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Thursday, 21 November 2024
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-07-27Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Rhodes fire raging for 6th day, blaze in Evia, both containedA devastating wildire on the Dodecanese island of Rhodes, in the southeastern Aegean, which was raging on Sunday for the sixth day, destroying a major expanse of the island's forest, was reported as having been contained on Sunday night.Firefighters, who were continuing the battle with the blazes undiminished, told ANA-MPA that for the first time they were optimistic of bringing the blaze under control, as the two major fire fronts -- in the area of the Gadoura dam and in the area of Profylia - have already been partically contained, and it was hoped that the fire would be brought under full control by evening. The massive firefighting force was being assisted by hundreds of volunteers from all over the island. Authorities said that careful monitoring was necessary throughout the entire region to look out for rekindling, due to strong winds in the area. The blaze, which broke out last Tuesday, has burned an estimated 40,000 stremma fo forest and brush, and fears have been voiced of immense damage to the island's ecosystem. The Laermon forest, which has been almost completely destroyed by the fire, is the main habitat of one of the last surviving populations of the famed Rhodian deer -- a smaller species of the European fallow deer -- whose population had marked an increase in recent years. Tourists were evacuated from several hotels in southern Rhodes on Saturday for precautionary reasons, and were relocated to other hotels on the island on Saturday, while many returned to their hotels on Sunday. Meanwhile, a forest fire broke out in Psachna, Evia, shortly before noon on Sunday, and was also reported as having been contained on Sunday night. A strong fire-fighting force that rushed to the area, assisted by four water scooping planes and a helicopter, were continuing the effort to extinguish the blaze. [02] Greece an important transshipment hubPrime minister Costas Karamanlis conferred with merchant marine, Aegean and island policy minister George Voulgarakis, who expressed grief over the loss of workers' lives in Thursday's explosion and ensuing fire aboard a liquefied gas tanker while undergoing repairs at the Perama shipbuilding and repair zone, while he also briefed the premier on progress in the tendering process for concession of the Thessaloniki Port Authority (OL-TH) container terminal.Voulgarakis further said that he briefed Karamanlis on developments in the process for concession of the OL-TH, in which he said a very significant tender has been submitted, adding that OL-TH will announce the tender winner next week. In this way, he added, "a very large reform for the country is headed towards its completion, and Greece will become a very important transshipment hub in the Balkans and Europe". "Consequently, a very big chapter is opening up, and a very important reform, which was among the government's fundamental program commitments,is nearing its completion," Voulgarakis said. The minister added his belief that in the next period the situation in the country's ports (who have been staging mobilizations against the government's plans for concession of container terminals in several of the country's major ports) will be normalized, so that the country may, unhindered, take advantage of the benefits of this very important reform effort". [03] Papandreou on 'poor economy'Main opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader George Papandreou accused Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis "for the countryâs poor economic situation" and the citizensâ problems, as well as for cases of scandals "because he refuses the setting up of an Examining Committee for Siemens." In an interview with Saturdayâs edition of "Eleftherotypia" newspaper, Papandreou said that "the practices of the (ruling) New Democracy party takes us back to the practices of 1960," adding that "the graft" and "the protection of the cartels" is finally paid by the citizens.Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of PASOK leader George Papandreou. Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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