Following a 36-year tradition, Saints Constantine and Helen GREEK Orthodox Church holds its Cardiff GREEK Festival Sept. 12-13. The annual event ...
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How the world sees Greece
Tuesday, September 8, 2015
GREEK fest brings music, dance and delicacies to Cardiff
Meet the 9-Year-Old Syrian Boy Lost Along the Refugee ...
Meet the 9-Year-Old Syrian Boy Lost Along the Refugee Trail in Greece. Simon Shuster / Leros, Greece @shustry; 4:10 PM ET. SHARE.
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The Surprising Resurgence of Russia as a Great Power
In a world full of surprises -- the rise of Islamic fundamentalism, the weakness in the Chinese economy, the battles within the European Union, the making of the Iran deal, the slide in the American stock market -- one of the greatest surprises of all has been the sudden rebirth of Russian power under Vladimir Putin. This even as Russia has withdrawn from Eastern Europe, lost half its population, lacked in modern consumer, agricultural and high-tech sectors and suffered a 50 percent drop in the price of its main oil export. Russia's economy is smaller than that of England, France or Germany and has not moved towards Western democratic capitalism. Too, Putin is repeatedly pilloried by Western leaders. President Obama, denigrating Russia as only a regional power, proclaimed that Putin resembled a bored kid slouching in the back of the classroom. German Chancellor Angela Merkel scathingly derided Putin's machismo, saying that "I understand why he has to do this -- to prove he's a man. He's afraid of his own weakness. Russia has nothing..." Yet, Russia has re-established itself as a great power courting authoritarian and often corrupt regimes all over the world. Its reacquiring Crimea, Southern Ossetia, Abkhazia and part of Left Bank Ukraine in the last decade is secretly welcomed by conservative nationalist leaders with their own aspirations. With its strong military capabilities, Eurasian geographic location, capable leadership, conservative nationalism and resuscitation of old Cold War relationships, Russia has become a major player in the world. Alone among the major global powers, Russia is on the offensive and willing to intervene to help its allies. The Europeans are no longer the great powers they were before World War II. Japan and Germany found their power in Europe and Asia seriously reduced by their defeats in World War II. China is still decades away from becoming a superpower. The United States under President Obama is staging a semi-withdrawal from key areas of the world. The Sunni Arab leaders of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE are all going to Moscow this year. Saudi King Salman will even welcome Vladimir Putin to Riyadh! Retired Saudi Major General Anwar Eshki said recently, "Saudi Arabia needs Russia in the Middle East, not to destabilize countries but to be a friend." Even democratic Israel, edging away from its close relationship with the United States, increasingly looks to Russia for help. Israel and Russia have two billion dollars in trade while Israel sells drones to the Russians. Whether Russia finally will or once again won't sell its S-300 surface to air missile system to Iran is of vital interest to Israel. Syrian President Bashar Assad owes his survival to $4-5 billion of Russian military aid as well as Iranian help. Russia played a key role in ensuring a lenient nuclear deal for Iran. Russia is the main weapons supplier to Iran and will build more nuclear power plants like Busheir. In Latin America Russia has good relations with Argentina and Brazil. This year Cristina Kirchner has visited Moscow to discuss a multi-billion dollar energy deal and defense cooperation. Russia is backing up Dilma Rousseff's fading Brazilian regime with talk of trade, weapons deals and technical cooperation. In Europe Russia has allied itself with Viktor Orban's Hungary. The Russian Union Party in Latvia last year won the parliamentary elections, while in Romania pro-Russian sentiment has surfaced. Germany, with a large trade relationship with Russia and its past invasions of Russia, has been cautious in dealing with Putin beyond sanctions. The Greek leftist Syriza ruling party leans towards Russia. France, with a long history of friendly relations with Russia, seems to be thinking of ways to repair its relationship with Russia after cancelling the Mistral warship deal. In Asia Russia has good relations with China, India and Japan. Russia, China's biggest arms supplier, has signed a $400 billion pipeline agreement to export Russian gas to China. China's leader Xi Jinping recently predicted that the Sino-Russian relationship could become the number-one relationship in the world. India, despite Narendra Modi's Western leanings, continues a strong strategic, political and military relationship with annual visits exchanged between New Delhi and Moscow. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sees Russia as a potential ally against a rising China. Clearly, Putin is not that slouched bored kid in the back of the class but a smart, tough realist moving Russia towards great power status. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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Greece Beats Georgia 79 – 68 in FIBA Eurobasket
The Greek Men’s Basketball Team came one step closer to securing the first place in Group C of the 2015 FIBA Eurobasket with a 79-68 victory over Georgia on Tuesday evening. Though the Greeks were ahead throughout the game, Georgia rallied in the third quarter when they reduced the Greek lead from 28 to 13 points. The Georgians further cut down
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Don't Miss Nashville's GREEK Festival This Weekend
Opa! Friday marks the beginning of Nashville's three-day GREEK Festival at Holy Trinity GREEK Orthodox church on Franklin Road. For three straight ...
