Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-09-05

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

CONTENTS

[01] New terrorist group assumes responsibility for court bombings

[02] Hon. IOC president Samaranch holds book presentation in Athens

[03] Pilobolus dance group at Herod Atticus this weekend

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Saturday

[05] Siemens, Aktor get suburban railway contract

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[07] Greek stocks end week 2.90 pct lower

[01] New terrorist group assumes responsibility for court bombings

A previously unknown terrorist group on Friday claimed responsibility for two separate explosions that rattled the down-town Athens court complex in the early hours on Friday, causing slight injury to a policeman who went to investigate the first blast.

An unidentified man called the offices of an Athens newspaper 30 minutes after the second explosion and said that the ''Revolutionary Struggle'' claimed responsibility for the explosions.

According to police, a bomb exploded at the entrance of the court building complex at 2:47 a.m. on Friday.

The second device went off at 3:05 a.m. at a few yards from the site of the first explosion, causing slight knee injuries to one of the two policemen who had rushed to the scene to investigate.

Police said the two explosions were caused by makeshift devices equipped with timers using dynamite, which had been placed on a stair-landing outside building No.7 and in an empty information booth.

Meanwhile, the courts opened as normal on Friday morning. The misdemeanors court and the administration offices housed in Building 7, which suffered damages due to the explosion, were temporarily transferred to another building within the complex.

[02] Hon. IOC president Samaranch holds book presentation in Athens

Honorary International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch on Friday attended the presentation of his book ''21 years in the IOC Presidency'' at a central Athens hotel. The date coincided with the sixth anniversary since Samaranch announced that Athens would be hosting the 2004 Olympic Games in 1997.

During the event, Samaranch expressed conviction that the Athens Games would be a great success and would greatly help the Olympic movement.

He was particularly warm in his praise of Athens Organising Committee (ATHOC) president Gianna Angelopoulos, stressing that without her at the helm of the committee preparing Athens' bid, the city would have had difficulty winning the Games.

[03] Pilobolus dance group at Herod Atticus this weekend

The U.S. dance group Pilobolus is to stage two performances at the Herod Atticus Theatre beneath the Acropolis on Saturday and Sunday, as part of the Athens Festival.

The six-member group is noted for its extremely dynamic and energetic performances, that combine movements derived from modern dance, circus acrobatics, gymnastics, martial arts, theatre and pantomime in a unique mix that combines authentic movement and improvisation.

The name of the group, which was founded in 1970 by Moses Pendleton of the equally innovative dance troupe Momix, is inspired by the tiny pilobolus mushroom, which is no more than a quarter of an inch tall but can eject its seeds up to eight feet into the air.

[04] Weather Forecast: Scattered cloud on Saturday

Scattered cloud is forecast in most parts of the country, probably turning to rain in the southwest. Winds variable, light to strong. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 12C to 26C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 15C to 29C; and in the Aegean from 18C to 27C. Temperatures in Athens between 17C and 28C; and in Thessaloniki from 15C to 26C.

[05] Siemens, Aktor get suburban railway contract

A consortium of companies comprising Siemens, Aktor and Terna won a tender to supply an electrification, signalling and remote operation system for a suburban route commissioned by state-owned Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE).

The project for the stretch between the port of Piraeus and Ano Liossia in the west that will run through Athens is budgeted at 159,844,144 euros, OSE said in a statement.

The construction deadline is eight months after signature of a contract, so that the railway is operational in time for the Athens 2004 Olympics in August of that year, the statement said.

The suburban railway network that will extend as far as Corinth in the Peloponnese and Athens airport is expected to carry 420,000 passengers on a daily basis by 2010.

A journey from Piraeus to the airport will take an estimated 40 minutes; and from Athens to the airport, 30 minutes, the statement added.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.101

Pound sterling 0.697

Danish kroner 7.485

Swedish kroner 9.193

Japanese yen 128.6

Swiss franc 1.552

Norwegian kroner 8.302

Cyprus pound 0.587

Canadian dollar 1.512

Australian dollar 1.712

[07] Greek stocks end week 2.90 pct lower

Greek stocks ended higher the last trading session of a negative week in the Athens Stock Exchange as fading pressures in the market helped prices reverse a six-day decline.

The general index rose 0.35 percent to end at 2,146.39 points, for a net loss of 2.9 percent in the week. Turnover was a low 122.6 million euros.

The IT Solution, Insurance and Wholesale sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day (3.84 percent, 1.94 percent and 1.53 percent, respectively), while the Base Metals (0.84 percent), Holding (0.52 percent) and Cement (0.16 percent) sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 0.29 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index gained 0.17 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index jumped 1.29 percent higher.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 224 to 77 with another 61 issues unchanged.

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