Athens News Agency: News in English, 11-01-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] The unique stone bridges of the Greek countryside

[02] Contraband cigarettes seized

[03] ASE opening: Big rise

[01] The unique stone bridges of the Greek countryside

The local craftsmen, using only the materials provided by nature and guided by their instinct, aesthetics and common sense, built bridges that have nothing to envy of those designed by engineers.

Although many of the bridges have been replaced by steel constructions, a number of the stone bridges still dot the Greek countryside.

These bridges are small masterpieces, and no two are alike. The stonemasons who built them were simple folk, without any formal education in their craft and in building, they managed instinctively to solve technical problems and construct works of art, with an ingrained talent for engineering and architecture.

Their bridges, and a wealth of other stone structures, were built to serve everyday needs, but managed to blend exquisitely with the natural landscape, and give off a sense of harmony and measure.

The oft-sung stonemasons of the past, whose works serve as a lasting tribute to their craft, traditionally came from specific parts of mainland Greece, and to a lesser degree from the islands.

The most renowned stonemason villages were located around Mt. Grammos and Sarantaporos River, Tzoumerka, western Macedonia, Arcadia, Epirus and Thrace.

(Photo by ANA-MPA)

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[02] Contraband cigarettes seized

A total of 31,380 cartons of cigarettes were discovered by port authorities during a routine search of the truck before it boarded a ferry to Italy.(ANA-MPA)

The 34-year-old truck driver was arrested and is due to be taken before a public prosecutor.(ANA-MPA)

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[03] ASE opening: Big rise

Individual sector indices were moving upward nearly across the board, with the only losses in Mass Media, down 2.66 percent; and Commerce, down 0.45 percent.

The biggest gains were in Banks, uip 3.47 percent; and Telecoms, up 2.22 percent.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks was up 2.83 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index was up 1.11 percent, and the FTSE/ASE-80 small cap index was up 1.56 percent.

Of the stocks traded, 65 were up, 11 were down, and 21 were unchanged.

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