Anonymous Hackers Access Greek Ministry Website (Video)

The Associated Press

Hackers associated with the activist group Anonymous posted a protest against Greece's EU and IMF-inspired austerity policies on the website of the country's justice ministry Friday, a ministry spokeswoman said.

Cross-Party Collaboration in Greece Requesting War Reparations from Germany

ANA- MPA

The Greek village Distomo, where a 1944 Nazi massacre took place, is seen in this undated file picture. In World War II German soldiers killed 214 people as punishment for an attack by partisans. A proposal signed by 28 MPs of PASOK, New Democracy (ND), Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) and independent deputies has been tabled in Parliament requesting a discussion on issues concerning the so-called German occupation loan from Greece during WWII, as well as the issue of war reparations to victims of Nazi atrocities and stolen treasures from the country.

Unemployment Rate in Greece Has Soared to 19.2 Percent

Andy Dabilis

A homeless man sleeps outside Monastiraki metro station in Athens, with temperatures falling to below zero degrees Celsius around the country, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. The country's national debt exceeded euro 350 billion last year, and without the bond-swap deal would not be considered sustainable as Greek gross domestic product is set to slow to euro 215 billion in 2012, in a fourth year of recession, according to state budget figures. The banner reads 'Ministry of Environment, Town Planning and Public Works.'

World Court Upholds German Immunity in Nazi Cases

The Associated Press

Professor Stelios Perrakis, head of the intervening Greek delegation, center, gestures while talking to Germany's Susanne Wasum-Rainer, director general for legal affairs and legal advisor, left, and professor of law Christian Tomuschat of Germany, right, in The Hague, Netherlandsprior to the start of the court session.

Conservatives, Socialists Wrangle in Greece as Elections Loom

ANA- MPA

In a stinging reply to PASOK President George Papandreou and his address earlier to a PASOK's Parliamentary group on Thursday, main opposition New Democracy spokesman Yiannis Mihelakis accused the former premier of having "destroyed the country" during the two years he was in power.

Unpaid Electricity Bills in Greece Exceed 500,000

ANA- MPA

AMNA--Unpaid electricity bills beyond 80 days, which include an extraordinary real estate surcharge, now exceed 500,000, according to the union representing state-run power company (PPC) employees. The union, GENOP, said the figures mean that the consumers in question face the risk of disconnection (unless they are included in the so-called sensitive social groups, and thereby excluded).

EU Prepares for Potential Gas Crisis

Raf Casert - The Associated Press

A woman looks out of a window covered in frost on a bus in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. At least 11,000 villagers have been trapped by heavy snow and blizzards in Serbia's mountains, authorities said Thursday, as the death toll from Eastern Europe's weeklong deep freeze rose to 122, many of them homeless people. The European Union is bracing for another potential energy crisis in the dead of winter as Russian gas supplies to some of its member states suddenly have dwindled by up to 30 percent.

Spain Cabinet OKs Banking Sector Reform Plan

Daniel Wools - The Associated Press

Spain's Economy Minister Luis de Guindos speaks during a news conference at the Moncloa Palace in Madrid Friday Feb. 3, 2012 after a government cabinet meeting. Spain's new conservative government approved Friday a plan forcing banks to set aside an estimated euro 50 billion ($65 billion) in new provisions to cover toxic real estate assets, a bid to heal a sector that is critical to reviving the lame economy.

EU Official: Greece Needs Extra $20 Billion

Gabrielle Steinhauser - The Associated Press

State-employed doctors protest behind a coffin outside the Greek Health Ministry in Athens, on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. A European Union official says the the bloc has asked the eurozone to help provide an extra euro 15 billion ($20 billion) for debt-ridden Greece. The official said Thursday that Greece's international debt inspectors have discovered that a gap of around euro 15 billion remains between debt relief provided by banks and other private investors and a second, euro 130 billion bailout.

Cyprus Parliament Rebukes UN Envoy

The Associated Press

A man in silhouette crosses the Ledra Palace checkpoint leading to the Greek Cypriot area by the UN buffer zone (Green line) that divided the Greek and Turkish Cypriots controls areas of divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012. The Cyprus parliament has taken the unusual step of rebuking a United Nations envoy over perceived bias that it says is hindering long-running reunification talks.

Greek Church Leader Says Austerity 'Fatal'

Derek Gatopoulos - The Associated Press

The leader of Greece's Orthodox Church on Thursday warned rising poverty in the crisis-hit country could trigger a "social explosion," as the government raced to push through more cost-cutting reforms needed to conclude debt deals and avoid a default in March.

Greece: ECB Must be Part of Debt Relief

Nicholas Paphitis - The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The European Central Bank and national central banks should be part of a debt relief deal with near-bankrupt Greece's private sector creditors ahead of a pressing deadline early next week, the Greek Finance Minister said Thursday. Evangelos Venizelos said the deal should also involve reducing the interest rates Greece pays its European partners and the International Monetary Fund for its first bailout agreed in May 2010. The ECB and European central banks have so far been exempt from a cut in the value of their Greek debt portfolios, estimated at more than €50 billion ($65 billion), to the annoyance of private bondholders who face an overall loss of about 70 percent.

People Growing Poorer, but Price of Basic Goods on Rise in Greece

A homeless man huddles on a street in Athens. Despite the financial crisis, prices in Greece continue to rise. Basic consumer goods have grown more expensive by 23.8 percent.