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EU Squeezed $7.8 Billion GREEK Bridge Loan Via ESM Loophole
Who do you call on for 7 billion euros ($7.8 billion) at short notice to tide over a country like Greece for a month? That was the dilemma euro-area ...
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Bulgaria bars Syria-bound Russian planes as NATO fears grow
Sofia (AFP) - Bulgaria said Tuesday it had refused permission for Russian aircraft to cross its airspace last week as concern grows among NATO members that Moscow is boosting military aid to Syria's Bashar al-Assad. It followed news that Washington had asked Greece to bar Russian supply flights over its territory, triggering an incredulous response from Moscow. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated concerns that increased Russian involvement could deepen the Syrian conflict that has already claimed nearly 250,000 lives and triggered a massive outflow of refugees, tens of thousands of whom are seeking protection in Europe. "I am concerned by reports that Russia may have deployed military personnel and aircraft to Syria," Stoltenberg said in a public question and answer session on his Facebook page, in response to a question submitted by AFP. Bulgaria said it had received reports that the Russian planes were carrying arms. "The cargo was declared as humanitarian aid but the foreign ministry had information that it was not humanitarian aid but some kind of weaponry," said Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev on local TV station bTV. He said the information likely came from "our foreign intelligence services". Foreign ministry spokeswoman Betina Zhoteva told AFP the decision was taken "absolutely independently" without pressure from NATO partners. "The planes were said to carry humanitarian aid but we had information -- that we had every reason to trust -- that the declared cargo was not the real one," she said. Greece, also a NATO member, confirmed on Monday it received a request from Washington to prevent two Russian planes flying through its airspace between September 1 and 24. Speaking to AFP on Tuesday, a Greek government spokesperson said Russia had first requested use of its airspace "25 days ago" but had later decided to use an alternative route. Asked if Athens would refuse permission for Russian overflights in future, the spokesperson said the situation was "delicate" but that Russia would likely avoid using the route. - 'On their conscience - Nonetheless, on Tuesday Moscow demanded answers from Greece and Bulgaria. "If anyone -- in this case our Greek and Bulgarian partners -- has any doubts, then they of course should explain what the problem is all about," deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov told Interfax news agency. "We explain where our planes are flying to, and what their purpose and their cargo is. We've never had any problems before," he added. Bogdanov reiterated Moscow's official position, stressing that the only Russian military personnel currently in Syria were there to train the local army. "Our partners -- representatives of the Syrian armed forces -- need some help and guidance," he said. He denied Russia had any plans to boost its presence in the war-torn country and turn its naval facility at the Syrian port of Tartus into a fully-fledged base. "We do not have such plans," he said. Some Russian officials saw Washington's hand in Bulgaria's decision. "The fact that the Bulgarians are the first to respond (to the request from Washington) -- they will have that on their conscience," said Vladimir Djabarov, vice-president of the Russian foreign affairs council. He told state press agency TASS that Russia was only supplying "humanitarian cargo" to Syria, saying it was "not profitable to transport weapons by plane". Djabarov also dismissed the importance of using Greek airspace, saying that the majority of flights to Syria went via the Caucasus and Iran. Join the conversation about this story »
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UN chief calls Greek caretaker PM about UN summit on refugees
#politics #international
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Lesbos, GREECE is overwhelmed by Syrian migrants; more to come
As if GREECE didn't have enough economic problems of its own to deal with, Breitbart News is reporting, the island of Lesbos has become a war zone ...
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EU Migrant Crisis Spills into GREECE, Macedonia
Refugees and migrants struggle to board a bus after their arrival from a passenger ship at the port of Piraeus near Athens, GREECE, Sept. 7, 2015.
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EBRD appoints director for GREECE
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has appointed a director for its operations in GREECE, it said on Tuesday, as its focus shifts ...
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Private investors should participate in share capital increases of Greek banks
#economy
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Submission: GREEK life valuable on campus, needs improved sexual assault prevention
Articles such as the piece posted by Aram Ghoogasian in the Aug. 31 issue of the Daily Bruin – “Gender divisions in GREEK life promote sexism, should ...
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The World Abandoned Jewish refugees in 1939; Will We Do the Same for Syria?
In 1938, Betti Oppenheim, a Jewish mother living in Nuremburg, Germany, saw the writing on the wall: her family would leave, or they would die. They applied for visas in the United States, imploring distant relatives still traumatized by the Depression to make the steep down payment required for their application. "I have two hands, and I will work," she declared, insisting that the lives of her family would not come at the price of poverty. The visas came through, and the family escaped. Betti's 11-year-old son Henry - my maternal grandfather - later reflected on his arrival to New York: "As the vessel glided on, I saw Miss Liberty on my left, as clear as a silhouette... I felt that this was such an inviting country; a wonderful sanctuary of good will after the turbulence and heartaches of troubled European life. I fell in love with the New World at first sight." While the Oppenheims found sanctuary in America, many fought zealously to keep Jewish refugees off their shores. Writers in the United States warned that an influx of Jews would "foreignize us;" British officials railed, "The way stateless Jews and Germans are pouring in from every port of this country is becoming an outrage." These voices succeeded in preventing millions of other Jews from fleeing to safety - including my paternal grandfather, Lolek Gastfreund. As a child in Nazi-occupied Poland, he spent three years in the concentration camps, endured the systematic slaughter of his parents and siblings, and watched the Nazis bury his cousin Nathan alive in a mass grave, just months before liberation. As I see the photos of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy who drowned last week on his way to Greece, I can't help but think of my cousin Nathan. It goes without saying that there are vast differences between the Syrian civil war and the Holocaust. But as children continue to drown and families continue to suffocate in their efforts to escape, it is worth recognizing the painful echoes of our past humanitarian failures. How many children must die for the global community to protect the fleeing victims of war? Somewhere in Syria, fleeing barrel bombs, disease and starvation, is another child whose life depends on this question. Decisive action will be needed to save him. The United States has accepted only 1,434 Syrian refugees since the start of the conflict, in contrast to the 65,000 that the International Rescue Committee has called for. The Gulf states have accepted almost no Syrian refugees, despite possessing ample capacity to do so. European countries could shoulder a larger share of the responsibility as well. And Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, who host the largest Syrian refugee populations, could substantially alleviate the desperation these families face by expanding local support systems and dismantling workforce restrictions. Driving each country to make the necessary changes will require both political will and funds; as of June, only 23% of international aid pledged to address the crisis had been provided. As was the case in World War II, a chorus of voices is urging against refugee resettlement efforts. Most prominently, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has railed against refugees for "threatening Europe's Christian culture." It is important to think clearly about the challenges of refugee resettlement, and to recognize how these challenges differ across populations. But these realities are not an excuse to abandon or demonize those most desperately in need. We should first acknowledge that many of these fears are overblown. On the economic front, research indicates that refugees contribute substantially to their host countries if allowed to work. My paternal grandfather built a small business in New Jersey, and my maternal grandfather became the chief psychologist at Northampton State Hospital; Steve Jobs himself was the son of a Syrian immigrant. One can only wonder about the life Aylan might have led had he survived to reach his aunt in Canada. On the security front, while the radicalization of Syrian and North African refugees is a potent fear, this risk is ever more reason to implement proactive humanitarian policies. Inaction on the refugee crisis itself can directly fuel radicalization. Research from the Carnegie Middle East Center indicates, for example, that a humanitarian vacuum in Lebanon has enabled extremist groups to expand recruitment efforts by stepping in as leading providers of refugee aid. This is an arrangement the international community can ill afford. While the dynamics driving today's crisis are complex, the imperative to help is blindingly clear. Aylan Kurdi did not choose to be born in Syria, just as my grandparents did not choose to be born in Europe, and I did not choose to be born in the United States. We need not accept a world wherein the lottery of birth determines whether children flourish or drown. The recent outpouring of support for refugees from Germany, Iceland, Sweden and elsewhere is a powerful testament from those rising to meet the challenge. When we look back at this moment in history, let's tell our grandchildren that we did the same. -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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Labour tells Theresa May to 'be British, be bold' in refugee crisis
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says plan to take in 20,000 from Syrian camps over next five years is not enough The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has urged the government to take part in the EU’s relocation programme for refugees who have already reached Europe. In a House of Commons emergency debate on the refugee crisis, Cooper made an impassioned plea to the home secretary, Theresa May, in particular to help relieve the pressure on Greece, where more than 200,000 people have landed so far this year after crossing the Mediterranean. “We cannot turn our backs on those who have reached Europe,” she said. Continue reading...
