At Greek symposia, elite men, young and old, reclined on cushioned couches that lined the walls of the andron, the men's quarters of a household.
Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros
Monday, January 19, 2015
Amphipolis Greek tomb: Bones of at least five people including woman and baby found
The excavated limestone grave set into the floor of the third chamber once held a wooden coffin decorated with bone and glass(Greek Ministry of Culture) Greek archaeologists have discovered the bones of at least five people in the limestone grave at the ...
Greek Stanford Researcher: ‘Cancer Tests Save Few Lives’
Greek-American Stanford School of Medicine Professor John Ioannidis led a recent epidemiological research that showed more than two-thirds of cancer diagnostic tests do not save patients’ lives. The distinguished Greek-American scientist and his ...
Greek economy bouncing back from crisis – OPAD, HRADF transforming Greece with structural reforms
KUWAIT: With more than 15 privatizations in progress and a strong trade record of 21 privatizations successfully completed, including Hellinikon, Regional Airports, OPAP and the Natural Gas System Operator, HRADF, over the last period, has managed to move ...
Seven Billion Euros Transferred Outside of Greece Since Elections Announcement
Some seven billion euros have been transferred out of Greek banks since late December, when the Parliament failed to elect a new President of the Hellenic Republic and snap general elections were announced, according to banking sources. The pressure applied on the country’s banking system and depositors resulted into a daily outflow of 400 to 500 million euros per day. Furthermore, as the same sources estimate, the phenomenon is expected to escalate within this week, just a week ahead of the January 25 elections, when another three billion are expected to fly from the Greek banks. Since last Friday, January 16, the outflow pace increased to 700 million euros per day. As Greek bankers estimate, since the beginning of the so-called “political instability,” Greek depositors, probably affected by the Greek and international press speculation on a possible Grexit, withdrew an important part of their deposits. It should be noted that last Friday, all four Greek systemic banks made their first request to the Bank of Greece (BoG) for liquidity through the Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) system, while as the general elections date is approaching, pressing liquidity conditions are likely to worsen. Significant of the phenomenon’s scale is that today, some 10 million euros flew solely from the Deposits and Loans Fund, where money withdrawal demands time-consuming bureaucratic procedures in contrast with commercial banks, thus a transaction needs much more time to be completed. In addition, the outflow did not only affect the four systemic banks but also other minor credit institutions.
Former PM Simitis: Greece Must Initiate Serious Talks With Partners
After the January 25 Greek elections, the government and political parties “will have to shape our own European cooperation policy and initiate serious talks with our partners,” Former Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis commented earlier today. In a written statement, Simitis also expressed his concern on the country’s financial developments due to political uncertainty and highlighted the importance of the country’s European perspective. In addition, the Former Premier stressed that there is no such thing as “absolute autonomy” in the European Union, adding that “we are only interested in the Troika and the country’s funding,” while Greece is “isolated.” According to Simitis, the austerity policy is not permanent and parties must pursue “serious talks” with the country’s partners, while aiming to increase growth and secure a “more democratic operation” of the European Union as a whole. Simitis underlined that “Greece abstains from a wider European debate not only because of the electoral process, but also because the main political parties do not have certain views on our necessary goals, although they agree on the country’s European prospect.” In addition, referring to the European Union’s role, he explained that “it is not a private club in which only the chosen ones have a word. It is a joint project of freedom, development and adaptation to the new global conditions. The austerity policy is not an official rule. As a joint venture, it requires mutual solidarity and mutual contribution. When we ask for solidarity for our economic recovery, we must also creatively engage the common effort, with realistic thought. As this is not happening, we are considered fringe.”
A. Merkel’s message to Greek political parties : You will receive help should reforms continue
“Greeks will vote responsibly” stated the German Chancellor
Guardian: Over 200.000 Greeks migrated due to crisis
Young and talented young Greeks leave Greece for a better life abroad
Baby remains among bones found in mystery Greek tomb
… northern Greece, is seen in this undated handout image distributed by Greece … elderly woman and a baby, Greek officials said Monday. The announcement … ancient mound in Amphipolis, northern Greece, Aug. 12, 2014. AP Photo …
Greek premier promises tax cuts, security
In the final straight of campaigning ahead of critical snap elections on Sunday, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Monday promised tax cuts and cast New Democracy as the safe choice for Greece opposite an inconsistent SYRIZA. In a speech before the Athens... ...
Greek stocks grow despite drop for lenders
Non-banking blue chips turned their backs on the turmoil that continued to rock local lenders on Monday, although the significant gains recorded by the benchmark came on a day with very low turnover. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 811... ...
New group claims responsibility for Exarchia arson attack
A group calling itself “Anarchist Commando Nestor Makhno” has claimed responsibility for torching a vehicle in the central Athens district of Exarchia. Greek anti-terror squad members found the four-page proclamation inside an envelope that was left on a ... ...
Libya Recalls Former General Haftar For Army Duty
BENGHAZI, Libya, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Libya's internationally-recognized government has recalled retired general Khalifa Haftar to army duty, officials said on Monday, cementing its alliance with him in a struggle against a rival administration claiming national authority. The decision shows the increasing influence of military figures in the official government and parliament, which has been forced to operate from the east of the country since an armed group called Libya Dawn seized the capital Tripoli in summer. Frustrated with the loss of Tripoli and lack of an efficient army or police, the elected parliament and its allied Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni have gradually built up a military alliance with Haftar. Haftar, a former general under Gaddafi, is one of dozens of commanders of irregular forces which have refused to disarm after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. In May he launched his own war against Islamist fighters in the eastern city Benghazi. But his warplanes have also attacked commercial airports and a steel plant in western Libya. They hit a Greek-operated fuel tanker in Derna this month, killing two seamen, after Haftar's forces claimed it was carrying Islamist fighters. A copy of an official decree obtained by Reuters recalled Haftar and 108 other former Gaddafi-era army officers for active army duty. Haftar's air force chief Saqer al-Joroushi and lawmaker Idris Abdullah confirmed the contents of the decree. It was issued weeks ago but had not previously been made public. Libya Dawn has denounced Haftar as a Gaddafi loyalist trying to stage a counter-revolution with former regime officials. Haftar helped Gaddafi seize power in 1969 but fell out with him in the 1980s after a disastrous defeat during a war in Chad. Haftar has said he only wants to rid Libya of Islamist groups such as Ansar al-Sharia, blamed by Washington for a 2012 assault on the U.S. consulate which killed its ambassador. In a video message in February he announced what some feared was a coup, though that did not materialize. Later he demanded a special council to run Libya. Haftar has also drawn support from an armed group in the western town of Zintan which was blamed for an attack on parliament in Tripoli in May. Senior officers linkled to Haftar have also been given top posts in the recall. Libya Dawn says Haftar is supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, which are worried about the spread of Islamists. He denies this but some analysts wonder how the tiny air force is able to stage almost daily attacks. (Reporting by Ayman al-Warfalli, Feras Bosalum and Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Andrew Roche)
Former Greek PM Papandreou eyes Syriza alliance in comeback
By Lefteris Papadimas and Deepa Babington ATHENS (Reuters) - Former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou says his newly-formed party is open to an alliance with election frontrunner Syriza as long as it agrees to hold a referendum on reform policies after Sunday's election. With a firmly pro-euro and pro-reforms platform, Papandreou could be a moderating influence on Syriza, whose radical ...
