Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is planning a trip to the US, right after the Thessaloniki International Fair, in September.
According to information, he will go to New York at the end of September to attend the General Assembly of the United Nations, where he will meet President Barack Obama. For Papandreou, the preferable thing would be an appointment at the White House, but Obama’s program has yet to be announced and may be overloaded. The General Assembly is scheduled to begin on September 21.
President Obama claims to be a big supporter of Greece, which he stated before the crucial summit of the European Union on July 21. His argument then was that “the debt crisis should be limited in the eurozone and not pose a danger in the attempted recovery of the global economy.”
Mr. Papandreou will travel to Washington as he will visit the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund and converse with the new head of the IMF, Christine Lagarde. Prime Minister Papandreou will also have meetings with members of the Diaspora who are influential to the US government.
According to some new reports, slow economic growth is being predicted, while inflation and unemployment are increasing menacingly. Fewer and fewer assets are being bought, according to the data.
A more optimistic perspective is given by the private search center Conference Board, which foresaw bigger economic growth in July, in comparison to June.
Other centers support a negative reality, supporting the fact that home sales fell by 3,5% in July.
Another government report shows that increases in fuels, goods and clothing is at their highest levels in the last three months.
Other sources indicate that more and more people claimed unemployment benefits. During the last week alone, 9,000 people asked for financial support from welfare. Making a general estimation, the number of unemployed people is 408,000. Economists expressed the opinion that in a healthy market, the number of unemployment should not exceed 400,000 people within a month.
The Professional Sports Commission decided not to issue a license to Olympiakos Volou and Kavala on Tuesday, effectively relegating them to the fourth division by dissolving their professional clubs. The decision practically means the postponement of the start of the Super League, originally scheduled for this weekend (August 27-28).
The Commission denied the two clubs a permit after meeting for seven and a half hours on Tuesday, deciding that neither Kavala nor Olympiakos Volou had made any substantial changes to their ownership status following the life ban on their owners, Makis Psomiadis and Achilleas Beos, respectively.
Both men have received a ban by sports justice for their part in the match-fixing scandal.
As a result the two clubs are being sent directly to the fourth division, and their place is supposed to be taken by the fourth and fifth clubs in last season’s second division, i.e. Levadiakos and Doxa Dramas.
There is no option for Kavala and Olympiakos Volou to appeal the decision, unless they resort to the Council of the State.
“We are determined to put an end to violence and corruption in Greek soccer. The commission’s decisions are in the right direction, and those who underestimate it are wrong,” commented Culture Minister Pavlos Geroulanos, whose portfolio also includes sports.
There are already reports of violence in the city of Volos, with fans burning flags of the ruling PASOK party and attacking the office of the local Panathinaikos fan club.
These fans are frustrated by the decision and, unwilling to retreat, started a fight with riot police to express their strong dissatisfaction, burning cans, lighting fires, and throwing stones at police. The authorities responded with chemicals.
Members of the Greek Junior National Volleyball Team were hosted on a sports broadcast show on Arpasto TV in Bahia Blanca. The show was attended by team coach Makis Demetriades, international players Thanassis Protopsaltis, John Madouras and Dimitris Hatzopoulos, as well as the envoy of the Panhellenic Association of Sports Journalists (PSAT), George Mantzioukis. Players and coaches expressed their satisfaction for the qualification of the national team in the octet of the World Championship and their ambition to go even higher.
In the studio were also representatives of Spain and Cuba. The presenter of the show, Osario Zamundio, promised that on Tuesday (23 / 8), he would send a copy of this broadcast to members of the Greek mission.
The national team, along with Giorgos Manolopoulos, George Somponis and George Penteris, had the opportunity to walk the streets of Bahia Blanca. Outside the hotel which accomodates the mission of the national team, young Argentinian girls have camped in order to get an autograph or take photographs with the Greek players.
The national team is continuing training for the upcoming match, on August, 24 with France.
According to the Turkish-Cypriot newspaper “Chavantis” the archaeological sites in Turkish-Occupied Cyprus are in poor condition.
