Angela Merkel told the media on Monday that talks with Greece on re-admitting asylum-seekers from Germany’s borders were well underway.

In comments reported by the Associated Press, the German Chancellor said direct talks with Greek premier Alexis Tsipras were not on the agenda yet.

Last month, Berlin said an agreement with Greece for the return of previously-registered refugees currently in Germany would be completed by the end of July.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen had suggested that such a deal with Greece may be signed by the end of the month.

However, last week Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Germany would unilaterally turn back asylum-seekers who had already been granted asylum in other EU countries.

Germany has also struck a deal on the issue with Spain for Madrid to take back asylum-seekers and is currently talking to Italy’s leadership about the issue also.

Reports from Genoa, Italy suggest many people may have been killed when a motorway bridge suddenly gave way on Tuesday.

The major structure collapsed during stormy weather, plunging cars and trucks as much as 100 feet onto rail tracks below. Italy’s transport minister Danilo Toninelli said it was an “immense tragedy”.

Although police have said 10 people are dead, the death toll is expected to rise as the emergency services work at the scene.

More information to come.

#14ago #Genova 12:00, crolla parte del ponte Morandi sulla #A10. Le squadre #vigilidelfuoco stanno operando in massa, attivatinteam usar e cinofili pic.twitter.com/gjSJLvjw1K

— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) August 14, 2018

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world’s 300 million Orthodox Christians has spoken of his sadness following the fire in east Attica that has claimed the lives of 81 people.

“We are overwhelmed by the dramatic developments,” he said.

“We pray that God will bring an end to this immense human and ecological destruction—which undoubtedly has immeasurable consequences—and will give strength to the victims’ relatives, as well as to all those injured and wounded,” he adds.

The statement in full:

“We are overwhelmed by the dramatic developments in the region of Attica, which we have followed from the very first moment, and are a result of the large wildfires that have destroyed human lives, the properties of residents and incinerated the vital forest wealth of Attica.

Our prayers during these difficult hours are intensified and joined together with those of His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the Metropolitans of the stricken regions and all those who are affected.

We pray that God will bring an end to this immense human and ecological destruction—which undoubtedly has immeasurable consequences—and will give strength to the victims’ relatives, as well as to all those injured and wounded.

We also share concern for the inhabitants of Crete and other regions of Greece, who, too, are plagued by fires, and we express the deep sympathy and support of the Mother Church.”

The Royal Family of the United Kingdom sent their sympathies to Greece after the fires that destroyed a big part of East Attica.

Queen Elizabeth sent a message to Greece’s President Of the Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos:

“Prince Philip and I offer our deepest sympathies to the people of Greece in the wake of the devastating fires in Attica and across Greece.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victims of this terrible tragedy and to all those who have lost their homes.
“I pay tribute to the courage and dedication of the Greek emergency services and the volunteers that have provided support.”

Charles, Prince of Wales, sent the following message to the president:

“Having been with you in Athens only recently, and recalling the joy of our visit and the welcome we received from the Greek people, we can only assure you of our affectionate thoughts and special prayers at such a heartbreaking time.”

Hundreds of Turkish citizens rallied outside the historic building housing the Consulate General of Greece in Izmir in solidarity to fire-stricken Greece.

Greece’s Consul General Argyro Papoulia posted pictures of the crowd that gathered outside the consulate on Thursday night with candles, placards and flowers in a show of support.

They also held a banner that read “Hold on neighbors”, copying a front-page headline run by the Greek newspaper “Eleftherotypia” on August 17, 1999 following a disastrous earthquake in Turkey.

Messages of support for Greece from Turkey have also flooded the social media, where the hashtag #Yunanistan (the Turkish name for Greece) was among the top global trends and the hashtag “get well soon neighbor” was a top trend in Turkey.

Source: AMNA

German politicians and Greek expatriates in Germany alike showed their solidarity to the victims of the deadly East Attica fires by donating essential goods and money.

At a political level, Germany’s Green Party (Grüne) through MP Lisa Badum and current Vice-President of the Bundestag Claudia Roth called on the German people to donate funds  for the fire victims in Greece.

In a press release issued by Badum and Roth, they wrote, “…the consequences of the violent destructive fires that cost the lives of at least 86 people and rendered many people homeless, have shaken us. Many Greek men and women are confronted with debris… What is needed now is also a message of European solidarity. It requires specific, non-bureaucratic assistance to Greece, particularly for the people of Kineta, Rafina and Mati, which has been destroyed by 98 percent.”

