Compact version |
|
Monday, 23 December 2024 | ||
|
Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-09-17Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>NEWS IN ENGLISHAthens, Greece, 17/09/1999 (ANA)MAIN HEADLINES
NEWS IN DETAILAlternate foreign minister, son buried todayAlternate Foreign Minister Yannos Kranidiotis and his son Nikola, killed along with another four people in a freak air accident over Bucharest earlier in the week, were on Friday laid to rest with full state honours. Athenians gathered at the city church where Kranidiotis's body lay in state and then followed family members, government members led by Prime Minister Costas Simitis and a crowd of mourners to the Athens First Cemetery for the funeral. Plane injured still in critical condition Two people seriously injured during Tuesday's freak air accident which cost the lives of six, including Alternate Foreign Minister Yannos Kranidiotis, continue to be listed as being in an extremely critical condition at Athens General State Hospital. The hospital said on Friday that Grigoris Papadopoulos, Kranidiotis's diplomatic director, was suffering from serious cranial injuries, was still in a comatose condition and required respiratory support. They said they were "extremely concerned" about the course of Papadopoulos's condition. Greek Television cameraman Panayiotis Poulos, who was transported to Athens on Thursday from Bucharest, is also listed as being in an extremely critical condition. Doctors said he had serious respiratory problems as a result of serious of chest injuries during the plane's thousand-feet plunge. Government denies minister's job at risk Greece said on Friday there was no issue of Transport and Communications Minister Tassos Mandelis resigning over the tragic air accident which cost the lives of six people, including Alternate Foreign Minister Yannos Kranidiotis. "No such issue has been raised or will be raised," government spokesman Dimitris Reppas said in response to the rumours. Mandelis's presence is imperative for the completion of the investigation into the circumstances of the accident, he added. Reppas said documents related to the technical condition of the airplane released last night by Mandelis was part of efforts to ensure full transparency of the investigation and that additional documents would be released shortly. Shipping figure Hadzipateras dies John Hadzipateras, chairman of the London-based Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee, died of heart failure in Athens' Hygeia Hospital early today at the age of 73. Hadzipateras came to Athens last Monday for a brief meeting with merchant marine minister Stavros Soumakis and was due to chair a joint meeting between the Committee and the Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS) in Piraeus next Tuesday. Hadzipateras was a few months ago re-elected to the Committee chairmanship for the fourth consecutive term and was a prominent figure in world shipping. Married to Maro Patera of the Pateras shipping family, he managed the London offices of the Hadzipateras Shipping company and Pateras Shipbrokers. Culture ministry retrieves stolen wreath Culture Minister Elizabeth Papazoi on Friday announced the return of a priceless golden wreath stolen from a regional museum earlier this year, the second time this week that stolen Greek artefacts have been returned. Papazoi said the Hellenistic-era wreath was now in the hands of the authorities on the island of Evia. The wreath was stolen on June 25 this year from the island's Halkida Archaeological Museum. According to police, the wreath was stolen by a 23-year-old unemployed man who had hidden the object in his home in Politika on the island while he negotiated with prospective buyers. On Tuesday, Papazoi announced that U.S. authorities had found most of the artefacts stolen from one of Greece's most important archaeological museums almost a decade ago and were preparing to return them. Equities end historic week on high note Equity prices ended an historic week to new records on the Athens Stock Exchange led by strong gains in the banks sector, although some late profit taking slowed an initial rally. The general index ended 0.53 percent higher at 6,355.04 points, sharply off the day's highs of 6,484.38 points. It was its 53rd record closing this year and the sixth in a row. Turnover was a massive 550 billion drachmas. The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 1.69 percent off, while the FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.65 percent to 3,270.85 points. WEATHEROvercast weather and scattered showers will prevail in most parts of Greece today. Winds southerly, moderate to strong. Athens will be overcast with occasional showers and possible rainstorm with temperatures between 19-27C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 17-25C.FOREIGN EXCHANGEFriday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 311.468 Pound sterling 503.380 Japanese yen (100) 299.376 French franc 49.354 German mark 165.525 Italian lira (100) 16.720 Irish Punt 411.064 Belgian franc 8.025 Finnish mark 54.449 Dutch guilder 146.906 Danish kr. 43.559 Austrian sch. 23.527 Spanish peseta 1.945 Swedish kr. 37.458 Norwegian kr. 39.367 Swiss franc 201.996 Port. Escudo 1.615 Can. dollar 210.403 Aus. dollar 201.629 Cyprus pound 561.174 Euro 323.739(M.P.) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |