Greece

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and German Chancellor Angela Merkel met for five hours in Berlin amid fears that Athens may be running out of money. "We want Greece to be strong economically. We want Greece to grow. Above all, we want Greece to overcome its high unemployment," said Merkel at a press conference held mid-way through the talks prior to a working dinner.

According to Bloomberg's front page, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel prepared a warm welcome to Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras".

At the same time the article stresses the words of Angela Merkel that "Greece belongs in Europe" and that she "wants her economy to succeed".

By Dimitra Manifava

The Economy Ministry is planning to reduce government control over the operation of commercial stores on Sundays.

Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has canceled a planned trip to London on Tuesday, the Greek Embassy said on Monday.

Varoufakis was due to talk at a conference in London and attend another couple of events but has called the trip off as crucial talks between Greece and its eurozone partners over the country?s need for financial support heat up.

[Reuters]

 Highlights of Angela Merkel's statements at a joint press conference afterwards the face-to-face talks:

Merkel

- There are difficult issues, in which we have completely different thoughts and views.

- The Greek government will tell us how much longer it wants to continue the cooperation with the Task Force.

Expectations that the European Central Bank will ease its policy toward Athens slightly after the prime minister’s meetings with top European officials, thus allowing for more cash to Greece, sent local stocks higher on Monday.

The German tabloid Bild, which ran a series of negative articles of late regarding Greece and its economic crisis, surprises its readers with Monday’s issue, citing what Greeks — ancient, modern, the works — offered humanity, and to Germany, specifically.

The issue coincided with Monday’s official visit to Berlin by Greek PM Alexis Tsipras.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel received Greek PM Alexis Tsipras at the chancellory in Berlin on Monday, with the two reviewing an honor guard before entering the building.

Greece's government wants more than 100 million euros ($110 million) in compensation from German defense companies it says paid bribes to win arms deals, a senior defense ministry source confirmed on Monday.

Greece has launched a "preliminary investigation for foreign bribery and money laundering" allegedly committed by AKTOR AD? in neighbouring Macedonia, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, said in its latest Report on Implementation of the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Greece.