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Monday, 23 December 2024 | ||
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Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-03-23Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>CONTENTS
[01] Olympic Torch ceremony on MondayThe lighting of the Olympic Flame for the 2008 Beijing Games and the start of the Olympic Torch Relay will take place on Monday with a ceremony in ancient Olympia at 11:00 a.m. Among those attending will be President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, main opposition PASOK President George Papandreou, International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and IOC honorary president Juan Antonio Samaranch.These will also be flanked by a host of IOC members, in addition to Greek and Chinese officials and athletes. The 'High Priestess' will be Maria Nafpliotou, who will lead a ceremony this year choreographed by Artemis Ignatiou, who takes over this task for the first year from Maria Hors, following the latter's departure after 50 years of choreographing the Torch-lighting ceremonies. The Torch will then be given to Olympic silver medallist in Tae Kwon Do Alexandros Nikolaidis, who begins the Torch relay, and then to China's Luo Xuejuan, an Olympic gold medallist in the 100m breastroke event. There will follow a seven-day Torch relay within Greece that will be completed on March 30 when the Olympic Torch arrives at the Panathenian Stadium in central Athens, the first stadium to ever host the modern version of the Olympic Games in 1896. At 3.00 pm on that day it will be handed over to the organisers of the Chinese Olympic Games in Beijing by Greek silver medallist in the women's triple jump, Pigi Devetzi. Caption: ANA-MPA file photograph of previous Torch-lighting ceremonies held at ancient Olympia. [02] Greek Press ReviewThe Sunday edition of Athens dailies at a glanceThe measures in the government's new social security draft law and the reactions of trade unionists dominated the headlines on Sunday in Athens newspapers. ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "The first steps of the new social insurance reforms. How the new funds will be run. How their managements will handle the assets of the merged social insurance partners". APOGEVMATINI: "Full speed ahead for the new reforms. Social insurance was the start, an avalanche of changes in society will follow". AVGHI: "Society overturns. Political scene changes - Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA) shoots ahead". AVRIANI: "Full speed ahead for a new party that will fill the vast gap left in the key area of the political centre by a broken-up and fragmented PASOK and the government's incompetence". CHORA: "Reshuffle before Easter. Attack by (Prime Minister Costas) Karamanlis to strengthen the government". ELEFTHERI ORA: "Seek out the property assets of the high-ranking clerics. You'll lose your mitre and drop your pastoral staff [presumably from shock and surprise. Runs a story claiming the Church's top clerics have vast and hugely valuable holdings in land and other assets, including luxury items like villas and yachts] ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Election and Constitutional scenarios of no independent majority [in Parliament]. SYRIZA the catalyst, tactics at Rigillis (headquarters of ruling New Democracy) and the (explosive) parameter of [main opposition] PASOK." ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Guerrilla war for funds. Social insurance: The next battle, for a referendum, in Parliament, plans for resisting the implementation of 73 ministerial decisions". EPOHI: "Referendum for today and tomorrow. [General Confederation of Employees of Greece] GSEE, [civil servants union] ADEDY, trade unions go out seeking signatures". ETHNOS: "New scene after social insurance reforms. Message for a strong opposition sent by protests". KATHIMERINI: "The plans for the following day. The government moving on to [Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation] OTE, ports and 'Kapodistrias II' [for restructuring local government]". LOGOS: "Social insurance: a war that doesn't end...trade unions remain at battle stations". NIKI: "PASOK in a new vortex. Concern engendered by new opinion polls also" PROTO THEMA: "1.6 million euros 'lump sum' to consultant 'connected' to ND. Mythical sums paid to 'crony' lawyer at OPAP (state betting agency)". RIZOSPASTIS: "Struggle for social equality and protecting the rights of young people. In the face of the policies of the parties of plutocracy for 'opportunities'". TO PARON: "Bush blackmails for double name [for settling the dispute between Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia]. He's thrown out the UN and [special UN mediator Matthew] Nimetz" TO VIMA: "Government-trade unions prepare for second round. Trade unionists going to courts over the draft law" VRADYNI: "Social insurance reforms: 12 + 1 hidden traps. How you can avoid them and protect your pension". Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |