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ATHENS, March 5 (Reuters) - A Greek railway employee was jailed on Sunday pending trial over a deadly train crash that killed at least 57 people, as Greeks seethed with anger over the worst rail disaster in living memory. Clashes erupted between police and demonstrators in Athens on Sunday, after thousands rallied to protest over the crash. The 59-year-old Larissa station master faces multiple charges of disrupting transport and putting lives at risk. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis 1 2 3 4 5Railway workers say the country's rail network has been creaking under cost-cutting and underinvestment, a legacy of Greece's debilitating debt crisis from 2010 to 2018. Mitsotakis said on Sunday that if there had been a remote system in place throughout the rail network "it would have been, in practice, impossible for the accident to happen".

[1/2] Rescuers operate at the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 2, 2023. REUTERS/Kostas MantziarisATHENS, March 4 (Reuters) - Rescuers continued digging through debris on Saturday at the site of Greece's worst train crash but were expected to wrap up their search operation later on the day. Tuesday's crash killed at least 57 people and injured dozens when a passenger train with more than 350 people on board careered into a freight train on the same track. The disaster in central Greece has triggered an outpouring of anger and protests across the country, as well as a sharp focus on safety standards across its railway system. The train, traveling from Athens to the northern city of Thessaloniki, was packed with students returning after a long holiday weekend.

Summary At least 46 killed in Greece's worst train disasterGovernment promises to fix ailing rail systemRailway workers walk off job in safety standards protestLARISSA, Greece, March 2 (Reuters) - The death toll from Greece's deadliest train crash was set to rise even higher, with 46 confirmed dead but ten people still missing, authorities said on Thursday. As many in Greece demanded answers, rescuers continued to comb through charred and buckled rail carriages to try and find more victims. [1/5] Rescuers operate on the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 2, 2023. INVESTIGATIONThe station master of Larissa train station was arrested on Wednesday and appeared before a local magistrate on Thursday. The Italian operation has responsibility for passenger and freight, and the Greek state-controlled OSE for infrastructure.

☆ Greek rescuers comb through train crash wreckage as hopes fade
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Lefteris Papadimas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Rescuers operate on the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 2, 2023. The high-speed passenger train with more than 350 people on board crashed head-on with a freight train near the city of Larissa late on Tuesday, and hopes of finding anyone still alive in the wreckage more than 34 hours later appeared slim. The station master of Larissa train station was arrested on Wednesday as authorities probed the circumstances that led to the passenger train, en route to the northern city of Thessaloniki, colliding with another train carrying shipping containers coming in the opposite direction on the same track. Nikos Tsouridis, a retired train driver trainer, said drivers involved in the crash had died "because there were no safety measures. The Italian operation has responsibility for passenger and freight, and the Greek state-controlled OSE for infrastructure.

☆ Hours after deadly train crash, Greece agonises over what went wrong
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Angeliki Koutantou | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] A general view of the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. There have been widespread media reports electronic signal software was not working, meaning signalling was done manually. OSE, the country's state-owned operator for rail infrastructure, did not respond to calls requesting comment nor did it issue a statement. Within hours, Greek police had arrested the station master at a provincial train station, accusing him of death through negligence. Hellenic Train, a unit of Italy's Ferrovie dello Stato which acquired passenger and freight operations, said it was working with authorities on the investigation.

The collision occurred as the passenger train, heading to the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki from the capital Athens, emerged from a tunnel near the central town of Larissa. Our thoughts today are with the relatives of the victims," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the site of the crash, looking shattered. [1/15] The site of a crash, where two trains collided, is seen near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Giannis Floulis 1 2 3 4 5'MUM, I'M HURT'The passenger train was carrying 342 travellers and 10 crew, while two crew were on the cargo train, according to Hellenic Train data. Greece's ageing railway system is in need of modernising, with many trains travelling on single tracks and signalling and automatic control systems still to be installed in many areas.

☆ 'A bang, then chaos' - Greece train crash survivors tell of ordeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Rescuers operate at the site of a crash, where two trains collided, near the city of Larissa, Greece, March 1, 2023. Tuesday's crash 220 miles north of Athens killed at least 36 people when a high-speed passenger train heading to the northern city of Thessaloniki careered into a freight train from the opposite direction, flying off the track and bursting into flames. There were about 350 people on the train, which passengers described as being two-thirds full with many young people. "My child is not picking up the phone," one woman said as she waited at a train station in Thessaloniki. As morning broke, rescue crews trawled through a smouldering mangled mass of steel while cranes slowly removed pieces of the train.

