List of All Articles with Tag 'c'

It was the most tantalizing of victories. Despite inflicting the most crushing defeat in half a century on the opposition, Greece's center-right Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected Monday to seek a second national election within weeks, as he lacks the majority in Parliament to govern alone. With 99.55% of the votes counted early Monday, Mitsotakis' New Democracy party won 40.79% — twice the leftwing main opposition Syriza's 20.07%. Socialist Pasok came in third at 11.46%. The margin far outstripped pollsters' forecasts and was the biggest since 1974, when Greece's first democratic elections were held after the fall of the seven-year military dictatorship. But the one-off proportional representation system in effect Sunday means ND only gains 146 of Parliament's 300 seats, five short of a governing majority. The new elections, expected in late June or early July, will revert to the previous system that grants the first party a bonus of up to 50 seats. That would ensure Mitsotakis a comfortable majority for a second term in power. Later Monday, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou is due to hand Mitsotakis the mandate to try to form a coalition government — which he is expected to return. Hours after voting ended Sunday, the 55-year-old prime minister said he would “follow all constitutional procedures” but strongly implied he would not engage in coalition talks. “Without a doubt, the political earthquake that occurred today calls on us all to speed up the process for a definitive government solution so our country can have an experienced hand at its helm as soon as possible,” he said. Mitsotakis had long suggested he would not seek a coalition partner whatever the election outcome, advocating instead the stabilizing effect of strong, undivided governance. If Mitsotakis hands back the mandate, it will then pass to Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras, and then to Pasok leader Nikos Androulakis — neither of whom have any realistic chance of success. Each will have a maximum of three days to try to form a coalition. Once all options are exhausted, a senior judge will be appointed caretaker prime minister and new elections called. Tsipras, 48, called Mitsotakis on Sunday night to congratulate him. “The result is exceptionally negative for Syriza,” he said in initial statements. “Fights have winners and losers.” Tsipras, who was prime minister from 2015 to 2019, said his party would gather to examine the results and how they came about. “However, the electoral cycle is not yet over,” he said. “We don’t have the luxury of time. We must immediately carry out all the changes that are needed so we can fight the next crucial and final electoral battle with the best terms possible.” Mitsotakis, a Harvard-educated former banking executive, came to power in 2019 on a promise of business-oriented reforms and has vowed to continue tax cuts, boost investments and bolster middle-class employment. He has been credited with Greece’s successful handling of the pandemic and of two crises with neighboring Turkey, while overseeing high growth and job creation after the end of Greece's 2009-2018 financial crisis, but a wiretapping scandal and a railway disaster damaged his ratings. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide AP News Digest 3 am Greece prime minister Mitsotakis hails election victory as ‘political earthquake’ Polls open in Greece's first election since international bailout spending controls ended

Greece’s stocks and government bonds gained at the open as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis secured surprisingly strong support

China is likely to see its Covid-19 wave peaking at about 65 million infections a week toward the

The United States and Papua New Guinea have signed a new bilateral defense cooperation agreement -- a move that has sparked controversy in the Pacific Island nation and comes as Washington and China jostle for influence in the region.

German companies aren’t seeing any evidence of an pickup taking hold in Europe’s biggest economy, according to a

'Gilmore Girls' fans are still as moved by Rory and Jess's first kiss as they were two decades ago

Flights were suspended at Sicily’s Catania airport on Sunday after Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, showered the city with a thick coating of ash. Ash fell across the runway and over the city of Catania, as well as on at least one town on Mount Etna’s slopes, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The INGV, which closely monitors Etna with instrumentation on the slopes, noted that cloud cover on a rainy day impeded views of the eruption, which often serves up a spectacular display of flaming lava during the volcano’s not infrequent spells of heightened activity. No injuries were reported. Photos and videos taken after the eruption show a massive plume of ash rising out of the volcano, covering the sky. Some photos also show ash on people’s homes and cars. Catania airport said that due to ashfall, flight operations were temporarily suspended. The airport authorities said they are closely monitoring the situation and will resume flights once conditions permit. The INGV indicated that monitoring had recorded evidence of a stepping up in tremor activity in recent days. People in the towns of Adrano and Biancavilla reported hearing loud booms emanating from the volcano on Sunday, the Italian news agency ANSA said. Italy’s national Civil Protection Agency had noted on Thursday in an alert that in view of increased volcanic activity, “sudden” variations of Etna‘s activity could occur. In early 2021, an eruption of the volcano lasted several weeks. But it hasn’t unleashed a major eruption since 1922. Mount Etna, towering at approximately 3,330metres tall (10,926 feet), is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Due to its history of recent activity and the risk to nearby populations, Mount Etna has been added to the list of 16 Decade Volcanoes worldwide, a designation given by the United Nations to volcanoes that exhibit more than one volcanic hazard. The volcano is monitored continuously by scientists to ensure the safety of nearby communities, while studying the geological processes at play. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Mexico City airport briefly shutters due to eruption of volcanic ash Satellite imagery captures huge volcanic eruption in Russia Earthquake activity at two Alaska volcanoes could signal eruption, officials warn Travellers shocked after airline weighs woman on baggage scale Teenager fined by airline after attempting baggage hack of wearing all her clothes Disney’s new $2,400 a night Star Wars hotel forced to close after 18 months

By Elaine Lies and Yoshifumi Takemoto TOKYO Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is increasingly certain to call a

Ukraine's quest for US-made F-16 fighter jets received a big boost over the weekend when US President Joe Biden gave his backing for Kyiv's pilots to be trained to fly them.

NatWest Group Plc has agreed to buy back £1.26 billion ($1.6 billion) of its shares from the UK

India withdrawing its highest value currency notes from circulation may push some consumers to buy precious metals and

Investors are planning to ramp up bets in emerging markets, according to the latest Markets Live Pulse survey