The Orthodox Churches of Ios On the Greek Cyclades

Greek ReporterThe Orthodox Churches of Ios On the Greek CycladesHuffington PostIf you like Greek Orthodox churches and chapels, the island of Ios in the Greek Cyclades is the perfect place for you. Nobody knows exactly how many churches and chapels are scattered over the island, but according to a popular myth, there are 365 of ...Brisbane: The Story of the First Greek Orthodox ChurchGreek Reporterall 2 news articles »

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Zimbabwe's opposition

It is a story with some of the qualities of a Greek tragedy. A brave warrior rallies his countrymen to try to oust an unjust king. For years they struggle, enduring great hardship and showing true courage. Then one day the king - also weakened by the fight ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.bbc.co.uk

Index starts rising again on good news for banks

The thumbs-up given by Moody’s to Greek banks, coupled with the expected return of Eurobank and Viohalco to the blue-chip index ended the decline of Greek stocks with a late rally that gave the benchmark marginal gains on Tuesday. The Athens Exchange (ATH... ...

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Letter Bomb Sent to Greek Police Station

Greek police have said a package containing an improvised explosive device was sent to the police station in Itea, central Greece, without any warning. Bomb-disposal units

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Cavafy: Born and Died On April 29

Constantine P. Cavafy, one of the greater Greek poets and responsible for the revival and recognition of Greek poetry abroad, was born and died on

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Renovation of Panathinaikos’ Stadium

Yannis Alafouzos, the president of the Greek football team, Panathinaikos announced the renovation plans of the team’s stadium that include change of canopies, construction of

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Greece's Eurobank ends capital increase with strong demand

Greece's Eurobank said Tuesday a 2.86-billion-euro share capital increase mandated by the central bank had ended with strong demand from private investors. "Both the public offering and the international offering were oversubscribed," the bank said, adding: "Over 250 institutional investors participated in the international offering, confirming the strong interest in Eurobank." The Hellenic ...

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Eurobank Ergasias Becomes First Major Greek Bank to Return to Private Investors

Eurobank Ergasias Becomes First Major Greek Bank to Return to Private InvestorsWall Street Journal"The combined offering was well received from a broad base of investors, including long only and sovereign-wealth fund investors, as well as Greek retail and institutional investors," said Christos Megalou, Chief Executive Officer of Eurobank in a ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT online.wsj.com

Kusulas to be Head of Cathedral School

NEW YORK – The Board of the Cathedral School of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity has announced the appointment of Theodore P. Kusulas, former principal at the schools of St. Demetrios in Astoria,  to be the new Head of the school,  replacing Sonia Celestin. He will begin his service on June 15, 2014. Dimitra […]

The post Kusulas to be Head of Cathedral School appeared first on The National Herald.

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Wine Just in Time for Souvlaki Season

As the weather gets warmer and warmer, outdoor cookouts become more and more frequent. For Greeks, that means lamb, pork, and other meats, “stin souvla” (on the spit). Cut up a few slices, stick them on a skewer and, voile – it’s souvlaki time!  Now, to choose the right wine… Tavel is a wine producing […]

The post Wine Just in Time for Souvlaki Season appeared first on The National Herald.

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Greece's Eurobank completes 2.86 billion euro share offering

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's third-largest lender Eurobank (EURBr.AT) became its first bailed-out financial institution to return to private control on Tuesday after raising 2.86 billion euros (2.34 billion ...

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Greek man returning from Persian Gulf cleared for MERS

A Greek man who returned to Athens from the Persian Gulf tested negative for the rare and deadly respiratory disease MERS, which has killed dozens of people in Saudi Arabia. The 70-year-old was being treated in a negative pressure room at Sotiria Hospital... ...

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When Heraclitus Met Greek Politics

Thucydides, Pericles, Socrates and Aristotle are the preferred references in the search of the logic, if logic exists, in understanding politics in modern Athens, Thebes, Corinth and Sparta. For more than one reason a modern disciple of Heraclitus, who visited Ephesus only a few weeks ago, took the risky step to join politics in Hellas. Defying the calls of his friends and advisors for prudence and against all odds, he decided to join a party -- a movement rather than a party -- without aparatchiks, structures, politburos, etc. It is no surprise that the new party that will contest in the uneven campaign for the European Parliament Elections scheduled for May 25 is named To Potami ( The River). In contemporary terms Heraclitus is considered to be a postmodern thinker. His thoughts transcend time, place, continents. Heraclitus taught me that : - Air dies giving birth to fire. Fire dies giving birth to air. Thus water is born of earth, and earth of water. - the river where you set your foot just now is gone and a new one is constantly formed. - the way up is the way back. - just as the river where I step is not the same, and it is, so am I, as I am not. Can a party with no politicians meet the challenge and make the edge in Greek politics? Can it change the course, sidelining the political oligarchies that have been ruling Greece for roughly 70 years, often accused of lack of ethos, accountability and common sense? Two weeks ago, I met To Potami's leader Stavros Theodorakis, a self-made man and articulate journalist. I did not hesitate for a moment to accept his invitation. The candidates of the Euro elections ticket are not polticians. They have all successfully served the country and the society. They have excelled in business, academia, medicine, farming. Our motto is "for a strong Greece in a more just Europe." A United Europe cannot be achieved with divided Europeans along the north-south or south-north dividing lines. We say yes, to a Europe which will show respect for the dignity of its citizens. But to change Europe, we must first change the course of politics at home. Heraclitus insists that "the beginning is the end" and that "without injustice the name of justice would mean nothing."In family, in society and in politics it is clear that "one's bearing shapes one's fate." Heraclitus is what was really missing from politics today in Greece.