More specifically, it is reported that at the archaeological sites in Famagusta, the antiquities are all at risk of collapsing and the site is surrounded by piles of rubbish.
A statue of Alexander the Great, 1.5 meter high, was placed at the new airport building in Skopje, that since late 2006 has been renamed “Alexander the Great” airport. The new airport building in Skopje will be inaugurated on September 8, the independence day of FYROM.
The head of the Turkish company TAV in FYROM Murat Ornekol said that the placement of the statue of Alexander has been agreed upon by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of FYROM. “The Ministry of Transport has chosen and agreed on the placement of the new statue, which is the gift of our company to the new airport,” said Ornekol.
As of last year, TAV company the airport of Skopje. One more statue of Alexander the Great of huge dimensions, has been placed since last June in the central square of Skopje.
The statue in the square, which is officially called “the statue of mounted warriors” by the FYROM authorities, will be accompanied by ancient Macedonian soldiers in order of phalanx and lions.
The whole construction will be completed in the coming days, while according to the media in Skopje, the unveiling of the statue in the square of the capital of Macedonia, will be made by the Prime Minister of Macedonia Nikola Gruevski on September 8, in honor of the 20 years since the independence of Macedonia.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has accepted an invitation by the Solidarity Federation of the Greek Orthodox Societies of Istanbul to attend the dinner marking the ending of the Ramadan fasting (Iftar).
The dinner will be organised in the gardens of the Archaeological Museum of Istanbul on August 28, the last day of the Ramadan fasting, the most symbolic dinner of the month.
The president of the Federation Pantelis Vingas, who initiated the event, stated that he was delighted about this historic development. An event such as this dinner has never been organized before in history of the Turkish Republic and executives of all Christian minorities in Istanbul will be included.
Last year the Vice President of the Turkish government Bülent Arınç invited representatives of non-Muslim
minorities in a similar dinner that he had organized in Istanbul.
Tourists would buy a souvlaki with 23% VAT outside the hotel, but they would pay only 13% VAT for a meal in the hotel.
Additionally, this applies only to foreign tourists, as Greek would pay 23% VAT regardless if they are within or outside the hotel.
Tourist entrepreneurs speak of an unholy muddle in tourism taxation, while Ministry officials clarified on Monday that the all-inclusive packages sold abroad would be charged with 13% VAT.
It should be noted that the final price on all-inclusive packages are calculated based on three different rates of VAT: 6.5% for accommodation, 13% for food services and 23% for drinking.
SETE, the association of Greek enterprises is expected to submit proposals to the ministry for the “devastating” consequences of the VAT increase in tourism, while Yiannis Retsos, president of the Greek federation of hoteliers, said that the decrease of VAT to 6.5% had actual positive results. Revenue from tourism services recorded an increase of 12.5% in the first half of the year.
He added that the decrease of VAT on accommodation was favourable to the competitiveness of Greek tourism.
SETE, in collaboration with the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research, is launching a survey on the effects of VAT increase.
However, FinMin Evangelos Venizelos said on Monday that the single tourism package would be under special care. VAT increase will not affect the taxation of all-inclusive packages, for the sales abroad. (source: capital)
Tulisa Kontostavlos, known for being an idiosyncratic Greek woman, grew up in London.
She does not hesitate to talk about when she first smoked weed, when she lost her virginity, and the tough person she is. T. Kontostavlos used to carry a knife to protect herself and did not think twice about attacking someone threatening her.
Now she is in the media once again on the most popular show of show on television, X Factor. She is a tough judge and accomplished at telling the players what needs to be said.
According to her, she cannot keep a low profile and is always honest. X Factor gives her the chance to voice her views on many matters. On the official launch of X Factor , Tulisa revealed her new smile, which she stated cost her £12,000.