Debt Crisis Threatens Slow Death for Portugal

Barry Hatton - The Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — In a six-room Lisbon office where until last year more than a dozen people worked, engineer Joao Paulo Lopes sits alone in silence amid dark computer screens, patiently waiting for a bankruptcy lawyer to shut the company's doors and send him home. Small firms with fewer than 50 workers, like the gas and water installation company where Lopes works, make up more than 99 percent of Portuguese businesses. They are the bedrock of the country's economy. And they're collapsing at an alarming rate. "We're witnessing a daily deluge of small companies going under," says Raul Gonzalez, president of the national association of bankruptcy owners. His organization logged more than 10,000 company insolvencies last year — a startling 60 percent jump from the previous year.

Fitch Downgrades Cyprus Banks to Junk Level

The Associated Press

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Credit ratings agency Fitch has downgraded Cyprus' top three commercial banks by a notch each to junk status. Fitch said Thursday's downgrade of the Bank of Cyprus, Marfin Popular Bank and Hellenic Bank from BBB- to BB+ is in line with a one-notch cut to Cyprus' sovereign rating last week to just above junk status. The agency said the sovereign downgrade — mainly due to the banks' large exposure to Greek debt — reduces the government's ability to support the banks which could, however, receive international backing if needed.

Germany: No Public Contribution to Greek Haircut

The Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany's finance minister says he sees no need for a public-sector contribution to cutting Greece's debt load as the country works toward a deal with its private creditors, and is insisting that Athens put promised reforms on track to get a second bailout. Wolfgang Schaeuble said in an interview with n-tv television broadcast Thursday that private creditors "earned enough previously" from Greek bonds, and highlighted the contribution already made by taxpayers. "Public creditors are participating sufficiently," he said. "Who are the public creditors? They are the taxpayers in other European countries, and I can't see that our contribution so far to tackling the problems in Greece is too small."

OECD Paper: Europe Needs $1.3 Trln Bailout Fund

Sarah DiLorenzo - The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Europe needs to double the size of its bailout fund to €1 trillion ($1.3 trillion) if it is to shore up its banking system and stop the spread of its spiraling debt crisis, according to a paper published Thursday by the economic organization that represents developed countries. The paper, written by Adrian Blundell-Wignall, who is the special adviser to the secretary-general of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, laid out a list of steps Europe has to take "if a fracturing of the euro is to be avoided."

Greek State Firm's CEO Freed Pending Debt Trial

The Associated Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The Greek state-owned horse racing company's CEO has been released pending trial a day after his arrest over the corporation's €83 million ($109 million) debts to the state. Alexandros Zaharis' lawyer says a magistrate gave his client a month to settle ODIE's obligations — which he said were mostly generated by the state and inherited by the company. Lawyer Giorgos Karavokyris says ODIE paid up more than €200,000 ($260,000) Thursday in withheld taxes, over which Zaharis faced separate charges.

Negotiations in Greece Reach Critical Phase, Party Leaders to meet Again Soon

ANA- MPA

Greece's conservative New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras met with Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Tuesday and stressed that his party will not accept unilateral decisions by the Papademos administration.

Judge in Greece Gets Six Years for Sexual Abuse

ANA- MPA

AMNA--A Five-member Criminal Appeals Court on Wednesday sentenced a Greek judge to serve six years in jail for sexually abusing his five-year-old son. The court reduced the suspended 13-year sentence originally imposed by a lower-level court by seven years. Following the verdict, the judge was sent to prison. The sentence followed a lengthy hearing with damning testimony against the now divorced judge read out in court describing how he had sexually abused his son.

Strike Disrupts Portugal Public Transport System

The Associated Press

Train passengers arrive at Cais do Sodre hub station during a strike by public transport workers, Lisbon, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012. The 24-hour strike by Portuguese public transport workers caused some disruption for travelers but had a patchy turnout Thursday, suggesting resistance to the government's austerity program is softening.

France Raises $10.5 Billion in Solid Bond Auction

The Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France raised nearly €8 billion ($10.5 billion) at a bond auction Thursday that saw its closely watched 10-year borrowing costs fall. European bond auctions are highly anticipated because rising borrowing costs lie at the heart of the continent's debt crisis. While France is better off than countries like Portugal and Greece that were forced to seek bailouts to fund themselves, there were concerns that Paris would see its costs increase after its credit rating was downgraded by Standard & Poor's.

Arid Cyprus Gets Major Boost from Recent Rainfall

Cyprus News Agency

A rainbow is seen behind a steeple of a Christian orthodox church after heavy rainfall in Nicosia, Cyprus, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012. A low pressure system lingering over Cyprus has brought low temperatures, rain showers and snow in the mountains.

Greece, IMF Expect Deal Soon

Elena Becatoros - The Associated Press

Greece and the IMF said Wednesday that negotiations for landmark debt deals will be concluded in a "matter of days," raising hopes that the country will dodge a disastrous default in the spring.

Omirou: National Council to Discuss Downer Stance

Cyprus News Agency

Alexander Downer, Special Adviser to the UN Secretary General has drawn the ire of the Cypriot government for saying that the Greek Cypriots will be in charge of the EU Council Presidency at the second half of 2012 without referring to the Republic of Cyprus, along with many other positions he has put forth.

Cyprus Has 2nd Highest Unemployment Increase in EU27

Cyprus News Agency

Citizens are seen waiting on an unemployment line. The unemployment rate in Cyprus reached 9.3% in December 2011, marking the second highest increase in a year across the EU, second only to Greece.

Greece's Power Company Sorry for Cutting Off Homes

The Associated Press

A calf grazes on a snow covered farm in northern Athens, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2012. Snowfall and frost were reported in most parts of Greece for third day as European cold snap death toll rises to 71 people, while officials at Greece's state-run power company have apologized for disconnecting homes at a village in subfreezing temperatures as part of its widely resented program to enforce a new property tax.