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Big investors grab Eurobank rights issue

The capital raised sees the first of Greece’s four big lenders to be largely privatised, with the public stake shrinking to 35 per cent

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No jail time for ex-Anglo Bankers; UK economy posts fastest annual growth since 2007

Latest: ex-Anglo bankers avoid jail

Can UK banks handle house price crash and new recession?

UK economy grew by 0.8% in Q1 - details start here

Osborne: foundations for broad-based recovery in place

5.20pm BST

And here's a photo of the moment the two Anglo Irish executives left court this afternoon:

4.52pm BST

And here's Henry McDonald, our Ireland Correspondent, on the news that the Anglo Irish execs convicted of illegal lending in the run-up to Ireland's financial crash will definitely not be imprisoned:

The Irish State has lost the battle to jail bankers blamed for the biggest financial collapse in the country's history which nearly bankrupted the entire Republic.

A judge at the Anglo Irish Bank trial ruled on Tuesday afternoon that it would be unjust to imprison two senior executives at the now defunct institution even the pair were found guilty of illegally lending tens of millions of euros to ten rich investors just months before it went bankrupt.

4.41pm BST

Today's court ruling means no Irish banker has yet been jailed over the events that brought its financial system crashing down and forced Ireland to take a 90bn bailout.

Here's some instant reaction:

#Anglo investigation took bones of 6 years, cost millions and no jail time. Our corporate crime strategy is lacking from the very start

@TomLyonsBiz: Some result at the Anglo trial - damning indictment of the financial regulator. Tom will tell us more on @lstwrd at 4.30.

What does an Irish banker have to do in order to be thrown in prison? The answer remains a mystery. http://t.co/9paLE4DZGo

4.36pm BST

The two former executives of Anglo Irish bank have now left the court, after hearing that they'll not be jailed:

Ex Anglo director Patrick Whelan exits the courts: pic.twitter.com/8h4Or97oLk

Willie McAteer and pat Whelan have both left the court in silence after being told they won't be jailed for #anglo loans @IrishMirror

4.23pm BST

Breaking: The two bankers convicted over the collapse of Anglo Irish Bank have avoided being jailed.

Patrick Whelan and William McAteer, who could have received five year's imprisonment each, were told this afternoon that they will serve community service instead.

The Judge at the Anglo Irish Bank trial has ruled that two defendants found guilty of illegal lending to ten investors should not go to jail.

"It would be incredibly unjust to impose custodial sentences.

"I find it incredible that red lights did not go off somewhere in the Regulators office.

Judge Nolan said it was unjust to sent the men to jail when a State agency, the Financial Regulator, led them into error and legality #Anglo

"I feel Mr McAteer and Mr Whelan are not deserving of prison sentences" says #anglotrial judge

3.32pm BST

The spread between UK and German government bond yields has hit its highest level since autumn 1998.

3.19pm BST

MOODY'S SEES GREECE REAL GDP GROWTH 0.3% IN 2014, 1.2% IN 2015

3.13pm BST

Another sign that Greece's economy is, slowly, inching back to normality. Moody's has raised its outlook on the Greek banking sector to stable, from negative.

After some very unstable years, Moody's sees Greek GDP rising by 0.3% this year -- meaning the six-year recession would finally be over - driven by tourism and exports.

Correct timing by Moody's. Today Eurobank was successfully recapitalized &reprivatized. The last of #Greece's systemic banks to exit bailout

#crisiswhatcrisis RT @chrisadamsmkts: Moody's changes outlook on Greece's banking system to stable from negative

2.12pm BST

In the eurozone, the German inflation rate rose to 1.1% annually this month, up from the 0.9% in March.

That suggests that the euro area inflation rate will pick up from the record low of 0.5% hit last month, when it is announced tomorrow.

1.53pm BST

Here's Jill's full story on the UK bank stress tests:

1.26pm BST

Interesting developments at Barclays -- Skip McGee, the boss of Barclays Americas, is stepping down.

