The anti-austerity Syriza party is ahead in the polls as Greece prepares for a snap general election. Syriza wants to wipe out a big part of Greece's national debt, renegotiate the EU/IMF bailout deal and boost public spending. Its rise is sending shivers ...
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Tuesday, December 30, 2014
10 Most Significant Moments of 2014 in Greece
There is no doubt that 2014 was an eventful year for Greece. Earthquakes, terrorists, and historic archaeological discoveries were just some of this year’s most significant moments for the country. Here’s a list of the 10 most significant moments of this year. Chistodoulos Xeros Escape Christodoulos Xeros convicted member of the terrorist organization November 17, escaped custody on January 7, 2014 after been granted leave to visit his family. He reappeared two weeks later, on January 20, with a two page manifesto and video posted on Athens Indymedia. Since then Greek police believe that he has been involved with another terrorist group called Cells of Fire, while he appears to have participated in a bank bombing that took place in Athens on April 2014. Cephalonia Earthquake On Sunday, January 26, 2014 a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the island of Cephalonia. The shocks were also felt in Athens and as far away as Karditsa and Larissa. Numerous aftershocks followed, with the strongest measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale. Although the strong earthquake that hit the island did not cause any injuries, the aftershocks caused major problems to Cephalonia’s infrastructure. Furthermore, seven people were injured, while thousands of residents were forced to stay with relatives or in ships sent to be used as temporary housing. Reopening of Parthenon Marbles Debate On Saturday February 8, 2014 at the Berlin Film Festival during a press conference for his film “The Monuments Men,” Hollywood actor George Clooney urged the UK to return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. “I think that is a good idea. I think that would be a very fair and very nice thing. Yeah, I think it is the right thing to do,” he said. The Marbles were removed from Acropolis between 1801 and 1812 by Lord Elgin. Clooney’s statement helped make the Parthenon Marbles debate known around the world, while his wife, human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin-Clooney has offered legal support to Greece. World Cup 2014 The Greek national football team arrived in Brazil this summer in order to take the World Cup home. Even though they were not able to win first place the Greek team managed to reach the Quarterfinals, playing against Costa Rica. Despite the players’ best efforts Costa Rica’s defensive efforts took them to the penalty shootout where they converted all penalties. Claudio Ranieri will be replacing Fernando Santos as coach of the Greek national team in order to help them in the Euro 2016 qualifying rounds. Members Imprisoned Twenty-six Golden Dawn members are currently in jail, awaiting trial. In 2013, after the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, Greek authorities started arresting Golden Dawn members and MPs with the charges of participating in a criminal organization. The neo-nazi party’s MPs were stripped of their immunity in order to be arrested. Some of the Golden Dawn members and MPs who were arrested in 2014 were: Giorgos Germenis, Stathis Boukouras, Panayiotis Iliopoulos, Ilias Kasidiaris, while Eleni Zaroulia and Nikos Michos have been put under house arrest. Nikos Maziotis Arrest On July 16, 2014 known terrorist Nikos Maziotis was arrested after a shootout with Greek Police in Monastiraki, central Athens. Four people were injured during the shootout, two tourists, a police officer and Nikos Maziotis who sustained a gunshot to his upper arm. Before his arrest, the terrorist had been wanted by Greek Police for participating in several terrorist attacks and bank robberies since 2012. Maziotis was the leader of a terrorist group called Revolutionary Struggle. At least two of the group’s hideouts were discovered after Maziotis’ arrest. Amphipolis Tomb Discovery On August 11, 2014, archaeologists revealed their discoveries at the tomb of Amphipolis to the public. While excavating Casta Hill, in northern Greece, archaeologists came upon an ancient royal tomb from the era of Alexander the Great. Over the next few months many discoveries were revealed such as the two Sphinxes guarding the tomb’s door and the two Caryatids that were inside the tomb. At the moment, the person that was buried in the tomb has been found and a DNA sample is being analyzed in order to determine who he/she might have been. Menis Koumandareas Murder Famous Greek writer Menis Koumandareas was found murdered on Saturday, December 6, 2014 in his home in the neighborhood of Kypseli, Athens. According to police the reason behind his murder was robbery, while it is possible that the 83-year-old writer knew the perpetrator. Menis Koumandareas was born in Athens in 1931. He wrote numerous books and earned several awards for his prose. Nikos Romanos Hunger Strike Nikos Romanos started a hunger strike on November 10, because Greek authorities refused to give him educational furlough so that he could attend on-campus courses at the technical university where he was admitted after passing the Pan-hellenic exams. Romanos who is currently serving a 15-year-and-11-month sentence for armed bank robbery ended his hunger strike after 31 days when the Greek Parliament voted on a new amendment that allows him to attend university courses under electronic supervision. Ferry on Fire near Corfu A ferry carrying 411 passengers and 55 crew caught fire during its Greece to Italy route on Sunday, December 28. The Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, which belongs to the Greek ferry line ANEK, sailing from Patras in western Greece to the Italian port of Ancona, was 33 nautical miles off the small island of Othonoi when it sent a distress signal. The number of deaths resulting from the burning ferry-boat “Norman Atlantic” has reached 11 while there are several still missing.
