Greek radical left wins election
ATHENS, Greece – A radical left-wing party vowing to end Greece’s painful austerity program won a historic victory in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, setting up a showdown with the country’s international creditors that could shake the eurozone.
Alexis Tsipras, leader of the communist-rooted Syriza party, immediately promised to end the “five years of humiliation and pain” that Greece has endured since an international bailout saved it from bankruptcy in 2010.
If Tsipras can put together a government, Syriza would be the first radical left party to ever govern the country.
The prospect of an anti-bailout government coming to power in Greece has revived fears of a bankruptcy that could reverberate across the eurozone, send shockwaves through global markets and undermine the euro, the currency shared by 19 European countries.
Syriza’s rhetoric appealed to many in a country that has seen a quarter of its economy wiped out, unemployment above 25 percent and average income losses of at least 30 percent.
Tsipras won on promises to demand debt forgiveness and renegotiate the terms of Greece’s $270 billion bailout, which has kept the debt-ridden country afloat since mid-2010.
Japan working to gain IS hostage’s release
TOKYO – Japan was working Monday to coordinate efforts with Jordan and other countries to save a hostage held by the Islamic State group.
“We all have one unchanged goal, and we will absolutely not give up until the end. And with that faith, we will try our utmost to reach that goal. That’s how it is,” said Yasuhide Nakayama, a Japanese deputy foreign minister sent to Amman, Jordan, to work on the crisis.
Back in Tokyo, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the government was still analyzing a video posted online that purported to show one of the two hostages, Haruna Yukawa, had been killed.
The government has been in crisis mode since the Islamic State group said in an online video on Jan. 20 that it had two Japanese hostages and would kill them within 72 hours unless it paid $200 million. That deadline passed Friday.
Asked if the government had concluded the latest video was authentic, Suga said, “We cannot deny that the likelihood is high.”
Attention was focused on trying to save Kenji Goto, a 47-year-old journalist who was shown in the video, holding the photo of Yukawa. The still picture included a recording of a voice claiming to be Goto, saying his captors were no longer demanding ransom but wanted a prisoner exchange.
While on a visit to the Middle East earlier this month, Abe announced $200 million in humanitarian aid to the nations fighting the militants. In an earlier video showing both Goto and Yukawa, the Islamic State group addressed Abe, demanding the same amount of money as ransom for the two hostages.
Balloons now symbol of peace in Vatican
VATICAN CITY – Dove lovers, rejoice.
Balloons, not doves, were released as a gesture of peace Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, a year after an attack by a seagull and a crow on the symbolic birds sparked protests by animal-rights groups.
For many years, children – flanking the pope at a window of the papal studio overlooking the square – have released a pair of doves on the last Sunday in January. The Catholic Church traditionally dedicates January to peace themes.
Last year, the feel-good practice became a public-relations disaster: After the children with Pope Francis tossed a pair of doves from the window, first a seagull and then a crow swept down and attacked the doves. Their ultimate fate was unknown.
Associated Press