BC-SOC--Greek Standings
by Associated Press BC-SOC--Greek Standings Associated Press - 19 January 2015 14:28-05:00 BC-SOC--Greek Standings Greek Football Standings Greek League GP W D L GF GA Pts Olympiakos 19 14 3 2 45 13 45 PAOK Thessaloniki 19 14 1 4 39 23 43 Panathinaikos 19 11 4 4 31 16 37 Asteras 19 9 5 5 31 23 32 Panetolikos 19 8 7 4 25 15 31 Veria 19 8 6 5 29 27 30 PAS Giannina 19 6 9 4 24 19 27 Xanthi 19 7 6 6 29 27 27 Atromitos 18 6 8 4 16 14 26 Kalloni 19 5 9 5 16 18 24 Platanias 19 6 4 9 16 18 22 Kerkyra 19 6 4 9 19 24 22 Levadiakos 19 5 6 8 22 19 21 OFI Crete 19 6 2 11 17 32 20 Panthrakikos 19 3 9 7 15 27 18 Panionios 18 4 4 10 18 27 16 Ergotelis 18 2 6 10 18 36 12 Niki Volos 18 2 1 15 7 39 7 Saturday, Jan. 17 Veria 4, OFI Crete 1 Kerkyra 0, Xanthi 0 Panionios 1, Panathinaikos 1 Sunday, Jan. 18 Levadiakos 3, Asteras 1 PAOK Thessaloniki 1, Platanias 0 PAS Giannina 2, Panthrakikos 2 Olympiakos 2, Panetolikos 0 Monday, Jan. 19 Ergotelis 3, Kalloni 3 Saturday, Jan. 24 Xanthi vs. PAS Giannina, 1300 GMT Kerkyra vs. Veria, 1515 GMT OFI Crete vs. Olympiakos, 1730 GMT Sunday, Jan. 25 Panetolikos vs. Atromitos, 1300 GMT Asteras vs. Panionios, 1515 GMT Niki Volos vs. PAOK Thessaloniki, 1515 GMT Panthrakikos vs. Levadiakos, 1515 GMT Panathinaikos vs. Kalloni, 1730 GMT Monday, Jan. 26 Platanias vs. Ergotelis, 1730 GMT News Topics: Soccer, Men's soccer, Sports, Men's sports People, Places and Companies: Thessaloniki, Crete, Greece, Western Europe, Europe Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Anti-bailout Syriza extends poll lead as Greece's election day nears
Syriza, which wants to renegotiate a chunk of Greek debt and end austerity measures, saw its poll lead grow to 6.5 points on Monday, according to a survey for the University of Macedonia conducted for Greece's SKAI Television, up from a 4.5 point lead ...
Fitch: Greek Election Uncertainty Raises Banks' Liquidity Risks
Greek banks have currency swaps on their Swiss franc-denominated assets (largely mortgages), which totalled EUR12.5bn (or 3.5% of total assets of ...
Fitch: Greek Bank Strain 'Manageable' Despite Vote
The agency said Monday it expected a 2 percent drop in Greek deposits due to the Jan. 25 election, compared to a drop of more than 9 percent when ...
Crisis lessons for Greece from Dublin conference
Ireland's economic fight back was the subject of a conference in the country's capital. Can Greece learn something from the emerald isle?
Will Greece's emergency elections spell the end for European recovery?
Greece has faced a struggling economy for the better part of a decade, since the worldwide recession hit back in 2008 and 2009, though amplified ...
Fitch: Political uncertainty could hurt Greek banks
"Political uncertainty in Greece before and after the election on 25 January will raise liquidity and funding risks for banks," Fitch Ratings says in a press release. Greek banks are better prepared to deal with people withdrawing their deposits, provided access ...
Greek leftists Syriza stretch poll lead as election day looms
ATHENS (Reuters) - The radical Greek leftist party Syriza extended its poll lead over the co-ruling conservatives to 6.5 points in a survey published on Monday, ahead of a snap election on Jan. 25. The University of Macedonia survey for Greece's SKAI television indicated that Syriza, which wants to renegotiate a chunk of Greek debt and end austerity measures, would win 33.5 percent of the vote ...
Greece Amphipolis: 'Five bodies' at Alexander-era tomb
Human bones found in an ancient Greek tomb belonged to at least five individuals, including an elderly woman and a child, officials say. The Greek culture minister said there would be further tests on the finds at Amphipolis, near Thessaloniki, to see if ...
Patras Carnival Kicks Off With a Message to Young Greeks
Patras Carnival 2015 kicked off this Saturday, January 17, but without the usual fireworks. The carnival is a large celebration taking place in Patras, Greece, and city mayor Kostas Peletidis used this opportunity to send a message to young Greeks. “Youth refuses to drown in misery,” he said during the opening ceremony that took place in Georgiou Square. He called on participating young men and women to send a message of optimism and show that they are “against a future that depends on the profits of monopoly and multinational companies.” “Young people can find their own solution. They don’t cower or give up. They show that life is more than just poverty and misery,” he added. Later, the festive atmosphere took over and everyone celebrated, welcoming the beginning of this year’s carnival, an oasis of joy, relaxation and escape from the crisis and the harsh daily routine. The carnival season will peak on February 22 where residents and visitors of Patras will witness a unique and unforgettable parade.
