Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-12-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece prepares to ring in New Year

[02] Athens Academy Awards

[03] FinMin confers with BoG chief

[04] Athens Stock Exchange : Rise

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Greece prepares to ring in New Year

Members of associations and federations from all over Greece were calling on the political leaders throughout the day to sing the traditional New Year carols.

The Lambrou children's choir sang carols to prime minister Costas Karamanlis at the Maximos Mansion (government headquarters), where the premier, his wife Natassa and their twins exchanged good wishes and gifts with the choir members. Among the gifts presented to Karamanlis by the choir members was a greeting card in which the children had written what they would do if they were the prime minister. One of the children told the prime minister that he was very saddened over the renewed outbreak of violence in the Middle East, in which many children had lost their lives, stressing that all the children of the world have the shared dream of a better future.

Main opposition PASOK leader George Papandreou exchanges gifts and wishes and danced traditional dances with members of the Amisos and Kimoli associations, who sang traditional carols at the PASOK offices in downtown Athens.

The Association of Workers from the Philippines (KASAPI) called on Coalition of the Left, Movements and Ecology (SYN) Central Political Council secretary Nikos Hountis, and sang traditional carols.

The City of Athens municipal choir sang carols to Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) leader George Karatzaferis.

President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias will attend the Armed Forces' annual New Year Ball at the Officers' Club on Wednesday night.

On Thursday morning, New Year's Day, the entire state and political leadership will attend the traditional New Year doxology at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral.

Afterwards, the President will receive wishes for the New Year from representatives of the political military, religious and intellectual leadership at the Presidential Mansion.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Greek parliament during New Year's Eve celebrations

[02] Athens Academy Awards

Father Antonios of the non-governmental organisation "Arc of the World", was honoured for his outstanding volunteer work for poor and abandoned children.

Noted Greek poet Titos Patrikios was honoured for his work in general. Author Menis Koumantareas was given the literature award in recognition of his entire work.

The Athens Academy awards for 2008 were given during a special Academy session held in the presence of Parliament President Dimitris Sioufas, Finance and Economy Minister George Alogoskoufis and former president of the Republic Kostis Stefanopoulos.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of the building of the Athens Academy

[03] FinMin confers with BoG chief

A number of banks have submitted applications for induction under the liquidity measures, while agreements valued at two billion euros have already been signed under the government's 28 billion euros package.

[04] Athens Stock Exchange : Rise

Individual sector indices were moving mostly upward, with the biggest gains in Health, up 4.33 percent;Food and Beverages, up 2.91 percent; and Industrial Products, up 2.50 percent.

The biggest losses were in Mass Media, down 4.53 percent; and Telecoms, down 0.17 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 1.11 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 0.71 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 0.82 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 101 were up, 39 were down, and 41 were unchanged.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The violence in the Gaza Strip and the EU efforts for aceasefire in the region, and inflation's spectacular drop in December dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: " Hiring of 5,714 disabled persons in private and public sector".

APOGEVMATINI: " Hiring of 20,425 tenured and seasonal employees in public sector".

AVGHI: "Veto to peace - Israel rejects proposals for immediate ceasefire".

AVRIANI: "Mr. Karamanlis, where will you find a better minister than Alogoskoufis - Do not do him a favor by putting him in a different ministry".

CHORA: "Death siege - Gaza isolated on the pretext of annihilation of Hamas".

ELEFTHEROS: "Government cadres in a frenzy for the 'popular' ministries".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "8 billion euros injection to banks for cheaper loans - The government's 28 billion euros support package for bank aiming in market liquidity has been activated".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "EU'S plea to victims and predators! EU unanimous decision for ceasefire and beginning of discussions".

ESTIA: "The newspaper's 31 December 1908 edition reprinted in an insert".

ETHNOS: "Surcharge with a trick on home loans - The banks prepare to convert interest rates in accordance with the Euribor".

KATHIMERINI: "European proposal for temporary ceasefire - The matter is being studied by Israel".

LOGOS: "Be quie .....the international community is sleeping - Israel ready to continue the hostilities".

NIKI: "Gaza in a death vise - Israel wants to exterminate Hamas".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Solidarity with the Palestinians - Communist Party of Greece (KKE) Secretary General Aleka Papriga gives press conference".

TA NEA: "2009's premiere with interest rates plunge - 0.5% decrease by 15 Jan".

TO VIMA: "At last the prices are falling! The positive side of the crisis: The Consumer Price Index drops to 2.3% (in December, from a drop to 2.9 percent in November)".

VRADYNI: "Respect and confidence in Justice - Justice Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis and judical associations met on Tuesday with Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis".

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