Category: GREECE

News about Greece

  • Greece top world coffee comp second year running

    Greece top world coffee comp second year running

    ΓενικάFor the second year in a row, Greece has taken out first place at the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship (CIGS).

    The winning barista was Michalis Dimitrakopoulos from The Underdog, a back-to-back win for the Athens-based cafe/bar following George Koustoumpardis’ win in 2015. 

    Dimitrakopoulos took to Instagram to express his excitement and gratitude for the opportunity to compete. 

    “I would like to thank all the people supporting me for my first time [competing at the worlds],” he posted.

    Four world coffee championship events took place from 29 March to 1 April at Hotelex in Shanghai, China, where more than 70 baristas competed from around the globe. 

    In Dimitrakopoulos’ category, competitors were required to spin a wheel to determine which ingredients they would use, followed by a 10 minute window to produce two identical coffees and alcohol-based designer drinks, along with two Irish coffees.

    The winning barista attributed the achievement to his great love of coffee and a commitment to learning as much as he can about the products in use.

    In second place was Slovakia’s Martin Hudak, followed by Berg Wu from Taiwan in third.

    (neoskosmos.com)

  • Egypt looks forward to holding Egyptian-Cypriot-Greek Summit in Cairo

    Egypt looks forward to holding Egyptian-Cypriot-Greek Summit in Cairo

    ΑίγυπτοςPresident Abdel Fattah El Sisi received on Tuesday 12/4/2016 visiting Cypriot Parliament Speaker Yiannakis Omirou in the presence of Speaker of the House of Representatives Ali Abdel Aal and the Cypriot Ambassador to Egypt.

    Sisi welcomed the Cypriot legislator and highlighted the depth of relations binding the two countries, said presidential spokesman Alaa Yousef, adding that president Sisi expressed hope for holding a tripartite summit in Cairo between him and the leaders of Cyprus and Greece to continue discussions on various issues.

    The president welcomed Cyprus stances supporting Egypt and its people as well as its support for Egypt at regional and international gatherings.

    President Sisi also praised cooperation between the two countries during the hijacking of the Egyptian plane in Cyprus weeks ago, which reflected the strength of Egyptian-Cypriot relations.

    The Cypriot parliament speaker conveyed the greetings of Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades to President Sisi and also praised cooperation between the two countries in the economic domains.

    The Cyprus speaker said during a meeting earlier with prime minister Sherif Ismail that Egyptian-Cypriot ties gained momentum recently and underscored his country’s keenness on offering support for Egypt in its anti-terrorism and extremism efforts.

    (www.sis.gov.eg)

  • Greek-Cypriot author Georgiou wins 2016 European Literature Award

    Greek-Cypriot author Georgiou wins 2016 European Literature Award

    ΓενικάGreek Cypriot author Antonis Georgiou has received the ‘European Literature Award’ for 2016 for his book titled ‘An album of stories’, originally title: ‘Ena alpum istories’, published by ‘To Rodakio’. The European Literature Award started in 2009 by the EU in an effort to promote young successful authors in their home countries to a pan-European audience. The judging committee is made up of 10 people from the countries participating in the event each year. The author wrote on his facebook page that he was pleased to have been selected and thanked the committee. The Award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Brussels at the end of May.

    (en.protothema.gr)

  • Greek family opens it home to Syrian refugee families

    Greek family opens it home to Syrian refugee families

    ΓενικάA Greek family opened its home to two Syrian migrant families last week, moved by the plight of thousands who have fled a five-year war for the security of Europe and are stranded.

    As soon as Dimitris Spiridis arrived with a huge bag of croissants to hand out to migrants living in a sprawling border camp at Idomeni, he decided that he needed to do more to help.

    “There was rain and fog. The only thing you could hear at eight in the morning was tears and coughing,” he said.

    “I was shocked. All the tents were soaked, all their clothes were soaked. Mud, humidity and tears, nothing else. Are we or aren’t we Christians?” Spiridis told Reuters Television.

    The 50-year-old used to work as a cook in Switzerland and has been back in Greece for five years, where, like so many in the recession-hit country, he has been unable to find a job and helps out in the family bakery.

    He and his wife Maria live about half an hour’s drive from Idomeni, in the small village of Evropos.

    Now they have one Syrian family in a small attic apartment and another family with three children are staying in their bedroom. The couple now sleep on the couch in their living room.

    Spiridis said he would house the families as long as necessary. “So, we are all living downstairs together. One big family, 22 people in total. It’s fine,” he said.

    More than 50,000 refugees and migrants are living in Greece and more are arriving despite a deal agreed by the EU and Turkey on Friday intended to halt illegal migration flows to Europe.

    Under the pact, Ankara would take back all migrants and refugees, including Syrians, who cross to Greece from March 20 and whose asylum applications are rejected. In return, the EU would take in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and make financial and political concessions to Ankara.

    “I want Europe if it can, and I know it can, to accept these families from Syria, a place that has been destroyed, and for these families to be reconnected with their relatives,” Spiridis said.

    (www.ekathimerini.com)