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Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Conservative wins critical Cyprus presidency vote





NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Conservative candidate Nicos Anastasiades won Cyprus' presidency Sunday by one of the widest margins in 30 years, promising to do what it takes to quickly secure a financial rescue package from international creditors and prevent the country from sliding into economic oblivion.

The wide margin of victory in favor of Anastasiades indicates Cypriots are prepared, to a degree, to stomach what could be painful austerity measures attached to a bailout, as well as a snub to left-wing rule that many feel is responsible for the country's sorry economic state.

Most Cypriots are aware that there's little option but to secure outside financial help — which will undoubtedly come with demands for public sector spending cuts and other austerity measures — to end the uncertainty dragging down the economy.

Cyprus has already enacted deep public sector wage cuts and tax hikes under a preliminary bailout agreement.

The new president will face a tough battle convincing reluctant countries, especially Europe's economic powerhouse Germany, that tiny Cyprus deserves help after its banks lost billions of euros on bad Greek debt.

Last year, Cyprus sought financial assistance of up to €17 billion ($22.7 billion), a sum roughly equivalent to its annual gross domestic product, which has raised concerns about whether the country would be able to pay back any loan.


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Greek Cypriots elect Nicos Anastasiades as president

Veteran rightwinger wins 57% of the vote and is likely to usher in reforms to help island out of economic crisis

Their nation's solvency hanging by a thread, Greek Cypriots elected the veteran rightwinger Nicos Anastasiades to become their seventh president on Sunday giving the pro-bailout politician a landslide victory not seen in more than 40 years – and bringing the euro zone's next rescue package closer.

The Democratic Rally party leader won almost 57.48% of the vote, in what his top campaign official described as a "sure, clear and strong" mandate to forge ahead with the necessary reforms to exit the island's worst crisis in decades. His communist-backed opponent, Stavros Malas, had fought an electric and often bitter campaign emphasising the need for growth over austerity.

The result was met with jubilation by Anastasiades' Disy party with euphoric supporters pouring into the streets of the divided island, honking horns and waving flags.

With the ex-British colony facing financial meltdown in the wake of the huge losses sustained by its banking system when Greece restructured its debt, the election had assumed a significance not seen since independence in 1960.

Foreign lenders at the EU and IMF had hoped Anastasiades would win, seeing the 66-year-old lawyer as a pair of safe hands in what could be tortuous times ahead as both try to finalise a rescue programme to keep the island's recession-hit economy afloat.

The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who recently attended a caucus of European conservative leaders on the island, had openly backed his bid.

Although the euro zone's third smallest economy – contributing less than 0.2% to the bloc's total output – Cyprus's debt and banking woes are now seen as the lever that could tip the single currency back into fully-fledged crisis.

Indicative of those fears, the global credit rating giant Standard and Poor's last week described the island, whose banking sector is eight times the size of the local economy, as being at growing risk of default.

Anastasiades, who assumes office on 1 March, has promised to form a government of "national salvation" in a bid to keep bankruptcy at bay.

Throughout the campaign, he pledged to use his good ties with EU peers to help finalise a bailout expected to reach €17bn, the equivalent of the island's entire GDP.

More than ever, say political analysts, the new president will also need to reignite badly dented international trust in Nicosia's ability to not only implement unpopular austerity but structural reforms following months of foot-dragging by Demetris Christofias, the island's outgoing president.

A veteran communist, Christofias had held up bailout negotiations by refusing to enact privatisations and the overhaul of a banking sector whose disproportionate size has been largely blamed for the country'splight.

The sheer scale of the island's rescue needs has also made a quick fix difficult. With around €10bn required to recapitalise banks and €7.5bn to service debt and government expenditure, the loans would push the island's debt to as much as 150% of gross domestic product – well in excess of the 120% ceiling regarded as sustainable by the IMF.


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The fall of Greece


The fall of Greece
Capecodonline
ATHENS, Greece — Looking out across a room full of reporters gathered to welcome French President Francois Hollande on Tuesday, Greece's President Karolos Papoulias gave a stark warning about the state of the country after three harsh years of ...

