Switzerland

The wine cellar of LA Mahzen, a Turkish vineyard located close to the ancient city of Ephesus, has been listed as one of the greatest in the world in a new book, "Sommeliers Heaven - The Greatest Wine Cellars Of The World," by Switzerland's Braun Publishing.

The Bulgarian prosecutor's office has three months to decide what steps it will take in the money laundering probe against former deputy speaker of parliament Hristo Biserov.

The former deputy chairperson of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms (DPS) made use of his right and has asked for the probe into money laundering against him to be suspended or referred to court.

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may attend the World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting of world leaders and business people to be held from January 21-24 at Davos, Switzerland, said government sources on Sunday.

His participation will depend on other domestic commitments during that period.

Turkish Customs and Trade Minister Bülent Tüfenkçi said Dec. 25 that if an agreement with Israel was reached after five years of tense relations, it would allow Turkish products to enter Gaza more easily. 

Answering questions at a news conference with members of the Economy Correspondents' Association, Tüfenkçi said Tel Aviv would allow Turkish products to enter Gaza.

The Turkish government has expressed concern an agreement between Russia and Armenia to unify their air defense systems and Armenia's recent statement that a ceasefire with arch-foe Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh virtually no longer exists will increase the risk of clashes in the Caucasus. 

The thaw in Turkish-Israeli relations has climbed to the top of the agenda in terms of foreign policy and domestic affairs. It was just the opposite of previous talks when Turkey set out the conditions; this time, Israel is playing the "Hamas" card. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reluctant to make any agreements as long as Turkey's support for Hamas continues.

Kalavryta, Achaia

The Athens prosecutor has an electronic file list with thousands of bank transactions of persons in the “new” Lagarde list after HSBC whistleblower Herve Falciani handed over details on thousands of allegedly suspicious international transactions to the Greek government.

Demand for entry-level homes for the refugees, many of whom have been sleeping in gymnasiums, local halls and tents, is adding to a cocktail of factors fuelling a revival of the German construction industry.

Armenia said on Dec. 22 that the ceasefire with arch-foe Azerbaijan over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh virtually no longer exists, describing frequent skirmishes at the frontline as "war."