Burning Ferry Off Greece Towed Towards Albanian Coast, 11 Dead, Passenger List Unknown
The number of Greek survivors off the burning ferryboat “Norman Atlantic,” has risen to 235 while the fate of dozens of passengers, due to the continuing confusion with the official passengers list remains unknown. Within the following hours, Italian navy vessel “San Giorgio” arrived to the Italian eastern port of Brindisi carrying 200 survivors, 130 of whom are Greek, raising the number of Greek survivors to 236. Meanwhile, the death toll rises dramatically, while so far 11 deaths have been confirmed by both the Greek and Italian authorities. Today, the identity of the second Greek who died, Kostas Koufopoulos was confirmed by the Greek Embassy in Rome. In addition, two Albanian sailors (56 and 59 years old) died during the towing operation of “Norman Atlantic” last night. The ferry is expected to arrive at the western Albanian port of Vlore (Avlona). The Italian authorities are not yet aware of the actual number of survivors nor the real number of passengers traveling on board the Norman Atlantic during its disastrous route. According to the Chief Prosecutor of Bari, who is responsible for the case, there are no records for a total of 179 passengers. At the same time, the agony and anger of the passenger’s relatives is overflowing. Designated areas organized for the victims are in a panic, as chances are high that there were many undocumented passengers and/or survivors who are not registered on the survivor lists. Based on the records of the company which owns the ship, the known number of passengers at the moment stands at 478, although media revealed today that this number has changed to 475. At noon, the Chief Prosecutor of Bari stated that when the fire broke out there were 499 people on board. Parallel to the attempts of verifying the exact number of passengers, there is also a new rescue operation being organized to track possible castaways, as there are fears that the death toll could increase because of enlisted passengers that have not been identified as survivors. From the Greek side, two S-70 helicopters of the Hellenic Navy are involved as well as an AB-205 of the Hellenic Air Force.
Greece to Markets: It’s the Politics, Stupid.
Once again, Greek politics are unsettling the markets. This déjà vu experience matters not because it means the euro is irreparably on a path toward breakup but because it reminds investors that such a risk exists. Contrary to the upbeat trading in ...
Eurozone exit returns to table
Next month’s snap elections have reignited talk about a possible Greek exit from the eurozone, while statements insisting that the next government will see Athens sticking to its commitments are also on the increase. Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissi... ...
Confusion over fate of 38 Norman Atlantic passengers, including 29 Greeks
The fate of 29 Greeks and several other passengers who are thought to have been on board the Norman Atlantic ferry was still not known on Tuesday night as authorities in Greece and Italy attempted to clear up discrepancies regarding the ship’s manifest an... ...
Fitch warns Athens of possible credit rating downgrade
Fitch Ratings warned on Tuesday that it may change Greece’s rating due to political developments. It stated that the early elections have increased the risk of a change, meaning a downgrade, and estimated that the political uncertainty will likely remain ... ...
Malliotakis Mulling Run for Expected Congressional Vacancy
STATEN ISLAND – Greek-Americans in New York are excited about the prospect of New York State Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis running for the Congressional seat that will open up after the expected resignation of Rep. Michael Grimm. Grimm pleaded guilty to felony tax fraud and will be soon sentenced to prison. He represents Bay Ridge in […] The post Malliotakis Mulling Run for Expected Congressional Vacancy appeared first on The National Herald.
