How the world sees Greece
The reports of Greece's hopes for recovery early last year were greatly exaggerated and it looks like another long, tough haul for another government in 2016. The post World Press: For Greece, 2016 Will Have Familiar Face appeared first on The National Herald.
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
Studio on island of Lesbos, the main entry point for people fleeing to Europe, will produce several projects about crisis Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has set up a studio on the Greek island of Lesbos to highlight the plight of refugees. The island has been the main point of entry for hundreds of thousands of refugees over the past year and the studio would produce several projects with themes related to the refugee crisis from him and his students, Ai told reporters. Related: Lesbos is swept by wave of compassion as refugees continue to arrive by sea Continue reading...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
The band left Turkey on a volatile ride in a rubber dinghy to GREECE, before starting a long trek through Europe that combined hiking, public transport, ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thedailybeast.com |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
The Deputy Foreign Minister for International Economic Relations, Dimitris Mardas, completed his four-day visit to the U.S. (New York City, Washington, DC) today, within the framework of his participation, as a keynote speaker, in the 17th Invest in Greece Forum, which took place in New York City on 14 December 2015.During his stay in the U.S., Mr. Mardas had a number of meetings with U.S. government officials, as well as with heads of major American investment houses and businesses.More specifically, Mr. Mardas met with the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Catherine Novelli, with...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mfa.gr |
Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis met at the Foreign Ministry today, 17 December 2015, with the Russian Ambassador to Greece, Andrey M. Maslov.During the meeting, which took place in an extremely friendly and constructive atmosphere, mutual satisfaction was expressed at the positive dynamic gained this year in Greek-Russian relations. Particular emphasis was put on the prospects for further deepening of bilateral cooperation in sectors within Mr. Amanatidis’ portfolio, especially ahead of the upcoming opening of the programme of actions within the framework of “Greece-Russia 2016”.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mfa.gr |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art. Ai, who has made his ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
Chinese activist and artist Ai Weiwei, left, listens to Ioannis Mouzalas, the GREEK Minister responsible for migration issues, ahead of a news conference ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.dailyjournal.net |
The idea began in 2013 after the three friends realized there was a wide gap in online information about GREEK cultural events. This fact, together with ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei on Friday announced plans to create a memorial on the Greek island of Lesbos to the plight of refugees, many of whom have lost their lives trying to reach Europe.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.news.yahoo.com |
Nearly 3,800 people are estimated to have drowned in the Mediterranean last year, making the journey to GREECE or Italy in unseaworthy vessels ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.kentucky.com |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei wants to raise consciousness about the plight of refugees through his, and his students', art. Ai, who has made his ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT hosted.ap.org |
There are numerous sobering examples in GREEK writings about those who preferred to drink their wine straight, like Clemens, the king of Sparta who ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.pappaspost.com |
A short distance outside the village of Molyvos on the GREEK Island of Lesbos there is a rubbish dump of life jackets, discarded now but forever witness ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.greenpeace.org |
Within a day, “The GREEK Slave” was on display at a tony Pall Mall address in London, where it met with astonishing popular and critical success.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.wsj.com |
"War does not determine who is right - only who is left." - Bertrand Russell _RYOT and The Huffington Post are teaming to up present "The Crossing," an immersive reporting series hosted by Susan Sarandon chronicling the refugee crisis as it unfolds in Greece. _ _Want to read more? Join us here for__ more coverage, including virtual reality and 360 films about the people making the perilous journey from the Middle East toward safety._ READ MORE: -- Two Babies. Two Mothers. Worlds Apart. -- Susan Sarandon Joins Sea Rescue Team On Search For Refugees Headed To Greece -- Lesbos' Lifejacket Graveyard: Susan Sarandon Visits The Frontlines Of The Refugee Crisis -- Susan Sarandon Is Welcoming Refugees To Greece -- At Lesbos, Children's Pool Toys Are Evidence Of Dangerous Journey -- This Group Is Bringing A Much Needed Resource To Refugees In Greece: Clean Laundry -- Susan Sarandon Answered Your Questions About The Refugee Crisis. Here Are Her Best Replies. -- 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.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.huffingtonpost.com |
