GREEK prosecutor calls for 18 to stand trial over defense systems

According to prosecutors, Liakounakos's company SONAK allegedly received a 35-million-euro commission on behalf of the GREEK state but failed to ...

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Germany Announces Austria Border Checks To Limit Refugee Influx

BERLIN (AP) — Germany will introduce temporary border checks on the Austrian frontier in a bid to limit the influx of refugees, the interior minister said Sunday. The measure might lead to disruption of railway services, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said without giving further details. Germany and Austria agreed over a week ago to let in migrants who had gathered in Hungary, saying it was a one-time measure to ease an emergency. Still, the influx has continued and German officials have said over the weekend that the speed of the arrivals was straining the country's ability to provide accommodation. Hungarian police say more than 186,000 people have passed through Hungary from Serbia this year en route toAustria and the migrants' major destination, Germany, which says it has taken in more than 50,000 newcomers in the past week alone. About 450,000 migrants have arrived in Germany this year. The country is expecting at least 800,000 in 2015 — by far the most in the 28-nation EU. In another tragedy on Sunday, at least 34 people seeking a better life in Europe drowned as they attempted a wind-swept crossing from Turkey to Greece, a journey often made more dangerous because smugglers require asylum seekers to pilot the overloaded craft themselves in choppy seas. Greece's coast guard said the dead, including four infants and 11 older children, drowned when their wooden boat containing more than 130 people capsized near Farmakonissi. The island lies midway between Samos and Kos, two of the favored targets for smugglers sending thousands daily to Greek islands off Turkey's coast. Smugglers typically stay behind to avoid arrest in Greece. Coast guard officials said the boat may have tipped over in part because of wind gusts exceeding 50 kph (30 mph). Rescue officials said 68 others were rescued from the sea while 30 more swam to the barely populated island. They said the survivors and the body of one child were taken to the nearby larger island of Leros. The other dead were taken aboard a Greek navy gunboat and a coast guard vessel bound for Rhodes, which has autopsy facilities. On Saturday, two other boats carrying asylum seekers capsized in the Aegean and at least five people — four children and a 20-year-old man — were presumed drowned. The coast guard said they still were searching for those bodies. Such risks have not deterred scores of boats to make the crossing daily to Greece's eastern islands, from where migrants pursue a more than 1,000-mile (1,600-kilometer) odyssey to the heart of the European Union via the Balkans and Hungary, where authorities have vowed to fortify their southern frontier and prosecute those who try to evade border police. Hungarian army engineers spent Sunday expanding the country's planned 174-kilometer (109-mile) border fence with Serbia and crowning it with coils of razor wire as the government warned that, from Tuesday onward, any asylum seekers caught breaking through the barrier would be arrested and charged with a criminal offense. Police said 4,330 were detected crossing on foot in the previous 24 hours, more than 700 higher than the previous one-day record, as trekkers strove to reach Hungary before the tougher security measures take effect. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says he's determined to make his country a more difficult challenge, with deployments of troops and potential prison terms part of the deterrent. Hungary's lawmakers have not voted yet on whether to back government plans to deploy more than 3,000 troops in support of border police, but dozens of soldiers already were patrolling the fence Sunday. Some drove along the dirt track beside the fence in jeeps while others patrolled on foot with attack dogs. While many migrants viewed the military presence with suspicion, they were able to walk through a gap in the fence without being challenged. All soldiers appeared to be armed with assault rifles. ___ Pogatchnik reported from Budapest, Hungary. Associated Press reporters Pablo Gorondi in Budapest and Demetris Nellas in Athens, Greece, contributed to this report.   Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. -- 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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28 drown off Greece as Hungary absorbs record migrant flow

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — At least 28 people seeking a better life in Europe drowned Sunday as they attempted a wind-swept sea crossing from Turkey to Greece, while a record number of asylum seekers reached Hungary's border with Serbia just two days before the government vows to make its southern frontier more difficult to cross.

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Greek Asst. Principal in Sex Scandal with Minor Student

LONG ISLAND CITY – Pelagia “Pelly” Papoutsis, a 33-year-old Assistant Principal at William Cullen Bryant High School in Long Island City, was removed from her position on September 4 pending an ongoing probe into allegations that she was romantically involved with a then-17-year-old female student at the school, the New York Post reported. Peter Maliarakis, […] The post Greek Asst. Principal in Sex Scandal with Minor Student appeared first on The National Herald.

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New migrant tragedy off Greece as Athens dismisses criticism

At least 28 people drowned in another migrant tragedy off Greece on Sunday, as Athens angrily defended its handling of the mounting refugee crisis in Europe.