Greece Warned by Fitch that Political Turmoil May Hurt Credit Rating
ATHENS — Credit rating agency Fitch said Tuesday that prolonged political uncertainty in Greece could hurt its sovereign rating, while the country’s deputy prime minister claimed a stalemate could leave Greeks with “no economy.” The warnings came a day after a snap general election was called for Jan. 25 — and despite an easing of […] The post Greece Warned by Fitch that Political Turmoil May Hurt Credit Rating appeared first on The National Herald.
We're not communists, Greek opposition insists
Accusations that Greece's far-left opposition party Syriza is "worse than communism" are propaganda, its head of economic policy insisted on Tuesday ...
Greeks Prepare for Snap Elections in Fresh Euro Woes
The elections were called Monday after Greek lawmakers failed to elect a new president. The political stalemate could have ramifications well beyond ...
More Pain In Store For Greek Equities As Syriza Party Holds Firm On Anti-Austerity (GREK)
The Greek people understood why the deal had to be done, though. The country was on the precipice of Armageddon, with many bankers using the ...
Premier says Greek future in Europe hangs on election result
Athens (AFP) - Greece's prime minister warned Tuesday the financially-stricken nation may be forced out of the eurozone if January's parliamentary election hands hard-left party Syriza power to reverse years of austerity measures."This struggle will determine whether Greece stays in Europe," Antonis Samaras said, as he asked the outgoing president to dissolve parliament ahead of an election set for January 25.Fears of a potential Greek exit have already rattled markets and sparked concern throughout European Union capitals.Syriza has pledged to reverse reforms imposed by Greece's creditors -- the so-called "troika" of the International Monetary Fund, European Commission, and European Central Bank -- cut taxes, and increase state aid and public services.Polls indicate Syriza leads Samaras' conservative New Democracy party by three to six points. The January election was called Monday after lawmakers failed in a third attempt to elect a successor to 85-year-old President Karolos Papoulias, whose five-year term ends in March.The last election plunged Greece into weeks of political uncertainty, and there are fears of a repeat next month given the close race between Samaras' New Democracy conservatives and front-running Syriza."In an unprecedented twist, the new parliament could elect a president and be dissolved again for new elections (immediately afterwards) if a government cannot be formed," the Kathimerini daily wrote Tuesday.If Syriza were to win they would still need to form a coalition and tone down some of their rhetoric to find a partner, according to Manos Papazoglou, a professor of political science at the University of the Peloponnese."Syriza will have to move towards the centre," Papazoglou told AFP.It also remained unclear who the prospective coalition allies would be, as a handful of small parties are vying for parliament.These include the recently-formed centrist party To Potami (The River), led by a former journalist. There are also rumours that former prime minister George Papandreou is about to form a party.Greek stocks closed down almost four percent on Monday -- having lost a massive 11 percent earlier -- amid fears that Syriza would roll back austerity measures if it wins the election.The stock market appeared though to have digested the news by Tuesday, closing down just 0.45 percent. - Bailout suspended - Syriza had dismissed warnings that its electoral programme would rattle markets and creditors, but within hours of the election being called on Monday, the International Monetary Fund said it was suspending further bailout payments to Greece until a new government was formed."Discussions... will resume once a new government is in place, in consultation with the European Commission and the European Central Bank," said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice.Greece recently secured a two-month extension to February from its EU-IMF creditors to conclude a fiscal audit that will determine the release of some 7.0 billion euros ($8.6 billion) in loans.Syriza, which declined to vote in the presidential ballot in order to force snap legislative polls, says hope rather than fear is in order as the election nears.Avgi, a newspaper aligned with Syriza, says a leftist government would give "hope to the peoples of Europe and nightmares to the elites oppressing them.""This is the beginning of the end of a regime that plunged Greece into poverty, unemployment, misery and despair," Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras told supporters on Monday, promising a "real negotiation" with the country's EU creditors.But the spectre of the hard-left party forming government led Athens' euro partners to encourage Greek voters to stay the reformist course.The European Union has renewed its calls on Greeks to stick by the often painful reforms adopted as part of a massive