News archive of May 2015

It was as if there was an undeclared curfew. Early in the morning [May 31], Istanbul police closed down all major roads leading to Gezi Park, the sparking point of the 2013 nationwide anti-government protests. Why? The obsessive majoritarian government of the elected neo-sultan did not want people gather and remember the nine young sons of this country who fell victim to brutal governance.

Turkey has already adopted a de facto "leadership" or "supreme guidance" system. The parliamentary elections has already turned into a referendum, as President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an campaigns not only openly to support the governing party but also for a new political system.

Turkish parties mobilized millions of people to their election rallies over the weekend as the country enters the last week ahead of the critical June 7 parliamentary elections.

Steaua Bucharest has managed to gain the Romanian Cup in football, on Sunday evening, on the National Arena of Bucharest, winning 3-0 (1-0) in the final against Universitatea Cluj and succeeding in writing history, being the first team to win the championship, the League Cup (official since 2014), and the Romanian Cup.

By Nikos Chrysoloras & Antonis Galanopoulos

Greece?s hopes of sealing an accord with its creditors by the end of May dimmed on Sunday, as disagreements between the two sides on budget targets persisted, a person familiar with the matter said.

A previously unknown group has claimed responsibility for murdering the warden of Domokos Prison in central Greece three months ago.

Makis Galimanis was gunned down outside his home in Lamia in February in a drive-by shooting.

By George Georgakopoulos

Panathinaikos will be Greece?s representative in the qualifiers of next season?s Champions League after beating PAOK with a 2-0 score on Sunday to clinch the top spot in the Super League play-off mini-league, with two games left to play.

One of the country?s leading basketball referees had his car torched on Saturday, a few days before the start of the Greek basketball league finals, likely to be between champion Panathinaikos and challenger Olympiakos.

The car of Christos Panayiotou was set alight on Saturday night at his hometown of Patra, after its windscreen was smashed and a petrol bomb was thrown in.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras faced a backlash on Sunday from his leftist party lawmakers over the government's pick for the country's representative at the International Monetary Fund, the latest issue to deepen divisions in the ruling party.

One person has won the rollover jackpot on 9.5 million euros in Greece?s Joker lottery.

The lucky numbers in Sunday?s draw were 16, 19, 29, 38 and 39. The joker number was 11.

Sunday?s large jackpot came around as a result of several draws without a winner.