McGee, who ran Lehman Brothers' investment arm (before Barclays snapped it up in the dramatic days of Autumn 2008), will leave the bank tomorrow.

What the hell us up with the names at Barclays? Diamond,Rich & Gold RT @bySamRo BARCLAYS AMERICAS CEO MCGEE TO STEP DOWN;GOLD TO REPLACE HIM

12.57pm BST

The bleak scenario outlined in today's Bank of England stress tests has only been matched once in recent UK history, after the First World War, says our City editor Jill Treanor.

From the Bank, she writes:

The Bank of England is to subject the UKs biggest banks and building societies to a series of stringent tests to see if they are strong enough to withstand the shock of a 35% crash in house prices, along with a jump in interest rates to 4% and soaring unemployment.

Policymakers in Threadneedle Street will stress-test the UKs eight largest financial firms with a set of hypothetical scenarios over a three year period between 2014 and 2016. The exercise will assume that house prices fall back to levels last seen in 2002, unemployment would soar to 12% and interest rates jump from their record low of 0.5% to 4%.

12.57pm BST

Details of the stress tests are online on the Bank's website.

12.55pm BST

Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, insists that it's "highly unlikely" that Britain will suffer the toxic mix of blows outlined in today's stress tests (so that's a relief).

It's vital, though, that the banks are strong enough to support the recovery, rather than being first in the queue for help when the economy sours.

Although the events depicted in this stress-test scenario are extreme, and thus highly unlikely to transpire, by bringing together the microprudential standards for banks with a macroprudential assessment of the tail risks to which they must be resilient, the Bank is working to ensure that the UK financial system remains one that absorbs rather than amplifies shocks.

12.38pm BST

Breaking: Britain's biggest banks must show that they have the resources to cope with a massive house price crash, a collapse in the value of sterling, a surge in unemployment and another deep recession.

The Bank of England has released details of the stress tests that Britain's eight biggest banks must pass to show they are resilient enough to survive another crisis.

12.25pm BST

Over in parliament, George Osborne is in good spirits at Treasury questions.

George Osborne: "The ONLY thing Ed Balls can say is 'Why aren't you cleaning up Labour's mess more quickly!'" #TreasuryQs

12.00pm BST

Chris Giles, the FT's economics editor, has tweeted a graph suggesting that UK production sector won't hit its pre-crisis peak until early 2019!

Construction output should hit this milestone at the end of 2016 (assuming current trends continues, of course....)

Services above 2008 peak. Total economy soon there. On recent trends, production and construction some way to go pic.twitter.com/X71wswNjZI

11.49am BST

Geraint Johnes, director at The Work Foundation, says the 1.3% rise in UK manufacturing output last quarter suggests that the economy is both recovering and rebalancing.

But he also warns Britain still suffers from an 'underemployment' problem .

Manufacturing grew by 1.3% over the quarter, and by 3.5% over the year. This is clearly good news in that it addresses concerns that the UK had, before the recession, become over-reliant on services.

The evidence that this recovery is spatially uneven suggests that the very encouraging aggregate statistics may serve to conceal what is, in reality, a much more nuanced picture.

11.24am BST

Unless Britain suffers a very nasty shock imminently, the nation's economy should finally climb above its pre-crisis peak by the summer (last quarter's growth means it's just 0.6% away)

The Treasury will be getting the bunting ready, and the PM will probably tweet about the #LongTermEconomicPlan succeeding. It's a welcome milestone, especially with the main sectors fo the economy all growing.

It has, in all honesty, been a long time coming. The recession was deep and the recovery until the last 12 months painfully slow. Slower even than after the Great Depression of the 1930s.

But there is now growth across virtually the whole economy. Most of the expansion between January and March was accounted for by services, in part because services make up almost four fifths of the economy and in part because parts of the service sector housing, retailing, business services all performed strongly. Construction was a tad weaker than expected, with the 0.3% growth perhaps suggesting that increased demand for property has yet to feed through into higher house building

11.06am BST

This chart reinforces the point that Britain's service sector has outperformed the rest of the economy since the great recession.

10.58am BST

The CBI is optimistic about UK growth prospects this year, reckoning that businesses and consumers are growing in confidence:

Katja Hall, CBI chief policy director, said:

Growth in the first quarter was mostly driven by the service sector [see here], but were also seeing our industrial base playing an important role in the recovery, with manufacturing output rising steadily.

We expect economic momentum to be maintained throughout the year with a broader-based recovery as business investment takes off.

10.54am BST

Shadow chancellor Ed Balls just appeared on BBC News 24, warning that many people in Britain are not feeling the benefits in the recovery.

Now that growth has finally returned, the question is whether ordinary working people will properly feel the benefit and we have a balanced recovery thats built to last.

David Cameron and George Osborne want to tell people the cost-of-living crisis is over, but millions of hardworking people are still feeling no recovery at all.