international bailout for the eurozone member state."A strong commitment to Europe and broad support among the Greek voters and political leaders for the necessary growth-friendly reform process will be essential for Greece to thrive again within the euro area," EU economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici said."Greece must stick to its commitments not only because the troika imposes them but also because it is good for the future of the Greek economy," Spanish Economy Minister Luis de Guindos told radio Cope Tuesday.German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble used sterner language, warning Monday the cash-strapped country against abandoning the agreed economic reforms, saying "they have no alternative".Join the conversation about this story »
Crazy Image Shows What One Of Jupiter's Moons Looks Like Compared To Earth
When compared to giant, gaseous planets like Jupiter and Saturn, our Earth is tiny. But that doesn't mean we have to feel small all of the time, especially compared to the many moons throughout our solar system. The picture above is of the fourth largest moon in the solar system, Io, placed on top of North America for scale. Io is the closest moon to Jupiter and is one of the most inhospitable places imaginable. Earth's moon, by comparison, is the fifth-largest moon and is nearly the same size as Io. Here's a chart of Earth and the largest moons in our solar system indicating how our planet an moon compare in size. The moon Io might look like a golden sphere, or as John Brady for Astronomy Central describes it as a cheese pizza, but this moon actually gets its yellow-hue from the chemical element, sulfur. Io is the most geologically active object in our solar system and also the driest. Dotting its surface are more than 400 active volcanoes, some of which erupt plumes of sulfur and sulfur dioxide — a toxic gas that has a pungent, rotten odor — so high that they would engulf the International Space Station. But when compared to its parent planet, Jupiter, this spritely moon looks miniscule and harmless. The image of Io that John Brady used to make the comparison picture up top, is a true-color image taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft in 1999. The original is shown below. All of the dark pockmarks across the surface are erupting volcanoes. One of Io's famous volcanoes, located just left of center, is Prometheus, which the International Astronomical Union named after the Greek fire god the same year it was discovered in 1979. Over the years, this volcano's lava has flowed and cooled 62 miles away from the eruption site. If you look closely, you can see a lighter-yellow circle surrounding the volcano and a red streak to the right. The light yellow circle is comprised of sulfur dioxide deposits from the volcano while the red is from red sulfur. At room temperatures, sulfur is yellow, but when you heat it to above 392 degrees Fahrenheit, it turns a deep red and adopts a molten consistency. Here's an up-close image of Prometheus taken by Galileo. READ MORE: Crazy Image Shows What North America Would Look Like On Jupiter CHECK OUT: NASA's Incredible, Futuristic, And Totally Real Plan To Establish A Human Colony On Venus Join the conversation about this story »
Is Greece's Syriza a paper tiger that will be tamed by government?
Is Greece about to face the music or can a new government get Brussels to change its tune? The last four years have seen the nation lurch from one ...
Greece's Syriza no longer terrifies some investors
The charm offensive launched by Greece's leftwing Syriza party to persuade foreign investors that it would not wreck the country's economy and ...
The Most Influential Acts Of Street Art Around The World This Year
Banksy may have cornered the street art chatter in 2013, but this year was all about the many other artists claiming their spot in the limelight. From Los Angeles to Afghanistan, guerrilla artists across the world proved there's no public canvas quite like a wall. Below, 21 of our favorite tags from 2014. 1. Blu: This is the year the Italian street artist Blu wrapped up his massive transformation of a building in Rome, turning 48 windows into Sphynx-like faces. Italian street artist 'Blu' climbs the facade of a former military barrack as he works on a graffiti piece in Rome on April 24, 2014. (ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images) 2. ROA: ROA headed back to Europe this spring after a stint in New Zealand, to make this Italian building a little wilder. ROA in Rome in 2014 (Photo courtesy of ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images) 3. Tellas: This Italian street artist took several days to carry off a hypnotic minimalist mural in the city of Undine as part of the Homepage Street Art Festival. Tellas in Italy in 2014 (Photo courtesy of Facebook) 4. Miss Van: Born in France and based in Barcelona, Miss Van specializes in portraits that seem conjured from a different era. Her baroque "poupées" (French for dolls) are often hidden behind masks, an affectation she believes gives them an androgynous appeal. 