Garbage piling up Greek cities as sanitation workers' protest continues

Tones of garbage are piling up in Athens and other major cities as a nationwide protest against job cuts called by unions representing municipal sanitation workers entered its second week on Monday.

US president Obama ends Athens visit with message of hope, ode to democracy

US President Barack Obama ended his two-day visit to Athens on Wednesday with a message of hope for Greek people and an ode to democracy, before departing for Germany, the next stop of his European tour.

Greek police fire tear gas as thousands protest during Obama visit

Some 7,000 people, many of them members of the Communist-affiliated group PAME, took to the streets in Athens on Tuesday mere kilometers away from the presidential mansion that was hosting a state banquet for US President Barack Obama.

Four killed in Greek tourist boat crash

Four people have died and at least five have been injured after a tourist boat and a speedboat collided off the Greek holiday island of Aegina near Athens.

New 'Resign' movement stages first anti-government protest in Athens

Thousands of Greek citizens took to the streets in Athens on Wednesday in a peaceful anti-government protest that fuelled the tension between the two-partite ruling coalition and the opposition.

Österreichs Innenministerin in Athen nicht willkommen

In der Flüchtlingskrise wachsen die Spannungen zwischen Griechenland und Österreich. Athen habe einen Wunsch der österreichischen Innenministerin Johanna Mikl-Leitner abgelehnt, Griechenland zu besuchen, um sich dort in der Flüchtlingskrise selbst ein Bild von der Lage zu machen.

Temblor de 5,1 sacude el oeste de Grecia

Un temblor de una magnitud de 5,1 sacudió este lunes la región occidental de Grecia, informó el Centro Sismológico Europeo del Mediterráneo.

Greek farmers hold protest rally over tax hikes, pension cuts

Thousands of Greek farmers took to the streets of Athens on Wednesday in protest of a new round of tax hikes and pension cuts promoted by the government as part of efforts to tackle its debt crisis.

Refugees reaching Greece after dangerous journey want to leave for other EU countries

Around 500 refugees of Afghan, Iraqi and Syrian origins sheltering in an Athens park say they have no wish to stay in Greece and are hoping to move on to greener EU pastures as soon as they acquire documents.

Rallies in Athens, Europe ahead of bailout talks

Tens of thousands of people joined rallies in Greece on Sunday ahead of talks in Brussels on the New Leftist government's bid to revise its massive bailout.

Russian representative: difficult decision for EU if to exclude Greece from eurozone

Exclusion of Greece from the eurozone would be a difficult decision for the European Union and the eurozone itself, after billions of euros were provided for the country in loans, Russian permanent representative to the EU Vladimir Chizhov told TASS.

Fidel Castro non è morto: arriva la smentita ufficiale

Fidel Castro è vivo e sta bene. Ad annunciarlo, e a smentire le voci sulla sua morte che si erano diffuse nella mattinata italiana sul web a macchia d’olio, Alejandro Castro Espin, figlio del presidente cubano in carica Raul Castro, fratello di Fidel, che si trova in questi giorni ad Atene.

Greek Airlines suspends Israel-bound flights over safety concerns. (flights between Athens and Tel Aviv)

Greece's Aegean Airlines joined other major European and US airliners on Wednesday in canceling flights to and from Israel over safety concerns after a rocket landed near an airport in Tel Aviv.

The Greek airline suspended flights between Athens and Tel Aviv, the second most populous city in Israel, during a spate of similar cancellations by others, including London-based Easyjet and several US airlines. It is unclear how long the suspensions will last.

Bomb alert in Acropolis museum proves false

A bomb alert at the New Acropolis Museum in the centre of Athens on Friday noon was proven to be a false alarm, Greek police said.

The museum was evacuated after an unidentified person made a warning telephone call to a local news website about an explosive device which would go off within a few minutes.

A counter-terrorism squad investigated the area before the museum's doors opened again for visitors.

By Zeus!. -Greek Independence Day

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Greek army helicopters fly over the Temple of Olympian Zeus in central Athens during a military parade marking Greek Independence Day on Tuesday. Thousands of police were on security mobilization ahead of the national parade. Photo: AFP
globaltimes.cn
25/3/14

Visits by Greek Cypriot Negotiator to Ankara and Turkish Cypriot Negotiator to Athens. -Press Statement, Marie Harf, Deputy Department Spokesperson

Office of the Spokesperson,Washington, DC. -

"The United States welcomes the announcement of the February 27 visits by the lead Greek Cypriot negotiator to Ankara and the lead Turkish Cypriot negotiator to Athens. 

These unprecedented visits, following the agreement on a Joint Declaration and the resumption of negotiations last week, represent another important step forward in achieving a just and lasting Cyprus settlement.

Plane of Syrian delegation delayed in Greece

A plane carrying the Syrian delegation to the Geneva peace talks was “prevented from refueling” after it landed at Athens airport, the state television reported.
The delegation’s plane landed at Athens international airport and was prevented from refueling,” Syrian television said, adding that all airspace permissions had previously been granted for the flight.
An official Syrian source confirmed to report to AFP. “The plane carrying the official Syrian delegation has been blocked for three hours at Athens airport because the Greek authorities refuse to provide it with fuel,” the source said.

Athens changes mood to celebrate Christmas despite economic difficulties (video Reuters)

With Christmas drawing closer, Athens changes mood to celebrate despite the difficulties of the ongoing economic crisis.

"Athens changes mood, Athens celebrates,"is the main slogan of the program of events organized by the Municipality of Athens this year for residents and foreign visitors over the next three weeks.

Running on a dramatically reduced budget compared to previous years, the festive program does not include impressive Christmas trees and other glitzy holiday decorations across central squares and avenues.

AKP official: Halki Seminary will remain closed until the mosque in Athens opened. -Turkey has been insistent on reciprocity on the issue

The Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary in Istanbul 
(Constantinople) will not be re-opened until the Fethiye Mosque in Athens is opened for prayers, a senior figue of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has said.

“Do not have a doubt, Turkey has not taken a step to re-open Halki Seminary and it will not take a step until Greece, who did not hold up the promise it gave in Lausanne, opens Fethiye Mosque in Athens,” Metin Külünk, deputy chair of the party’s Foreign Affairs and Istanbul deputy, said Dec. 1 in Germany’s Witten, where he attended a meeting held by Western Thrace Turks Solidarity Association.

Government of Greece and TAP sign host government agreement

Photo:  balkaneu.com

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The Greek Government (the Ministry of Energy, Environment and Climate Change – MEECC) and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project have today signed the Host Government Agreement (HGA) in Athens, agreed in principle last week.

The HGA sets out the framework by which the project will be realized and operated on Greek territory. This includes processes related to land easement and acquisition, the implementation of technical, safety, environmental and social standards and permitting.