Throughout 2015 we asked you to document your year in photographs - from extraordinary news events to everyday moments. For each of the 12 days of Christmas we’re showcasing a month of the year from our readers’ perspectives. We continue with July; from the Greek referendum to Eid al-Fitr celebrations Continue reading...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theguardian.com |
What a fun New Year's Day cake! It's moist, light and flavorful. Perfect treat to start the new year. A slice would go nicely with a cup of coffee or tea. Ingredients 3 c flour 4 eggs separated 1 1/2 c sugar 8 oz butter (1/2 pound) 2 tsp baking …
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT world.einnews.com |
The minister responsible for migration issues, Mouzalas, said the "countless islands" that are part of Greece make border control an immense task.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.voanews.com |
On the first floor of the Herakleidon Museum Annex on Apostolou Pavlou Street in central Athens there is an automatic maid that looks like it came out of Star Trek. Surprisingly, it was made hundreds of years ago by Philon of Byzantium in the 3rd century BC. This automatic-robotic maid was one of the leading “technologies”
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
One of the strongest weapons in the fight against crime is DNA analysis. In difficult cases such as the one of Little Annie, which shocked Greek society a few months ago, the results of DNA analysis has helped authorities investigate cases and present accurate evidence. The Greek news agency ANA-MPA spoke with officials from the
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Getty Images/Matt Cardy When they aren't digging up ancient graves or unearthing the body parts of early human ancestors, archaeologists are combing the Earth for clues about how the people who came before us worked, played, and died. This year, researchers across the globe have found evidence of everything from the earliest humans to walk the planet to the lavish tomb of an ancient Greek warrior — and even a set of mysterious, giant earthworks only visible from space. Here's a look at some of the most monumental findings of 2015: SIGNS OF A NEW TOMB HIDDEN DEEP INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID OF GIZA. Shutterstock / Waj As part of a larger project using drones to analyze the ancient Egyptian pyramids, scientists working in November uncovered surprising "thermal anomalies" along the eastern side of the Great Pyramid of Giza. While scanning the lower level of the pyramid, researchers noticed a temperature variance that hinted that instead of a solid row of limestone blocks, they were looking at a gap of air (air doesn't hold heat as well as solid rock). The team isn't sure what the gap is yet, but they've theorized that it could be a passage, a tomb, or simply a gash in the rock. THE HOUSE WHERE JESUS MAY HAVE GROWN UP. Ken Dark Archaeologists working in Nazareth in modern-day Israel uncovered a house dating to the first century that they believe may have belonged to Mary and Joseph, who allegedly raised Jesus. The structure was first discovered in the 1880s, but wasn't dated or identified as Jesus' potential home until 2006, and a feature story in the Biblical Archaeology Review in March 2015 brought the most recent work on the site to light. A MASSIVE UNDERGROUND RITUAL ARENA WHERE THE PREDECESSORS OF STONEHENGE LIKELY FEASTED. Flickr/Adriano Aurelio Araujo During a cursory underground radar scan of the infamous Stonehenge site, researchers suddenly noticed the signs of huge, rigid, underground features. Looking more closely, the researchers found that the features — which they now suspect to be the perimeter of a 4,500-year old ritual arena — formed a rough C-shape. The site is 2 miles northeast of Stonehenge, buried beneath the already-famous site Durrington Walls. SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.businessinsider.com |
GREEK refers to a style of yogurt production, not necessarily a place. Simply made from milk and active yogurt cultures, authentic GREEK-style yogurt is ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.winonadailynews.com |
Dimitrious and Eleni Bousis were the generous benefactors of the Christmas Day meal enjoyed by 1300 homeless and poverty-stricken people in Athens. Dimitrious and Eleni are two businesspeople and philanthropists who are long-time benefactors in the Greek-American community, especially in Chicago and the state of Illinois. The Christmas donation, as was pointed out by […] The post Chicago Couple Offers Christmas Meal of Love in Athens appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
With Greeks tied up by austerity measures again, retail sales fell another 2.5 percent in October compared to the same period in 2014. The post Greek Retail Sales Drop 2.5% appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
As 2016 dawned, refugees continue to reach Greek shores and thousands trudge across Balkan fields and country roads heading north. The post Despite Cold, Refugees Keep Coming appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
