Daily Archives: May 24, 2014

Aυτή την κούπα ποιος θα την πάρει; Θα στολιστεί στα λευκά της Ρεάλ Μαδρίτης η οποία έχει κάνει αυτοσκοπό την ιστορική 10η κατάκτηση (La Decima) Κυπέλλου Πρωταθλητριών ή στα ερυθρόλευκα, με την Ατλέτικο Μαδρίτης να θέλει να ολοκληρώσει ένα τρελό, τρελό “νταμπλ” μία ακριβώς εβδομάδα μετά την κατάκτηση της La Liga;

Το Μουντιάλ ξεκινά και περίπου 157.000 αστυνομικοί και στρατιώτες θα παρέχουν υπηρεσίες ασφάλειας στο Παγκόσμιο Κύπελλο που θα διεξαχθεί στη Βραζιλία από τις 12 Ιουνίου έως τις 13 Ιουλίου, ενώ πολλαπλασιάζονται οι απεργίες και οι διαδηλώσεις, ανακοίνωσε την Παρασκευή η κυβέρνηση.

Σύμφωνα με πληροφορίες, οι ένοπλες δυνάμεις θα αναπτύξουν 57.000 στρατιώτες, εκ των οποίων οι 21.000 θα τεθούν σε επιφυλακή για τις επιχειρήσεις έκτακτης ανάγκης. Το κόστος θα ανέλθει περίπου στα 322 εκατομμύρια δολάρια.

Ενώ οι απεργίες και οι διαδηλώσεις έχουν αυξηθεί τις τελευταίες εβδομάδες, ο υπουργός Δικαιοσύνης Χοσέ Εδουάρδο Καρντόσο ανέφερε την εκτίμηση ότι οι τεράστιες διαδηλώσεις του περασμένου Ιουνίου- ένα χρόνο πριν τη έναρξη της διοργάνωσης- δεν θα επαναληφθούν κατά τη διάρκεια του Παγκοσμίου Κυπέλλου.

«Η εντύπωσή μας είναι ότι (τα γεγονότα) θα είναι μικρότερα σε μέγεθος από τον περασμένο Ιούνιο. Τώρα, ειλικρινά, είμαστε έτοιμοι για κάθε ενδεχόμενο», είπε σε συνέντευξη Τύπου στη Bραζιλία.

Παράλληλα ο υπουργός Άμυνας Σέσλο Αμορίμ δήλωσε ότι οι δυνάμεις ασφαλείας θα αναπτυχθούν στις 12 πόλεις που θα φιλοξενήσουν το Παγκόσμιο Κύπελλο, όπως επίσης στα σύνορα, τα ποτάμια, κατά μήκος της ακτογραμμής και του εναέριου χώρου.

Κατ, εκτίμηση 11 δισεκατομμύρια δολάρια από τις δημόσιες δαπάνες θα δοθούν για τις ανάγκες της διοργάνωσης, ποσό το οποίο είχε προκαλέσει την αγανάκτηση των Βραζιλιάνων, προκαλώντας ογκώδεις διαδηλώσεις και εκτεταμένες αναταραχές.

Πηγή: madata.gr

The Federal Government has conceded it will need to compromise on some of its more controversial budget measures to get them through a hostile Senate.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne told Fairfax that he accepts his plan to deregulate universities is unlikely to pass in full.

He said he is “realistic enough” to see that the proposal will require amendments.

Mr Pyne has highlighted potential changes to the interest rate and salary threshold at which students would be required to pay back their university loans.

On Wednesday, thousands of protesters marched across the country in protest against the Government’s plan to overhaul the higher education sector.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the higher education fees are about “liberating our universities with the rest of the world”.

“Our higher education sector is an outstanding sector that was being held back by too much bureaucracy and too many rules,” he said.

“So there is innovative new policy for a whole range of people, which I am absolutely confident is going to make our higher education system stronger and it is going to help the people of Australia.”

But Mr Abbott says he understands the measures around university fee deregulation and the proposed $7 GP co-payment are unpopular with many.

“So sure, I know that we’ve got to put many measures into the Parliament and obviously there is a process of negotiating that then takes place,” he said.

“But this government stands by the budget measures.”

Health Minister Peter Dutton has also signalled he would be willing to negotiate over the co-payment, while Coalition frontbencher Michaelia Cash told Sky News the Government continues to stand by its budget but accepts the need to negotiate.