5. FAITH 47: We love this galloping unicorn by South African artist FAITH 47, which turns an otherwise ordinary wall in the village of Erriadh, on the Tunisian island of Djerba, into a dreamscape. (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) 6. Djerbahood: The unicorn made up a larger project, Djerbahood, which brought together dozens of female artists from around the world to transform Erriadh. Swoon (Galerie Itinerrance / Aline Deschamps) Nilko (Galerie Itinerrance / Aline Deschamps) LILIWENN (JOEL SAGET/AFP/Getty Images) 7. Graffiti in Athens: The Greek city became a new graffiti capital, as artists confronted the changing economics that make for an abundance of abandoned buildings, and provocative art. 8. Kelburn Castle: Based in Scotland, the castle makes our list for the sad fact that its wild makeover is set to revert to plain old thirteenth century stonework next year. 9. Inti: This April, the Chilean graffiti artist Inti gave us all the gift we didn't know we badly needed: a giant Don Quixote mural in Quintanar de la Orden, Spain. People look at a giant Don Quixote graffiti mural painted today by Chilean graffiti artist Inti on the wall of a building on April 5, 2014 in Quintanar de la Orden, Spain. Santiago Gonzalez runs the project "Construir un lugar mejor sin destruir lo que tenemos" or "Building a better place without destroying that we have" to regenerate urban landscapes with street art and to give a boost to his region's cultural attractions. Organizers claim it is the largest Don Quixote painting in the world. (Photo by Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images) 10. Shamsia Hassani: This female artist emerged as one of the unlikeliest street art stars of the year. A fine arts lecturer of Afghani descent, Hassani tags the streets of Kabul with her signature depictions of creative women. 11. Skidrow: The artist known as Skidrow turned out some of the simplest and most profound work we've seen all year. Working anonymously, he paints poignant backdrops behind the homeless people who make their home on the streets of Los Angeles. 12. Small Business Saturday Street Art: To promote the "shop small" message of Small Business Saturday, Chicago-based street artist Hebru Brantley enlisted artists across the country to design appropriate graffiti. Our favorites turned up in Washington D.C. and Miami, murals featuring a girl and a boy respectively, both exuberant in their own ways. LA - Hueman 13. Women Are Heroes: Since 2007, French street artist JR has turned the concept of the male gaze on its head with his global public project "Women are Heroes," pasting images of real women's faces and eyes on train cars and abandoned buildings around the world. 14. Strook: This spring, the Belgium-based artist Stefaan De Croock, aka Strook, highlighted the beauty of basic materials with his short film "Wood & Paint," chronicling a romance between recycled wood and spray paint. Wood & Paint from Stefaan De Croock on Vimeo. 15. Boa Mistura: The Madrid-based artist collective proved the power of a bright coat of paint when the team tackled more than 30 buildings off a highway in the working class town of Querétaro, México. This was technically a 2013 moment, but their work lived on into 2014. Las Americas from boamistura on Vimeo. 16. Street Stories: One of the year's most compelling campaigns, "Street Stories" tasked U.K.-based artists with telling the actual stories of homeless British teens. Mural by Best Ever 17. Leon Keer: Keer spoke directly to our inner 10-year-old with "Space Invaders," a 3D take on the classic Atari video game. 18. Splash: A collaboration between Fin DAC and Angelina Christina, "Splash" aptly added a splash of female badassery to the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil. 19. Maya Hayuk: The legendary Bowery Wall got a fresh coat of paint this year when Maya Hayuk, a Brooklyn-based artist known for her Ukrainian craft-inspired prints, was tapped to put her mark on a site that's hosted the work of a notably male crew for years now, including Keith Haring, Os Gemeos, Kenny Scharf and Shepard Fairey. Photo courtesy Luna Park 20. Fort Tilden: This winter, the experts at Brooklyn Street Art tipped us off to a series of startling anonymous works covering New York's abandoned WWI military base, Fort Tilden. Artist Unknown. Also, Mika loves Mea. (photo © Jaime Rojo) 21. Pejac: Another BSA find was this update on an Impressionist classic, by the Spanish artist Pejac, who painted a corroded ship hull off northern Spain to resemble the Monet painting, 'Impression, Sunrise." Pejac. "Impression (Sunset)" Santander, Spain. Summer 2014. (photo © Maximiliano Ruiz) Pejac. "Impression (Sunset)" Santander, Spain. Summer 2014. (photo © Maximiliano Ruiz) BONUS: The street artist Swoon hosting a major show at the Brooklyn Museum. "Swoon: Submerged Motherlands" Detail of the top of the tree. (photo © Jaime Rojo) For more on Brooklyn Street Art's favorite street art of 2014, check out their picks here. #RIP 5Pointz.