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Angela Merkel: plan to share 160,000 refugees across EU may not be enough
German chancellor warns Europe might have to accept even bigger numbers than those proposed by European commission Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, has said a controversial plan due to be unveiled by the European commission (EC) to share out 160,000 refugees among EU states might not be enough, and warned that Europe may have to accept even bigger numbers. Jean-Claude Juncker, the EC president, will give details on Wednesday of his blueprint to tackle Europe’s largest refugee crisis since the second world war. He wants EU governments to agree a binding quota system that will see refugees relocated from overstretched countries such as Italy and Greece. Continue reading...
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Greek Engineer Among 30 Finalists to Travel to Space ...
Greek engineer Ioanna Fotopoulou from Thessaloniki, northern Greece was chosen as one of the 30 finalists who will have the chance to travel to space.
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Asylum by numbers: this is not a quantifiable crisis
Reuters/Osman Orsal It is commendable that David Cameron has promised to take decisive action to deal with the thousands of people fleeing Syria. His plan to resettle 20,000 of these people over the next five years is to be welcomed – as is his decision to prioritise vulnerable children. It is, after all, a substantially improved stance. Not long ago, Cameron was dismissing the desperate attempts by migrants to cross from Calais to the UK as “unacceptable”. Until very recently, his sole emphasis was on blaming migrants and on fortifying Britain. Cameron is also right to argue for a “comprehensive approach that tackles the causes of the problem as well as the consequences”, using both “head and heart”. Unfortunately, the approach he has actually presented falls short of this lofty aim. BEHIND THE HEADLINE To begin with, Cameron continues to make an outdated distinction between “economic migrants” and “refugees fleeing conflict”. The implication is that the latter deserve help while the former should be sent back to where they came from. This distinction fails to grasp the complexities of current situations. People need to flee unsustainable living conditions whether they are related to political factors or conflicts of a more fundamental nature. If this crisis has taught us anything, it should be that we need new definitions for what it means to be in need of international help. What’s more, Cameron gave no detail whatsoever about his plan. The voting public may be pleased to hear his big numbers but no mention was made of what will actually happen when these 20,000 people arrive in the UK. A truly comprehensive approach would include specifics on the conditions of their reception and a plan for how they would be helped to integrate into their new homes. Prime Minister David Cameron delivers statement to parliament over the migrant refugee crisis. EPA/Andy Rain A lot more needs to be done to raise standards and improve the resources available to the services that make all this happen. We should also not underestimate the importance of addressing the psychological implications of such population transplants – for both the new arrivals as well as the communities that receive them. It was unfortunate that Cameron chose to cover the subject of “national security” as he announced his plan for the refugees. The British public had been calling for the prime minister to speak about the migrant crisis for days. In the event, the larger part of his statement was about the government’s achievements in counter-terrorism. And after the fact, the headline news was not the fate of 20,000 Syrians, but two British men who had been killed by a drone strike while fighting for Islamic State in Syria. This was clearly a deliberate move. Implying that terrorism is the main cause of this crisis of involuntary dislocation is inappropriate. BEYOND THE HEADCOUNT Cameron is not the only one to play the numbers game though. Some of his critics are already arguing that the UK should be taking more and that a commitment over five long years is not bold enough. But comparing countries is meaningless. Each nation can boast about certain figures in relation to this crisis. Greece receives more migrants entering their territory than any other European country, Germany will accept the highest number of resettled people, Italy is rescuing the most migrants from the Mediterranean. Instead of rivalrous claims, we need to cultivate the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect and revise outdated European and international conventions that address such phenomena. Countries should contribute to the formulation of a new framework for addressing the complexities of these phenomena – not only at a European level but also internationally. Simplified formulae have failed. What is required is the courage to avoid slogans and collaborate widely to develop a multipronged approach that takes in the economic, psychological, educational, historical and spiritual issues raised by forced migration. “A dog is for life, not just for Christmas”, proclaims the familiar car-bumper sticker. Accepting refugees and migrants into one’s country is not an analgesic against an ephemeral bout of remorse – and it should not be used by governments to temporarily appease their electorates. _Renos Papadopoulos does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above._
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GREECE man charged with felony DWI
A GREECE man was charged with felony-level driving while intoxicated Friday after being stopped in Geneseo, Livingston County. Phillip A. Pernaselci ...