.@edballsmp response to GDP figures: "Now that growth has finally returned..." After 5 straight quarters of growth. #painful

. @edballsmp also manages to use "built to last" 3 times in his response to GDP. Nightmare x3 in Ed M's office...

10.36am BST

The 1.3% rise in manufacturing output last quarter suggests the UK is benefitting from the recent pick-up in economic conditions in Europe.

Berenberg's Dr Christian Schulz reckons:

In a sign that the beginning recovery in the Eurozone, the UKs single most important export market, is helping the UK as well, the export-oriented manufacturing sector was the best performer of all sectors in Q1.

10.29am BST

Aengus Collins, UK Analyst at The Economist Intelligence Unit, is also in the Goldilocks camp, saying:

George Osborne will be happy with this morning's estimate that GDP increased by 0.8% quarter on quarter in the first three months of the year. It builds on the momentum developed last year, but without accelerating as rapidly as some official and private-sector analysts had forecast.

The economy remains vulnerable to the next cyclical downturn when it arrives

10.28am BST

James Knightley of ING reckons the UK economy will grow by 3% this year. That would beat other G7 economies -- indeed, New Zealand is the only developed economy that could do better, he predicts.

Given New Zealand has already started to tighten monetary policy [interest rates went up last week], this underlines our point that the risks remain skewed towards earlier Bank of England policy tightening than the second quarter of 2015, the point currently pencilled in by financial markets.

10.23am BST

Skimming through my inbox, several economists are pointing out that today's GDP estimate is only based on around 40% of the total economic data, and includes many assumptions and extrapolations. This means the growth rate could be revised up in a few weeks, they say.

This argument is particularly popular with economists who had forecast a growth rate of 0.9% or higher....

10.18am BST

Better late than never? That's the message from the TUC today, which chides George Osborne for snuffing out the recovery in 2010 with an austerity package that knocked the economy off course.

TUC General Secretary Frances OGrady also urged the Bank of England not to tighten monetary policy yet:

This is the kind of growth we could have seen two or three years ago if the government had not choked off recovery through cuts, austerity and wage freezes.

But however welcome these figures are the economy remains below its 2008 peak and most people have yet to see much benefit from growth. Pay and job prospects are still below pre-crash levels, and there will need to be many more years of figures like todays, before ordinary families recover lost ground.

10.16am BST

Here's our story on this morning's growth figures, by Katie Allen:

10.14am BST

Reaction is flooding in, with two economists declaring that Britain's economy has reached its Goldilocks moment -- not too hot, and not too cold.

Ian Stewart, chief economist at Deloitte, reckons the recovery looks sustainable with business investment and consumer incomes rising at long last.

The UK economy is in the sweet spot of the economic cycle, with growth powering ahead of our major competitors and inflation falling away.

The breakdown by output showed solid quarterly rises in both industrial production (+0.8%) and services output (+0.9%), though construction was soft at +0.3%. We dont have the expenditure breakdown yet, though the retail sales figures suggest that the recovery remains heavily dependent on consumer spending.

10.05am BST

Britain's production sector is still 10% smaller than before the collapse of Lehman Brothers, but the service sector has clawed back all the activity lost in the great recession.

ONS chief economist Joe Grice explains:

"This is the fifth consecutive quarter of steady growth. Overall, the economy is now only 0.6% below the pre-recession peak at the beginning of 2008.

In fact, services are now 2% above the pre-recession peak but the production and construction sectors are still around 12% lower."

9.58am BST

George Osborne may indeed spy the foundations of a broad-based recovery (see here), but Britain is still relying on the services sector for most of its growth.

This chart shows that Services (which grew by +0.9% in the quarter) provided almost all of the 0.8% increase in UK GDP in the last quarter.

9.52am BST

The prime minister has rolled out his favourite Twitter hashtag:

Today's #GDP figures show that Britain is coming back. There's no room for complacency, but our #LongTermEconomicPlan is working.

9.50am BST

So, UK economic growth did pick up pace in the early months of this year. 0.8% growth is a small acceleration on the 0.7% expansion recorded in October-December, and matches the growth seen last summer when the recovery finally kicked off.

But it's still a little shy of the 0.9% which the City had expected.

9.48am BST

You can see the ONS's preliminary estimate of UK GDP online, here (pdf).

9.44am BST

George Osborne was quick to hail today's growth figures as proof that "the foundations for a broad-based recovery" is underway.

Here's the chancellor's reaction to the news that UK GDP increased by 0.8% in the last quarter:

"Today's figures show that Britain is coming back - but we can't take that for granted. We have to carry on working through our long term economic plan.For the first time in a decade all three main sectors of the economy - manufacturing, services and construction - have grown by at least three per cent over the last year.

The impact of the Great Recession is still being felt, but the foundations for a broad based recovery are now in place. The biggest risk to economic security would be abandoning the plan that is laying those foundations."