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Balkan immigrant rail tracks follow old Orient Express route

GEVGELIJA, Macedonia (AP) — There are no fancy dining carriages here, glasses of champagne or ace sleuth Hercule Poirot to solve a murder mystery. There are only hundreds of exhausted people crammed inside a dingy train, slowly moving along the same Balkan route where the legendary Orient Express used to rumble. Day or night, rain or sunshine, tens of thousands of people are walking along Balkan train tracks or packing train carriages along the same famed rail line that used to connect Europe with Turkey and on to the Middle East. Whether in Turkey, Greece, Macedonia or Serbia, those fleeing their homelands have been following the tracks so they don't lose their way in the vast fields and hills. The tracks give them direction and a sense of security. In the 1930s, the Orient Express had a reputation for comfort and luxury, carrying elegant sleeping cars and restaurant cars known for the quality of their cuisine. Royalty, diplomats, business people and the bourgeoisie loved it. "Murder on the Orient Express," written by Agatha Christie in 1934, celebrated its exotic mystique. Eighty-one years later, it's a different story. Now carrying desperate families with crying babies fleeing the Middle East, Asia or Africa, the trains rumble through Greece, Serbia and Macedonia with drab, worn carriages, traveling over rusty tracks that have not seen upgrades or so many passengers in decades. On one train, a Syrian girl stuck her uncombed hair through a train window, giggling while hot air swept her face. A man without a leg tried to find a place to sit. One woman tried to put her 10-day-old baby to sleep, feeling exhausted but happy that she and her husband were getting closer to Germany, while another with two children cried desperately after losing her husband during a chaotic train boarding in a Macedonian town. The ride through Macedonia to the border with Serbia now resembles the Wild West. Those who did not manage to get on a train — and many don't because thousands are trying to board — try to stop it outside the Macedonian border town of Gevgelija by placing wooden logs or large stones on the tracks. Others simply pull the emergency brakes once the train gets rolling so friends can jump on board. "This is as crazy as in my country," said Rashid, an immigrant from Pakistan who only gave his first name because he was trying to slip into the European Union. "I never thought I would see something like this in Europe. But it's still better than being robbed for bus rides by smugglers." Hundreds of kilometers (miles) away on the border with Hungary, two girls in pink shirts happily chased their elongated shadows over the rail tracks into that EU-member country. Their exhausted parents walked behind, carrying the family's belongings. A man hobbled by on crutches, careful not to stumble over the rusty train bars. Two men helped a friend in wheelchair over the wooden ridges. Young men with rucksacks chatted as they walked past. Others followed, their silhouettes emerging from the distance in the dim light. At the Hungarian border, the railway is the sole part of the border not covered by a razor-wire fence. Taking the tracks means a longer but a safer route that does not involve paying hefty fees to smugglers to spirit you across the border in trucks and vans in the dark. Still, it also almost certainly means ending up in the hands of Hungarian authorities, who are known for their stern stance toward asylum seekers. "People who just have had enough are taking the railway route," said Abdul Majeed from Syria. "Those who are poor, hungry and tired." Hosny Al-Kahyari, also from Syria, said he no longer wanted to risk his life in the hands of smugglers. He said they already double-crossed him once in Serbia, kicking him out of a car on a highway shortly after setting off toward Belgrade, the capital. The 26-year-old student said he would rather play it safe this time. "I'll just take the railway route," he said, heading to Hungary from the northern Serbian town of Kanjiza. Yet trekking along the rails is also dangerous. Nearly 40 people have been killed in Macedonia by trains in the past year as they walked along the tracks. Those seeking safety in Europe also have to navigate the chaotic scene at the Gevgelija railway station, not far from the border, where tempers flare as thousands try to clamber on the overload trains from garbage-strewn platforms. Some of the most violent clashes between migrants and police have happened on the railway tracks between Greece and Macedonia, where Macedonian police fired stun grenades to disperse a crowd that, frustrated after spending three nights out in the open, tried to charge them several times. Dozens of people were injured in two separate incidents. The reason for the blockade was, in part, the turmoil at the Gevgelija train station. Further up the route, Hungary suspended all rail traffic from its main terminal in Budapest and cleared the Keleti station of hundreds of people trying to board trains for Austria and Germany. Migrants chanting "Freedom! Freedom!" protested outside the station. Then it was the Austrian railways turn to shut down train service to and from Budapest, citing overcrowding. Taking matters into their own hands, thousands of people began to walk Friday to Vienna, 40 miles (60 kilometers) away, temporarily forcing a major highway to shut down. Finally, over 12,000 asylum seekers stepped off their trains Saturday to a different welcome in the southern German city of Munich: clean beds, medical care and offers of food and clothing. "Munich is doing the right thing. We have to help them," said Johann Hoerterer, a bus driver waiting at the city's central train station to ferry newcomers to shelters across Bavaria. ____ Gec reported from Horgos, Serbia. Paul Wheatley contributed from Munich. Join the conversation about this story »

