Due to torrential rains that fell in the Ilia prefecture of the southwestern Pelopponnese on Saturday, four streams had overflooded the area allowing an alarming volume of water to rush through the village, as reported by ‘Keep Talking Greece’.
The storm broke out at midnight, flooding streets, houses, shops and agricultural fields, sweeping away animals and cars. Familes with children, drivers in their cars, patients in hospitals, and nuns in monasteries were all threatened by the torrential rains flooding the area. As rescue efforts are under way, desperate citizens call the fire brigades and the police to send rescue teams and untrap them from their flooded houses.
Greek media reports that in some houses the water has risen up to 70 centimeters. There is a big rescue effort underway with the participation of Puma helicopters, firefighters and policemen due to landslides in Lanthi village.
Local media reports a last-minute rescue of a woman and her little children that were trapped in the waters of the river Ennipeas in the region.
Meteorologists say that this has been the biggest storm to hit the area in the last five years.
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Torrential Rain Floods Prefecture of Ilia in Greece
Author Michalis Michael Expresses New Ideas Concerning Conflict of Cyprus
Those looking for a new read on the Cyprus conflict might be interested in Resolving the Cyprus Conflict, presented this week at the University of Nicosia.
Michalis Michael, the deputy director at the Centre for Dialogue in Australia’s La Trobe University, presented his book on Monday with guest speakers AKEL MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou, DISY MP Christos Stylianides and the head of Nicosia university Nicos Peristianis.
He told the Cyprus Mail that the politicians described his book as a “must read” and Peristianis said it was “compulsory reading”.
The author said the book was “ethnically blind” but this “doesn’t mean I don’t have a perspective”. Why choose then to start with 1974, which brings to mind the Turkish invasion and the loss of Greek Cypriots’ homes and properties, rather than go back and include the troubled years of 1963-4 where Turkish Cypriot loss was more prominent?
Michael said that he has dedicated a chapter to pre-1974 events looking into the British administration of the island onwards. But 1974 “imprints division in a demographic, social, political and physical way”.
Michael refers to the “crisis of 1963-1964” as a time where “contentious issues” emerged, each testing “the effective functioning of the constitution” dating back to 1960. Those issues include an integrated Cypriot army, public service quotas, tax legislation, separate municipalities and communal chambers, Michael writes.
“The sectarian and divisive provisions of the 1960 arrangement constituted the seeds that led to its collapse three years later.”
So what’s led to the Cyprus conflict? “Insecurity,” Michael said, for both the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, though he added no one could narrow down the conflict to one single cause. What is lacking and is needed is to be able to synchronise different tracks: internal, external, political, civil society. Currently, debates focus “too much on the process and not on substance,” Michael said.
(Source:Cyprus Mail)
Unions Plan 24-Hour Strike Against Austerity
Greece’s two major labor unions plan a 24-hour strike on Tuesday against austerity measures and reforms demanded by international lenders in exchange for a new bailout package, union officials said on Sunday.
“We are planning a one-day strike on Tuesday,” Ilias Iliopoulos, secretary general of public sector union ADEDY, told Reuters. “Despite our sacrifices and despite admitting that the policy mix is wrong, they still ask for more austerity.”
ADEDY and its private sector sister union GSEE represent about 2 million workers or roughly half the country’s workforce. They have staged repeated strikes since the country first resorted to bailouts from foreign lenders in 2010.
A GSEE official said the two unions would finalize plans to strike on Monday.
(source: Reuters)
Critical Greek Bailout Talks to Resume Monday
Crisis talks on a debt deal for Greece among the three leaders of parties supporting the coalition government were suspended and will continue on Monday.
The three party leaders held a five-hour meeting late Sunday with Prime Minister Lucas Papademos to hammer out a deal with debt inspectors representing eurozone countries and the International Monetary Fund, but failed to reach an agreement.
An announcement from Papademos’ office said the three had agreed on measures to cut spending in 2012 by 1.5 percent of gross domestic product — about €3.3 billion ($4.3 billion) — improve competitiveness by cutting wages and non-wage costs, such as social security contributions, reduce auxiliary pensions and re-capitalize banks without nationalizing them.
But the three leaders — socialist George Papandreou, Antonis Samaras of conservative New Democracy and Giorgos Karatzaferis of the right-wing Popular Orthodox Rally — differed as to what this would mean in detailed proposals. All three have called meetings of their party executives to consider the proposals.
