George Papandreou

Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said on Sunday there was "total convergence" among political allies on new austerity measures needed for a second bailout and debt cuts to avert default.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece expects to conclude difficult debt talks with private creditors within days and negotiations with the EU and the IMF on a new bailout deal by the middle of next week, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told Reuters on Friday.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece expects to conclude difficult debt talks with private creditors within days and negotiations with the EU and the IMF on a new bailout deal by the middle of next week, Prime Minister Lucas Papademos told Reuters on Friday.

(Reuters) - Political convulsions in the euro zone have only just begun. Six prime ministers have been kicked out of office, protesters have occupied public spaces, nationalist parties have grown in popularity, and two countries have appointed technocratic leaders. And that was just 2011. The coming year is likely to prove even tougher on the economic front as the crisis continues to rage, austerity bites, and unemployment mounts. Euro zone countries are being forced to choose between fiscal discipline or the disintegration of their shared currency. Under pressure from Germany, governments have agreed to sign up for treaty changes that will require them to balance their budgets, pay down their debts, and give the European Commission in Brussels more power to interfere with national budgets. Such loss of sovereignty could provoke a backlash from the people - and boost the support of right-wing euro-skeptic parties such as France's National Front. It's possible that the treaty changes ma

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) - The Occupy movement, which went global after protests against Wall Street last year, is camping in igloos to bring its argument with the super-rich "1 percent" to Davos.

ATHENS (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund stepped up pressure on Greece on Wednesday, saying promised reforms were behind schedule in most areas and the delays were stalling recovery from years of recession.

ATHENS (Reuters) - They have dominated Greek politics for decades, attending the same prestigious schools, sharing college dorms and mixing socially, but always fighting tooth and nail for political advantage.

ATHENS (Reuters) - They have dominated Greek politics for decades, attending the same prestigious schools, sharing college dorms and mixing socially, but always fighting tooth and nail for political advantage.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's coalition government on Wednesday passed an austerity 2012 budget aimed at shrinking its debt mountain with tax hikes and spending cuts, hours after protesters clashed with police outside parliament.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's coalition government on Wednesday passed an austerity 2012 budget aimed at shrinking its debt mountain with tax hikes and spending cuts, hours after protesters clashed with police outside parliament.

The IMF on Monday released 2.2 billion euros ($3.96 billion) in rescue funds for Greece, giving a nod to new Prime Minister Lucas Papademos's commitment to a tough reform program.

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Athens on Sunday for a visit set to focus on the debt crisis gripping Greece and the broader eurozone.

European Union monitors and ratings agencies bear some of the blame for Greece's debt crisis that has plunged the continent into financial turmoil, former Greek prime minister George Papandreou said.

The crippling debt crisis has dominated Greek political life for the past two years but more than an economic problem, a solution requires a fundamental change in attitudes, analysts say.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Emergency staff ran hospitals, schools closed and thousands of austerity-weary Greeks took to the streets on Thursday in a 24-hour general strike that tested the resolve of a national unity government.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Emergency staff ran hospitals, schools closed and thousands of austerity-weary Greeks took to the streets on Thursday in a 24-hour general strike that tested the resolve of a national unity government.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Emergency staff ran hospitals, schools closed and thousands of austerity-weary Greeks took to the streets on Thursday in a 24-hour general strike that tested the resolve of a national unity government.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek schools shut, hospitals worked with emergency staff and train services ground to a halt on Thursday as unions held a 24-hour general strike to test the resolve of a new national unity government.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek schools shut, hospitals worked with emergency staff and train services ground to a halt on Thursday as unions held a 24-hour general strike to test the resolve of a new national unity government.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek schools shut, hospitals worked with minimal staff and train and bus service ground to a halt on Thursday as unions held their first major strike since a new national unity government took power last month.