Xanthi (Greek: Ξάνθη, Turkish: İskeçe) is a city in northern Greece, in the East Macedonia and Thrace periphery. It is the capital of Xanthi Prefecture.

History

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Known references to Xanthi (Ξάνθη), or Xanthia (Ξάνθεια), date back to 879 BC. It began as a small village and experienced all the tumultuous periods of the history of Thrace, such as raidings, disasters, race conflicts, civil wars. The population of the region of Xanthi had dwindled down to almost nothing and everything had been destroyed. This was the situation when the Ottomans arrived at the region. As a result, the Ottomans brought settlers from the depths of Asia Minor, which is how Genisea (Γενισέα) was created, while Oreo (Ωραίο) and Xanthi remained mainly Greek and Christian centres.

By 1715 Xanthi, as well as Genisea, became renowned for its tobacco quality. Many foreign sightseers travelled throughout the region and described both the life and struggles of the locals. Tobacco commerce throughout Europe led Xanthi into a course of prosperity. In March and April of 1829 two earthquakes literally levelled the city, however played a decisive role in the further developments. The city's re-building immediately got underway. In 1870 the city of Genisea was burned down and thus all of the agencies and services were transferred to Xanthi which, at that time, had a population of about 10000 inhabitants. In 1891, the railroad line was established near the city, while further economic development led to the founding of schools and associations.

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BBC News | Europe | World Edition

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Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:42:42 -0000
Finnish ex-President Martti Ahtisaari wins this year's Nobel Peace Prize for three decades of mediation around the world.
EU verifies Russia's withdrawal
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:17:06 -0000
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NYT > Europe

Ukraine’s Leader Schedules Vote After Disbanding Parliament
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:06:50 -0000
The move raises uncertainties about Ukraine’s tilt toward the West at a time when the country has become a focal point of rising tensions with Russia.
A Slow, Wary Return for Georgian Refugees
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 04:58:46 -0000
Though government officials urged refugees to wait until their villages have been cleared of unexploded ordnance, it was impossible to stop them from heading home.
French Writer Wins Nobel Prize
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 05:00:44 -0000
Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio was praised by the Swedish Academy as an “author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy.”

L.A. Times - Europe

Q & A on Europe's crisis
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
The Times talks to Charles Goodhart, professor emeritus of banking and finance at the London School of Economics and an expert on European monetary policy. Charles Goodhart is professor emeritus of banking and finance at the London School of Economics and an expert on European monetary policy. He spoke in his office Thursday with Times staff writer Henry Chu about Europe's handling of the economic crisis and the role of the European Central Bank, or ECB, which joined Wednesday with central banks around the world in lowering interest rates. It was the ECB's first rate decrease in five years, from 4.25% to 3.75%, after keeping the rate elevated to ward off inflation.
Le Clezio of France wins Nobel prize in literature
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
French writer Jean-Marie G. Le Clezio has sought out little-known peoples, and has had his own low profile. Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, a globe-trotting French author of books exploring indigenous and nomadic cultures in Latin America, Africa and Asia, on Thursday won the Nobel Prize in literature.
Iceland takes control of biggest bank amid industry collapse
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700
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UN News Centre - Europe

Security Council renews UN observer mission in Georgia for four months
Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
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UN World Court to give opinion on legality of Kosovo's independence
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
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UN tribunal upholds 35-year jail term for leader of breakaway Croatian Serb state
Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0500
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Europe - International Herald Tribune

Martti Ahtisaari of Finland wins Nobel Peace Prize
By WALTER GIBBS AND ALAN COWELL Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:01 -0000
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Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:01 -0000
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Europe confirms Russian pullback
By ELLEN BARRY Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:01 -0000
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By ELAINE SCIOLINO Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:01 -0000
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Libya to withdraw $7 billion of assets from Swiss banks
Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:54:01 -0000
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