“This is the budget that we have brought down. It is a fair budget and it is the budget we stand by,” she said.

“We also realise however that the Senate is not made up of Coalition members.

“In that respect obviously we now have a process to go through and both Mr Dutton and Mr Pyne in their respective portfolios have said they are willing to enter into discussions.”

Labor support for fee change unlikely amid ‘unravelling’ budget

The Federal Opposition says they would still be unlikely to support deregulating university fees even if the Government agrees to amend the policy.

Opposition spokesman Matt Thistlethwaite has also repeated Labor’s position to block a proposed increase to the fuel excise, pension changes and a GP co-payment.

But he says the party will look to compromise elsewhere.

“We will show a constructive approach to the budget and we’ll look at it in fine detail,” he said.

Opposition finance spokesman Tony Bourke says Coalition comments about the need for negotiation are a sign the Government’s approach to the budget is “unravelling”.

“It doesn’t matter at one level what sort of compromise they now try to put on the table because … ever more Australians now know what Tony Abbott’s priorities are,” he said.

‘No right’ to wait for dream job, says Abbott

It comes as Federal Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews says unemployed people should consider taking any job, even if it is not one they will enjoy.

The Government has outlined changes in the budget to unemployment benefits which would mean young, unemployed people would be barred from receiving the dole for the first six months.

The Opposition has labelled the policy “heartless”, but Employment Minister Eric Abetz instead accused some job seekers of simply being too picky.

Mr Abbott says young people on unemployment benefits have “no right to hold out for the job of their dreams”.

“A condition of receiving unemployment benefits in this country under both Labor and Liberal Governments has been that you have got to look for work and [have] got to accept any work that you can reasonably do,” he said.

“Frankly, that is the least that people should be prepared to do under those circumstances.”

Mr Andrews says many people have to work jobs they do not enjoy.

“I know from my own experience – I took a job that wasn’t my ideal job, but that led to other jobs and I think that’s the experience of many people,” he said.

He says “getting your foot in the employment market” is important to be able to progress.

“I’m not going to get into the personal motivations of people, but what we know from a whole lot of experience is that having your place in the employment market, having a job, is usually the best place in order to get jobs in the future,” he said.

source: abc.net.au

Tenth win on the cards for South Melbourne. Photo: Kostas Deves.

In a special “Don’t Stand By. Stand Up!” round in the NPL, will South Melbourne grab its tenth win in a row?

A perfect 10 would be the best way to cap a phenomenal start, and South Melbourne are gunning for just that on Saturday.

Up against seventh placed Werribee City, they definitely have the more competitive edge of the two, but after they nearly lost a game last week, anything could happen.

In a game that could only be described as dirty, South Melbourne faltered at the beginning as Pascoe Vale showed the home team they weren’t here to concede a loss so easily.

South Melbourne’s Mathew Theodore claimed it back for South Melbourne when he made use of Nick Epifano’s high ball, pushing through a low shot past goalkeeper Stefaan Sardelic.

Iqi Jawadi almost doubled the lead with a long-range drive on goal near halftime, only to have it palmed away by Sardelic.

Pushing for an equaliser, Pascoe Vale tried hard to get more possession in the second half but fell at a strong South Melbourne defence.

Their pressure in defence meant that not many opportunities opened up for South to grow their lead.

South Melbourne coach Chris Taylor was happy to keep the winning streak going, but wasn’t happy at his team’s lacklustre performance.

“Yeah, that was ugly. Credit to Pascoe Vale, they made it very difficult for us, just fortunate we got the goal, and we’re very happy with the result,” Taylor
said.

“The big thing for us is not to get complacent, it’s not like we’ve blitzed every game and won by big scores. We’ve just got to keep going the way we’re going at the moment and keep collecting the points.”

Taylor will be keen to use new recruit and Adelaide United Youth midfielder Dion Kirk on the pitch today and will be altering the starting squad accordingly.

With Oakleigh Cannons’ draw last week against Northcote City, South Melbourne now sits at a healthy six point lead on top of the ladder.

With the draw, Greek sponsored club Northcote City seems like it’s getting back into the groove, while it put a halt to Oakleigh Cannons’ winning streak.

The Hercules Boys will enter a much easier fixture on Sunday, up against 14th placed Goldburn Valley Suns.

