NEWS IN ENGLISH 24/11/2014

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos at Maximos Mansion in order to discuss the upcoming meeting between the troika and the representatives of the Greek side that is scheduled to take place tomorrow in Paris. Meanwhile a three-member Syriza delegation is in Moscow to participate in an International Conference dealing with Europe-Russian relations.



The needs of Syrians who have been protesting outside the building of Parliament for the sixth day running, demanding that they officially be recognized as refugees, have been ignored both by the state social services and by the mayor of Athens Giorgos Kaminis. As a result of the hardships they have gone through several were in immediate need of medical attention, with one woman being hospitalised at noon with symptoms of hypothermia. It is reported that some of the protesters have announced that they will begin a hunger strike.



Repression,police violence and abundant tear gas in Skouries Halkidiki yesterday. More than 1.500 demonstrators from the neighboring areas, as well as many other parts of Greece, marched to the location where Eldorado’s subsidiary, Hellas Gold, is developing a huge open-pit gold mine on mount KAKAVOS. It is the first demonstration there since the summer and despite bullying and prosecution by the authorities during the past few months, the participation of the people from nearby villages was massive.

The demonstrators managed to enter a fenced area where a huge enrichment plant is being constructed. From that moment about seventeen riot police squads started a large scale attack with chemicals, flash grenades and tear gas aimed directly at the protesters. The protesters answered back throwing stones and an extensive clash lasting around three hours followed.

Published pictures of riot police firing tear gas directly onto protesters in Skouries raise serious questions to Minister of Public OrderVasilis Kikilias, since this practice is strictly prohibited as it may led to grave injury or even death.It is not the first time that Greek police have played the role of a private company’s security service, launching an attack on unarmed civilians”, commented the Ierissos co-ordination committee against gold mining.

The family of prison inmate Hercules Kostaris, who is on a hunger strike demanding the educational leaves he is entitled to according to the law, with his lawyers and doctors held a press conference. Kostaris is still in hospital and the condition of his health continues to be critical.

On the 14th day of his own hunger strike prison inmate Nikos Romanos , also protesting for the denial of educational leaves, was hospitalised as he has lost 10 kilos and is physically exhausted, while Giannis Michailidis is on a hunger stike in solidarity to Romanos since he 17th of November.

A student delegation protested earlier today in front of Athens University Headquarters in Propylea.

The Finance Ministry Cleaning Ladies are calling for a demonstration in Karageorgi Servias Street, for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.



---INTERNATIONAL NEWS

In Spain a new poll rates the party PODEMOS first, according to intention of vote in the next parliamentary elections.



In Ohio USA a twelve-year-old boy was shot dead by police in a Cleveland park because of the alarm caused by a gun replica he was holding.

                                     

---WEATHER

Weather will be mostly fair in western Greece and in the eastern Aegean, with clouds and sporadic light rain forecast in the other parts of the country. There will be light snowfalls in the highlands.

Temperatures will reach 14 degrees Celsius in Athens and 11 degrees in Thessalonica.
Τελευταία τροποποίηση στις Παρασκευή, 14/06/2013 - 23:54