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Refugee Crisis: Greek President Invites European Council President to Greece
The President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos invited European Council President Donald Tusk to Greece to discuss Europe’s refugee crisis on Tuesday, September 8th. Tusk had said that the inflow of migrants and refugees to Europe could go on for years. European Commission spokesperson Alexander Winterstein claimed, on Tuesday that Greece has yet to make a request
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Greek Orthodox Church Will Not Face Tax Hikes
Interim Finance Minister under Greece’s caretaker government; Nikos Christodoulakis spoke with Ieronymos II; the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, on Tuesday, assuring him that he had never planned or even considered imposing additional taxes on the Church. Christodoulakis said there was no basis to impose additional taxes. This is seemingly in response to Christodoulakis recent public comments about
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8,000 Refugees and Migrants to Leave Lesvos by Tuesday Evening
Greek Alternate Migration Minister Giannis Mouzalas had said on Monday morning that the East Aegean Greek island of Lesvos had between 15,000 and 17,000 migrants and refugees. That number looks to be significantly reduced by late Tuesday evening. Around 8,000 migrants and refugees are scheduled to leave the island by Tuesday evening, this comes after 2,850 migrants
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Migrant Crisis: Lesvos Island’s Tourism Suffers Dramatic Downturn
The increased inflow of refugees and migrants has seriously affected tourism on Lesvos island and other neighboring Greek islands. Tourist agent Ilias Pikoulos said to ANA-MPA that six cruise ship operators with approximately 5,000 passengers on-board each ship was expected to dock at Mytilene port and Molyvos port, but have now cancelled their planned trips.
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Grexit: Popular Unity Leader Supports Greek Return to Drachma
With the September 20 Greek elections fast approaching, Popular Unity leader Panagiotis Lafazanis gave a press conference at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) on Tuesday to discuss his exit from SYRIZA and his party’s support for a national currency. Lafazanis noted that his party will be the election’s surprise. Popular Unity emerged just a few weeks ago with the initiative of
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79- 68 Greece Victory over Georgia in Eurobasket
The Greek Men’s Basketball Team came one step closer to securing the first place in Group C of the 2015 FIBA Eurobasket with a 79-68 victory over Georgia on Tuesday evening. Though the Greeks were ahead throughout the game, Georgia rallied in the third quarter when they reduced the Greek lead from 28 to 13 points. The Georgians further cut down
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Flashpoints in Europe's migrant crisis
The main flashpoints in Europe's migrant crisis are in Greece, where tens of thousands of refugees have arrived, and at border points on the way to Germany, which has thrown open its doors to asylum-seekers.
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Unending flow of migrants cross the Greece-Macedonia border
Hundreds of migrants were pouring over the frontier between Greece and Macedonia on Tuesday as they made their way towards the European Union following a day of tensions with police.
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Casey Kovarik: GREEK life should not be blamed for greater social problems
The GREEK system – commonly seen as dangerous by many not within it – has become the college version of the chicken or the egg riddle: Is it the ...
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British Man Films Jubilant Arrival of Refugees on GREEK Island Lesbos
A Syrian refugee wearing a life jacket and armbands reacts moments after arriving on a dinghy on the GREEK island of Lesbos, September 7. Dimitris ...
