Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-11-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] Ecumenical Patriarch to make address on environment

[02] No anthrax found in U.S. embassy mail in Athens, gov't spokesman says

[03] INFO-CAFE

[04] No anthrax found in U.S. embassy mail in Athens, press release states

[05] Macedonia-Thrace minister examines TIF facilities for EU 2003 Summit in

[06] Greek gov't to aid Greek-American children to learn Greek, deputy FM

[07] Kenyan Noah Bor wins Athens Marathon Run, Nikos Polias first among

[08] Former Soviet aircraft carrier "Varyag" adrift in the Aegean

[09] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Monday

[01] Ecumenical Patriarch to make address on environment

Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos will be making an address at the Local Union of Dodecannese Municipalities and Communities' conference on the environment, culture and local administration.

The conference will be taking place on the island of Kastellorizo on November 10-12, where mayors from all over the Dodecannese will gather to discuss issues concerning the islands.

It will be attended by Interior and Public Administration Minister Costas Skandalidis, Minister to the Aegean Nikos Sifounakis, party representatives and Athens Mayor Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Issues to be examined during the conference are, among others, the 3rd Community Support Framework (CSF), cooperation between the islands and local administration finances.

[02] No anthrax found in U.S. embassy mail in Athens, gov't spokesman says

Test for anthrax in two samples that were given from the U.S. embassy in Athens to the Greek Center for the Control of Special Diseases and to the laboratory of the Athens University microbiology department came up negative, Press and Media Minister and government spokesman Christos Protopapas said on Sunday.

[03] INFO-CAFE

The Sunday editions of Athens' dailies at a glance.

ADESMEFTOS on Sunday: "Changes in loans, compounded interest rates and deposits"

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Which will be the changes for the 45,000 banking employees. The super-bank changes the landscape. More mergers of banks"

APOGEVMATINI: ?They abolish the prefectures and 400 municipalities. They change the map of administrations for party reasons".

AVGHI: "The Alpha-Ethniki merger, a new pole of power "

AVRIANI: ?Shame. A supreme court judge forged a last will and testament for grab one billion drachmas ?.

ETHNOS: "I am revealing the truth about hospitals, Healthcare Minister Alekos Papadopoulos explodes "

ELEFTHERI ORA: "12 families will govern the country after the mergers"

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Big business in four months. Out of public sector control in express tempos DEH, Hellenic Petroleum, Olympic Airways, casinos"

EPOHI: "The rest of the "democratic forces" are done with. Without a recipient is the invitation of Latiotis to the left"

ESPRESSO "They tried to take the 2.5 billion drachmas of the lottery with a forged ticket"

HORA: "The new salaries for 2002. How much you will get in euros"

KATHIMERINI "The grand bet of the mergers. The government is moving fast to legislate important incentives for the Alpha-National merger model to have imitators "

LOGOS ON SUNDAY: "Revolution in the financial sector. Scenarios for new buyouts and mergers "

PARON: "Costopoulos got the Ethniki bank. The grand con of the century was completed"

RIZOSPASTIS: "New burdens on the people bring the mergers. Consolidation of banking capital "

NIKI: "White strike by PASOK deputies"

STO KARFI: "PASOK is a minefield?

SUNDAY TYPOS: "George Papandreou. I am not for Laliotis' rock. The political battle of PASOK for Athens' municipality"

VIMA ON SUNDAY: "Six business plans. Five weddings and a funeral "

VRADYNI: "They are lowering interest rates for home loans and credit cards. The merger increases competition in banking "

[04] No anthrax found in U.S. embassy mail in Athens, press release states

Bacteria found in an United States embassy mailbag that arrived on Oct. 31 was not anthrax, an U.S. embassy press release issued on Sunday late afternoon stressed.

The press release noted that the Greek government was briefed of the lab results, which confirmed that the bacteria were benign and not associated with disease, adding that these bacteria were a typical surface contaminant.

In addition, the press release said that the embassy was informed of a suspicious letter received last week at the Souda Bay naval station of the United States, which also tested negative for anthrax.