Greek communities in Germany have also been active in donating money and essential goods for the relief of the fire-stricken people of East Attica and Kineta. The Federation of Greek Communities in Germany calls on all communities to contribute financially to the Greek Red Cross relief account.

Communities and churches in Wuppertal, Siegburg, Bielefeld, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Bonn, Brill have already collected funds and goods to send to Greece for the needs of the fire victims.

The number of Greek migrants in Germany has gone up by 100,000 in the past eight years of the economic crisis, Germany’s Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) says.

In 2009, the year when the crisis broke out in Greece, the number of people with Greek roots in Germany amounted to 341,000. Nine years later, in 2017, their number increased by 28 percent, to 438,000, according to Destatis.

The population group with Greek roots in Germany consists of 243,000 men and 196,000 women. Of the total, 278.00 were born in Greece and 160.000 in Germany. 73,000 are up to 14 years old, 300,000 are between 15 and 64 and 65,000 are over 65 years old.

Of the 438,000 people with Greek births, 273,000 have at least a high school diploma, 88,000 are of preschool or school age and 75,000 do not have a high school diploma. Also, 52,000 have dual Greek and German citizenship.

Finally, of the 438,000 people with a Greek background, only 11,000 live in the area of the former East Germany. Of those living in the former West Germany, 140,000 are in North Rhine-Westphalia, 96,000 in Baden-Wurttemberg, 90,000 in Bavaria, 39,000 in Hessen, 28,000 in Saar and 13,000 in Berlin.

Turkey’s president said Saturday the country will freeze the assets of two United States officials in retaliation for sanctions against Turkey‘s justice and interior ministers over the detention of an American pastor.

Speaking in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey had been “patient” since the U.S. Treasury sanctions imposed Wednesday, but ordered authorities to “freeze the assets of America’s justice and interior ministers in Turkey, if there are any.”

It is unclear who that would affect, due to differing Cabinet roles in the United States than in Turkey, or if the intended officials even have any holdings in Turkey.

Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu and Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul mocked the sanctions this week, saying they have no assets in the U.S, but the sign of deteriorating Turkish-American relations sent Turkey’s national currency — the lira— tumbling.

Erdogan called the sanctions a “serious disrespect towards Turkey” and accused the U.S. of hypocrisy for demanding the release of evangelical pastor Andrew Craig Brunson while ally Turkey tries him over alleged links to terror groups.

Shocking images have shown the moment an explosion ripped across a highway in Italy.

The blast took place on Monday afternoon, near the airport in the city of Bologna. Twitter users at the scene were quick to upload footage of the blast which shook nearby houses.

Italian police have so far only said they are responding to an accident.

#incidente #esplosione #bologna pic.twitter.com/GPmzNrbKUT

— Antonio Laccetti (@antoniolaccetti) August 6, 2018

Two Greek museums are in the running for a European award which recognizes short videos produced to showcase their exhibits, storytelling and research.

The Diachronic Museum in Larissa’s video ‘Tracing the footsteps of human society’ and ‘I am the Lion of Kythera’ by the Archaeological Museum of Kythera are among those from 49 museums across 20 European countries being reviewed by jurists.

Winners of the the Museums in Short Award 2018 will be revealed on Aug. 31 in Piran, Slovenia.

The jury, an international group of museum, media and video professionals, selected 12 finalists, divided in three categories: promotional (trailers communicating museums, their exhibitions or events), exhibits (short video realized for permanent or temporary exhibition) and storytelling (short narratives in video format – fictional documentaries, interviews, motion graphics and animations).

Angela Merkel told the media on Monday that talks with Greece on re-admitting asylum-seekers from Germany’s borders were well underway.

In comments reported by the Associated Press, the German Chancellor said direct talks with Greek premier Alexis Tsipras were not on the agenda yet.

Last month, Berlin said an agreement with Greece for the return of previously-registered refugees currently in Germany would be completed by the end of July.

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen had suggested that such a deal with Greece may be signed by the end of the month.

However, last week Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Germany would unilaterally turn back asylum-seekers who had already been granted asylum in other EU countries.

Germany has also struck a deal on the issue with Spain for Madrid to take back asylum-seekers and is currently talking to Italy’s leadership about the issue also.

Reports from Genoa, Italy suggest many people may have been killed when a motorway bridge suddenly gave way on Tuesday.

The major structure collapsed during stormy weather, plunging cars and trucks as much as 100 feet onto rail tracks below. Italy’s transport minister Danilo Toninelli said it was an “immense tragedy”.

Although police have said 10 people are dead, the death toll is expected to rise as the emergency services work at the scene.