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GREEK authorities issue permits to refugees on Lesbos
GREEK authorities on Lesbos issued travel permits to 15,000 refugees in a marathon 24-hour relief operation, easing pressure on the holiday island ...
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Greek banks' loan review due to finish this month-central ...
ATHENS, Sept 8 (Reuters) - A review of Greek banks' loan portfolios by the European Central Bank will be completed by the end of the month, paving the way ...
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These maps show all the different routes migrants take to western Europe
Civil unrest in Syria has sparked the biggest global displacement crisis in over two decades and a heated debate among European leaders over how many of the thousands of refugees to take in. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has championed quota system for EU countries rehoming refugees while Britain has resisted taking any more than 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years. As the politicians squabble it's worth keeping in mind the huge distances migrants travel to get to Europe through Africa and the Middle East, along well-worn routes. These graphics from Reuters put that in perspective. They also show how central Turkey and Greece are to the migrants' routes (green lines). The countries act like bottlenecks. Once they get to the shore of the Mediterranean, the journey gets even more dangerous and deadly. Last year more than 3,000 migrants died trying to cross. The migrants aim for the mainland mostly, hitting Spain, France and Italy but avoiding Sardinia, right in the middle of the sea. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: 50 Cent testifies his lifestyle is an illusion
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The Endangered Fishermen of GREECE
When Christian Stemper visited the small island of Paros in 2010, he photographed some of the characters he encountered on the 13-mile island.
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Most people reaching EU are refugees who deserve asylum
Most of the people flooding into Europe are refugees fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries who have a legal right to seek asylum, the United Nations said on Tuesday. "The secretary-general (Ban Ki-moon) stressed the individual and collective responsibility of European states to respond responsibly and humanely," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said about Ban's calls with the leaders of Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia about the crisis. "He stressed that the large majority of people arriving in Europe are refugees fleeing war and violence, who have a right to seek asylum without any form of discrimination," Dujarric added.
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Squalor and misery for refugees camped on Lesbos
He fled death threats in Baghdad, but as he waited for hours in the searing heat for his papers, Ali Kamal said the five days stuck on Greece's Lesbos island had been the worst in his life.
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The Attica Zoological Park
If you’ve had enough of strolling around popular Athenian neighborhoods, why not take a unique journey through five continents without leaving Greece? Founded by Jean-Jacques Lesueur, the Attica Zoological Park was opened in 2000 in Spata initially as a Bird Park, and today hosts over 2,000 animals representing 350 species. With a total area of […] The post The Attica Zoological Park appeared first on The National Herald.
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Kremlin Refuses To Comment On US Request To GREECE On Not Allowing Air Space To Russia
Russia refused to comment on the United States' request to GREECE on not allowing Russian flights to use Greek air space for traveling to Syria.
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Russia demands answers from Bulgaria, Greece on airspace denial
Moscow on Tuesday demanded answers from Greece and Bulgaria after Sofia banned Russian supply flights to Syria from its airspace and Athens said it had been asked by Washington to do the same.
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Russia to use Greece air route for Syrian aid
… of Greece to transport aid into Syria, meaning the use of Greek … Greek government spokesman said on Tuesday. The US had asked Greece to deny Russia the use of Greek air space … on Monday. Russia has asked Greece, which is a NATO member …
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Europe struggles to cope with influx of migrants
Sept. 8 -- The European Union will this week announce plans to redistribute 120,000 migrants who have arrived in Greece, Italy and Hungary, as the bloc moves to address the biggest Migrant crisis since World War II. Paul Allen reports.