[05] Macedonia-Thrace minister examines TIF facilities for EU 2003 Summit in Greece

Macedonia-Thrace Minister George Paschalidis on Sunday discussed ways to improve all the buildings of the International Thessaloniki Trade Fair grounds, so as to facilitate in the bast possible way the European Union Summit of 2003, when Greece will hold the Union presidency.

Paschalidis, in cooperation with Alternate Foreign Minister Anastasios Yiannitsis, will examine ways to fund projects within the trade fair grounds from the European Union third community support framework fund, as well as funds from the foreign ministry.

[06] Greek gov't to aid Greek-American children to learn Greek, deputy FM says

CHICAGO (ANA - M. Psyllos) - The Greek government will aid effectively the work of the Greek Archdiocese of North and South America, so that the Greek children of America can learn the Greek language and strengthen their bonds with Greece, Deputy Foreign Minister Yiannis Magriotis reassured Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America Dimitrios on Sunday.

Magriotis, who is in Chicago, the United States of America, met with Dimitrios and discussed issues concerning expatriate Greeks in the New World and reassured the Greek Orthodox prelate that the government will undertake programs to teach the Greek language to youths of the Greek-American community.

He also relayed the commitment of the Greek government to support with a donation of $ 500,000 the rebuilding of the St. Nicolaos Church of Manhattan, which was destroyed during the terrorist attack of Sept. 7, in New York.

Magriotis requested of Dimitrios to assist in promoting programs for the integration of Greek expatriates who are returning to Greece from the former Soviet Union regions.

The Greek deputy minister, during his stay in Chicago, address a conference of Greek-Americans that was organized by the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE).

"We wept and we are still wiping for the victims, among which are Greek-Americans also and we demand that everything possible happens, so as the world and the next generations may live in conditions of security and peace," Magriotis said to the audience that included SAE President Andrew Athens and Greek-American Senator Paul Sarbanis.

Magriotis is expected to inaugurate the first trade and cultural exhibition organized by SAE in Chicago.

[07] Kenyan Noah Bor wins Athens Marathon Run, Nikos Polias first among Greeks

The 19th Marathon Run of Athens came to a successful close on Sunday afternoon with Kenyan Noah Bor finishing first in 2:19.7 hours, despite the cold weather and rain, with two of fellow country men, Frederic Tseruygiot and Elias Tsebet finishing second and third.

The 7th to reach the end of the 40 kilometer run was Greek Nikos Polias who was once again the first among the Greek runners to reach the finish line at the Athens Kalimarmaron Stadium in 2:23.57 hours. This was the 6th time in his carrier that Polias won the Athens Marathon

The first woman to finish this most difficult of endurance runs was German Sonya Krolic-Uberem in 2:36.14 hours, while best among Greek women runners was Georgia Abatzidou with a run of 2:48.36 hours, and fourth among all women who entered the race.

[08] Former Soviet aircraft carrier "Varyag" adrift in the Aegean

The last, uncompleted aircraft carrier of the former Soviet Union "Varyag", which was sold to Chinese businessmen who plan to turn it into a casino, was still adrift in the Northern Aegean in gale force winds.

"Varyag" which recently received permission to pass through the Bosphorous, Turkey after two years of negotiations, was being towed through the Aegean Sea when lines connecting it to tag boats were cut due to the gale force winds.

A Greek frigate sped to the area, 17 nautical miles off the island of Skyros, near the 307 meter long naval vessel.

A Greek coast guard rescue helicopter landed on Varyag and picked up the personnel of seven from the ship, while every effort to reconnect the lines to the tag boat failed to this moment.

[09] Weather Forecast: Rain, storms on Monday

Cloudy in Northern and western Greece on Monday, with local rains and storms early in the day in high ground. Heavy rain and storms are forecast for the rest of the country. Winds variable strong to gale force. In the north, temperatures will range from 4C to 14C; on the rest of the mainland from 7C to 19C; and in the islands from 9C to 18C. Rain and storms in Athens with a little snow on Mount Parnes in the evening, while later on in the day conditions will improve. Temperatures between 11C and 17C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 8C to 14C.

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