More information to come.

#14ago #Genova 12:00, crolla parte del ponte Morandi sulla #A10. Le squadre #vigilidelfuoco stanno operando in massa, attivatinteam usar e cinofili pic.twitter.com/gjSJLvjw1K

— Vigili del Fuoco (@emergenzavvf) August 14, 2018

A deal which could see refugees who applied for asylum in Greece but subsequently moved on to Germany returned has been struck between Athens and Berlin, a German government spokeswoman has said.

Quoted in Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Eleonore Petermann confirmed Berlin had “reached an agreement with Greece”.

Athens has apparently agreed to take back those refugees who were initially registered in Greece. The mechanics of the deal are “on the verge of completion,” Petermann said.

The Eurodac 1 cases include asylum-applying refugees who are found at the German-Austrian borders and have already applied for asylum in another country. The readmission window of time expires after 48 hours, she said.

German leader Angela Merkel had told the media on Monday that talks with Greece on re-admitting asylum-seekers from Germany’s borders were well underway.

Last week, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Germany would unilaterally turn back asylum-seekers who had already been granted asylum in other EU countries.

Germany has also struck a deal on the issue with Spain for Madrid to take back asylum-seekers and is currently talking to Italy’s leadership about the issue also.

Several gunshots were fired from a vehicle at the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Monday, hitting a window in a security post but causing no casualties, broadcaster CNN Turk reported.

It said police teams were searching for the assailants who fled in a white car after the attack, which occurred around 5 a.m. (0200 GMT).

The attack coincided with a deepening row between Ankara and Washington over the trial of a U.S. pastor in Turkey.

Video from outside the US Embassy in Ankara immediately after shots fired.

You can see the bullet hit the security guard cabin and bullet shell on the ground (Credit; IHA) pic.twitter.com/D9KGpDQ72Y

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) August 20, 2018

The Financial crisis that hit Greece has left its scars on the economy and people of the country. These harsh conditions of the past 8 years though, weren’t able to stop Greeks from succeeding. The following examples are just a small portion of the countless success-stories of Greeks who took the risk and made it to the competitive British market either before or after 2010.

Saucy Restaurant

Saucy is a casual restaurant and bar in Russell Square and in North Acton, London. It offers Greek traditional recipes with a modern twist to deliver an exciting menu.

The owners are proud of their ethos and that’s why they only use naturally raised fresh meats, original crunchy pita bread paired with a fresh salad and their signature Greek sauces.
In their warm and friendly environment, you will find shelves teeming with fine wines and beers for every taste.

MAZI Restaurant

MAZI claims that its vision is to show the rest of the world how innovative, tasty and refined Greek food can be. It derives its inspiration from the traditional Greek table and reinterprets classic recipes with a modern twist. MAZI, which means “together” in Greek, revives the sharing culinary tradition of Greece and is at the very core of the restaurant’s concept.

The restaurant imports most of its ingredients from Greece and sources the fresh produce from local independent suppliers. The restaurant itself has a modern rustic charm and is located in Notting Hill, London.

The Life Goddess

This restaurant, located at Store Street, London, a few meters from the British Museum opened by three Greeks from Thessaloniki and prides itself for presenting traditional Greek dishes, made exclusively by authentic Greek ingredients, to the demanding audience of central London.

Alexander the Great

Located at Plender street in London, Alexander the Great has one of the best reviews from customers on Trip Advisor. From traditional Greek dishes such as moussaka and kleftico, to the more modern Vegetarian options, Alexander the Great has managed to be one of the main choices for someone who wants to experience the wide variety of the Mediterranean and Greek cuisine.

Daphne Restaurant

Daphne in Greek mythology was the daughter of the river-god, Peneius, who spurned the advances of the lustful Apollo who tried to ravish her. Now her name adorns the popular Greek Cypriot restaurant that started decades before the Financial Crisis, back in November 1984 and continues to be run by the Lymbouri family.

It is a smart, comfortable and cozy restaurant with a relaxing Mediterranean atmosphere, welcoming and friendly with its walls full of photographs depicting life from late 19th Century, in Cyprus.

In addition to a lengthy menu, featuring charcoal grills and fresh fish, Daphne has a number of specialty dishes to choose from every day.

The Irish police are seeking the public’s help in tracing the whereabouts of Greek tourist Athanasios Dritselis.

The 28-year-old who was visiting Dublin has been missing since August 24th.

He was last seen at approximately 10pm on that Friday night.

He is described as being 6’5″ in height, with black hair, brown eyes and a slim build.