After serving only 10 months of a 15-year sentence for bribery, former Cypriot interior minister Dinos Michaelides was released from a Greek jail. The post Greece Frees Jailed Michaelides appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
The post Meteora, Greece – Suspended in Air appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
The warm festive atmosphere in the beautifully decorated Greek cities and villages is topped with customs and traditions that are revived in various regions across Greece. Smashing Pomegranate Families keep several traditions that are supposed to bring them luck for the rest of the year, such as stepping through the door with their right foot or
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com |
Expedient thaw in relations could lead to deal with Greece on a new name and open the way to EU and NATO membership.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.tol.org |
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Bitter cold, biting winds and rough winter seas have done little to stem the seemingly endless flow of desperate people fleeing war or poverty for what they hope will be a brighter, safer future in Europe. As 2016 dawns, boatloads continue to reach Greek shores and thousands trudge across Balkan fields and country roads heading north.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT uk.news.yahoo.com |
"As an Australian we put up our hand to help wherever it is – GREECE, or Geelong or Wye River. The location is irrelevant, the need is the most ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theage.com.au |
The Greek crisis seems a world away from life on Kavvadia, a farm in Tzavros, a 20-minute drive from Corfu Town on the island of Corfu. The 20ha farm is an idyllic ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.theaustralian.com.au |
As 2016 dawns, boatloads continue to reach GREEK shores and thousands trudge across Balkan fields and country roads heading north. More than a ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ctvnews.ca |
ATHENS, Greece – Bitter cold, biting winds and rough winter seas have done little to stem the seemingly endless flow of desperate people fleeing war or ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.foxnews.com |
Facing tough political fights over pension cuts, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his New Year's Eve message that 2016 will be a year of “recovery and regrouping,” adding that 2015 was the year that “the Greek people raised their heads high and boldly asserted their rights.” The post Tsipras Says 2016 Year Greece Will Recover appeared first on The National Herald.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com |
Greek lenders cleared the hurdle of a pan-European review in 2014 thanks to capital increases of more than 8 billion euros and restructuring plans approved by the ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT bloomberg.finanza.repubblica.it |
People sleep in Victoria Square, where migrants and refugees have been staying, on December 27, 2015 in central Athens. [Photo: CFP] More than a million refugees and ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT english.cri.cn |
Hilltop Express in Hamilton is proud to offer authentic GREEK and Canadian takeout daily. Pop in at lunch or dinner to pick up some of the best food ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thespec.com |
An Ipswich-based theatre company is breathing new life into a classic GREEK tale this month. Common Ground Theatre Company is bringing Justin ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.buryfreepress.co.uk |
LONDON — You don't necessarily imagine that plays dating back to the origins of playwriting are going to have a lot to say to us now, much less in ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.nytimes.com |
GREECE, the European Union's most financially troubled member, has borne the brunt of the exodus with more than 850,000 people reaching the ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.register-herald.com |
First time a Left-wing Government, long negotiations that ended in a third Loan Agreement, the Refugee Crisis and Taxes: these were the highlights for Greece in 2015. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras described the year that was as “the year of struggle and solidarity, when Greeks raised their heads and claimed […]
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.keeptalkinggreece.com |
Alternate Foreign Minister Nikos Xydakis met in Brussels yesterday, 16 December 2015, with European Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn.During the meeting, which took place in an excellent atmosphere, the Austrian Commissioner referred, initially, to the European Commission proposal for a new force for guarding the European Union’s external borders. Mr. Xydakis highlighted Greece’s longstanding support for proposals that enhance border protection, adding that the new force, when it is created, must act with the consent of the interested state.Mr. Xydakis then referred to the large number of reforms that have been legislated in Greece in a very short time, as...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mfa.gr |
There were only a few changes in Greece between November 30 – December 13, according to the latest fvw Hotelometer ranking of the most popular ...