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Greek prison guards foil escape by helicopter; 4 prisoners involved

ATHENS, Greece - Greek officials say prison guards have foiled an escape attempt by helicopter involving at least four inmates, and one of them has been shot.

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When cold weather chills, it's time to Greece the pan


Lancaster Newspapers

When cold weather chills, it's time to Greece the pan
Lancaster Newspapers
My imaginary trip to the islands of Greece would never be complete without a grand meal. So here's what I conjure up: a luscious plate of the rich, flavorful meat dish moussaka; a Greek salad with feta, onions, olives, peppers and lots of garlic and ...


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Greek yogurt popular with adults, but will kids bite?


Greek yogurt popular with adults, but will kids bite?
Chicago Daily Herald
BOCA RATON, Fla. — Greek yogurt is taking over the dairy aisle, but will kids bite? The question is a critical one for General Mills, which is a dominant player in yogurt for kids, with about half the market. It's also important to Chobani, the leader ...

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Italy Goes To Polls In Crucial Election

ROME — Will Italy stay the course with painful economic reform? Or fall back into the old habit of profligacy and inertia? These are the...

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Sunday marks the last day of Greek Fest 2013


FOX43.com

Sunday marks the last day of Greek Fest 2013
Wink News
Story Created: Feb 24, 2013 at 9:37 AM America/New_York. NAPLES, Fla. -- "Opa!" Sunday is the last day of the 2013 Annual Greek Festival at the St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church at 7100 Airport Rd. North in Naples. The event runs from 12:00 to 7:00.
Greek Food Fest runs through SundayFOX43.com
Spring Greek Fest Coming to North SidePatch.com
Sunny skies for weekend, but red tide lingers near Marco Island, in LeeMarconews

all 4 news articles »

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Girls' Water Polo: Greek sisters give CdM boost


Girls' Water Polo: Greek sisters give CdM boost
Daily Pilot
Girls' Water Polo: Greek sisters give CdM boost. Stephania and Ioanna Haralabidis were key contributors since they became eligible and helped Sea Kings win CIF title. Email · print. Stephanie Haralabidis (3), Corona del Mar High's leading scorer this ...

and more »

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Greece: "A promise from the army has been obtained to not intervene against a ...


Greece: "A promise from the army has been obtained to not intervene against a ...
New Statesman
He laments what has happened to the EU in which he spent so much of his career: “I was part of the negotiating team as a junior diplomat that brought Greece into the EU. The EU that we joined in 1981 doesn't exist any more.” “We need a change of plan.” ...


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INSP launches 'the Greek Big Issue' in Athens


The Drum

INSP launches 'the Greek Big Issue' in Athens
The Drum
The International Network of Street Papers has added a new title to its roster of over 120 publications, entitled Shedia or 'Raft'. The paper will be sold in Athens by homeless and unemployed people living in poverty, with citizens of the recession ...


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Greece Mulls Incentives for Tax Cheats


Greece Mulls Incentives for Tax Cheats
Greek Reporter
500 euros After international lenders rejected a plan to let Greeks with undeclared income abroad return the money to Greece and pay only an 8 percent penalty, the government has now devised another scheme: giving the tax cheats incentive deposit their ...


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Italians vote in parliamentary elections

VICTOR L. SIMPSON Associated Press= ROME (AP) — Will Italy stay the course with painful economic reform? Or fall back into the old habit of profligacy and inertia? These are the stakes as Italy votes in a watershed parliamentary election Sunday and Monday that could shape the future of one of Europe's biggest economies. Fellow EU countries and investors are watching closely, as the decisions that Italy makes over the next several months promise to have a profound impact on whether Europe can decisively put out the flames of its financial crisis. Greece's troubles in recent years were enough to spark a series of market panics. With an economy almost 10 times the size of Greece's, Italy is...

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HYDROGYN Frontwoman Interviewed On Greece's 'Metal Twilight Zone' (Audio ...