9.38am BST

It was a strong quarter for manufacturing -- with output rising by 1.3% during the quarter. The March of the Makers picked up pace.

The wider measure of production output was dragged down by a drop in agricultural output (-0.7%) and a 2% drop in activity across the energy sector.

9.36am BST

The UK economy is still 0.6% below its pre-crisis peak in 2008, after the 0.8% rise in output in the first three months of the year.

If you exclude oil and gas output, though, it's actually 0.3% higher.

9.35am BST

Britain's dominant service sector grew by 0.9% during the quarter.

Industrial output rose by 0.8%, and construction output brought up the rear at +0.3% quarter-on-quarter.

9.33am BST

The UK economy has grown by 3.1% over the last year, the ONS says. That's the strongest year-on-year change in GDP since the fourth quarter of 2007, after the near-collapse of Northern Rock.

9.30am BST

Breaking: The UK economy grew by 0.8% in the first three months of 2014 - slightly below forecasts, but still showing solid growth.

9.28am BST

Two minutes to go until the ONS announces how well, or badly, the UK performed in the first three months....

9.26am BST

In the City, the FTSE 100 index of blue-chip companies has hit a seven-week high this morning, up 0.4% at 6727 points.

It's being driven by takeover rumours -- UK pharmaceuticals firm Shire (+3.1%) is apparently being eyed up by Allergan, the firm behind Botox. AstraZeneca, which is fighting off the advances of viagra-maker Pfizer, has dipped 1.4% this morning after surging 14% yesterday.

9.18am BST

Heads-up: Vince Cable, business secretary, is being grilled over the Royal Mail flotation this morning. Andrew Sparrow is live-blogging all the action from Westminster:

9.16am BST

Just 15 minutes until the Office for National Statistics announces its first estimate of UK growth for the last three months.

As covered in the opening post, the consensus is that GDP increased by 0.9% during the quarter.

All eyes on UK #GDP this morning but analysts may find themselves underwhelmed. 0.6% looks more likely than the stellar growth some predict

9.05am BST

The Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, has declared that Britain's recovery is starting to "broaden out", but he's not ready to raise interest rates yet.

There is every sign that the recovery is starting to broaden out and I would describe our attitude at the moment as prudently optimistic.

What is important is that we see longer-term growth, and the view that we are getting from businesses here in Bristol is that the signs coming from the economy are consistent with improved longer-term growth.

In order to see a return to consistent growth we need to see improvement across all sectors and we also need to see a substantial increase in wages.

We all want the recovery to be sustainable and the early signs are consistent with that. But we need to see real growth in every sector and in the current level of wages.

8.54am BST

Remember George Osborne's "March of the Makers" -- the chancellor's rallying cry in his March 2011 budget that British industry would drive the recovery?

It didn't get off to a good start -- indeed, it looked more like Napoleon's retreat from Moscow as factory struggled and Britain's balance of payments deficit soared in 2012.

Output in the manufacturing sector is likely to have expanded by 1.2% over the first quarter of 2014, which would equal the best performance since July-September 2010.

8.39am BST

London estate agent chain Foxtons (famous for garish Minis and pushy salespeople) has fuelled concerns that Britain's recovery is being driven by the fickle hand of the housing market.

It reported a 44% surge in core earnings in the last three months this morning. Chairman Gerry Watts declared that turnover was "well up", with profit margins "further enhanced".

London: you don't have to be mad to live here but it helps RT @CarolineHydeTV: Foxtons 1Q sales commissions +41%..."signif volume growth"

8.32am BST

Today's GDP data will confirm that Britain's economy has now been growing for 15 months in a row. We haven't seen a contraction in output since the last three months of 2012, when GDP shrank by 0.2%.

The UK economy grew by 0.4% in January-March 2013, then picked up pace in the middle of the year - with growth of 0.8% in the second and third quarters. It then slowed slightly in Q4, with growth of 0.7%.

8.23am BST

Our economics editor Larry Elliott explained on Sunday why a strong GDP reading today should be treated with caution.

GDP per capita (national output divided by the population) has shown little improvement since the depth of the crisis. The increase in economic output has been largely mirrored by the rise in population -- that's why people don't feel better off (the long run of falling real wages is the other factor, of course).

The last time the UK had a current account deficit of more than 5% of GDP was in the late 1980s, when the Lawson boom was about to collapse.

At that point, though, years of strong growth had left the public finances in the black and there was scope to let the public finances take the strain when the economy weakened. If the current surge in activity does prove to be short-lived, it will be no good looking to the Treasury for a fiscal boost. Instead, it will again be up to the Bank of England to keep the economy moving.

8.12am BST

Some City economists reckon the UK economy grew by as much as 1.1% in January-March, although others are more pessimistic.