The Suns are struggling to get their heads above water at the bottom of the ladder, but their desperation might transform into healthy enthusiasm when they open up opportunities on the pitch.

Port Melbourne has the honour of being the blockbuster match this round, hosting the FFV’s first “Don’t Stand By, Stand Up!” round to help stamp out racism in the sport.

“Don’t Stand By. Stand Up!” round to fight racism in the sport

The special round aims to support the football community in responding and intervening safely when race-based discrimination is seen or heard. Importantly, the campaign will focus on racism in all its forms, from subtle exclusion, to overt verbal abuse on and off the field.

The campaign will kick off at 2 pm Sunday May 25 at Knights Stadium, Sunshine, followed by the NPL match between Melbourne Knights and Port Melbourne Sharks.

“Don’t Stand By. Stand Up!” is supported by A-League and W-League ambassadors, Melbourne Victory’s Gulcan Koca and Andrew Nabbout, and Melbourne Heart’s Jason Hoffman.

FFV’s 343 clubs will be invited to ‘take the pledge’ as part of this campaign. In return for this commitment, the first 50 clubs that pledge will receive merchandise for 100 players, official recognition from FFV and an opportunity to win a visit from an ambassador.

source: Neos Kosmos

Buyers are from Northern Europe, and especially France, the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, but there is also increasing buying interest from Russians and Chinese.

Foreign buyers invested 285 million euros in Greek properties in the 2012-13 period, confirming the view expressed recently by a number of analysts that the housing market recovery will start in the holiday home sector. For now, the majority of buyers are from Northern Europe, and especially France, the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, but there is also increasing buying interest from Russians and Chinese.

A recent McKinsey study sees the Greek holiday property market developing gradually to the point of recording annual sales of 8,000 holiday homes to foreign buyers, with revenues adding up to 2.4 billion euros in the long term.

According to a report issued by Alpha Bank, based on Bank of Greece data, the flow of capital from abroad in 2013 for the purchase of properties – mostly consisting of holiday homes – amounted to 168 million euros, rising 48.5 percent from 2012, when 113 million euros had been invested.

The bank’s analysts estimate that there will be a much greater flow of funds into Greece for that purpose this year as a result of the increase in demand from abroad. The drop in prices over the last few years, the continued increase in tourism arrivals this year, and the adoption of measures to bolster property transactions, such as slashing the property transfer tax to 3 percent and issuing visas to buyers from outside the European Union who buy properties adding up to at least 250,000 euros, have created a particularly favourable environment for the increase in holiday home purchases by foreigners.

A recent study by Algean Property, an international property service company with offices in Athens, London and Luxembourg, reached a similar conclusion. The firm cites Fitch estimates regarding the positive prospects of the Greek holiday home market, which are supported by demand from foreigners as well as Greeks based abroad. Algean expects the bulk of demand to be for the Cyclades, Crete and Corfu, mostly from the UK and other EU countries as well as Russia and China.

In this context, sources from the association of estate agents on Crete point to increased interest on the part of Chinese buyers in acquiring major plots outside town-planning zones, while significant activity by Russian potential buyers looking for holiday homes and plots by the sea has also been noted. However the same sources say that this interest remains at the negotiations stage and has not yet translated into purchases. That is expected to happen fairly soon.

Source: Kathimerini.

A victory by four to six percentage points against Greece’s main government party, New Democracy, in Sunday’s European Parliament elections could trigger “further political developments”, said Alexis Tsipras, leader of left wing opposition party SYRIZA, clearly stating the conditions under which he will try to force an early national election.

All the latest polls indicate that the main opposition party is poised to win the euro-elections by a margin of two to three percentage points. However, given the recent poor track record of polling in Greece, analysts are reluctant to make definitive predictions about the outcome of the electoral battle.

Throughout the pre-election period, SYRIZA attempted to turn Sunday’s elections for the European Parliament, as well as for local and regional government, into a referendum against the ruling Coalition and the terms of the bailout agreement with the international creditors. Indicative of this effort are the two main campaign slogans of the opposition party, “We vote, they go” and “We ran out of patience.”

Addressing his party’s main rally in Omonia Square, Athens, on Thursday night, Alexis Tsipras said that Sunday’s election battle must be seen as a vote on whether the ND-PASOK coalition should remain in power.