BLABBERMOUTH.NET

HYDROGYN Frontwoman Interviewed On Greece's 'Metal Twilight Zone' (Audio ...
BLABBERMOUTH.NET
Greece's "Metal Twilight Zone" radio show recently conducted an interview with vocalist Julie Westlake of Ashland, Kentucky hard rockers HYDROGYN. You can now listen to the chat in the YouTube clip below. HYDROGYN's November 3, 2012 concert at ...


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Greeks Ask Themselves: Who's A Greek?


NPR

Greeks Ask Themselves: Who's A Greek?
NPR
When it comes to immigration, Greece faces a dilemma: the country needs new, young people because like the rest of Europe, it faces a falling birth rate and an aging population. Yet it's also struggling with a backlash against immigrants, especially ...

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Greek Cypriots electing their leader in second round


www.worldbulletin.net

Greek Cypriots electing their leader in second round
www.worldbulletin.net
Greek Cypriot administration is electing its leader on Sunday as each candidates failed to exceed 50 percent in the first round of voting on February 17. Nicos Anastasiades of Democratic Rally (DISI) and Stavros Malas of Progressive Party of Working ...
Cyprus votes in presidential runoffDeutsche Welle
LEAD: Cypriots vote in runoff presidentialEurope Online Magazine
Conservative set to win Cyprus presidencyUSA TODAY
GlobalPost -Reuters -Shanghai Daily (subscription)
all 36 news articles »

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Avramopoulos, Abp. Demetrios Talk Greek Crisis


Greek Reporter

Avramopoulos, Abp. Demetrios Talk Greek Crisis
Greek Reporter
images2 During his visit to New York, Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos discussed with Archbishop Demetrios of America efforts by the Diaspora to help vulnerable sectors of Greeks who have almost no government programs to help them during ...


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Sam R. Hall: Winfield's tale now a political Greek tragedy


Sam R. Hall: Winfield's tale now a political Greek tragedy
Jackson Clarion Ledger
Wednesday's arrest on federal bribery charges is simply the final act in Winfield's Greek tragedy. Regardless of his guilt or innocence, Paul Winfield's political career is dead, likely never to be reborn. Winfield threw away one of the brightest ...


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Bring it on Home: Greece


Bring it on Home: Greece
STLtoday.com
Who and where • From left, Don and Sandy Wessels of Caseyville, pose with Fred and Patti Hutt of St. Jacob at the Acropolis in Greece. The trip • They booked a seven-day cruise out of Rome to Greece and Turkey and spent a few days in Rome and Florence ...


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Greek yogurt popular with adults; will kids bite?


Greek yogurt popular with adults; will kids bite?
The News Journal
Chobani Greek Yogurt is seen at the Chobani plant in South Edmeston, N.Y. Chobani, the leader in the Greek yogurt category, is stepping up its courtship of kids – and their parents, by offering Chobani Champions Tubes, posing a direct challenge to ...


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KMIR6'S Angela Monroe Goes Greek!


KMIR6'S Angela Monroe Goes Greek!
KMIR-TV
PALM DESERT--- KMIR6's Angela Monroe spends the day learning what it's like to be Greek in the Desert, at the 17th Annual Greek Festival. It's presented by and held at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Palm Desert. Thousands are expected to pass ...


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Greek Food Fest runs through Sunday


FOX43.com

Greek Food Fest runs through Sunday
FOX43.com
Greek food is on the menu in York County this weekend. It's part of the three day Greek Food Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Churh in York Township. The festival is an annual tradition for those in the community to get a taste of all the greek ...
Spring Greek Fest Coming to North SidePatch.com

all 2 news articles »

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Italy awaits opening of general election polls amid uncertainty


The Guardian

Italy awaits opening of general election polls amid uncertainty
The Guardian
Political parties in Italy were forced to cease campaigning on Saturday, as the country prepared for a general election that is being closely watched across the eurozone amid fears of a damaging stalemate. As candidates observed a mandatory 24-hour ...
Fears Of Chaos As Italy Goes To The PollsSky News
Berlusconi: Italy's most colorful, controversial public figureCNN
Italy election: Bersani warns country could go the way of GreeceTelegraph.co.uk
NDTV -Bloomberg -Globe and Mail
all 334 news articles »

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