continent's flagging economies. Germany has consistently opposed more monetary stimulus by objecting to interest rate cuts and quantitative easing (QE), a method that's meant to push investors away from safe government bonds and into corporate bonds and stocks. German officials are also reliably opposed to less strict deficit targets, which could also boost the economy. This conservative strategy may work for Germany — which does not necessarily need quantitative easing (Germany's growth is slow, but unemployment is at a record low) — but it does not bode well for more troubled economies like Spain, Italy, and Greece. The problem is, because all the eurozone countries are bound by a single currency, the euro, they all have to subscribe to the same policies. Unfortunately for Spain, Italy, Greece, and others, the European Central Bank is built on German foundations and operates in a similarly cautious manner. Christian Odendahl of the Centre for European Reform explains: The ECB was modelled on the German Bundesbank. As a result, it is one of the world’s most politically independent central banks; its mandate is focused narrowly on price stability; it does not take broader economic goals like unemployment into account in the way other central banks, such as the Fed, do; and it is de facto more restricted than other central banks, since controversial measures can lead to complex political and legal struggles, involving 18 (soon to be 19) countries. Its setup and philosophy are therefore ‘German‘, that is, conservative and cautious. In short: The tension between Germany and the eurozone countries that want more stimulus, like Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, is partly what's causing the the near-zero growth and inflation that the region is seeing today. It's hard not to feel bad for Germany, which didn't even want the euro in the first place. Through most of the 1990s, before the euro was introduced, German opinion polls did not support the new currency. The euro was officially adopted in 1999, without the approval from European citizens through a referendum. Only Denmark and Sweden held votes. Both countries rejected it. In the chart below, you can see that German support for the euro (grey line) remains below support from Europe as a whole (black line) between 1990 and 2011, with the exception of 2007. There's also some astonishing historical evidence that suggests then-West German chancellor Helmut Kohl was pushed by French President Francois Mitterrand into accepting the euro. Today, German politicians are stuck in a vicious cycle. Since most German voters don't favour stimulus measures, the more support these politicians offer to Europe-wide stimulus, the more voters they are likely to lose to the country's anti-euro party, Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD). In turn, the more support the AfD gain, the more they are able to influence the debate over Europe in German politics, and the more other German politicians have to try to claw votes back from the AfD. Ultimately, Germany is is trapped in a pretty grim position: it's the only country capable of pulling Europe out of its current funk, but most Germans never asked for — and don't seem to want — that responsibility.Join the conversation about this story »
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Countries participating in South Stream project hope it will be reanimated soon
The South Stream project involves Bulgaria, Serbia, Hungary, Slovenia, Austria and Greece
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT itar-tass.com |
Greece Ranks 69th in Corruption Among 175 Countries
Greece ranks 69th in corruption among 175 countries surveyed, according to today’s Transparency International report. Corruption is a problem for all economies, requiring leading financial centers in Europe and the U.S. to take steps to stop corruption, Transparency International said. The survey used the Corruption Perception Index which is in its 20th edition. The index is based on expert opinions of public sector corruption. “The 2014 Corruption Perceptions Index shows that economic growth is undermined and efforts to stop corruption fade when leaders and high level officials abuse power to appropriate public funds for personal gain,” said José Ugaz, chairman of Transparency International. Greece scored a 43 in transparency, meaning that it belongs to the “perceived as corrupt” countries. This is an upward turn for Greece since the 2013 score was 40 and in 2012 it was 36. Greece shares the 69th place with Brazil, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Senegal and Swaziland. Denmark, the most transparent country in the world and the least corrupt had a 92 score. New Zealand, Finland, Sweden and Norway complete the top five transparent administrations in the world with scores 91, 89, 87 and 86 respectively. North Korea and Somalia are the most corrupt countries in the world, sharing a score of 8. The survey shows that emerging economies show an increase in corruption. China, for example, fell to 36 in 2014 while in 2013 it scored a 40, forcing the government to start an anti-corruption campaign. Denmark, on the other hand, has announced the establishment of a public register including beneficial ownership information for all companies incorporated in Denmark. This way, corrupt public officials will be unable to hide their illicit earnings under another person’s name. Transparency International is running a campaign called “Unmask the Corrupt” urging countries to follow Denmark’s lead and establish similar registers that will show clearly who is the real beneficiary of a company.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Turkey: Greek-Cypriot oil exploration contrary to law
Turkey is determined that the natural resources off the Cyprus coast belong to the whole island, Turkey's Chief EU Negotiator Volkan Bozkir has said. Turkey is determined that the natural resources off the Cyprus coast belong to the whole island, Turkey ...