New Greek crisis stokes fear of a eurozone fallout
Greece has thrown the eurozone into fresh crisis after the IMF said it would temporarily withdraw funding for Athens following the calling of a snap general election for next month. MPs failed to elect a president in the final round of voting yesterday ...
SYRIZA would lead Greece to default, says Samaras
Prime Minister Antonis Samaras called on SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras to come clean about where he plans to find the money to fulfill his party’s pre-election pledges. Samaras argued that if Tsipras ends Greece’s bailout and implements SYRIZA’s economic p... ...
Italy sends helicopters to check on migrant ship that sailed in from Greece
Italian authorities sent two helicopters Tuesday to meet a cargo ship believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants after a passenger sent a distress call earlier when the ship was off Greece. The operation came two days after a Greek-operated ferry caught... ...
Investigators Don't Know Exactly How Many Died In The Greek Ferry Tragedy
A Greek ferry tragedy in the Adriatic turned into a murder mystery on Tuesday as a fiasco over the accuracy of the passenger list added to questions ...
Illegal immigrants "hidden in hold" onboard burning Greek ferry
Two Albanian seamen have been killed as they were towing a car ferry that had caught fire off the Greek island of Corfu, after the cable connecting ...
Greek PM dissolves parliament ahead of snap elections
“The parliament is being dissolved prematurely,” explained Samaras, “and the upcoming elections were not wanted by the Greek people, they were ...
Fitch warns Greece over political uncertainty
The global ratings agency, Fitch, has warned Greece that prolonged political uncertainty could damage the country's sovereign rating, as Athens has ...
Political Crisis Hammers Greece's Financial Markets
Markets in Greece were hit hard after the country called early elections. But this time, the problems in Greece are not spreading to markets in the rest of ...
Italian bonds show Greece is on its own
As Italy sold 10-year bonds on Tuesday at a record-low yield of less than 2 percent, rates on similar-maturity Greek debt were spiraling toward 10 percent. Compare that with 2011, when Greece’s troubles were grouped with Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain... ...
Most Greek stocks grow but main index declines
Greek stocks presented a mixed picture on Tuesday, as banks and most blue chips headed south, while mid-caps and small-caps enjoyed gains and turnover slid to a more subdued holiday level. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 819.81 points,... ...
Greek bank deposits slip again in November
Greek bank deposits dropped slightly in November for the second month in a row, central bank data showed on Tuesday. Business and household deposits dropped 0.12 percent month-on-month to 164.3 billion euros from 164.5 billion euros in October, the Bank o... ...
Dual criminal investigations launched into Adriatic ferry tragedy
Both Italy and Greece have launched criminal probes into the fire aboard the Norman Atlantic ferry. Discrepancies in passenger counts have prompted fears that many more may have been died than the 13 already confirmed.
Snap elections will be decisive for Greece’s eurozone future, says Samaras
PM’s comments come as rating agency says prolonged political uncertainty could increase risks to country’s creditworthinessNext month’s snap elections in Greece will be decisive for the country’s future in the eurozone, the prime minister, Antonis Samaras, said on Tuesday after requesting parliament’s dissolution.“People don’t want these elections and they aren’t necessary,” the beleaguered leader told the nation’s outgoing head of state Karolos Papoulias. “They are happening because of party self-interest … and this struggle will determine whether Greece stays in Europe.” Continue reading...
Global markets fall as New Year holiday nears
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes fell Tuesday afternoon as investors wrapped up business ahead of the New Year holiday and watched financial markets in Greece.
Ferry Death Toll Rises to 13, Amid Concerns About Uncounted Stowaways
The ship that caught fire off the Greek coast on Sunday was being towed to Italy, where authorities were trying to determine how many people had boarded and how many had been rescued.
Greek frigate was not actually in danger – it was just asking for supplies
THE GREEK COASTGUARD has said a freighter carrying hundreds of migrants did not actually issue a distress call earlier today – a passenger just called to ask for supplies. Earlier today, the Greek navy and rescue helicopters were dispatched to the area ...
