Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-05-07

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

CONTENTS

[01] Karamanlis in Prague for Summit

[02] Same-sex marriage licences null and void, court rules

[03] ASE opening: Sharp rise

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] Karamanlis in Prague for Summit

Karamanlis will also meet in the afternoon with his Slovenian counterpart Borut Pahor.

The previous day, the premier received the entire Panathinaikos Athens basketball team, which on Sunday became the Euroleague champion for the fifth time in the club's history after defeating defending champion CSKA Moscow 73-71. Along with the players came club officials and the team coaches.

Karamanlis congratulated the team in a brief address, stressing that their success in winning the title for the fifth time, and the second time in three years, had brought honour to Greece. "You have made all Greeks proud. This is a lasting success. Congratulations," he said.

The two sides also exchanged gifts, with the premier receiving a small replica of the Euroleague trophy, two Panathinaikos shirts with the signatures of all the players and a basketball, again signed by the champion team.

Each of the players and club officials present were then presented with a silver bowl etched with the Greek flag and the prime minister's signature. The team, coaches and officials stressed in statements afterwards that the invitation to meet Karamanlis had been a great honour.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photo of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis

[02] Same-sex marriage licences null and void, court rules

The ruling came a day after attorneys were unofficially briefed over the verdict, generating headlines in several local and international media.

According to the decision by the three-justice court, there is nothing in current Greek case law or the constitution foreseeing a legally recognised marriage by two people of the same sex.

The court also recommended a clarification of any vagueness in current laws and legislation on civil unions via a new law by Parliament.

Two couples, one comprised of two men and the other of two women, received marriage licenses by the municipality of Tilos in June 2008, while a subsequent ceremony was officiated by the isle's mayor.

[03] ASE opening: Sharp rise

Individual sector indices were moving upward across the board, with the biggest gains in Food & Beverage, up 6.40 percent; Banks, up 3.79 percent; Health, up 3.57 percent; Travel & Recreation, up 3.54 percent; and Raw Materials, up 2.94 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 3.02 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 3.55 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 2.46 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 118 were up, 15 were down, and 11 were unchanged.

[04] Athens Newspaper Headlines

Government's announcement of 20,000 hirings of unemployed in municipalities and parliament's rejection of a main opposition PASOK proposal for the establishment of a parliamentary preliminary investigation committee on the SIEMENS affair dominated the headlines on Thursday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "End of long waiting lines in public sector - Applications and documents will be submitted and received online".

APOGEVMATINI: "20,000 unemployed to be hired via Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED)".

AVGHI: "Front for the salvation of Mt. Hymettus - Local authorities, scientific and environmental organisations and Eastern Attica prefect demand the protection of Hymettus National Forest".

AVRIANI: "PASOK unsuccessfully attempted to 'short-circuit' the judicial investigation into the Siemens slush funds affair, with the ruse of (its motion for) a parliamentary preliminary examination committee".

CHORA: "Main opposition PASOK party leader George Papandreou's and former Prime Minister in PASOK government Costas Simitis' relations on a tight rope - The media barons want another meeting ahead of the Euroelections".

ELEFTHEROS: "Hiring of 20,000 unemployed in municipalities".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Inner Cabinet decided on June's measures: Taxes, taxes, taxes".

ESTIA: "Impasse with the deficit - Its containment to the targeted 3% of GDP by 2010 is impossible".

ETHNOS: "New taxes to cell phone owners - Money collecting raid in waves after the euroelections".

KATHIMERINI: "Greece involved in the German MAN vehicle industry scandal with a 2002 contract".

LOGOS: "New taxes on cell phones and real estate - Economy and Finance minister Yiannis Papathanassiou preannounced harsh measures once again".

NIKI: "Ruling New Democracy acts as a 'Pontius Pilate' on the scandals".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Cast vote of objection to EU, in the students' and European Parliament elections, Communist party of Greece (KKE) urges students".

TA NEA: "Consumers turn their backs on expensive products and opt instead for cheaper private labels, due to the crisis".

TO VIMA: "China Syndrome brings hope for exit from the crisis - The Asian giant becoming the planet's steam engine".

VRADYNI: "How 20,000 unemployed will be hired in the public sector".

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