Economics reporter Katie Allen writes:

Britain's economy clocked up its fastest growth for almost four years during the first quarter of 2014, outpacing other advanced nations, according to economists' forecasts ahead of official GDP data this morning.

The first official estimate of GDP for the January to March quarter due at 9.30am is expected to show the economy grew 0.9%, according to the consensus forecast in a Reuters poll of economists. That would mark an acceleration from 0.7% in the final quarter of 2013 and would be the fastest growth since the second quarter of 2010 when GDP rose 1%. There was a range of views in the poll of City analysts, with the highest forecast at 1.1% growth and the lowest 0.5%.

8.06am BST

Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of events across the economy, the financial markets, the eurozone and the business world.

How strong is the UK recovery, and how sustainable it is?

The UK was one of the most severely impacted economies following the global financial crisis... Now, after a protracted period of weakness the economy is back on its feet and is growing robustly.

The Bank of England is preparing to order eight of the UK's biggest banks and building societies to ensure they are strong enough to withstand sharp drops in house prices and sudden rises in interest rates.

Before the formal publication of the tests, Sky News said banks would be required to show they could survive a 35% fall in house prices and interest rates jumping to 5%, after five years at a record low of 0.5%. The conditions that banks must be able to withstand are to be outlined by the Bank of England on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com

Greece's first certified conservator goes back in time

KathimeriniGreece's first certified conservator goes back in timeKathimerini“This job was so widely unknown that I remember a lady asking me if I could look at her plumbing while I was at it,” the man who single-handedly turned the art of conservation in Greece into a science told Kathimerini during a recent interview over ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Parcel bomb sent to Greek regional police station

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say they have destroyed a powerful parcel bomb packed with nails and bolts that was delivered to a regional police station, labelled as containing religious books.

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT news.yahoo.com

Moody's upgrades Greek banks to stable

KathimeriniMoody's upgrades Greek banks to stableKathimeriniCredit rating agency Moody's on Tuesday upgraded the Greek banking system from negative to stable and said the country's economy would return to growth this year after a six-year recession. "The outlook for the Greek banking system has been changed to ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

IOC VP: Rio preparations 'worst I have experienced'

In an unusually blunt public warning, a vice-president of the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday called the delayed preparations for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro "the worst I have experienced." John Coates, who has made six trips to Brazil as part of the IOC's co-ordination commission for Rio, said the Brazilians are behind "in many, many ways" and are in worse shape than Greek organizers were in preparing for the 2004 Olympics. Despite the critical delays, the Australian said there is no backup plan and the games will take place in Rio. Coates noted that the IOC had taken the...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT article.wn.com

Eurobank rights issue returns Greek lender to private hands

Eurobank rights issue returns Greek lender to private handsFinancial TimesEurobank has pulled off one of the biggest capital raisings in Greek history, attracting more than €7bn of orders from big institutional investors and hedge funds for a €2.9bn rights issue that will return the country's third-biggest bank to mostly ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ft.com

Greece third last in EU for credit card use

Greeks are among those least likely to use credit cards in the European Union, according to a European Central Bank report published on Tuesday. Greece came third last both in terms of the frequency of use and the total value of payments made by credit ca... ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Glezos quits committee on WWII reparations

SYRIZA MP Manolis Glezos on Tuesday quit Greece's cross-party committee on World War Two reparations, saying that the body had failed to live up to its task. Glezos, a WWII resistance hero, said that instead of seeking ways to claim German compensation fo... ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Tsipras receives invitation to visit Russia

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has extended an official invitation to Greece's leftist opposition leader Alexis Tsipras to visit Russia, Skai reported Tuesday. Tsipras has been invited to visit the country in the first half of May, the report said... ...

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Ioannina Pediatrician Arrested for Child Pornography

Parents in the northern Greek community of Ioannina who entrusted their children to the town’s seemingly earnest pediatrician are shocked at the doctor’s arrest on charges

READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

May Day and St George to Attract Bulgarians to Greece in May

After the wave of Bulgarian tourists that visited Greece during Easter, a real tsunami of them is expected to cross into northern Greece

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Pass the feta cheese! Saudi hosts Greek food festival

Pass the feta cheese! Saudi hosts Greek food festivalAl-BawabaMuin Serhan, Riyadh Marriott Hotel General Manager, and the Greek ambassador to Saudi Arabia co-hosted the event which was attended by other ambassadors and dignitaries. The diplomats include the ambassadors of Lebanon, France, Norway, ...

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Reports of Refugee Pushbacks in Greece, Bulgaria Make EU Mull Action

Two major human-rights groups issued reports lambasting Greece and Bulgaria Tuesday, making the serious accusation that border authorities in the two countries push refugees back over their respective borders with Turkey –an illegal practice. Human ...

