Greece

There have been fresh calls for Alternate Minister for Administrative Reform Giorgos Katrougalos to resign after it emerged that agreements he and partners at their legal practice submitted agreements with civil servants to the Athens Bar Association even after the lawyer had been appointed to the cabinet.

Greece is optimistic about reaching a deal on economic reforms with its euro zone peers early next week, unblocking urgently needed funding, its economy minister said on Thursday.

By Jan Strupczewski & George Georgiopoulos

Greece failed in a bid on Wednesday to secure a quick cash payment from the euro zone rescue fund to help stave off potential bankruptcy next month, raising pressure on Athens to deliver a convincing reform programme within days.

U.S. President Barack Obama sent a message of support to the Greek people in his proclamation on the occasion of Greece's Independence Day, celebrated every year on March 25. Read below the full proclamation, titled "Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2014."

Greek Independence Day

Former Greek Finance Minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou has been handed a one-year suspended sentence after a court found him guilty of helping three people dodge millions in tax.

One of Greece's previous legislatures was offered by IMF head Christine Lagarde a list of Greek citizens holding offshore accounts, in a move to fight tax evasion - the so-called "Lagarde list".

On the occasion of the Greek National Holiday on Wednesday 25 March 2015, entry will be free for all visitors at the Acropolis Museum from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the Museum will host the following special gallery talks:

Returning from his official visit to Germany, one of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras?s main tasks will be to ensure his party?s support for the reform list his government is compiling and preparing to send to lenders, possibly by the end of the week.

Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos denied on Tuesday the government was planning to seize German assets as compensation for a Nazi atrocities during World War II.

?No Greek citizen would want the confiscation of a historic educational/cultural institute like the Goethe [Institute in Athens],? Paraskevopoulos said in a statement.

Greece?s yields declined on Tuesday as European officials prepared to assess the country?s third set of economic policy proposals.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras at a meeting on Monday to do what is needed to qualify for another tranche of financial aid.

Deputy Prime Minister Yiannis Dragasakis (photo) and Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias are due to begin a four-day trip to China on Wednesday with the aim of improving bilateral ties but also exploring investment and trade opportunities.