The 14th annual Arpa International Film Festival, presented by AT&T YP.com, (September 22-24, 2011 at the Egyptian Theatre located in the heart of Hollywood, CA) is pleased to announce this year’s festival program and events. The 3-day fest offers 30 films including 6 feature films, 11 short films, 9 documentaries, 3 music videos, 1 animated film and World, North American, and West Coast premieres. The roster includes works from internationally celebrated award-winning filmmakers including Braden King, Mahsun Kirmizigul, Lars Knudsen, Jay Van Hoy, Marc Fusco, Michael Garrity, Levon Minasian, Eric Nazarian, Vahik Pirhamzei, Bryan Single, Steve Skrovan, Fred Stoller and Hrag Yedalian.
The Festival is dedicated to independent filmmakers that cultivate cultural understanding and global empathy. “We will present a worldwide line-up of dynamic films highlighting issues of Diaspora, human rights, and war as well as some good old-fashioned entertainment,” states Armen Toumajan, Arpa’s Director of Programming. “We are exceedingly impressed by the quality of this year’s program and applaud our filmmakers for their singular vision and dedication to their craft.”
Countries represented include Afghanistan, Armenia, Australia, Canada, France, Greece, Israel, Palestinian Territories, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey, Uganda and USA
Fest opening night film on Thursday, September 22 marks the Los Angeles premiere of the romantic road movie HERE, directed by Braden King (Dutch Harbor: Where the Sea Breaks Its Back), followed by a Q&A with King and the film’s co-writer Dani Valent. HERE follows the story of two loners – an Armenian art photographer and an expatriate American satellite-mapping engineer (played by Lubna Azabal and Ben Foster), who meet and are instantly attracted to each other. They become travelling partners embarking on a journey of self discovery and personal transformations.
This year’s Centerpiece Film and making its N. American premiere on Friday, September 23 is the hilarious comedy MY UNCLE RAFAEL directed by Marc Fusco, a protégé and former assistant to Steven Spielberg. The film is the first American comedy in history to feature an Armenian character in the lead role–with an Armenian backdrop. Vahik Pirhamzei, who portrays film’s titular character, will receive the Festival’s 2011 Breakthrough Performance Award. Cast, director and producers will be on hand for a Q&A following the screening.
The Festival’s closing night film heralds the N. American premiere of Mahsun Kirmizigul’s (SAW THE SUN) action/drama Five Minarets in New York starring Haluk Bilginer, Mustafa Sandal, and Mahsun Kirmizigul. The film also stars Danny Glover, Gina Gershon and Robert Patrick. Minarets follows two Turkish police officers sent to New York to bring back a terrorist. The film was one of the highest-grossing Turkish films of 2010.
This year’s recipient of the AT&T Award for Environmental Conservation and Stewardship is the compelling documentary “Marion Stoddart: The work of 1000″ by Susan Edwards. The film chronicles the advocate Marion Stoddart who lived next to one of America’s most polluted rivers and transformed herself from a 1960s housewife to a citizen leader and environmental hero honored by the United Nations.
Accepting the Armin T. Wegner Humanitarian Award will be documentary filmmaker and producer Bryan Single on behalf of his acclaimed CHILDREN OF WAR. The documentary, set in Uganda, had its world premiere last fall at the United Nations in New York. Single will be on hand to accept the honor which will be presented following the film’s screening.
Festival Presenting Sponsor AT&T Real Yellow Pages YP.COM will hand out the AT&T Award for Environmental Conservation and Stewardship. “AT&T YP.com is honored to be the Presenting Sponsor of Arpa International Film Festival” says Laura Wills Ochoa, Southern California Area Marketing Manager. “AT&T commends AFFMA for its tireless efforts to promote the growth and development of the arts in Los Angeles and beyond.”
MARION STODDART: THE WORK OF 1000 and CHILDREN OF WAR will screen consecutively on Saturday, September 24 beginning at 3pm and will be free to the public.
Awards for Best Feature, Documentary, Short, Screenplay and Director will be handed out throughout the festival.
Full schedule of films and events can be found at http://www.affma.org. Advance All-Access Passes can be purchased now through September 21 online at http://www.affma.org/
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou is planning a trip to the US, right after the Thessaloniki International Fair, in September.
