Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-05-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] Festival in Athens to welcome enlargement of EU

[02] Meeting of ethnic Greek journalists begins on Monday

[03] EU condemns suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem

[04] Bear mauls elderly woman to death

[05] Terrorist suspect suffers stroke

[06] Civil servants to strike Monday, air traffic controllers vote to work

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] Festival in Athens to welcome enlargement of EU

The municipality of Athens is to hold an international festival in Athens beginning on Monday to welcome enlargement of the European Union.

Organised by the municipality's Technopoli arts centre, the festival supported by the foreign ministry and embassies of the EU newcomers lasts until June 8.

Entitled ''New borders for the EU'', the event includes information and artwork from the bloc's new members, along with concerts, fashion shows and food presentations.

Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyianni will inaugurate the festival.

[02] Meeting of ethnic Greek journalists begins on Monday

A meeting of ethnic Greek journalists working in foreign media begins in Athens on Monday before moving to Thessaloniki on May 22-24.

Participating in the meeting, which is organised by the Greek press ministry, are journalists of Greek origin from Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australia.

During the meeting, participants will receive information on Greece's EU presidency, preparations for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, developments in the Cyprus issue, and Thessaloniki as a centre of economic and cultural exchange.

The journalists will be received by President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

[03] EU condemns suicide bomb attack in Jerusalem

The European Union on Sunday condemned a suicide attack on a bus in Jerusalem earlier in the day that led to a loss of civilian lives.

The attack occurred almost immediately after a meeting of the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers, and shortly before the Israeli official's vist to Washington, Greece, the EU's current president, said in a statement.

''This leaves no room for doubt that terror is being used by extremists to block efforts towards renewed dialogue,'' the EU said.

''It is imperative that these suicide bomb attacks should cease, and that we may move away from reprisals to a state of confidence, away from hatred to dialogue, and away from conflict to peace. Both sides must remain dedicated to the road of negotiations, the road to peace,'' the statement said.

[04] Bear mauls elderly woman to death

A bear savaged an 85-year-old woman to death in a northern mountain village, authorities said on Sunday.

An autopsy confirmed the cause of death after fellow villagers told police they had found large pawprints near the mauled body, discovered on Saturday.

Inhabitants of Anilio and other mountain villages around the town of Ioannina have reported many sightings of bears over the past two months.

The animals have reportedly trampled graves in order to drink the olive oil left in icon shrines.

[05] Terrorist suspect suffers stroke

A suspected member of the Revolutionary Popular Struggle (ELA) terrorist group held in custody pending trial suffered a stroke on Sunday and was rushed to hospital for emergency treatment.

Christos Tsigaridas was taken to the Evangelismos hospital in central Athens from Korydallos prison, where he has been detained for several months. No details were given of his condition.

Charges have been brought against Tsigaridas and other suspected members of the urban guerrilla group for attempted murder and weapons possession.

Tsigaridas has accepted political responsibility for acts perpetrated by ELA until 1991, when he says he withdrew from the group.

[06] Civil servants to strike Monday, air traffic controllers vote to work

Civil servants are to stage a 24-hour strike on Monday to press for higher pay but air traffic controllers originally scheduled to join the stoppage have voted to work, officials said.

Fresh talks between the ADEDY civil servants union and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis are set for May 22. A failure to find common ground at the last meeting led to the strike call.

The union is negotiating a new payscale that would go into effect on January 1, 2004. Among demands are a minimum wage of 1,050 euros per month, incorporation of allowances into base pay, and an acceptable salary rise for 2003.

[07] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.158

Pound sterling 0.712

Danish kroner 7.483

Swedish kroner 9.222

Japanese yen 134.6

Swiss franc 1.519

Norwegian kroner 7.916

Cyprus pound 0.591

Canadian dollar 1.589

Australian dollar 1.787

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