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Amid Migrant Crisis, Children Suffer The Most
PARIS (AP) — In the human tide of Arabs, Asians and Africans seeking refuge from war and poverty in Europe — it's often the children that suffer the most. As French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel agree on a plan for spreading the migrant load across the continent, many thousands of children have already arrived on the European mainland, often suffering from lack of water, food, and unpredictable weather conditions. Associated Press photographers captured 24 hours of a crisis that shows no sign of ending — such as a Syrian boy, lying semi-naked on a concrete floor suffering from the effects of a heat wave on the Greek island of Lesbos. The boy was at a protest by migrants and refugees demanding faster processing by authorities and the issuing of travel documents. Another young Syrian boy was pictured wrapped with a thermal blanket after arriving on Lesbos with others aboard a dinghy from Turkey. Volunteers helped the dozens of dripping and shivering children from the dinghy to the safety of the European shore. Greece's caretaker government says at least two-thirds of the estimated 15,000 to 18,000 refugees and economic migrants are stranded in "miserable" conditions on the Aegean island and will be ferried to the mainland in the next five days. In Germany, one photo painted quite a different picture — one of optimism. Two young boys arrive at Munich's train station, smiling and clutching cuddly toys in brightly-colored clothes. They're perhaps at the end of their journey — poised to get first registration as asylum seekers in Germany. _Learn more about the migrant crisis and how you can help children in need here. _ -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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Europe Is Facing The Biggest Refugee Crisis Since WWII. When Will It Stop Passing The Buck?
The war in Syria didn't start yesterday. Neither did the mass exodus of refugees fleeing violence, bombs, gunfire and the Islamic State. It shouldn't have been very difficult to guess that the more than two million displaced persons in Lebanon and Turkey weren't going to stay there permanently. And it should have been obvious that their final destination was always going to be Europe. However, the European Union watched from the sidelines, as if these issues were none of their concern. Recurring news coverage from countries like Bosnia, Macedonia and Serbia, and the reports from Human Rights organizations in the Balkans, have not been able to draw the E.U.'s attention to the fact that, since this past spring, the number of refugees crossing these territories towards central Europe has been steadily increasing. Until, of course, those refugees finally arrived. After arriving in Greece, the refugees had to go through the Balkans, to reach the 175-km long razor-wire fence that the Hungarian government erected along its border with Serbia, or to camp in front of the central train station of Budapest (around which much conversation centers today). Recently, I managed to visit the first stop of this Balkan journey in person. In the border town of Gevgelija in Macedonia, the refugees arrive from Greece, after walking along the train tracks. Up until only a few weeks ago, you could only see around 10 people a day. Now, however, there are more than 3,000 people who pass daily through the makeshift campsite next to the train station, which has quickly become the largest in the country. A few tents and temporary structures that offer shade and a place to rest during the four or five hours that the refugees spend there have been set up by UNHCR and the Red Cross, and are being secured by the police and the army. Usually, that time is just enough for a brief medical check-up, followed by issuance of refugee visas, which expire within 72 hours. If the refugees are not able to cross and exit the country within that time limit, they are considered "aliens." In order to facilitate this swift crossing, the Macedonian government has organized a fleet of buses and taxis that will take them to the next border (for a fee). They are taken to Serbia or Kosovo in the north, or to Albania in the east, from which they can cross to Montenegro, Bosnia and Croatia. In both cases, though, the refugees have the same destination in mind: Hungary. At the Hungarian Border, they once again enter the E.U. and inch closer to their destination in central and northern Europe. These campsites represent the first institutional response. For months, Balkan civilians have taken the initiative to protect these incoming refugees. Neighbors organized the first tents and stopping points in the transit zones. They also provided water and food, basic medical attention, legal assistance, and a small play center for children. The Balkan citizens proved once again that "only the people can save the people." The fact that the late, and rather timid, institutional response consists more of rapid transit facilitation than functional refugee camps isn't coincidental either. Not one European government, whether it's part of the E.U. or not, wants to take in tens of thousands of refugees. These governments do everything possible to make sure that the refugees complete their journeys as quickly as possible -- always passing the buck. The Macedonian government simply gathers and quickly checks all the refugees at the Greek border, to then pass them off at the Serbian border, where they count the days until they've finally left their country. Until the buck stops at a razor-wire fence or brick wall, they will continue to try to pass it on wherever they can. Alternatively, they put up a wall so that they don't have to deal with the problem at all. These seem to be the two strategies to avoid dealing