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.tornosnews.gr |
Reuters/Pascal Rossignol _It’s been a dramatic year in elections around the world: old leaders were toppled, upstarts and novices seized the helm, and embattled governments somehow managed to cling on. Here, the experts who covered them take stock of what’s happened – and look at what’s in store for 2016._ Click to jump to: * Zambia * Israel * Nigeria * United Kingdom * Poland * Denmark * Sri Lanka * Guatemala * Greece * Singapore * Canada * Turkey * Myanmar * Argentina * Venezuela * Spain ------------------------- ZAMBIA: PRAYING FOR RAIN STEPHEN CHAN, SOAS Zambia’s 2015 election was triggered when incumbent president, Michael Sata, died in office. Constitutionally, after a period of acting presidency by the vice-president, Dr Guy Scott – who, for a short time, had the distinction of being a white president of a black country – any chosen successor had to face the polls. Edgar Lungu was picked after a fractious process and ultimately beat off a strong challenge from opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema. Lungu’s time in office may be brief, since he was elected only to fill out the term until full elections in September 2016. He has had to preside over a grave economic downturn and has called days of prayer instead of coming up with technocratic solutions. A catastrophic shortage of rain exacerbated power shortages as hydroelectric production literally dried up and the country’s brief economic bubble has burst. He is dogged by rumours of ill health and Zambians now joke about whether he will join the country’s roster of presidents who have died in office. Whoever wins the 2016 elections may come up with an economic plan to overcome the curse of plunging international copper prices – but may yet be reduced to praying for rain. ------------------------- ISRAEL: ZERO SUM GAME YOAV GALAI, UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS This year’s election was framed by identity politics as a zero-sum game. That much was clear from the decision of four different (mostly) Arab parties to run together as the “Joint List”, a banner under which they became the third-largest party in parliament. Bibi wins again. EPA/Jim Hollander Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party trounced the Labour opposition – and Netanyahu is now set to become the longest running prime minister in Israeli history. Unlike his previous coalition government, he had no need to cross ideological lines to compose a coalition – and this government is his most right-wing yet. This was a big surprise; even on the day of the elections the polls predicted a draw with Labour. Netanyahu then delivered a warning that “the Arabs are coming to the polling stations in droves”. The false and racist statement painted the participation of Israel’s Arab minority in the national elections as illegitimate, but it worked wonders. Some of the racist inclinations of the other side became visible too. At an anti-Netanyahu rally in March, prominent left-wing intellectual Yair Garbuz drew a direct line between criminality, anti-Arab racism and Mizrahi Jews, the majority of Israel’s Jewish population who have roots in Arab countries – and, looking back at the election, Labour leader Shelly Yechimovich conceded that Garbuz’s statements may have been partly to blame for her party’s loss. With a fragile majority of one, the coalition can easily be pushed into extremism by the Nationalist Religious Jewish Home party and by the Likud’s more right-wing ministers. With no clear plan regarding Palestinians except the normalisation of settlement activity, attention has returned to zero sum identity politics, with the general categories of Arabs and left as the targets of legislation and policy. ------------------------- NIGERIA: MATTERS OF URGENCY CATHERINE GEGOUT, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM When Muhammadu Buhari was elected president of Nigeria in March, he certainly had his work cut out. Nigeria’s economy badly needs to be diversified; petroleum exports revenue represents more than 90% of total export revenue, even as only half of all Nigerians have access to electricity. Education is in a dismal state, especially in the north, where only 6% of children have primary education. Muhammadu Buhari. Reuters/Afolabi Sotunde There have already been some promising moves. Buhari has renewed Nigeria’s beleagured fight against corruption, including oil corruption and both he and his deputy took a symbolic pay cut. He must now start honouring his promise to improve gender representation in politics. Currently, only 16% of cabinet members are women, and only 6% of senators and members of the House of Representatives. Then there’s the fight against Boko Haram. Approximately 1,500 people have been killed since June 2015, there is the serious prospect of true co-operation between the group and Islamic State and the group is still targeting the north’s few schools. ------------------------- UNITED KINGDOM: POLITICAL CARNAGE LOUISE THOMPSON, UNIVERSITY OF SURREY Almost every poll of the