Former EU Commission President Prodi: Greece Must Be Supported
His personal estimations and worries, just a week ahead of the critical January 25 Greek general elections, expressed in an article published by Italian newspaper “Il Messaggero” the Italian Former Prime Minister and Former President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi. According to Prodi, the most worrying element of the upcoming Greek elections is the rigidity of Berlin and not the possible win of anti-austerity SYRIZA. “Next Sunday, the Greeks go to the polls and SYRIZA is holding a lead, fueled by the country’s deepest crisis,” Prodi underlined in his article, noting that main opposition leader Alexis Tispras maintained his proclaimed program on taxes and social policy but gradually changed the part that concerns Europe, leaving aside talks about a Grexit, feeding, in this way, the comments of opposition forces. At the same time, the Italian former Premier called Germany not to put obstacles on a compromise between Greece and the European Union, which he characterized as a necessary one. Furthermore, Prodi estimated that Tsipras will be forced to form alliances with smaller and more moderate parties, as a self-reliance mandate looks highly unlikely. According to the opinion polls results and the calculation of parliamentary seats, SYRIZA gets some 144 out of 300 seats in the Greek Parliament. In addition, he also highlighted the comparison between Tsipras and former President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula and the reforms he proceeded with. At the same time, Stefano Fassina, member of Matteo Renzi’s left wing Democratic Party, pointed out that “Greece must be supported in order to form a broader alliance that will put the whole discussion and negotiation for the future of Europe in a completely new basis.”
Greek FinMin Hardouvelis Warns Over Economy Dropback due to Stalled Review
Greece’s Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis warned that the country’s economy could suffer a significant drop back into recession if the Greek bailout program review remains stalled. In an interview with the Sunday edition of Greek newspaper “Kathimerini,” Hardouvelis pointed out that in such a case Greece could permanently fall out with its European Union allies, adding that it will be impossible to rely on the Eurozone’s financial support if an extension of the current program is not granted or an agreement on the program review with the Troika is not reached by February 28. “The risk of an accident will become greater for as long as we do not reach an agreement with European Union partners,” Hardouvelis estimated, highlighting the difficulty on relying on T-Bills for covering funding needs. Furthermore, Hardouvelis stressed that political opposition parties seem oblivious to the consequences of not implementing previous agreements. “Any political agreement with allies will include a lot of give and take. It will not cancel previous agreements; it may alter them and bring about different, maybe greater commitments,” he underlined. It should be noted that last week, the Greek systemic banks made their first request to the Bank of Greece (BoG) for liquidity through the Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA) system, while as the general elections date is approaching, pressing liquidity conditions are likely to worsen.
Ukrainian Travel Agency Shutdown, Major Hit for Greek Tourism
Ukrainian travel agency “News Travel,” which used to provide services to 120,000 Ukrainian tourists per year, organizing trips to 31 destinations, has shut down. Several popular Greek destinations such as Crete, Halkidiki, Corfu, Rhodes and Kos were included in the agency’s travel packages. According to recent estimates, News Travel used to send around 10,000 tourists in various Greek hotels, while Greece was among the first travel choices of its customers. Cyprus was also high on the list, with both countries ranking in the agency’s top 5 destinations. News Travel was first shaken by the Ukrainian crisis, while over the last few months, the owners were unable to sustain their business, since the Ukrainian tourists’ purchasing power decreased dramatically. The tour operator – one of the fastest growing tourism businesses with more than 170 employees and offices in six cities across the country – lost its momentum and began to show serious signs of economic damage. The first worrying sign appeared when the travel bookings to Greece dropped by 60% over the course of last summer. In 2013, around 250,000 Ukrainian tourists visited Greece, however their numbers were significantly lower in 2014. This will be the second hit for Greek tourism, after it suffered a major loss last summer due to the fact that many Russian tour operators were also forced to shut down.
Greek Orzo Pasta and Chicken Salad
Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add the dry orzo pasta. Cook for 9-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain the orzo. Place the orzo in a large bowl and coat with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix to coat completely. Refrigerate and allow to ...
Greece’s ongoing euro crisis
Grexit sounds like a threat from the realm of science fiction, but it is very real. It stands for Greece’s exit from the euro, a development that many think would lead to economic and social turmoil in the rest of Europe. A snap general election on Jan ...
Spain anti-austerity activists look with hope to Greece's Syriza
An election win for Greece's leftist Syriza party on Sunday could mark a turning point in Europe where other populist parties, starting with Podemos in Spain, are hoping to launch their own anti-austerity revolts. Syriza and Podemos are united in blaming Europe's ills on budget austerity measures imposed by the so-called "troika" -- the European Union, the European Central Bank and the ...
