Rome, Italy -- Leaders from Germany, France, Spain and Italy meet in rare 4-way meeting to try to reach consensus on Euro crisis plan ahead of critical summit in Brussels. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, easily the biggest fan of the Euro currency among those who attended the so-called “Mini-EU Summit” alongside her on Friday - the heads of government from France, Spain and Italy – arrived at Rome’s Villa Madama Palace a little more reassured than she could have expected just one week ago. In recent days, voters in economically-troubled Greece chose a centrist, pro-bailout government just one month after…

By Theodora Oikonomides The austerity measures adopted by the Greek government are meant to prevent it from defaulting on its national debt.  Instead, they are bringing the middle class to its knees even as the poor become increasingly desperate. With approximately 20 percent of the population unemployed, a loss of faith in democracy and rapidly increasing social violence, the situation in contemporary Greece is reminiscent of Weimar Berlin. And we all know how that turned out... Much has been said in the international media about the financial crisis in the Eurozone and the risk of a default by Greece on…

Johnny Barber, a passenger on the "Audacity of Hope", the American boat to Gaza, posted this video on Youtube together with the following message: The Audacity of Hope was stopped at sea by the Greek Coast Guard 20 minutes after leaving the port. Our captain refused to turn back irregardless of the pleas of the Coast guard captain. After about 2 hours, Greek commandos joined the Coast guard vessel and the decision was made to turn back. We are currently at a military dock in Athens, unable to proceed. Johnny Barber, a passenger, on the Audacity of Hope, i was…