with the reality of the situation, and to turn their backs to the world, to humanity and to Human Rights. We also visited the Serbian-Hungarian border, which was the other extreme of this Balkan voyage. The scene repeated itself: rivers of worn out refugees walking along the train tracks and waiting in enormous lines to try to cross the border, as it becomes harder and harder to cross. On the other side of the border, there are fleets of rapid-transit, a strong police presence and xenophobic threats from: the neo-Nazi paramilitary troop, Jobbik, the principal supporters of Péter Szijjártó's, the minister of International Affairs. Szijjártó is the same official who justified his migrant policies by referring to the examples that the Spanish government had set in Ceuta and Melilla. Great work, Spain... As a member of the European Parliament, what bothers me most is that even now, with the biggest refugee crisis since WWII knocking on Europe's doors, the E.U. doesn't seem to be conscious of its magnitude. Worse still, it doesn't want to be conscious of it. They've called a meeting of the Interior Ministers with a two-weeks notice. They're still bargaining about the amount of refugees allowed in each country. They're promising resources and funding that is altogether insufficient (1.5 million euros for Serbia and Macedonia). They've created an insurmountable amount of red tape around the crisis between European institutions and member-states, following the same logic of hoping to pass the buck. All of these responses contrast greatly with the rapidity and magnitude of the community's response to the crisis. Recently, in one of the multiple checkpoints that I had to pass through to access the Gevgelija camp, a police officer confessed to me that no one from the E.U. had gone through the camp yet and there was still no offer of institutional support. Great work, E.U.... _________________ _Miguel Urbán is a representative of Podemos in the European Parliament._ _This post first appeared on HuffPost Spain and was translated into English. _ -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
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What's At Stake In Greece's Election?
ATHENS, Greece -- After making headlines for the past six years with an economic and social crisis that shows no sign of abating, Greece is headed toward a ...
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Greek centrist open to pact even with 'the devil' for stability's sake
By Renee Maltezou ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek centrist Stavros Theodorakis says his small Potami party is willing to strike a pact with leftists, conservatives or even "the devil" if needed to save the country from yet another round of elections after it votes later this month. Opinion polls show the leftist Syriza party and conservative New Democracy neck-and-neck before the elections on Sept. 20 - suggesting no outright winner will emerge and sending Greeks back to the ballot box for a third time this year, unless a coalition is cobbled together. Alexis Tsipras forced the election last month by resigning as prime minister after only seven months in office, hoping to end a rebellion in his Syriza ranks and win an outright majority.
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Protests GREEK Dentist Who Killed Cecil the Lion as He Returns to Work
Protests GREEK Dentist Who Killed Cecil the Lion as He Returns to Work. By Michele Richinick 9/8/15 at 10:32 AM. 0908_Walter_Palmer_work_01.
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GREEK island on 'verge of explosion' with thousands of refugees stuck in limbo
Refugees and migrants wait for their registration and the issuing of travel documents at a soccer stadium in Mytilene, on the northeastern GREEK island ...
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Spain, in U-turn, says will take as many refugees as EU proposes
Spain is ready to accept as many refugees as proposed by the European Commission, the country said on Tuesday, a sharp change of heart after arguing it was being asked to take too many. "Spain will take the refugees that the European Union asks us to," Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said in an interview on La Sexta television. Saenz de Santamaria did not discuss numbers but the EU's executive arm is set to propose national quotas on Wednesday to relocate 160,000 asylum-seekers arriving in Greece, Hungary and Italy, allocating more than 19,000 to Spain.
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Concern over burgeoning trade in fake and stolen Syrian passports
Preferential treatment Syrians receive in Germany and Sweden has turned their passports into desired documents When Mohamed paid an Afghan smuggler several hundred euros to drive him and his friends from Thessaloniki to the Greek-Macedonian border in July, he thought the money was all the smuggler would want. Instead, once on road the driver feigned a problem with the engine and persuaded the Syrians to leave the car on the pretext of avoiding detection by the police. “And then he stole our passports,” said Mohamed. Mohamed and his friends are the latest victims of a burgeoning trade in Syrian identity documents. Though most European nations have been slow to welcome more than a few Syrian refugees, the well-known preferential treatment Syrians receive within the German and Swedish asylum system has turned their passports into desired accessories for other immigrants who otherwise would not be likely qualify as refugees. Continue reading...
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F-16s in Iraq, France joins anti-Islamic State strikes in ...
F-16s in Iraq, France joins anti-Islamic State strikes in Syria, and Greece dragged into U.S.-Russia fight over Assad
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