News archive of May 2015

Liberal Senator Crin Antonescu stated, on Saturday, that he does not understand why the National Liberal Party (PNL) is "still thinking" when it comes to amending the Constitution.

Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis took to Twitter to state that his controversial choice of Elena Panaritis as Greece’s representative to the International Monetary Fund does not mean that he’ll resign:

Twitter users immediately reacted to this comment, prompting Varoufakis to react:

Regime air strikes killed at least 20 civilians in a rebel-dominated area of northwestern Syria, a monitor said May 31 after raids elsewhere in the country left more than 70 dead.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister emphasized Bulgaria's progress in the fight against corruption and the informal economy and the efforts of the government to guarantee financial stability at a meeting with representatives of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Sofia.

The “bean counters” now running the finance ministry under the radical leftist SYRIZA government have apparently forgotten the tale of the “Golden Goose”, otherwise it doesn’t make sense that central government officials are demanding the municipality of Mykonos raise rates for leasing beach umbrellas and chairs by as much as … 120 percent!

Elena Panaritis’ appointment as Greece’s representative to the International Monetary Fund generated increased criticism from within the ruling Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) party and the opposition. Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis’ choice of the economist has come under fire from within his own party, prompting the reaction of Panaritis herself.

US police have shot and killed 385 people during the first five months of this year, a rate of more than two a day, the Washington Post reported on May 30. 

The death rate is more than twice that tallied by the federal government over the past decade, a count that officials concede is incomplete, the newspaper said. 

Romanian-Slovenian pair formed by Horia Tecau and Katarina Srebotnik has qualified for the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles event of the Roland Garros tournament, the second Grand Slam tournament of the year, on Saturday, after defeating Indian-Swiss pair Leander Paes/Martina Hingis, seeded eighth in the event, by 6-7 (6), 6-3, 10-6.

Thousands gathered in the main square of Guatemala's capital on May 30 to protest against corruption after a wave of graft scandals prompted a Cabinet shake-up and the resignation of the vice president. 

Rain caused flooding on roads in parts of Texas on May 30, an official said, after severe weather killed at least 23 people during the week and prompted US President Barack Obama to declare a disaster in the state.