“Athanasios has been visiting Ireland from Greece. He was last seen wearing a dark blue jacket, black tracksuit bottoms, and burgundy runners,” said a police spokesman.

The News Agency Associated Press claims that found evidence from a hit list of 4,700 email addresses were supplied last year by Secureworks, a subsidiary of Dell Technologies. This proves that Russian hackers spent years trying to steal the private correspondence of some of the world’s most senior Orthodox Christian figures — after the turmoil caused by the high stakes as Kiev and Moscow wrestle over the religious future of Ukraine.

The targets included top aides to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who is considered to be the first among equals of the world’s Orthodox Christian leaders and is currently working on whether to accept a Ukrainian bid to tear that country’s church from its association with Russia. Bartholomew, who is 78, does not use email, but his aides do, and the evidence shows several attempts to crack their Gmail accounts.

Patriarch Bartholomew claims the exclusive right to grant a “Tomos of Autocephaly,” or full ecclesiastic independence, sought by the Ukrainians. If done, it would be a momentous step, splitting the world’s largest Orthodox denomination and severely damaging the power and prestige of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Ukraine is trying hard to take an Ecclesiastical divorce from Russia and many believe the issue could be decided as soon as next month.

The revelations come after the uncovering of a group of Russian hackers widely known as Fancy Bear who tried to break into the emails of U.S. Democrats, Defense contractors, Intelligence workers, International journalists and even American military wives. The targeting of high-profile religious figures demonstrates the wide net cast by the cyberspies.

The Russian Orthodox Church said it had no information about the hacking and declined comment.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko went to Constantinople in April this year trying to persuade the Patriarch to agree to the split, which he has described as “a matter of independence and security” while Moscow’s Patriarch Kirill is flying to Istanbul later this week in a last attempt to prevent it.

by Grace Parkin

Globetrotting chef Nikolaos Koulousias has been bringing Greek tastes to the tables of the rich and famous, including the British Royals and Russian president Vladimir Putin.

Koulousias born in Germany from immigrant parents from Kozani, northern Greece, was selected to be part of a team of chefs to cook for the royal wedding of Prince Harry in May 2018.

“I felt proud to bring the Greek flag to Windsor Palace. Greek olive oil was high up on the list of ingredients we used,” he said in a recent interview.

Two years earlier he had the privilege of cooking rabbit (stifado) for President Putin in Moscow. He has also cooked for numerous rock stars, including the Rolling Stones, the Scorpions and Sting.

The inspiration for his success in the culinary world came from his grandmother, he said in an interview with the Greek Reporter.

“My grandmother inspired me at the age of seven and at the age of fourteen years old I knew I had to follow my passion and dream of becoming a chef.”

He said that his mentor is the British chef Marco Pierre White who has been dubbed the first celebrity chef: “I see myself in him, a rebel with his heart on the right side”.

Koulousias is certainly following the steps of White as he appears on many TV shows in Europe and Greece. Among them the German Master Chef reality show.

He is currently working as a consultant to various restaurants and hotels around the world bringing the Greek kitchen and its aromatic flavors to them.

He was recently awarded the prestigious title of Αmbassador for Greek gastronomy for his success in spreading Greek food worldwide.

“Greece has many renowned chefs who spread the flavors of Greece beyond borders,” Koulousias said.

His success has not dented his humility. Asked where he sees himself five years on he says:

“I just know I will be the same person you talk to today, I just know I will still be cooking with a passion with a lot of determination to reach the goals I have set myself.”

Amphilochios Makris, an abbot of the historic Monastery of Saint John the Theologian is a new saint for the Christian Orthodox Church, according to the announcement made by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, the only responsible authority for the canonization of new saints for the Orthodox Christianity.

Elder Amphilochios Makris was born in 1889 and served as a monk of the St. John the Theologian Monastery on the island of Patmos, where St. John the Evangelist received the Divine Revelation that became the book of Revelation, before becoming an abbot.

After decades of pure and holy life, he reposed on April 16, 1970.

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has decided to allow a second marriage for Greek Orthodox priests in the event that they are widowed or abandoned by their wife, religious news website Romfea.gr says.

The decision, that is considered historic in the Orthodox Church, specifies that a second marriage will not be allowed if the priest wishes to leave his wife and marry another woman.

It is underlined that each case will be examined separately and the bishop of the priest’s parish will be sending the specifics to be judged by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

Also, the wedding ceremony for the second marriage of priests will be different. Specifically, it will be with a simple prayer in a very close family circle.

Within the next few days, an official letter with all details and directions will be sent to all competent parties by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.