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras accused the opposition party of risking “blowing everything into the air” by threatening to push for snap elections if it wins Sunday’s polls. Samaras and Evagelos Venizelos, leader of the junior government party PASOK argued throughout the final days of the campaign that a vote for SYRIZA would be a vote for “turning the country back.”

The first round of Greece’s local and regional government elections produced an inconclusive result last Sunday that allowed both the country’s governing parties, New Democracy and PASOK, as well as the main opposition, SYRIZA, to claim that they had performed well ahead of the second round tomorrow.

Greek voters are going to the polls to elect 22 out of the 766 Members of the European Parliament and a candidate from the Pan European political parties who might be appointed as the next President of the European Commission (EC). SYRIZA’s leader Alexis Tsipras is running as a candidate for the Presidency of the EC under the small party of the European Left.

Greeks will also be electing on Sunday governors for 12 of the 13 regions of the country and Mayors for 217 out of its 325 municipalities, including Athens and Thessaloniki.

source: Neos Kosmos

Της κούρσας των ευρωεκλογών ηγείται ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ σε όλες τις τελευταίες δημοσκοπήσεις. Στην πιο πρόσφατη σημερινή δημοσκόπηση της Alco για το protothema.gr, ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ εμφανίζει προβάδισμα σχεδόν 4 μονάδων.

Συγκεκριμένα, στην πρόθεση ψήφου ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ συγκεντρώνει 24,2% και ακολουθεί η Νέα Δημοκρατία με 20,8%, η οποία παρουσιάζει απώλειες της τάξης του 1,2% από την αντίστοιχη έρευνα της προηγούμενης εβδομάδας.

Στην τρίτη θέση βρίσκεται καθαρά η Χρυσή Αυγή που παρουσιάζει ανοδικές τάσεις και φθάνει στο 7,7% . Στην τέταρτη θέση υπάρχει σκληρός διαγκωνισμός ανάμεσα στο Ποτάμι που βρίσκεται στο 5,8% και την Ελιά που φθάνει στο 5,3%. Έπεται το ΚΚΕ που σταθεροποιείται στο 4,8%, ενώ σε καθοδική φάση κινούνται οι ΑΝ.ΕΛ. που υποχωρούν στο 3,3%, καθώς και η ΔΗΜΑΡ που συγκεντρώνει 1,8% και βρίσκεται κάτω από τον πήχη του 3% για την εκλογή ευρωβουλευτή.

Επίσης, σε δημοσκόπηση που δημοσιεύεται σήμερα και έγινε από την Public Issue για λογαριασμό της Εφημερίδας των Συντακτών ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ καταγράφει προβάδισμα 2,5%. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, η αξιωματική αντιπολίτευση λαμβάνει 30% έναντι 27,5% της ΝΔ. Ακολουθούν Ελιά με 8,5%, Χρυσή Αυγή με 8%, ΚΚΕ και Ποτάμι με 6,5%, ΑΝ.ΕΛ. με 3% και ΔΗΜΑΡ με 2,5%. Τα ποσοστά στην κατηγορία «Λοιπά», με σύνολο 7,5%, κατανέμονται ως εξής: ΛΑΟΣ 1,6%, ΕΠΑΜ 1%, Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι-Πειρατές 0,9%, Γέφυρες-Δημιουργία Ξανά Θ. Τζήμερος-Δράση Θ. Σκυλακάκης 0,8%, Έλληνες Ευρωπαίοι Πολίτες 0,8%, ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ 0,5%, Ένωση Κεντρώων 0,5%, Λοιπά 1,4%. Επίσης σε σημερινή δημοσκόπηση της GPO για λογαριασμό του Newsit.gr δίνει σταθερό προβάδισμα μεν για τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ αλλά είναι η μοναδική που δίνει ισχνή «κεφαλή» μίας μονάδας σε σχέση με τη ΝΔ.

Πιο συγκεκριμένα,  σε αυτή την δημοσκόπηση ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ προηγείται της ΝΔ με (23,2% έναντι 22,2%) και αναδεικνύεται τρίτη δύναμη με 8,5% η Χρυσή Αυγή, ενώ η ΕΛΙΑ με το Ποτάμι παίρνουν ακριβώς το ίδιο ποσοστό (7%). Ακολουθούν το ΚΚΕ (5,6%), οι ΑΝ.ΕΛ. (3,5%) η ΔΗΜΑΡ (2,5%), οι Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι (2%), ο ΛΑΟΣ (1,5%), ο ΑΝΤΑΡΣΥΑ (1,3%) ενώ οι αναποφάσιστοι 10,3%.