British electorate failed to predict the result on the night, which was ultimately heralded by a shocking exit poll that turned out to be correct. The election ultimately returned a familiar face to Downing Street in the form of David Cameron, but the turmoil of the losing parties had huge implications for the British political system. Before the bloodbath: 2015’s first UK party leaders' debate. EPA/Ken McKay/ITV The Liberal Democrats went from a party of government to a party of the (very) backbenches, while Labour’s loss (and near-wipeout in Scotland) was followed by a messy post-election leadership battle and the surprise ascendancy of left-winger Jeremy Corbyn. The result is an opposition more divided than any party in recent memory. Meanwhile, the Scottish National Party took almost all the Scottish seats. It has so far maintained this momentum at Westminster, marking itself out as the party to watch. One thing is certain: there will be even more division and discord at Westminster in 2016, as Labour infighting continues and the parties prepare for the impending EU referendum campaign. ------------------------- POLAND: RIGHT TURN SIMONA GUERRA, UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER, AND FERNANDO CASAL BÉRTOA, UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM Even though Poland has low levels of unemployment and inflation and an overall positive macro-economic outlook, its people still threw out the incumbent Civic Platform party president in favour of the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) candidate. A socially conservative party, PiS doubled down on its success in October’s legislative polls, when it won in almost all regions and across different demographics. The PiS' leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski ® and Prime Minister Beata Szydlo. EPA/Jacek Turczyk Since then, PiS has been on a tear, not least with some rather sobering appointments. Controversial nationalist Antoni Macierewicz is still minister of defence despite allegations of explicit anti-semitism, while Zbigniew Ziobro became minister of justice despite having already been in the spotlight after a number of politicised prosecutions. The party also holds serious sway over the Polish Constitutional Court, which has sole authority to declare laws unconstitutional – and because of impending retirements and amendments, PiS is moving forward the controversial debates on the court’s future. As Poland becomes more Eurosceptic, more protective of Polish interests and more disinclined to accept refugees, PiS now has a chance to implement its own distinctive version of law and justice. ------------------------- DENMARK: HOLDING TOGETHER (JUST) MARTIN VINÆS LARSEN, UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN Denmark’s parliamentary election ended with a victory for the Liberal-Conservative bloc, which ousted the Social Democratic prime minister, Helle Thorning-Schmidt. Lars Løkke Rasmussen. EPA/Nils Meilvang But her successor at the helm, the Liberals' Lars Løkke Rasmussen, saw his own party severely weakened at the election. Instead, he had to rely on the right-wing populist party, the Danish People’s Party, to gain a majority. The People’s Party had an outstanding election, becoming the second largest party in the new parliament. The outlook was therefore somewhat bleak for the new prime minister, who now leads one of the smallest minority governments in the country’s history. In spite of this, he has managed to manoeuvre through the difficult parliamentary situation, shepherding through several important reforms of the labour market and new laws dealing with the refugee crises. But it remains to be seen how long he can hold his right-wing coalition together. ------------------------- SRI LANKA: END OF AN ERA OLIVER WALTON, UNIVERSITY OF BATH Mahinda Rajapaksa’s nine years in power came to an abrupt end in January, when the former president suffered an unexpected defeat at the hands of his one-time ally Maithripala Sirisena. Sirisena’s victory was widely seen as marking a revival of democratic governance in Sri Lanka, and was consolidated with another victory in August’s parliamentary elections. The new government has begun a constitutional reform process and cooperated with a UN-mandated mechanism for investigating war crimes, but concerns persist over the continued heavy military in the north and continuing evidence of arbitrary detention and torture. ------------------------- GUATEMALA: ALL CHANGE NEIL PYPER, COVENTRY UNIVERSITY Guatemala’s presidential race produced a surprise outcome, while also shaking up the rest of Central America. Until almost the eve of September’s first round, it seemed inevitable that Manuel Baldizon of the Renewed Democratic Freedom (Libre) party would win relatively comfortably. Guatemala finally got fed up of its corrupt leaders. Reuters/Jorge Lopez But mass protests about a corruption scandal that eventually brought down the outgoing president, Otto Perez Molina – as well as his vice president and numerous ministers – drastically eroded support for Baldizon, as questions about