Samaras said upon leaving the talks that Greece’s creditors “are asking for more recession which the country cannot bear. I am fighting, with all my means, to prevent this.”
“I will not contribute to the breakout of a revolution by the new poor that will consume the whole of Europe,” Karatzaferis said.
Papandreou objects to cutting actual wages and wants the state to take over banks, at least temporarily.
“Political party leaders are obliged to provide a first response to the proposals by” Monday morning, socialist party spokesman Panos Beglitis told reporters after the party leaders’ meeting with Papademos.
Papademos has resumed talks with representatives of the “troika” of Greece’s creditors later on Sunday and will be joined by Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos and Labor Minister Giorgos Koutroumanis.
(source: AP)
International Survey Reveals Greece's Bad Payment Behavior
The 10th edition of the Atradius Payment Practices Barometer focuses on Greece, examining the primary aspects of the country’s trade credit supply and management, as well as the payment behaviour of its international and domestic trading companies.
Greece’s volatile economic and financial situation shows through clearly in this survey, which demonstrates how a relatively strong inclination for trading on credit terms can generate a series of protracted payment delays when the trading environment loses its stability.
Greek companies undoubtedly share the preference for trading on credit that charactises other Southern European countries: most notably Italy and Spain. Survey respondents made 66% of B2B transactions on credit terms, a little above the European and survey averages, but also showed caution where necessary. 86% of trade credit went to the domestic market, while 59% of respondents offered no credit terms at all to foreign customers.
41% of domestic receivables were paid past due date and 17% of export invoices fell overdue. A very large 18% of domestic invoices remained unpaid after 90 days, three times the European average. Export delinquencies were reported to be 7.4%. 44% of invoices held by services and medium/large firms fell overdue.
The overwhelming reason for domestic payment delays was an insufficiency of available funds. This was cited by 84% of respondents. Inefficiencies of the banking system and complexity of the payment procedure were highlighted with far less regularity.
At the year’s halfway point, Greek companies were also holding the second highest day sales outstanding in Europe, indicated by respondent data to be some 70 days. Although the manufacturing sector reported a very low DSO, the overall trend was the most unstable in the survey during the first half of 2011. A worrying 46% of the Greek respondents reported an increase in their DSO (Days Sales Outstanding),double the survey average, with pockets of industry including medium/large and micro-companies faring the worst.
Angry Youths Attack House Of Greek President Papoulias
Late on Saturday evening, a group of between 30 and 50 youngsters attacked the house of President Karolos Papoulias.
The result of the attack was some minor damage to the entrance of the house at Asklipiou Street in central Athens, and to the car that Papoulias uses. The hooded youngsters, who arrived by motorbike and on foot just after 8 pm, hurled a Molotov cocktail, rocks and paint at the house but stopped short of attacking the two guards at the President’s house.
Papoulias was inside at the time of the attack. Police are searching for those responsible for the unexpected attack.
Papoulias, 82, is one of Greece’s most respected politicians after years of service as foreign minister under successive socialist administrations.
But his popularity has waned in recent months, and in October he was heckled at a national parade by protesters accusing him of bowing to an unpopular fiscal overhaul monitored by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund.
02/05/2012: Latest Greek Super League Results with Video
Olympiakos moved to within two points of Greek league leader Panathinaikos after winning 2-0 at PAOK on Sunday from goals by Djamel Abdoun and Kevin Mirallas.
Abdoun scored in the fifth minute and Mirallas found the net in the 18th.
In other action:
Ergotelis – OFI 0 – 1
Kerkyra – PAS Giannina 1 – 2 (video)
Levadiakos – Panathinaikos 1 – 0 (video)
Asteras Tripolis – Doxa Dramas 1 – 0
Panaitolikos – Atromitos 1 – 1 (video)
AEK Athens – Panionios 1 – 0
Xanthi – Aris 0 – 2
Standings
1. Panathinaikos 48
2. Olympiakos Piraeus 46
3. AEK Athens 37
4. PAOK 35
5. OFI 32
6. Xanthi 29
7. Atromitos 28
8. Aris 28
9. Asteras Tripolis 25
10. Ergotelis 22
11. Panionios 22
12. Panaitolikos 18
13. PAS Giannina 17
14. Levadiakos 13
15. Kerkyra 12
16. Doxa Dramas 6
Cyprus House President Comments on Official Visit to Australia
Developments in the ongoing effort to find a negotiated settlement that would reunite Cyprus will be the focus of parliamentary delegation discussions in Australia this coming week.