Προβάδισμα 3,2 ποσοστιαίων μονάδων στον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ έναντι της ΝΔ στην πρόθεση ψήφου για τις ευρωεκλογές καταγράφει δημοσκόπηση της Metron Analysis που έγινε για λογαριασμό του τηλεοπτικού σταθμού ΑΝΤ1 και προβλήθηκε χθες. Ειδικότερα, στην πρόθεση ψήφου για τις ευρωεκλογές ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ συγκεντρώνει 24,2% και η ΝΔ 21%. Ακολουθούν το Ποτάμι με 6,8%, η Χρυσή Αυγή με 6,7%, η Ελιά με 6,5% και το ΚΚΕ με 3,2%. Στο 2,8% είναι οι Ανεξάρτητοι Έλληνες, στο 2% η ΔΗΜΑΡ και στο 1,3% οι Οικολόγοι Πράσινοι. Άλλο κόμμα απάντησε το 4,7% , λευκό/άκυρο προτίθεται να ψηφίσει το 2,5%, μακριά από τις κάλπες δήλωσε πως θα μείνει το 5,6%, ενώ η αδιευκρίνιστη ψήφος ανέρχεται σε 12,7%.

Στην παράσταση νίκης, το 3% πιστεύει πως η ΝΔ θα αναδειχθεί πρώτο κόμμα με μεγάλη διαφορά, ενώ το 35% με μικρή διαφορά. Στον αντίποδα, το 13% θεωρεί πως πρώτο κόμμα θα αναδειχθεί ο ΣΥΡΙΖΑ με μεγάλη διαφορά, ενώ το 32% με μικρή διαφορά.

Στο δίλημμα: πρόωρες εκλογές ή συνέχιση της θητείας της κυβέρνησης, σύμφωνα με την έρευνα οι έξι στους δέκα τάσσονται κατά των πρόωρων εκλογών. Ειδικότερα, το 58% επιθυμεί τη συνέχιση της θητείας της κυβέρνησης, ενώ το 38% τάσσεται υπέρ των πρόωρων εκλογών. Το 4% απάντησε δεν ξέρω/δεν απαντώ.

Σύμφωνα με την έρευνα της Metron Analysis, το 9% των αναποφάσιστων είναι αριστεροί, το 13% κεντροαριστεροί, το 21% κεντρώοι, το 13% κεντροδεξιοί, το 17% δεξιοί, ενώ ποσοστό 27% απάντησαν δεν ξέρω/δεν απαντώ.

Από τους αναποφάσιστους, το 78% τάσσεται υπέρ της παραμονής της χώρας στο ευρώ, το 15% επιθυμεί επιστροφή στη δραχμή, ενώ το 7% απάντησε δεν ξέρω/δεν απαντώ. Προβάδισμα στον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ με 2,8% έναντι της ΝΔ, δίνει η νέα δημοσκόπηση για τις ευρωεκλογές, που διεξήγαγε από τις 19 έως τις 21 Μαΐου, η εταιρεία Rass για λογαριασμό της ιστοσελίδας Parapolitika.gr. Ειδικότερα, σύμφωνα με τα ευρήματα της δημοσκόπησης, στην πρόθεση ψήφου ποσοστό 25,3% των ερωτηθέντων πρόταξαν τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, έναντι ποσοστού 22,5%, που επέλεξαν τη ΝΔ. Στην ίδια δημοσκόπηση, στην ερώτηση «ποιο κόμμα πιστεύετε ότι θα έρθει πρώτο στις ευρωεκλογές», 48,2% πρόταξαν τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, 41,5% τη ΝΔ και 2,5% άλλο κόμμα.

Τέλος, την υψηλότερη τιμή της στο προβάδισμα του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ έναντι της Ν.Δ., από την έναρξή της, στις 5 Μαΐου, δίνει η κυλιόμενη δημοσκόπηση της Pulse RC για topontiki.gr στο πέμπτο και τελευταίο κύμα αποτελεσμάτων, με τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ να προηγείται της Ν.Δ. με 2,5 μονάδες, με ποσοστό 25% και 22,5% αντίστοιχα.

Πηγή: madata.gr