☆ 'Cyprus problem' top priority for island's new president
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Nikos Christodoulides sworn in as Cyprus presidentSays solving division 'top priority'Where are the women, opposition asksNICOSIA, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Nikos Christodoulides was sworn in as Cyprus's president on Tuesday, promising to make finding a solution to the "Cyprus problem" his top priority after winning an election runoff on Feb. 12. Cyprus has an executive system of government, with power invested in the presidency and its council of ministers. "A solution to the Cyprus problem is my top priority," he said. Of 25 appointments announced on Monday, 14 were male and 11 female, though there were fewer females in key posts. Reporting by Michele Kambas Editing by Peter Graff and Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cyprus leaders meet as peace talks remain deadlocked
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Iakovos Hatzistavrou/Pool via REUTERSNICOSIA, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Leaders of Cyprus's estranged Greek and Turkish communities met on Thursday as a deadlock persisted in peace talks on the ethnically divided island. The meeting was the first for newly elected Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides, the new Greek Cypriot leader, and Ersin Tatar, the Turkish Cypriot leader. Cyprus was split in a Turkish invasion in 1974 after a brief Greek-inspired coup, with Greek Cypriots living in its south and Turkish Cypriots in an unrecognised breakaway north. "The present state of affairs cannot be the solution to the Cyprus problem, not for Greek Cypriots, or Turkish Cypriots," Christodoulides said after the two-hour meeting with Tatar. "I didn't hear anything I didn't expect from Mr Tatar," Christodoulides said.

☆ Cypriot diplomats face off in cliffhanger presidential vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Supporters of Cyprus presidential candidate Nikos Christodoulides are seen in front of a poster, at the campaign headquarters a day ahead of the presidential elections, in Nicosia, Cyprus, February 11, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza VradiNICOSIA, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A runoff election on Sunday to select the president of Cyprus pits two career diplomats against each other in what could be a cliffhanger vote that has split the political right. His candidacy was given a boost this week when DISY said its members should vote with their conscience. The DISY leadership were angered after Christodoulides, a former party member, broke ranks to run as an independent. read moreLeading DISY party members have since come out in support of each candidate.

☆ Cyprus probes washed up dead whales, earthquake link possible
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NICOSIA, Feb 10 (Reuters) - A number of whales have washed up dead on the northern shores of Cyprus, authorities said on Friday, possibly affected by the massive earthquakes in neighbouring Turkey and Syria this week. Six beaked whales were found dead on Friday, while a pod of four were found beached on Thursday, the Cyprus department of fisheries and marine research said. Three of the four from Thursday were guided back to sea, while the fourth died, it said in a statement. It was unclear if the dead pod found on Friday included those whales from Thursday that had been returned to the sea, it said. Monday's mega earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, which have killed tens of thousands of people, were also felt on the east Mediterranean island.

☆ Cyprus ruling party sits on fence in presidential runoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NICOSIA, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Cyprus's ruling right-wing party on Wednesday said its supporters should vote at will in a runoff presidential election on Feb. 12 between a former member of its party, ahead in polls, and a leftist-backed independent following close behind. The decision by the ruling DISY party effectively leaves the outcome of Sunday's runoff wide open; its own candidate came third in the first round of elections on Feb. 5. Polls showed Christodoulides had support of one third of DISY supporters, but his bid had been viewed by party leadership as going rogue. After Sunday, Christodoulides had attempted to mend any rift in an attempt to get DISY party backing. But Neophytou said no member of the party would participate in any new government irrespective of result, referring to 'Judas and apostates' in a party speech.

☆ Cyprus heads to polls to pick new president with runoff expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Michele Kambas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NICOSIA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Cyprus votes on Sunday for a new president in an election unlikely to produce a clear winner, setting the stage for a runoff on Feb. 12. Polling stations will open at 0500 GMT and close at 1600 GMT, with the result expected within two hours of stations closing. Opinion polls suggest none of the frontrunners will muster an outright majority, leading to a runoff. "On foreign policy I think Christodoulides is going to be closer to how Anastasiades has been in his final years," she added, calling that policy "more assertive". Cyprus has complied with all EU sanctions against Russia, a close ally, following the war in Ukraine.