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Catsimatidis Greek Birthday With Great Food, Dancing and Breaking Plates

  SOUTHAMPTON – Greek-American businessman, radio show host, and 2013 NYC Mayoral Candidate John Catsimatidis celebrated his 67th birthday in style – the style of Greece, that is. Family and friends gathered at Nammos restaurant in Southampton, NY on September 6 to with the honoree chronia polla – many years, and the celebration was replete […] The post Catsimatidis Greek Birthday With Great Food, Dancing and Breaking Plates appeared first on The National Herald.

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Convicted killer of French football supporter arrested in GREECE

A Serbian man who was one of more than a dozen convicted in the 2009 murder of a French football supporter was arrested in Athens on Saturday, ...

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Record Numbers Cross Med Into Europe

The International Organisation for Migration estimated that 309,356 people had arrived by sea in Greece as of September 10, with another 121,139 arriving in Italy, 2,166 in Spain and 100 Malta. It comes as Hungary's prime minister has warned migrants that if they cross the border illegally they will be arrested from next week. Viktor Orban said migrants had rebelled against the country's laws and had failed to co-operate with authorities in recent days.

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Santa Cruz GREEK community keeps food, traditions alive

Anastasia Karastamatis, who is known as Presbytera at the Prophet Elias GREEK Orthodox Church in Santa Cruz, sits on one of the church's pews on ...

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Early Release for Greek Drug Lord

A notorious drug smuggler once sentenced to life is out after 11 years thanks to an early release program for hardened criminals passed by SYRIZA. The post Early Release for Greek Drug Lord appeared first on The National Herald.

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Are you organising an event supporting refugees?

Help us map community action in response to the refugee crisis in Europe by sharing details of events, and find out what’s being organised near you Supplies are being donated across Europe to help support people who have arrived on the continent this summer as refugees. Grassroots organisations are advertising collections and drop-offs, as well as demonstrations and vigils, to show support for thousands of refugees travelling through and staying in temporary camps in Greece, France, Germany, Hungary and Austria. One of these groups, Calais Action, which began delivering donations to refugees in Calais in August, has been charting these community efforts in the UK and Europe. To raise awareness of the ways in which the public can help, people can submit details of organised collections and trips to donate using this form. Calais Action has produced a crowdsourced map of activities so far with all major giving groups contributing, according to the organisation. Continue reading...

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The Latest: 2 German papers welcome migrants in Arabic

Nearly half the migrants reaching GREECE in small boats from Turkey arrive on Lesbos, and sleep rough there until they can be registered. Police said ...

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Alternate FM Flogaitis participates in the International Conference for the victims of ethnic ...

The Alternate Minister for Foreign Affairs, Professor Spyros Flogaitis, represented Greece at the International Conference for the victims of ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East, which took place in Paris, with the participation of 24 Foreign Minister from 60 countries.In his remarks, Mr. Flogaitis underscored that “in the Middle East, there has been and continues to be a variety of ethnic, religious and cultural groups coexisting harmoniously. In fact, the presence of the Orthodox Patriarchates in the region also echoes the historical presence of Hellenism.”Referring to the refugees reaching Greece, Mr. Flogaitis said that “the country is receiving...

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The Latest: Greece completes screening of Lesbos migrants

The latest news as countries across Europe cope with the arrival of thousands of migrants and refugees. All times local (CET):

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Cranston GREEK Festival celebrates 30th annual event

The Church of the Annunciation in Cranston is gearing up to celebrate its 30th annual GREEK Festival, with plenty of food, music and dance for the ...

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20,000 Migrants Homeless in Lesbos 'Humanitarian Disaster'

Aid workers are calling the situation on the Greek island of Lesbos a “humanitarian disaster” as authorities try to settle 20,000 migrants, most from ...

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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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Gust C. Kraras: Preserver of Communities

    I have just received the album marking the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church of Reading, PA’s centennial celebration of 1914 to 2014. A beautiful hardcover volume of just a tad under 500 pages, its quality can be seen in both the content of its written information and its physical composition. The […] The post Gust C. Kraras: Preserver of Communities appeared first on The National Herald.

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On the migrant trail: In Germany for the long haul

From eastern Greece to the northern tip of France, thousands of migrants fleeing war and persecution tread the Balkan route each day heading for northern Europe. Follow their hazardous journey with FRANCE 24's team of reporters.

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