wrongdoing within his party mounted. They also led to the rapid rise of political outsider Jimmy Morales, a well-known television personality. Morales topped the poll in the first round and won the subsequent run-off by a landslide. He takes office in January, but faces the unenviable task of satisfying the public appetite for fundamental overhaul of the political system. ------------------------- GREECE: ACCEPTING AUSTERITY SOTIRIOS ZARTALOUDIS, BIRMINGHAM Alexis Tsipras’ decision to call snap elections in September turned out to be a masterstroke of Machiavellian political ingenuity. Alexis Tsipras. EPA/Orestis Panagiotou On one hand, the Syriza prime minister managed a very efficient manoeuvre to get rid of his anti-Euro internal opposition; on the other, he saved face for his anti-austerity U-turn, and now has the legitimacy he needs to implement the three extra years of harsh measures he agreed to before the elections. It remains to be seen how his transformation from a hard-left radical to a pro-austerity premier will turn out, but so far, he has escaped punishment from the electorate despite reneging on almost all of his pre-2015 promises. ------------------------- SINGAPORE: MARCHING ON AFIF PASUNI, UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK Singapore’s election was expected to trouble the country’s one-party system. It ultimately failed to change much – and the People’s Action Party (PAP) is still going strong after more than half a century of rule. Thanks to consistent economic progress, the party’s critics failed to gain much of a foothold. But even though it won the election, the party is at a crossroads. Strict media controls and persistent socio-economic interventions are still the norm, but there are also signs that the government’s tight grip is relaxing. Still, while the state is not blithely ignoring to the demands of its critics, 2015 reminded us that surprises are still an alien concept in Singaporean politics. ------------------------- CANADA: A NEW GENERATION RISES STEVE HEWITT, UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM Led by three-term prime minister Stephen Harper, Canada’s Conservatives waged an election campaign based on fear, focusing on the threat posed by Syrian refugees specifically and Muslims more generally. The party duly held on to its base vote, but they were not able to go beyond it – while optimism helped Justin Trudeau’s Liberals increase their vote by over 4m. Justin Trudeau’s election represents a generational change in terms of attitudes toward drugs. Whereas no other national leader in a Western democracy has both admitted using drugs and then promised to legalise them nationally, after Trudeau admitted in 2010 that he had smoked pot, he not only refused to apologise but also pledged to legalise marijuana if his Liberal Party won the election. That promise was reiterated in this year’s throne speech. Justin Trudeau. Reuters/Blair Gable Trudeau is a sign of things to come as a new generation takes power around the world. As in the 2015 UK result and recent US presidential elections, most major Canadian cities – often increasingly diverse with citizens drawn from around the world along with youth and dynamism – voted for left-of-centre parties, while older and more homogenous suburban and rural voters opt for right-of-centre parties. The divide is growing, and it won’t start to close anytime soon. This is the politics of the 21st century – and Justin Trudeau has harnessed it capably. ------------------------- TURKEY: DEEP TROUBLE BAHAR BASER, COVENTRY UNIVERSITY Turkey’s June election was ripe with possibility, both good and bad. The pro-Kurdish leftist party, the HDP, was taking a major risk by participating in the elections for the first time, and the results of the elections were expected to determine whether the country would start moving towards a more authoritarian presidential system. In the end, the HDP passed the 10% threshold needed to enter parliament and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost its absolute majority – but the country’s various parties could not agree on a coalition government, and a snap second election was called for November. Between the two polls, the Kurdish peace process stalled completely and the Turkish army and police forces began cracking down on Kurdish majority areas, causing numerous civilian casualties in the process. Then there was a massive bombing in Ankara, the worst in Turkey’s recent history. Celebrating the November result outside AKP headquarters. Reuters/Umit Bektas But instead of haemorrhaging votes as some predicted, the AKP won an outright majority in November by charming nationalist voters, paving the way for a transition to a more authoritarian system under one-party rule. The HDP once again cleared the 10% threshold, but with fewer votes. All this bodes ill for 2016. The PKK and the Turkish state will be forced to find a way forward, while a crackdown on freedom of speech and human rights is already underway. And all the while, Turkey must struggle to manage its increasingly complex position in the Syrian