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Greece considers swapping coal for renewables

A number of politicians in northwestern Greece have grown weary of the pollution and health risks resulting from local coal mining. They are looking into an energy overhaul based on renewables. Driving through the northern Greek towns of Kozani, Ptolemaida ...

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Coalition parties at odds over proposals for review of Greek Constitution

KathimeriniCoalition parties at odds over proposals for review of Greek ConstitutionKathimeriniPASOK and New Democracy were at odds on Monday over the conservative party's plan to announce proposals for a review of the Greek Constitution. Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is expected to set out on Wednesday his party's ideas for a range of ...Greece receives €6.3bn in bailout loansEuropean VoiceSamaras Looks To Growth, Debt Relief NextGreek ReporterA Milestone or a Millstone? Greece Reenters the Bond MarketsHellenic News of Americaecns -Capital.gr (press release) -Shanghai Daily (subscription)all 21 news articles »

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Amnesty Group Wants Greek Sanctions

Amnesty International said the European Union should impose sanctions for what it called "unlawful and shameful" expulsion of refugees and immigrants.

The post Amnesty Group Wants Greek Sanctions appeared first on The National Herald.

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Malliotakis Eyes Congressional Run, Post Says

NEW YORK – Only hours after Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm announced that he would be indicted for alleged tax fraud on April 25, Brooklyn/Staten Island Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, who recently announced her plans to run for another term in that capacity, began to position herself for a run at Grimm’s potentially-vacated House seat, the […]

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A Woman Scorned: The Top 12 Female Revenge Movies

They fight for justice, and we cheer. They slash out in anger, and we cringe. From The Women to The Help, and from Carrie to Lady Vengeance, we honor a dozen movies that brandish female fury

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Greece's Labor Ministry to Modernize Union Law

Greek ReporterGreece's Labor Ministry to Modernize Union LawGreek Reporterstrike-Greece Greece's Labor Ministry is set to modernize the legislative framework on trade unions after 32 years, according to the Greek newspaper To Ethnos, which says radical changes are to effect union financing and strike-announcement procedures.

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Greek Org of Football Prognostics : Announcement of draft amendment of the Articles of Association of OPAP S.A.

03/27 GREEK ORG OF FOOTBALL PROGNOSTICS: 2014 Financial Calendar 03/21 GREEK ORG OF FOOTBALL PROGNOSTICS: Combine Solicitation - USCG STATION NEW LOND.. 03/21 GREEK ORG OF FOOTBALL PROGNOSTICS: Combine Solicitation - USCG STATION PORT ARA.. 03/21 GREEK ORG ...

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Eat Greek: Johnny Tomazos talks about promoting under-represented cuisine in ...

Eat Greek: Johnny Tomazos talks about promoting under-represented cuisine in ...The NationalThis welcome addition to our rather embarrassingly small selection of Greek restaurants goes some way in mapping this delightful yet under-represented cuisine in the UAE. Dubai also has long-standing favourite, Elia in the Majestic Hotel Tower Dubai ...and more »

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Former Greek FM was 'forced to resign' amid Ocalan arrest

Greece’s Former Foreign Minister Theodoros Pangalos said the US pressured him to resign when the founding member of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, was captured in 1999 in Kenya. Ocalan was arrested by Turkish forces and sentenced to ...

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Pediatrician arrested on child porn charges

A 47-year-old pediatrician in the town of Ioannina, northwestern Greece, was expected to face a local prosecutor over charges of child pornography, it emerged on Tuesday. The suspect was arrested by members of a cyberspace crime police unit following an i... ...

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EU executive approves restructuring aid for Greek bank Eurobank

The European Commission has approved restructuring aid for Greece's third-largest lender Eurobank, the European Union executive said on Tuesday. "The plan will enable the bank to become viable in the long term without unduly distorting competition,» the C... ...

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Rio's Olympic Prep The 'Worst' Ever, IOC Vice President Says

