Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-12-15

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

CONTENTS

[01] City of Athens delegation at climate change con'f

[02] Onassis Awards bestowed

[03] Greek official appointed to CoE com't chair

[04] Opposition parties on measures

[05] Bank robbers arrested

[06] New shipping policy

[07] ASE opening: Decline

[08] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[01] City of Athens delegation at climate change con'f

As a member of the largest international cities' initiative for climate change, C40 - Climate Leadership Group, the municipality is proceeding with the implementation of a strategic plan for climate change, based on seven axes of priority, which it will present at the conference, according to a press release.

[02] Onassis Awards bestowed

Lord Thomas Bingham of Cornhill, a member of the British Academy, received the Law award while the Belles Lettres award went to French researcher and Director of the French Center for Alexandrian Studies in Alexandria, Egypt, Jean Yves Empereur and Sir John Boardman, professor of Classical Art and Archaeology at Oxford University and member of the British Academy.

The Onassis Awards are accompenied by the sum of 250,000 Euros. They will be given every two years.

Addressing a press conference earlier in the day, the President of the Onassis Foundation Antonis Papadimitriou referred to late Aristotle Onassis's wish for the awards to be given an international character.

[03] Greek official appointed to CoE com't chair

The committee comprises representatives of 47 CoE state-members as well as observers from third countries and NGOs.

[04] Opposition parties on measures

Panos Panagiotopoulos said that in "an exceptionally crucial conjuncture for the country, Greek citizens were expecting from the prime minister to announce a complete and detailed plan for the Greek economy's exit from the crisis. Instead of that, the prime minister restricted himself in declarations of good intentions...When he tried to be more concrete he either referred to isolated measures or to measures already taken by the New Democracy government."

"The government must find the political courage to abandon its preelectoral promises and take the necessary measures for fiscal adjustment," Panagiotopoulos added.

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said in an announcement that "no consensus must be offered to the so called patriotic front which aims at creating the new green rich," and called for "a popular alliance and counterattack" for defending the working people's interests.

On its part, the Popular Orthodox Rally (LA.OS) said in his press release "it is certain that the Greek people expected much more from Mr. Papandreou's televised speech."

[05] Bank robbers arrested

Two Albanian nationals armed with an Uzi automatic weapon and a pistol entered the bank, grabbed 21,000 euros from the tills and escaped in two stolen vehicles. One was found abandoned a short distance from the bank and the second was spotted by a patrol car that immediately went into pursuit.

The two bank robbers opened fire on the police, who returned fire, with dozens of shots exchanged. A full-scale chase ensued, with the assistance of a police helicopter, and the two suspects were finally tracked down to the seaside resort of Eretria, where they took refuge in a hotel.

One of the two Albanians, aged 25, was arrested there and taken to Halkida hospital for first aid to treat an injury to his lower leg. The second man succeeded in escaping temporarily but was found and arrested shortly afterward during a search of the hotel and surrounding area.

In the car left by the two suspects in the hotel car park, police found the money taken in the robbery, the uzi automatic and a Tokarev pistol.

The two men are now being held at the Halkida police headquarters, where police will be making announcements regarding the case later on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, police announced that a 16-year-old boy shot by two robbers during a Sunday night hit on an Aspropyrgos convenience store was still in intensive care. The boy was a friend of the owner and was in the shop keeping her company when an armed man entered and demanded the money in the till. The boy attacked him with a broomstick but was shot in the abdomen by his partner, also armed, who was waiting outside.

The two men were chased by a passing police patrol car and the motorbike they were riding overturned but both managed to escape and are still at large.

[06] New shipping policy

Speaking to reporters, the Greek minister said there was an agreement between dock workers in the Port of Piraeus and the port's authority while she stressed that Piraeus Port Authority was drafting a new investment plan aimed at strengthening the port's position in Eastern Mediterranean. Katseli noted that a revised Fourth Community Support Framework program included actions to support sea tourism, coastal shipping and harbors.

Through this program we will be able to cut sea transport costs in remote islands, Katseli said, while she added that the government would also promote actions to support the shipbuilding industry.

[07] ASE opening: Decline

Individual sector indices were moving mostly downward, with the biggest gains in Travel and Recreation, up 0.86 percent; Insurance, up 0.80 percent and Raw Materials, up 0.49 percent.

The biggest losses were in Oil and Gas, down 2.79 percent; Commerce, down 2.63 percent; Banks, and Technology, down 1.43 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was down 0.49 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was down 0.39 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was down 0.39 percent.

Of the stocks moved, 36 were up, 47 were down, and 17 were unchanged.

[08] Athens Newspaper Headlines

The governmentâs attempts and proposed measures to shore up the economy and slash ballooning deficits dominated the headlines on Tuesday in Athens' newspapers.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Four years of austerity with harsh tax measures".

APOGEVMATINI: "Crucial hours for economy - Political leaders to convene on Tuesday".

AVGHI: "(PM George) Papandreou will ask for a blank check at political leaders' meeting".

AVRIANI: "George announces mild measures instead of harsh measures demanded by Brussels and markets".

CHORA: "Unemployment in Europe skyrockets".

ELEFTHEROS: "Chaos prevailes in Cabinet meeting on measures for economy - Papandreou disagrees with FinMin George Papaconstantinou on severity of measures".

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Cutbacks in 430,000 employeesâ salaries".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Reversals with 80 measures - Papandreou's plan against waste, tax evasion".

ESTIA: "How weâll regain our credibility abroad - Long-lasting plans not enough".

ETHNOS: "Everything will change in next three months - Georgeâs pledge for reforms via express-procedures".

IMERISSIA: "Papandreou's pledge for harsh measures".

KATHIMERINI: "Announcement of uncertain yields - Prime Minister previews cutbacks in benefit funds".

NAFTEMPORIKI: "Broad plan on (economic) restoration with ambitious goals".

NIKI: "Full speed - Tidal wave of measures until February".

RIZOSPASTIS: "Government the âgravediggerâ of working classesâ rights for capital's sake".

TA NEA: "George's frontal attack against deficit, corruption".

TO VIMA: "Storm of measures".

VRADYNI: "(Prime ministerâs) Essay instead of measures".

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