crisis. ------------------------- MYANMAR: A NEW DAWN? ANDREW FAGAN, UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX The first credible general elections to be held in Myanmar for more than 50 years took place this November. Everyone predicted that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) would win, but few expected the landslide scale of the victory. Crucially, the large number of votes the NLD secured from Myanmar’s multitude of ethnic minorities, who this time around have placed their hopes for real change in the NLD rather than their own ethnicity-based political parties. Still, despite voting for the NLD, many remain unconvinced by its commitment to genuinely ending the discrimination and persecution of Myanmar’s minorities . This is especially the case with respect to the Rohingya, who are classified by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world. The NLD’s commitment to human rights will ultimately be measured by its ability to confront and overcome ethnic and religious conflict. ------------------------- ARGENTINA: LET’S CHANGE JUAN PABLO FERRERO, UNIVERSITY OF BATH Mauricio Macri won Argentina’s first ever presidential run-off by a narrow margin, making him the first ever democratic president to come from a third party. His coalition, Let’s Change, ran on a minimalist platform that targeted middle-class concerns, emphasising meritocracy and difference over equality and social rights. Macri’s win matters for the whole region because it is the first presidential election lost by a coalition of the centre-left – playing into the narrative that Latin America’s leftist political era is coming to a close. Riding high: Maurico Macri. Reuters Still, any hopes Macri will dismantle Argentina’s post-neoliberal consensus are premature – any such attempt will face organised resistance from social movements and opposition parliamentarians. The country is divided in two opposing cultural blocs roughly equal in political heft and with roughly equivalent representation throughout the system, so making policy without resorting to presidential decrees will be tough. The government’s main challenge will be to turn its electoral victory into a broader political consensus that can keep Argentina governable – and the opposition must reflect about why the same sectors of the middle class that supported its ascent have now brought it down. ------------------------- VENEZUELA: THE DREAM IS OVER MARCO APONTE-MORENO, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON Venezuela’s congressional election marked the end of 16 years of hegemony for the late Hugo Chávez’s socialist party. In a historic vote with a turnout of almost 75%, the opposition obtained a supermajority of two-thirds of the legislature. These results will allow the opposition to call a referendum to remove the country’s unpopular president, Nicolás Maduro, from office once his term reaches its midpoint in mid April 2016. The opposition will also try to pass an amnesty to release jailed opposition leaders and remove judges installed by court-packing. Meanwhile, for many voters, the decisive issue was Venezuela’s dire economic performance. Addressing desperate shortages of food and basic goods will be a challenge for the opposition and the “chavistas” alike. ------------------------- SPAIN: ¡SÍ, SE PUEDE! PAUL KENNEDY, UNIVERSITY OF BATH Spain’s political system had shown signs of fracturing for some time, but on December 15 the country’s two-party system was finally consigned to the history books. The ruling People’s Party remained the largest in parliament but came up well short of a majority; the once-governing Socialists were very nearly one-upped by leftist insurgents Podemos. The upshot is that no obvious political partners have the seats to assemble a parliamentary majority – and given the Catalan nationalists' wholehearted push for independence, bringing them into a coalition will be more politically tricky than ever before. Whoever gets to do it, governing Spain for the four years until the next scheduled election will be a fraught business indeed. ------------------------- _Stay with The Conversation in 2016 for our coverage of elections in the US, Peru, the Philippines, and many more._ _Catherine Gegout has received funding from the British Academy and the European Union. _ _Oliver Walton receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council. _ _Steve Hewitt has in the past received funding from the British Academy and the Arts and Humanities Research Council._ _Afif Pasuni, Andrew Fagan, Bahar Baser, Fernando Casal Bértoa, Juan Pablo Ferrero, Louise Thompson, Marco Aponte-Moreno, Martin Vinæs Larsen, Neil Pyper, Paul Kennedy, Simona Guerra, Sotirios Zartaloudis, Stephen Chan, and Yoav Galai do 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._
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT theconversation.com |
Greek-American Dimitrios Psaltis, professor of Astronomy and Physics played a key role in the a project involving the new Event Horizon Telescope.
|
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT usa.greekreporter.com |