IMF

While global leaders obsess over the likelihood of debt-stricken Greece departing the euro zone, an emerald isle 1,800 miles away from Athens may be on the brink of needing another financial bailout.

The financial markets appear to have already priced in Greece?s departure from the euro bloc.

Recent polls show that Greece's far-left Syriza party is poised to gain the most votes in the June 17 parliamentary elections. The news has many wondering exactly where the popular opposition party came from, what it represents, and how it would address Greece's crushing debt burden while living up to its promise of abolishing austerity.

The comments come amid a growing chorus of European ministers openly discussing the possibility of a Greek exit from the single currency.

Last-ditch efforts to form a unity government on Tuesday failed, leading Papoulias to call these extraordinary measures.

Disgraced French politician and former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn has launched a $1 million countersuit against the New York City hotel maid who accused him of sexual assault a year ago.

Greek leftists rejected a last-ditch proposal by the head of state on Monday to put technocrats in charge of the country, as financial markets slid on speculation that political turmoil would force Athens out of the euro zone.

U.S. stock index futures fell sharply on Monday, tracking global equity markets lower as a political impasse in Greece heightened concerns about the Europe's debt crisis as the region struggles to avoid a deepening recession.

Greece's president met with party leaders on Sunday in a final bid to form a coalition and avert a new election, but the talks immediately appeared doomed because of deep splits over the EU/IMF rescue plan.

Athens and Paris have rebelled against Berlin-inspired austerity, but Dublin has taken the harsh medicine dutifully -- and, unlike its testy European peers, grimly borne budget cuts and tax hikes with minimal protest. That may be about to change.

A new poll will have to be called if parties cannot reach a consensus by next Thursday, as the risk of Greece's exit from the euro looms closer.

A political deadlock would result in new snap elections sometime next month -- thereby creating even more anger and concern among Greece?s nervous lenders, particularly Germany.

?The moment of truth is approaching for everyone,? said Kouvelis.

Venizelos, the former finance minister, said he will ?explore all possibilities? in his quest to create an alliance with rival parties, including ND, Syriza and the Democratic Left.

Asian markets fell Thursday as weak exports data from China and concerns surrounding Greece and Spain dampened sentiments.

China reported Thursday a rise in trade surplus to $18.4 billion in April from $5.35 billion in March amid continued weakness in exports caused by economic crises in overseas markets.

A Greek sovereign default has always been a talismanic scare for the euro stakeholders. It would put the common currency under the greatest pressure since its creation, and shake the foundations of the currency bloc.

Stock index futures pointed to a lower open on Wall Street on Wednesday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 0.6 percent, Dow Jones futures 0.3 percent weaker, and Nasdaq 100 futures off 0.5 percent at 04:54 a.m. EDT (0854 GMT).

Asian markets fell Wednesday as concerns over the future of Greece in the Eurozone and the looming debt crisis rose.

Tsipras has only three days to form a new unity government.

After conservative leader Antonis Samaras failed to form a coalition government in the wake of Sunday's fractured Greek elections, now comes the leftists? attempt to forge such an alliance.