Athens, Feb 20 (IANS) Greece was Wednesday gripped by a one-day general strike, the first this year, in protest the austerity and reform programme introduced to lift the country up from a debt crisis.

Athens, Dec 24 (IANS) Every second Greek of working age seeks job abroad due to the prevailing debt crisis which has hit Greece hard over the past three years, a survey has found.

Athens, Dec 19 (IANS) Greece's sovereign credit rating was upgraded to B- with a stable outlook up from selective default by international rating agency Standard & Poor's Tuesday.

Athens, Dec 9 (IANS) Three children died early Saturday in northern Greece after a fire broke out at a farmhouse, authorities said.

Athens, Dec 4 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece will spend up to 10 billion euros ($13 billion) to buy back its outstanding bonds at a steep discount, in a bid to cut debt and unlock much-needed bailout aid.

Athens, Nov 8 (IANS) Clashes broke out in Greece Wednesday ahead of a crucial vote on a government austerity bill in parliament.

Athens, Nov 5 (IANS/EFE) Schools in northern Greece run the risk of being closed in the coming days because they haven't enough money to pay for heating, said authorities.

Athens, Oct 10 (IANS/RIA Novosti) About 30,000 demonstrators gathered in Athens Tuesday to protest German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit, Greek media reports said.

Athens, Oct 17 (IANS) Actress Kirsten Dunst was spotted wearing a grown up style and look for period film "Two Faces Of January", while filming here.

Volos (Greece), Sep 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) In a sign that Russia's stranglehold on Olympic synchronised swimming gold could continue for years to come, the country's girls team won gold in every event at the junior World Championships.

Athens, Sep 9 (IANS) Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has stressed that a fresh austerity package under discussion is necessary to regain credibility and overcome the threatening debt crisis.

Athens, Aug 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Greek government has officially announced it was getting rid of a set of three jets as part of the debt-laden country's cost-cutting efforts.

Athens, Sep 3 (IANS) Electronic cigarettes, touted as a safer substitute for cigarettes, could turn out to be a remedy worse than the disease and end up damaging the lungs, says a new study.

Athens, Aug 27 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The payback period for Greece should be extended for two or three years if the country sticks to the savings targets and reform plans, Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann has said.

Athens, Aug 9 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Two flesh-eating piranha fish have been caught in a river separating Turkey from Greece.

Athens, July 23 (IANS) Former US president Bill Clinton has called for support to the ailing Greek economy.

Athens, July 18 (IANS) The year was 1896. The Panathinaiko Stadium, in central Athens, reconstructed from the ruins of an ancient venue, is hosting the first ever modern Olympics, a continuation of the ancient Hellenic ethos of fair competition and unity through sport.

Athens, July 18 (IANS) As the Olympic Flame travels across the United Kingdom before reaching London for the start of the XXX Olympics July 27, it is interesting to hear what the Greek lady who lit the sacred flame in ancient Olympia May 10 had to say about the ceremony, the games and herself.

Athens, June 20 (IANS) Antonis Samaras, leader of the New Democracy party, was Wednesday evening sworn in as the new prime minister of Greece.

Athens, June 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The conservative New Democracy party is leading at the pivotal parliamentary elections in Greece, the interior ministry said Sunday.

Athens, June 18 (IANS) Antonis Samaras, the leader of the New Democracy party, which narrowly won Greece's election has begun holding urgent talks to form a coalition, saying he wishes to forge a "national consensus", BBC reported.

Athens, June 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece President Karolos Papoulias has tasked Antonis Samaras, the head of the conservative New Democracy party, with forming a government, according to Greek state television.

Athens, June 17 (IANS) Voting began Sunday for crucial elections in Greece that are expected to determine the country's future in the Eurozone, with the main contenders being the right-wing New Democracy and left-wing Syriza, BBC reported.

Athens, June 8 (IANS) The jobless rate in Greece hit a record high of 21.9 percent in March, official data showed.

Athens, May 28 (IANS) World champion Sebastien Loeb of France won the Acropolis Rally for third time in the history of the four-day so-called "Rally of Gods" in Greece, and recorded his fourth victory in six rallies for this year's world championship.

