ATHENS, Greece (AP) — The winds of political change are coursing through austerity-weary Greece, but a financial whirlwind may lurk round the corner. Opinion polls ahead of Sunday’s closely-watched national election agree: The radical left opposition Syriza party, which has vowed to rewrite the terms of Greece’s international bailout, is poised to defeat Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’ conservatives. To govern — in a historic first for the Greek left — it may need the backing of a smaller party, but most seem willing to oblige.
In some countries, greeting friends with a kiss is the common custom. France, Italy, Greece and Hollywood come to mind. Not full-on, passionate kissing, but a quick buss on the cheek. First on one side, then the other. Men, women, it doesn’t matter. In some countries you have to do each cheek twice or you'll deeply insult someone, and before you know it there’s a whole Hatfield-and-McCoy thing happening because you ignored a thousand-year-old custom.
DEREK GATOPOULOS and NICHOLAS PAPHITIS, Associated Press
Updated
ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s conservative-led government was facing a political crisis Wednesday after its decision to shut down state-run TV and radio as part of spending cuts triggered a wave of strikes and fierce opposition from within the coalition government.