“During our official visit, we shall brief our interlocutors on developments in the Cyprus issue, in the light of increasing Turkish intransigence, and seek their support in our effort to achieve a viable, functional and democratic settlement, on the basis of international and European law,” House President Yiannakis Omirou has said regarding his visit to Australia.
Replying to questions, Omirou said he expects their meetings to be “productive and fruitful”.
Omirou, heading a six member delegation, will pay an official visit to Australia, from February 6 to 12, at the invitation of the President of the Australian Senate John Hogg and the Speaker of the House of Representatives Peter Slipper.
The delegation will visit Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney and have a series of contacts with political personalities on a federal and state level.
The members of the Cypriot delegation will meet Shadow Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, the Governor of New South Wales Marie Bashir, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, Ken Smith, and the President of the Legislative Council of Victoria, Bruce Atkinson.
In Canberra they will meet the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade of the Australian Parliament and lunch with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales, Shelley Hancock, the President of the Legislative Council, Don Harwin, and members of the Australia-Cyprus Friendship Group.
The delegation will also meet members of the Cypriot community of Australia, in Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, as well as Archbishop of Australia Stylianos.
(source: cna)
Greek Professor Stan Skafidas is the Research Group Leader for the Australian Bionic Eye Project
Professor Stan Skafidas is the NICTA Research Group Leader, in the field of Optics and Nanoelectronics, that created a microchip accelerating the progress of the Australian bionic eye project.
“This microchip is one step towards the driver of our high-acuity retinal implant, which aims to restore a sense of vision for people with retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration”, Skafidas stated.
Researchers have completed probe testing of the high-acuity chip with encouraging results, and further testing underway. The team will now work towards delivering a version of the chip with 1000 electrodes and wireless transfer of data and power. This microchip could then proceed to preclinical testing.
The aim of this research is to develop technology that will provide enough visual detail for patients to be able to recognise faces and read large print.
“Our design also shows that the manufacturability of our device is a very real possibility. The substantial progress we have made in this regard is due to our strong working relationship with IBM, which has manufactured our chip,” Professor Skafidas added.
Professor Efstratios (Stan) Skafidas received his Doctoral Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1997 at the University of Melbourne, Australia.
In July 2004 he joined NICTA as program leader of sensor networks at the Victorian Research Laboratory. Professor Skafidas is now Research Group Manager – Embedded Systems. He is a member of the IEEE 802.11/802.15 standard committees for Wireless Local and Personal Area networks.
His research interests include RF CMOS, Antennas and Propagation, Wireless Communications and Implantable devices.
13th Annual AHEPA Valentine’s Charity Ball to Be Held in Laval
The Montreal AHEPA Family is proud to announce its 13th Annual St. Valentine’s Charity Ball, which will take place on Saturday February 11, 2012. Once again, this year’s event will be held at the Palace reception hall in Laval. Over the past twelve years, this event has raised $400,000.00 for childrens’ causes in the Montreal area. Institutions that have been supported include the Shriners Hospital for Children, the Montreal Children’s Hospital, St. Justine Hospital, Giant Steps Foundation and the Children’s Wish Foundation.
The focus this year will be the Giant Steps Foundation, which was founded in order to offer financial support to the Giant Steps school; the only educational and therapeutic institution in Quebec that caters exclusively to teaching children with autism.
The Giant Steps Foundation is a source of pride for many Montrealers and we are happy to announce that this event is being generously supported and held under the auspices of Senator Leo Housakos and the honorary Chairmanship of Tony Lofredda, Executive Vice president at the Royal Bank. Senators Jacques Demers, Jim Munson and Francis Fox are also assisting this great effort and are lending their support for this worthwhile cause.
“We are proud to partner with the AHEPA Family and thank them tremendously for their continued support of our school. We congratulate them for their continuous efforts in improving the lives of everyday citizens of Montreal” said Nick Katalifos, Chairman of the Board, Giant Steps Foundation.
AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Greece, Canada, Cyprus and with sister chapters in Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, the UK and Constantinople. AHEPA was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its’ history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B’Nai B’rith International to fight discrimination. The AHEPA Family includes the Order of AHEPA, the Daughters of Penelope, the Sons of Pericles and the Maids of Athena.
For more Information on this event:
Eleni Hiotis
514-213-5849
Nicholas Katalifos
514-816-9641