'Cold War kind of propaganda' launched in Greece as leftist party gains popularity
Leading in the opinion polls is the left-wing SYRIZA party, which is against Greece's EU/IMF bailout. The result of the snap elections will show if the ...
Greece elections raise anxiety
Athens, Greece — Greece's government was forced on Monday to call early national elections, stoking financial concerns as investors worry the main ...
Asian shares down as Greece worries weigh on investors
Asian shares traded lower as political uncertainty in Greece and a sell-off in commodities weighed on investors' appetite. Greek Prime Minister Antonis ...
Migrant ship with hundreds aboard heads for Italy
ATHENS (Reuters) - An Italian helicopter was flying to intercept a cargo ship believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants after it left Greek waters and headed towards Italy, according to a statement from the air force.
Greece’s Syriza dispels some investor fear
Leftwing party leader Alexis Tsipras proposes more moderate steps to address country’s debt load
Max-security wing at Domokos Prison welcomes first inmate
Convicted urban guerrilla Nikos Maziotis on Tuesday became the first inmate to be transferred to the new maximum-security wing of Domokos Prison in central Greece, built to house inmates serving time for serious crimes such as terrorism. The leader of the... ...
Greek lawyers end strike in light of snap polls
The association representing Greek lawyers on Tuesday ruled to end an open-ended strike which has been ongoing since the start of the month. Lawyers will return to work on Wednesday following the decision, which was deemed necessary in light of snap elect... ...
Greek special forces to intercept migrant ship that issued SOS
Someone on the vessel, a Moldovan cargo ship called Blue Sky M destined for Croatia, called emergency services claiming that there were armed people on board.
Craze Over Greek Tomb Spawns Virtual Worlds Online
None of these virtual worlds are affiliated with the Greek Ministry of Culture, the government body in charge of the official excavation. Rather, most of ...
Small parties to play outsized role in Greek election
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's splintered political landscape means small, often relatively new parties may determine whether the winner of elections next month can cobble together a lasting government and avoid a new financial crisis.
Migrant Ship Off Greek Coast Reportedly Carrying Armed People
A cargo ship believed to be carrying hundreds of migrants near the Greek island of Corfu sent out a distress signal saying armed people were on ...
The Greek cleaning ladies fighting back against austerity
With her red rubber glove raised in defiance, Despoina Kostopoulou has become a figurehead for a nation fed up with austerity. Since the 53-year-old became one of almost 600 cleaning ladies sacked by the Greek Finance ministry on a cost-cutting drive in ...
Major Greek Cities Preparing Shelters and Aid During Ongoing Cold Snap
The municipal services of major Greek cities on Monday said they were fully ready to provide support to the homeless during the upcoming cold snap, which is forecasted to hit Greece in the next few hours. In Athens, the municipal services are on alert to offer support to the homeless and those in need. The Athens Municipality Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA) and its 16 cooperating institutions and organizations are already organizing the distribution of blankets and food, escorted by medics and social workers who will inform those willing to be transported to heated facilities on the necessary procedures. It should be noted that by today two heated municipal buildings will remaining open 24 hours a day. In addition, there will also be a 24-hour phone line for Athens residents, at the four-digit number 1595, and the Athens Municipality Reception and Solidarity Center (KYADA) will be open 24 hours a day. In Thessaloniki, the central municipality has already mobilized additional indoor heated spaces which will operate until Monday, January 5 in order to protect vulnerable social groups, especially the homeless. In Piraeus, due to the severe weather conditions, the municipal Guesthouse for the Homeless “I Anakoufisi” is already hosting people facing housing problems, while the municipal gym “Panagiotis Salepas” is hosting the homeless overnight and will continue to do so until there is an improvement in the weather.
Morning MoneyBeat Europe: Nikkei Ends '14 Down But Far From Out, Greece Set To Weigh
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Cops: Greece man drove dead girlfriend around, then called 911
A Greece man on Christmas Eve drove the body of his deceased girlfriend around, then ... He is scheduled to return to Greece Town Court Jan. 27.
Germany expresses concern over Greece early elections
German politicians warned Greece Tuesday that economic and financial reforms should continue after elections despite Greek opposition threats to break away from imposed austerity measures. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Greek politicians ...