Athens, May 30 (IANS) Many players from the domestic league were called up as Greece announced the squad for the Euro 2012.

Athens, May 17 (IANS) The Olympic Flame for the 2012 London Games was welcomed with great enthusiasm in Athens, as it reached the Acropolis Hill, finishing its long trip across Greece on the eve of the handover ceremony.

Athens, May 17 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece will hold new parliamentary polls June 17 and a court official will head an interim government until then, state television reported.

Ancient Olympia (Greece), May 10 (IANS) The torch for the 2012 London Games was lit here Thursday at the site of the ancient Olympics.

Ancient Olympia (Greece), May 10 (IANS) The flame for the 2012 London Games was lit here Thursday at the site of the ancient Olympics, marking the start of a torch relay culminating with the mega event's opening ceremony July 27.

Athens, May 19 (IANS) German Chancellor Angela Merkel has suggested to Greek President Karolos Papoulias to hold a referendum on the country's membership in the Eurozone during parliamentary polls, RIA Novosti reported.

Athens, May 6 (IANS) Greeks Sunday voted in crucial parliamentary elections that is expected to decide the country's future in the euro zone, and according to trends no single party is likely to gain a majority.

Athens, May 6 (IANS) Greeks are participating in crucial parliamentary elections Sunday that is expected to decide the country's future in the euro zone, RIA Novosti reported.

Athens, April 22 (IANS) Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, commonly found in marine and plant oils, could help limit damage caused by smoking, says a new study from Greece.

Athens, April 6 (IANS) Greek citizens staged a fresh anti-austerity protest in front of parliament in central Athens where a senior pensioner committed suicide over austerity measures.

Athens, March 20 (IANS) Greece is expected to remain in recession for a fifth straight year in 2012 with the economy shrinking by 4.5 percent and recovery due to start in 2013, according to the Central Bank's annual report.

Athens, March 15 (IANS) Greek archaeologists have made a worldwide appeal for support to protect the country's rich cultural heritage amid the country's harsh austerity measures.

Athens, March 3 (IANS) Greece has launched an international tender for rights to use certain Olympic Games facilities, the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) announced.

Athens, March 2 (IANS) An elderly unemployed Greek took two people hostage while injuring three others inside a plastic factory in a northern Greek city Thursday, media reported.

Athens, Feb 17 (IANS/AKI) Thieves burst into a museum in Greece's ancient Olympia Friday and made off with dozens of artifacts of "incalculable value", media reports said.

Athens, Feb 13 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece's parliament has approved austerity measures requested by the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund to secure a 130-billion euro ($170 billion) bailout to avoid default.

Athens, Feb 6 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos and leaders of the country's political parties have agreed to further cut spending by 1.5 percent of GDP, the Greek government's press service said.

Athens, Jan 16 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Europe needs to create independent credit rating agencies and stop relying solely on leading US-based agencies, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said during his visit to Greece late Sunday in the wake of S&P's mass European downgrade last week.

Athens, Dec 24 (IANS) For the first time since a 'Santa Claus Post Office' opened around two decades ago in Greece, children in the debt-hit country have not only asked for new toys, but also for jobs for their unemployed parents.

Athens, Dec 24 (IANS) One motorist was killed while around 200 other drivers were trapped for hours in a multiple car crash during a heavy snowstorm in Greece, officials said.

Athens, Dec 21 (IANS) A Christmas tree made up of milk cans to be donated to children and families in need across Greece has been erected in Athens.

Athens, Dec 18 (IANS) The flame for the first Winter Youth Olympic Games to be hosted in Innsbruck, Austria in January 2012 was lit in a ceremony held at Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens.

Athens, Dec 7 (IANS) The Greek parliament early Wednesday approved the country's 2012 budget designed to tackle a severe debt crisis, amid fresh anti-austerity protests that briefly turned violent Tuesday.

Athens, Nov 17 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The new Greek coalition government led by Lucas Papademos has won the confidence vote in parliament.

Athens, Nov 11 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Greece's new coalition government, led by former European Central Bank vice president Lucas Papademos, was sworn in Friday.