Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-10-03

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

CONTENTS

[01] New Democracy celebrates 27th anniversary of its founding

[02] World collectors' exhibition in Thessaloniki at the weekend

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

[04] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Thursday

[05] Comic actor Hatzichristos dies of heart failure

[06] Athens bourse announces extended trading next week

[01] New Democracy celebrates 27th anniversary of its founding

A concert was held at Lycabettus Theatre in Athens on Wednesday evening in celebration of the 27th anniversary of the founding of the main opposition New Democracy (ND) party.

In a brief address, ND leader Costas Karamanlis said that music was an element of culture which can express spiritual concerns and offer hope and optimism.

Karamanlis also indirectly referred to the terrorist attack in the United States on September 11, noting that the responsible political forces have a duty and obligation to help the people to confront with cool-headedness the crisis which has broken out throughout the world.

He added:"Serious political leaderships, leaderships with a vision at such moments give answers and pave with certainty the future of the country. We have done so in the past and are doing this at present."

Karamanlis also spoke cordially about all the party's previous leaders.

The events marking the 27th anniversary of the founding of the New Democracy party will be concluded on Thursday evening with a special event at the Zappeion Hall, in the presence of President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

[02] World collectors' exhibition in Thessaloniki at the weekend

An international exhibition of phone cards, stamps, old postcards, coins and other collectors' items will be on display in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on October 6-7.

The exhibitors are tens of firms that sell collectors' items from Greece and abroad. Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation will also be displaying its collection of phone cards.

The exhibition is to be held at the Mediterranean Pallas Hotel.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Thursday

Indicative tourist buying rates

U.S. dollar 367.068

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 541.268

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.462

Swedish kroner 34.707

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 303.050

Swiss franc 227.713

Norwegian kroner 041.816

Cyprus pound 588.606

Canadian dollar 234.240

Australian dollar 183.080

[04] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Thursday

The weather will be sunny throughout the country on Thursday, with limited early morning visibility on the mainland. Winds northwesterly, light to moderate. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 12C to 30C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 15C to 32C; and in the Aegean islands from 19C to 29C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 18C and 32C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 15C to 30C.

[05] Comic actor Hatzichristos dies of heart failure

Popular comic actor Costas Hatzichristos passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 80, as a result of heart failure.

One of the better loved comic actors of the Greek stage and screen, Hatzichristos was born in 1921 and made his first appearance on stage while Greece was still under German occupation in World War II.

He performed with a variety of companies in the years that followed and became more widely known in 1950-1951 after he created the comic character 'Thymios', the ignorant but wily peasant.

Expressing his condolences to the actor's family, Prime Minister Costas Simitis described Hatzichristos as a talented character actor who had spread laughter and feelings of joy to generations of Greeks in difficult and troubled times.

Deep sorrow at his death was also expressed by Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who requested that the family of the deceased allow the actor's funeral to be held at public expense.

[06] Athens bourse announces extended trading next week

The Athens Stock Exchange on Wednesday announced a decision to extend its current extended trading session next week, with trading hours from 12.00 to 18.00.

ASE's board also decided that from the week after trading hours would be 11.00 to 16.00 for a period of few months ahead of the introduction of a new extended session in the Greek bourse, from 11.00 to 17.15, from February 1, 2002.

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