Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-05-21

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Sports roundup

[02] Olympic - Torch - Sydney (recasts)

[03] Patriarch - Evros - Christodoulos (recasts)

[04] Ionian islands - Anniversary - President

[05] Radio agreement - Greece - Albania

[06] Weather - Monday

[01] Sports roundup

Soccer

Olympiakos Piraeus won the Greek Soccer Championship for the fourth year in a row on Sunday defeating in Xanthi, northern Greece, the local team 1-0, with only one game left until the end of the season.

This will be the ninth championship title for Olympiakos Piraeus since the establishment of the professional league in Greece.

With this victory Olympiakos Piraeus retained its four-point lead over its arch-rival Panathinaikos Athens, who thrashed Apollon Athens 5-0 at its home stadium, in Athens, but has no hopes in gaining the title.

In other games across the country, Kalamata downed Aris 5-2 at home; OFI, Iraklion beat Ionikos 2-0 at home; PAOK Thessaloniki overpowered Kavala 5-0 also at home; Panachaiki Patras won against Paniliakos 2-0 at home; Ethnikos Asteras Athens beat Panionios Athens 4-2 at home and Iraklis Thessaloniki overpowered Proodeftiki 4-0 at home.

The last Game of this Sunday, between AEK and Trikala, was began in Athens at 9 p.m. local time and was still in progress at press time, with AEK ahead by one goal.

Standings after 33 games played: Olympiakos Piraeus 89 points, Panathinaikos Athens 85, OFI Iraklion 63, AEK Athens 60 (with the game still in progress), PAOK Thessaloniki 52, Iraklis Thessaloniki 49, Aris Thessaloniki 47, Panionios Athens 44, Kalamata 44, Xanthi 41, Panachaiki 39, Ionikos 38, Ethnikos Asteras 38, Paniliakos 37, Kavala 30, Proodeftiki 28, Appollon Athens 24 and Trikala (with the game still in progress) 21.

[02] Olympic - Torch - Sydney (recasts)

The Olympic Flame was passed on to a Sydney delegation during a solemn ceremony at Greek capitals outdoor Panathenian Stadium on Saturday evening in Athens, an impressive, marble-decorated venue rebuilt on the exact location where an ancient stadium stood -- as well as the site where the first modern Olympics of 1896 were held.

The ceremony was attended by among others, Greek President Kostis Stephanopoulos Foreign Minister George Papandreou, Culture Minister Theodoros Pangalos, Environment town Planning and Public Works Minister Costas Laliotis and Deputy Sports Minister Giorgos Floridis.

Voula Tsiamita, triple jump world champion, was the last of the torchbearers to reach the stadium, where Hellenic Olympic Committee President Lambis Nicolaou handed over to the Australian delegation the Flame.

Papandreou was among the torchbearers within Athens, carrying the Flame on its way to the Panathenian Stadium.

Nicolaou noted during the ceremony that ?the time has come for us to deliver the Olympic Flame to Sydney, (the flame) that constitutes the eternal symbol of unity and friendship of peoples. It passed through many points of our country and will go to the other side of the world, at Sydney where it will be placed at the highest altar.

?I am sure that the Olympic Flame will manage to inspire in the hearts of everyone the timeless value of the Olympic Games,? he added.

Later in the day the Flame carried by the delegation, which included a group of Australias aborigines, began its travel downunder in a specially made container aboard a plane chartered for that purpose.

The televised event was conducted without the benefit of spectators at the site as the stadium suffered serious damage during the Sept. 7 earthquake and was deemed unsafe for the public.

[03] Patriarch - Evros - Christodoulos (recasts)

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos concluded a four-day tour of the NE Greek border prefecture of Evros on Sunday with a visit to the regional capital of Alexandroupoli.

Vartholomeos inaugurated the 16th national conference of the international association of police officers on Saturday before traveling to the nearby northeastern Aegean island of Samothrace.

In a separate development, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos began a six-day visit to Romania on Saturday at the invitation of the countrys Orthodox Church leadership.

A tour of several monasteries and sites in Romania is scheduled, while the Greek Churchs prelate will also meet with Greek students studying in that country and visit the Greek cultural centre in Bucharest.

Finally, the Romanian-language edition of a book written by Christodoulos and focusing on religious issues will be presented during a ceremony in the city of Jassy.

[04] Ionian islands - Anniversary - President

Greek President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos attended at a ceremony on Sunday celebrating the 136th anniversary of the annexation of the Ionian islands by the Greek state.

Stephanopoulos, on a visit to the SW Aegean isle of Kythira during his name day on Sunday, attended a te deum at the islands main cathedral before visiting the historic Myrtidiotissa Madonna Monastery.

Some seven main islands -- including Corfu and Cephallonia -- comprise the Ionian chain off mainland Greeces western shores.

?We all comprehend the significance of todays anniversary. It is the first liberation of lands after the 1821 (War of) Independence and the London Protocol of 1830. Of course, other liberations followed, but it was the first after the creation of the Greek state,? Stephanopoulos noted.

[05] Radio agreement - Greece - Albania

TIRANA (ANA I. Patso) A protocol of assistance was signed here on Sunday between the heads of Greeces state-run radio network (ERA) and the Albanian public network.

Among others, the agreement foresees the granting of 50 million drachmas towards the Albanian broadcaster for the purchase of equipment. Additionally, cross-border cooperation between the two state radio networks regional affiliates is also envisioned for instance, between ERAs station on the Ionian island of Corfu with the station in the southern Albanian town of Gjirokaster and between stations in Florina, northern Greece, and Korce, in SE Albania.

The protocol was signed by visiting ERA general director Yiannis Tzannetakos and the director of Albanian radio, Martin Leka.

(One US dollar equals about 375 drachmas)

[06] Weather - Monday

Warm weather is expected on Monday throughout Greece with only afternoon cloudiness in the north and west. Early morning haze in some regions. Light winds; moderate, south to south-west in the southern Aegean. Temperatures will range from 14 to 32C on the mainland, 17 to 28 on the islands and coastal areas. Sunny skies for Athens, 17 to 32C. Some cloud for Thessaloniki, 16 to 29C.

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