☆ Cyprus poll draws record 14 candidates, unlikely to produce clear winner
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Michele Kambas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Among a record 14 candidates, the race for the top job comes down to three hopefuls who were close aides of incumbent right-wing President Nicos Anastasiades, but are now bitter rivals. Diplomat Andreas Mavroyiannis, the third candidate backed by opposition left-wing AKEL, was the government's chief negotiator in reunification talks with Turkish Cypriots. Opinion polls say Christodoulides, 49, will sail through to the second round, leaving Neophytou and Mavroyiannis battling it out for second place on Feb. 12. Christodoulides is supported by roughly a third of DISY voters and has backing from centrist parties which are hardliners in reunification talks. Under his watch, Cyprus gave passports to thousands of rich foreigners in a system critics said was fundamentally flawed.

☆ Europe's royals, in Athens, bids farewell to Greece's last king
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/7] A person holds a flag as people queue to pay respects to former King of Greece Constantine II at Saint Eleftherios chapel, where he lies at rest before the funeral service, in Athens, Greece, January 16, 2023. REUTERS/Louiza VradiATHENS, Jan 16 (Reuters) - European royalty gathered in Athens on Monday for the funeral of former King Constantine of Greece, born a prince but spurned by his country which abolished the monarchy in 1974. He died at the age of 82 last week in an Athens hospital. Royals from Europe, including Britain's Princess Anne, sister of King Charles, and her husband and Spain's King Felipe and Queen Letizia, were expected to attend the funeral, at the Metropolitan Cathedral in central Athens, under tight security. In a referendum after the fall of the junta in 1974, Greece rejected monarchy again.

☆ Greece's last king Constantine II to be buried privately in Athens
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Sons of Greece's former King Constantine II, Crown Prince Pavlos, Prince Nikolaos and Prince Philippos leave the Maximos Mansion following a meeting with members of the Greek government, in Athens, Greece, January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Alkis KonstantinidisATHENS, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Greece's former King Constantine II, who died on Tuesday night aged 82, will be buried privately at a former royal estate north of Athens, the Greek government said on Wednesday. Deposed by military rulers and spurned by his subjects who voted to ditch the monarchy in 1974, Constantine II was the only son of King Paul and Queen Frederica of Greece. Constantine II, godfather to Britain's Prince William and a second cousin to King Charles, would be buried privately in Tatoi, the summer palace of the former Greek royal family, where his ancestors are also laid to rest, the government said. Constantine II was 27 years old and had only recently ascended to the throne, in 1964, when he was forced into exile with a young family in late 1967.

☆ Vote for me! Cyprus clerics scramble to get public vote
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Greek Orthodox Church of Cyprus is one of the few Orthodox Churches worldwide to recognise the independence of the fellow-Orthodox Church of Ukraine, in a move which triggered a rift within the Cypriot church in 2020. Chrysostomos had recognised the independence of the Ukrainian church away from Moscow's influence, butting heads with clerics considered pro-Russian. Today it has business interests as diverse as real estate to Cyprus's award-winning KEO beer. "In Cyprus the flock has the privilege of choosing who will be its shepherd," said theologian Theodoros Kyriakou. Reporting by Michele Kambas, Editing by Louise HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] Zhao Changpeng, founder and chief executive officer of Binance speaks during an event in Athens, Greece, November 25, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Binance Chief Executive Officer Changpeng Zhao said on Friday regulation rather than opposition of the crypto sector is a better option for world governments as digital currencies become more mainstream. Regulation of crypto currencies has come into sharp focus following the collapse of several platforms, culminating in the crash of the FTX currency exchange earlier this month. It's better to regulate the industry instead of trying to fight against it," Zhao said, speaking at a Binance event in Athens. Asked whether he saw countries adding crypto currencies such as Bitcoin to their reserves in the future, Zhao said he expected countries to start, particularly those which did not have their own currency.

☆ EU struggles with Russian oil price cap, talks to resume when positions converge
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Jan Strupczewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There will be a meeting of representatives of all EU countries once there is progress. Diplomats said that six of the EU's 27 countries opposed the price cap level proposed by the G7. Russian Urals crude oil already trades within the discussed range at around $68 per barrel. "That means the proposed cap would either be the same as, or slightly higher than, the price Russian oil is fetching on the open market. It would be, in other words, another price cap that does not cap," the Eurointelligence think tank said in a note.

☆ Greek court acquits activists over 2021 protest against Beijing Olympics
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ATHENS, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A Greek court has acquitted three activists detained in October 2021 after unfurling banners at the Athens Acropolis opposing the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, their lawyer and activists said on Thursday. Those acquitted were 19-year-old Tibetan student Tsela Zoksang, 22-year-old Hong Kongese-American Joey Siu and a 35-year old Vietnamese-American activist. They had staged a brief protest at the Acropolis in the Greek capital, holding up a Tibetan flag and a banner reading "Free Hong Kong - Revolution" at a scaffolding surrounding part of the monument. The protest took place hours before a dress rehearsal of the torch-lighting ceremony for the Games in Greece's Olympia, site of the ancient Olympics. "Today's result is a huge victory for the right to peaceful protest and for the Tibetan and Hong Kongese people, said Michael Polak, director of the group."

☆ Cyprus regulator requested FTX EU suspend operations Nov. 9
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NICOSIA, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Cyprus's Securities and Exchange Commission asked FTX EU to suspend its operations on Nov. 9, the regulator said on Friday. "The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday, November 9th, called upon the Cypriot Investment Firm FTX EU Ltd to suspend its operations and to proceed immediately with a number of actions for the protection of the investors," a statement from the Commission said. FTX had announced in September that it had received approval from the Cypriot regulator to operate as a Cyprus Investment Firm, allowing the company to fully own a local investment firm it had previously acquired, and operate in Europe. "The Company is regulated by CySEC under the provision of Investment Services Law and is authorised to provide investment services in Derivatives and/or other financial instruments. However, it is not licensed by CySEC to engage in the direct trading of crypto assets," CySEC said.

☆ Cyprus MPs launch inquiry into spyware development on the island
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NICOSIA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Cyprus's parliament opened an inquiry on Wednesday into the development of spyware on the island, after a draft European Parliament committee investigation report said it was an important export hub for the surveillance industry. The report cited Cypriot officials as saying 'three to four' companies produce spyware on the island. "Its been confirmed that Cyprus is a greenhouse for companies which produce spyware ... which has political backing," said MP Aristos Damianou of the opposition AKEL party, which sought the parliamentary inquiry. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades last week said any involvement of Cyprus in spyware surveillance in other countries was 'imaginary'. NSO, which sells its Pegasus spyware to government agencies, says it is a powerful tool in the fight against crime and terrorism.

☆ Head of Cyprus Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos, dies aged 81
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NICOSIA, Nov 7 (Reuters) - The head of Cyprus's dominant Orthodox Church, Archbishop Chrysostomos II, died on Monday, his doctors said. The Church of Cyprus, an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox communion, traces its lineage back to Barnabas, one of Christ's first followers. In Nicosia, a group of priests in flowing black robes were seen carrying a coffin from the Archbishopric, where Chrysostomos died, to a nearby church. Chrysostomos, who was elected archbishop in 2006, had been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, head of the estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, said he was "deeply moved" by Chrysostomos's death.

☆ Cyprus to revoke 10 more passports issued under discredited citizenship scheme
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou/File PhotoNICOSIA, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Cyprus on Wednesday said it would strip citizenship from 10 individuals, among thousands who benefited from a cash-for-passports scheme which collapsed under accusations of corruption in 2020. Cyprus gave passports to more than 7,000 people under a citizenship scheme which in its final form gave citizenship to individuals investing a minimum 2 million euros. Six individuals have already had their passports revoked, Parisinou added. Two official investigations have said the scheme ran without adequate oversight, with one report suggesting some investment transactions could have been fictitious. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Nick MacfieOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Interview With the Vampire' review: AMC pumps fresh blood into Anne Rice's story
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-30 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Desperate to replace “The Walking Dead,” AMC might have completed an improbable baton pass from zombies to another kind of undead. In that sense, this seems to have been produced at least as much with AMC+ in mind as the linear network AMC. Sam Reid as Lestat Du Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac in "Interview with the Vampire." “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire” premieres October 2 at 10 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+.

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