From jailbirds to journalists: the other leaders contesting the Greek elections
The Greek elections taking place on Sunday 25th January come at a crucial time for the country as it considers the path it will take following the tough ...
EU's Moscovici: EU prepared for all scenarios after Greek vote
"Euro zone integrity is not threatened, we don't fear what will happen in the Greek elections on Sunday. We are prepared for all kinds of scenarios in ...
Greece invites more Chinese visitors
Chinese travelers are enthusiastic about Greece, said Panos Livadas, general secretary of Greek National Tourism Organization, and recent numbers prove his point. Statistics show a 57 ...
UPDATE 1-Greek banks' borrowing from ECB jumps before election
ATHENS Jan 19 (Reuters) - European Central Bank funding to Greek banks rose sharply in December, Greek central bank data showed on Monday, ...
Samaras Offers Tax Cuts Austerity End
IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned there would be consequences if a new Greek administration reneges on any of END .article-big-block -- ...
Belgium authorities want alleged terror plot ringleader extradited from Greece
Belgian officials have confirmed to CBS News that the suspect they want to extradite from Greece may be one of the ringleaders of the alleged plot here. Troops and police are stepping up security in ...
More bodies discovered at Greek tomb
… to have been found in Greece - archaeologists have found two … evidence of having been burned (Greek Ministry of Culture/Athena) Tests …
Syriza leads the polls in Greece, but it remains unclear who the party could enter coalition with after ...
Greece will hold parliamentary elections on 25 January. Ahead of the vote, Stella Ladi writes on the state of play in the Greek party system. She notes ...
Greece to deport terror suspect to Belgium
Police in Greece announced Monday that an Algerian who was arrested here Sunday on charges of planning terrorist activities in Belgium, will be deported to Brussels. The 33-year-old Algerian was ...
Syriza set to gain from home tax backlash
Middle-class Greeks angered by decision to make emergency levy demanded by creditors permanent
ECB funding to Greek banks jumps 25% before vote
ECB funding to Greek banks jumps 25% before vote ... Bank funding to Greek lenders rose 25 percent in December, Greek central bank data showed ...
Greece's Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras is 'like Harry Potter'
The Left-wing leader expected to win Greece’s election this week has been likened to Harry Potter, accused of conjuring up magical promises which he will never be able to keep. Alexis Tsipras, a former Communist who leads the Syriza coalition, is ahead ...
The Greek Time Bomb
Fundamental to Syriza's platform is its economic program, designed to counteract the impact of the excessively strict austerity that Greeks have ...
Fear-mongering at its peak: Grexit on Thursday, Grentry on Monday?
Only if you live in Greece and read every crap posted on mainstream websites or listen to mainstream media to realized the fear-mongering propaganda Greek voters are exposed to, just days before the parliamentary elections next Sunday. One of the striking examples we witnessed Monday morning. The news was referring […]
Question here: Why didn’t EU-partners support Samaras?
The whole world is against a SYRIZA-led government. The Greek and international mainstream media, the EU-partners, the Draghis, the Junckers and the Lagardes, they all warn SYRIZA it has to stick to the commitments signed by Nea Dimokratia and PASOK coalition, the Papademos and the Papandreou governments. Day in, day […]
At least five persons buried at Amphipolis tomb: Greek Culture Ministry
19 (Xinhua) -- At least five persons were buried at the Amphipolis tomb which was unearthed last summer in northern Greece, the Greek Culture ...
Young, gifted and Greek: Generation G – the world's biggest brain drain
More than 200,000 Greeks have left the country since the financial crisis hit. The Guardian meets some who will be watching this weekend's elections ...
British Museum Exhibition on the Body in Ancient Greek Art
The British Museum will be hosting an exhibition entitled “Defining beauty: the body in ancient Greek art” from March 26 to July 5, 2015. This major exhibition will focus on the human body and the way it was portrayed in ancient Greece. “For ...
Fury over health minister's comment on keeping Left from seizing power
Greek opposition parties on Monday slammed outgoing health minister and New Democracy candidate Makis Voridis after he said his party would do "whatever it takes" to prevent Syriza from winning the general elections on Sunday.