In an unusually blunt public warning, a vice president of the International Olympic Committee on Tuesday called the delayed preparations for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro "the worst I have experienced." John Coates, who has made six trips to Brazil as part of the IOC's coordination commission for Rio, said the Brazilians are behind "in many, many ways" and are in worse shape than Greek organizers were in preparing for the 2004 Olympics. Despite the critical delays, the Australian said there is no backup plan and the games will take place in Rio. Coates noted that the IOC had taken the unprecedented step of embedding experts in the host city to help the local organizing committee deliver the games. "The IOC has formed a special task force to try and speed up preparations but the situation is critical on the ground," Coates told an Olympic forum in Sydney, outlining that construction delays are just part of the problem. "The IOC has adopted a more hands-on role. It is unprecedented for the IOC, but there is no plan B. We are going to Rio." Brazil has also come under fire from football's world governing body, FIFA, for long delays in construction of stadiums and other infrastructure and the overdue delivery of venues for the World Cup, which kicks off in June. Two years out from the 2016 Olympics, the situation on the construction front is just as bleak. "We have become very concerned. They are not ready in many, many ways," Coates said. "And this is against a city that's got social issues that also have to be addressed; a country that's also trying to deal with the FIFA World Cup coming up in a few months." Coates said dealing with three levels of government in Brazil made it harder for local organizers than it was for the heavily criticized organizers of the Athens Games, which were also plagued by construction delays and earned a "yellow light" warning from then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. "I think this is a worse situation than Athens," Coates said. "In Athens, we were dealing with one government and some city responsibilities. Here, there's three. "There is bureaucracy, there is little coordination between the federal, the state government and the city — which is responsible for a lot of the construction. The flow of funds from the federal government is not happening quickly enough. We think we need to help facilitate that." Coates, who chairs the IOC coordination commission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said he thinks the IOC has put the message across in Brazil. "We have to make it (the Olympics) happen and that is the IOC approach, you can't walk away from this," he said. "If it comes off — the first (Olympic) Games on the South American continent, in a magical city in so many ways — it'll be a wonderful experience for the athletes." Work hasn't begun at Deodoro, a complex for eight Olympics sports venues, and the course that will host golf's return to the Olympic program for the first time in more than a century doesn't have grass yet. Water pollution is a big worry for sailing and other sports. Concern over the delays has been building over time but hit crisis levels at the SportAccord meeting in Belek, Turkey, earlier this month. In a rare display of unified, open criticism against an Olympic host, 18 sports federations publicly aired concerns over Rio's preparations, with some sports asking about "Plan B" contingencies. The IOC has decided to send a senior troubleshooter, IOC executive director Gilbert Felli, to Brazil as part of a series of emergency measures to tackle the delays threatening the games. Coates said other experienced, high-level staff will soon be appointed. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes fired back last week at the complaints by sports federations, saying they were making too many unnecessary demands. Paes said the federations were asking for too many "large things" that won't be used by the city after the Olympics.

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First Mediterranean Yacht Show in Greece

The region of Peloponnese and the municipality of Nafplio, in cooperation with the Greek Association of Marine Tourism will for the first time

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Baylor students reach out to DC, advocate for Greek housing

Baylor students reach out to DC, advocate for Greek housingThe Baylor LariatTwo Baylor students are in Washington, D.C., this week to advocate for a Greek housing bill the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, or CHIA. “Basically the bill allows tax exemptions for Greek organizations that have to do renovations or change ...and more »

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Toddler's death under investigation in Greece

Toddler's death under investigation in GreeceRochester Democrat and ChronicleThe child, whose name was not released, died Thursday morning at an area hospital, said Greece Police Lt. Casey Voelkl. Loading… Post to Facebook. Toddler's death under investigation in Greece on DemocratandChronicle.com: http://on.rocne.ws/1iBB10o.

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Greece Sets 500 Euro Election Dividend

With critical May elections looming, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras is rushing to hand out 524 million euros ($726.48 million) in a so-called "social dividend".

The post Greece Sets 500 Euro Election Dividend appeared first on The National Herald.

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Amnesty International: Greece is a Frontier of Fear and Hope

Amnesty International is asking to put an end to the “unlawful and shameful” expulsion of refugees and migrants. In a shocking report the organization speaks of the “unacceptable” treatment that these people are faced with when they reach Greek ...

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Greece: suspected parcel bomb at police station

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say a suspected parcel bomb has been found at police station and will be examined by anti-terrorism experts.

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American Entrepreneurs Visit Athens to Connect with Greek Counterparts

Greek ReporterAmerican Entrepreneurs Visit Athens to Connect with Greek CounterpartsGreek ReporterDelegation members will also meet one-on-one with many Greek local entrepreneurs to learn about their businesses, provide mentoring on successful entrepreneurship in a challenging business environment, and establish lasting business-to-business ...

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The benefits of dreamy Greek yoghurt

Irish IndependentThe benefits of dreamy Greek yoghurtIrish IndependentAnd now the rest of the world seems to have fallen in love with this creamy, dreamy Greek delight. Greek yoghurt's nutritional superiority has elevated this dairy product to superfood status in the States, with sales more than doubling over the past ...

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Greek bureaucracy seen as hurdle to German investment

German businesses have shown an interest in investing in Greece once conditions in the debt-laden country have improved. Possible projects range from solar and wind energy parks to road construction. Germany debates what can be done to help Greece ...

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Greece's renewable energy sector: a way out of the crisis?

Greece's renewable energy sector has enormous potential, but legal and administrative obstacles have tripped up investors. While some small enterprises have prospered, major investment is still lacking.

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Time for consensus

The possibility of a review of the Greek constitution is a major opportunity for the country. Following the events of the last few years this appears to be a chance that should not go to waste. The country’s constitution comprises a number of provisions t... ...

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