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Returning to Greek row: fraternity recolonization
These new fraternities will be met with additional support and guidance from the Office of Greek Life as they form their organizations. Torrey said ...
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Site Last Updated 10:59 pm, Wednesday
ATHENS: Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaris said he had rejected calls from the EU and IMF to raise taxes to satisfy the demands of the country’s bailout programme.
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Greeks validate camaraderie through philanthropy
The Greek community in general is always willing to help with charities and philanthropies. It's refreshing to know that we can all come together for ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.purdueexponent.org |
Piss Off: Greek Life and the Fraternal Disorder of SantaCon [OP-ED]
Once a year, a crimson tide washes over New York City. Rudolph runs for cover, while a petrified Tiny Tim Cratchit cowers in the corner.
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European shares gain on ECB stimulus bets; Greece leads
European stocks rose on Wednesday, led by shares in Greece, Italy and Spain, as investors bet the European Central Bank would signal further economic stimulus at a policy meeting on Thursday. Investors ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT finance.yahoo.com |
Greece May Get Bailout Extension, EU Official Says
Greece seems increasingly likely to receive a technical extension to its euro-area rescue program when finance ministers meet in Brussels next week, ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.businessweek.com |
Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel to meet Energy Union Commissioner
Energy Ministers of Cyprus, Greece and Israel will meet next Monday with EU Commissioner on Energy Union Maros Sefcovic to promote a joint ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT cyprus-mail.com |
At the16th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum The 2014 Capital Link Leadership Award ...
On Monday December 1, 2014, as part of the 16th Annual Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum entitled “Investing on Growth”, the “2014 Capital Link ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hellenicnews.com |
Greece: Testimonies from Syrian refugees and MSF staff
We met Ebmesam on the island of Leros the day after he arrived in Greece. He was shaking and his clothes were soaking wet. On examination, the ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.msf.org |
Lessons from Greece on tackling tax evasion
Greece is currently implementing an ambitious, EU-IMF financed, fiscal adjustment programme, the so-called Economic Adjustment Programme (EAP). One of the goals of the EAP is to boost revenue performance by tackling tax evasion through improvements in tax ...
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Athens Among the 20 Oldest Cities in the World
Mankind has been around for thousands of years and many cities have played key roles in the evolution of our civilization. However, there are some cities that have stood their ground for thousands of years and have withstood the passage of time. These cities are a window into the evolution of different civilizations and they encompass a large part of the history of mankind. According to Telegraph the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world have been active for thousands of years, while most of them are located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East. Athens was among those cities in 16th place with a history span of at least 3,500 years. Athens was first inhabited around 1,400 BC. “The cradle of Western Civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens’s heritage is still very evident. It is filled with Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments and remains a hugely popular tourist destination,” noted Telegraphs article. Other Greek cities that made it on the list were Thebes, in 18th place, as well as Larnaca in Cyprus which was in 17th place. In both cities people settled for the first time around 1,400 BC. Moreover, according to Telegraph, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world is Jericho, located in Palestinian Territories. People settled in Jericho around 9,000 BC and according to historical reports it was the first city to ever be inhabited. Jericho is built near the west bank of Jordan River and it hosts a population of almost 20,000 people.
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Snapshot for National Bank of Greece SA (ETE)
National Bank of Greece S.A. offers retail and corporate banking services. The Bank accepts deposits and offers loans, lease financing, mortgages, and investing and insurance services to industrial, commercial, and consumer clients. National Bank of Greece ...
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Greek Court Rejects Romanos' Educational Leave Again, Hunger Strike Continues
Romanos, who refuses to accept serum administration by doctors, also released a letter today accusing the Greek government and Justice Minister ...
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| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
EU Official: Greece Needs Bailout Extension
Greece will have to ask for an extension on its bailout program before parliaments in euro zone nations close for Christmas because a new credit line will not be ready in time, a senior euro zone official said on Wednesday. After two bailouts totaling 240 ...
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