Eight out of 90 European banks have failed stress tests on whether they could withstand another financial crisis. None were in Italy - which it hopes might help the country fend off spiraling debt costs, along with the 70-billion-Euro cuts which parliament passed on Friday. But, as RT's Sara Firth reports, there's only so much that can be done before the people take power into their own hands.
The euro plunged deeper into crisis last night as Greece’s credit rating was slashed to ‘junk’ status – just one notch above default – by another major agency.
The Dignité has 10 activists on board and is part of the 10-boat Freedom Flotilla that has tried to leave Greek waters for Gaza over the past week.
Max Keiser and co-host, Stacy Herbert, report on selling Greece's sovereignty and Spain's El Gordo. In the second half of the show, Max talks to economist Michael Hudson about the IMF assassins sent in to destroy the Greek economy.
The behavior of the Greek Government, surely a reflection of its precarious financial and political situation, also violates the law of the sea: foreign flagged vessels can be detained in port only if they are acting in violation of national law or are proven to be unseaworthy and dangerous to international navigation. Otherwise, interference by detention or by seizing while en route within Greek territorial waters is an unlawful interference with the right of innocent passage. Greece would be very vulnerable to defeat and damages if the Freedom Flotilla victims of these encroachment on rights were to have recourse to the Hamburg International Tribunal for Law of the Sea.
Greeks have taken to venting their frustration over the country’s economic plight by hurling yoghurt and verbal abuse at ruling socialist legislators.
We have cause to believe that there may be further harm done to the Tahrir, and we know that the Greek State has been usable to prevent sabotage of at least one other flotilla boat in Greek waters.
Exclusive Press TV footage
Canadian ship 'Tahrir' tries to set sail for Gaza after Greek authorities had banned the departure of all ships to Gaza from its ports; all passengers due to be detained once returning to Greek port.
Greece has banned a humanitarian aid flotilla - destined for Gaza - from leaving its ports and arrested one of the captains. The authorities accuse the vessels - with hundreds of activists on board - of departing without permission. Campaigners have suggested the Greek government gave in to pressure from the US and Israel, who they accuse of trying to 'sabotage their mission'.The flotilla is drawing parallels to a similar Gaza-bound convoy that was stormed by Israeli marines last May, resulting in the deaths of nine Turkish activists. But as RT's correspondent reports, from one of the seized ships, lawyers are calling Athens' actions unlawful and that activists hope justice will prevail.
Financial markets are braced for renewed turmoil this week amid growing doubts about the complex rescue plan for the debt-burdened Greek economy.
As part of compromise intended to end flotilla affair, Greece offers to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza using Greek governmental ships; flotilla organizers: Move will not end siege.
The organisers of a Gaza aid flotilla banned from leaving a Greek port say they are determined to continue their campaign.
The activists say Israel has pressured the Greek government to prevent their mission.
The Greek foreign ministry denies this. But the incident highlights shifting regional relations.
The US boat, The “Audacity of Hope” set sail yesterday for Gaza. Within minutes it was surrounded by heavily armed Greek commandos, who eventually boarded the ship forcing it to immediately turn back to port. At the same time the Canadian boat the “Tahrir” was being boarded and their paperwork confiscated. Additionally all other boats had armed Greek police and Coast Guard personnel guarding the ships to keep them from leaving port. The Greek Announcement on the Flotilla can be read below. It is now clear that the siege on Gaza extends to Greece and its islands.
Pat Fitzgerald, Engineer on board the MV Saoirse and a veteran seafarer for over two decades tells the full story about the damage to Saoirse at Gocek and that it could not have been anything else but sabotage.
Greek government says it is preventing departure of vessels from ports to avoid a 'humanitarian disaster' which would result from violent confrontation with Israeli navy.
"We're Sulfur-Free and Ready to Sail"
...meet the Knesset, your new government.
The captain of a US boat carrying activists who tried to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza was jailed Saturday in Athens, organizers of the flotilla said.
John Klusmer is being charged with two felonies, organizers of the boat told reporters at a news conference in the Greek capital. The investigation will begin Tuesday, they said.
Greece has banned a flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza from leaving its ports. One of its vessels carrying hundreds of activists destined for the blockaded enclave has been towed back - after just minutes at sea. Campaigners onboard have suggested the Greek government gave into pressure from the US and Israel.
Join us in calling on the Greek government to allow the passage of the Flotilla to the shores of Gaza by calling your local Greek embassies and consulates.
Greek authorities have arrested the captain of a boat that was to be part of a Gaza-bound flotilla trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian territory, officials said Saturday.
The Audacity of Hope was stopped at sea by the Greek Coast Guard 20 minutes after leaving the port. Our captain refused to turn back irregardless of the pleas of the Coast guard captain. After about 2 hours, Greek commandos joined the Coast guard vessel and the decision was made to turn back. We are currently at a military dock in Athens, unable to proceed. Johnny Barber, a passenger, on the Audacity of Hope, was able to record this as it happened.
The Freedom Flotilla seeking to reach the Gaza Strip is in limbo under the weight of Israeli-U.S. pressure, unrest in Greece, and acts of sabotage targeting its ships. A number of vessels remain moored in Greek ports, stranding hundreds of passengers and the humanitarian cargo they hope to bring to Gazans living under an Israeli blockade.
Pursuant to a decision by the Minister of Citizen Protection Mr. C. Papoutsis, the departure of ships with Greek and foreign flags from Greek ports to the maritime area of Gaza has been prohibited today.
"We were forced to go back to a Greek port surrounded with bars and barbwire," a Twitter message from the Gaza-bound vessel said. "We were in a holding pattern for probably three hours when the commandos arrived with drawn weapons."
After months of remaining secret, the location of the Canadian ship participating in Freedom Flotilla II to Gaza was outed in this Greek seaside town when authorities boarded it — on Canada Day — and tried to seize the ship’s transit log, which is need to sail.
Greece has voted on a second bill in the final step towards implementing the next wave of austerity measures. Its the last hurdle that Athens has to jump to qualify for a new stack of European bailout funds. The plan's met heavy public resistance with two days of rioting that's left more than 300 people injured. Activist Kiriakos Tobras in Syntagma square says Greeks simply don't want to pay for the mistakes of banks and politicians.
This video taken during the anti-austerity protests in Athens earlier this week shows police in full riot gear severely beating unarmed protesters with batons
The first video shows the damage to one of the Greek vessels with the second showing the damage to MV Saoirse, the Irish vessel.
