The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-04-26

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Tension at the Holy Light Ritual in Jerusalem

26 Apr 2008 10:14:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

Orthodox Christians worldwide celebrate today the Resurrection of Christ which brings the message of hope. The mass of the first Resurrection, with the characteristic thunderous noise honoring the belief that life has won death, was held at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral and in all churches in the morning as every year. The Holy Light ritual was held in a tense atmosphere in Jerusalem at noon and under strict security measures. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch, Theofilos, went into the traditional underground tomb of Jesus. When he emerged with the flame, church bells pealed and the crowd outside started to cheer as the miracle, repeated for centuries, happened again. Pilgrims passed around the flame, lighting candles with it. Handing the Holy Light to Foreign undersecretary, Thodoros Kassimis, head of the Greek delegation, Jerusalem Patriarch Theofilos sent a message of love and peace to the Greek people. The Holy Light from the Holy Sepulcher will arrive in Athens at 19:00 on board an Olympic Airways pecial flight, which is already in Jerusalem. Greece will receive the Holy Light at the "Eleftherios Benizelos" airport with state leaders honours. Next the Holy Light will go to the Holy Sepulcher Exarhia, in Plaka from where it will be sent to all churches nationwide.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[02] For Easter Dinner

26 Apr 2008 10:54:00

By Vivian Papastefanou

Consumers are doing the last shopping for Easter dinner today while among them there are some who on purpose have left shopping for the last minute in the hope that butchers will have dropped prices to move their products. Shops will close at 15:00, butchers at 16:00 and super markets at 18:00. In the Barbakios market the price of domestic lamb ranges from 6 to 10.5 euros and imported lamb from 5.5 to 7 euros per kilogram. However, the price of lamb is 2 to 3 euros higher in neighborhood butcher shops. Particularly high are the prices of vegetables and fruits, tsourekia and eggs.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[03] Easter of Politicians

Sources: ΝΕΤ- ΝΕΤ 105.8

The President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias and Prime-minister, Kostas Karamanlis will spend Easter in the Ioannina prefecture. Mr. Papoulias will attend the Resurrection mass at the village of Fragades while he will crack red eggs with draftees serving at the armed forces post on Greek- Albanian borders. He attended the Epitafios procession yesterday at Agios Athanasios Metropolitan church. Kostas Karamanlis and his family will spend Easter at Pogoniani. He attended Epitafios mass at the Agios Nikolaos church yesterday while he and his family will attend the Resurrection mass at Dolo village tonight. He will visit the border armed forces post in Drymades tomorrow. PASOK party leader, George Papandreou will spend Easter in Athens due to his recent bicycle accident while the GCP general secretary, Aleka Papariga will spend Easter in Nea Makri. The president of SYRIZA Parliamentary Group, Alekos Alabanos will celebrate Easter holidays on the island of Tinos while SYN party president, Alexis Tsipras will be abroad. The president of LAOS, George Katzaferis will be in Litohoro, in the prefecture of Pieria during the Easter holidays.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[04] EU Report on Greek Economy

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Sources: ΝΕΤ

According to the European Commission spring report, expected to be released on Monday, the international crisis has had a negative impact on Greek economy. EU Commissioner, Joaquin Almunia is expected to ask the government to take strict measures as the international economic crisis has put a halt to growth pace, sparked inflation while the balance of foreign debt deteriorated.. The European Commission report is likely to express concern over economic developments in Europe and to lower expectations regarding future pace of growth in both the eurozone and the European Union. The Greek economy, at European level, is depended on international oil prices. Regarding fiscal deficit, the Commission is expected to adopt predictions of the Greek economic stability program according to which after 2010 Greece as well as the other eurozone states might not have surplus budgets but at least will not have deficit state budgets.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[05] Japan

26 Apr 2008 13:50:00

Several incidents took place along the Japanese leg of the Olympic torch relay as demonstrators tried to disrupt it. According to reports a Chinese student was injured in minor clashes in the morning among a throng of Chinese supporters and Japanese nationalists during the Olympic torch relay along the streets of Nagano, in central Japan. Thousands of Chine supporters lined the streets of the city, which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics, waving Chinese flags but some Tibetan and many Japanese flags could also be seen. Japanese nationalists shouted slogans such as "Chinese out" and were holding the old Chinese royal flag. The torch relay was temporarily disrupted when some objects were thrown at the torch bearer, whom Japanese policemen ran to protect. Shortly after a man holding a Tibetan flag managed to jump over the security rail but he was quickly pounced on by police. Only two Chinese policemen in white-blue uniform were accompanying the Olympic torch following a request by Japanese police to avoid fierce reactions sparked by the presence of Chinese policemen in the Olympic torch relays in London, Paris and San Francisco. In Nagano 3.000 Japanese policemen were out in force, security measures implemented only during emperors visits.

Rogge Intervention

In the meantime, in an interview with todays issue of "Financial Times", the International Olympic Committee President, Jacques Rogge has called on the west to stop hectoring China over human rights."You dont obtain anything in China with a loud voice." This was the "big mistake of people in the west", the IOC chief said. "It took us 200 years to evolve from the French Revolution. China started in 1949," a time when Britain and other European nations were also colonial powers, "with all the abuse attached to colonial powers". "It was only 40 years ago that we gave liberty to the colonies. Lets be a little bit more modest." Rogge said the IOC always believed awarding the 2008 Games to Beijing would "open up China", and that in time this would happen. "The Games we believe, over time, will have a good influence on social evolution in China, and the Chinese admit it themselves," he said. Rogge said China had given significant ground to the IOC by opening access to foreign media for the Olympics, which he expected to be extended beyond 2008 and believed would be a key factor in the social evolution of the country. China had also responded to IOC concerns about pollution in Beijing, he added. "We have been able to achieve something. I am not quite sure that heads of government have achieved much more than we have done" he said. At the same time the US has issued a travel advisory fearing terrorist attack during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[06] Police Raids Shantytown

26 Apr 2008 11:23:00

By Vivian Papastefanou

At least 11 people were killed in a police raid on Friday in the Cidade de Deus (City of God) slum, made famous in a hit film of the same name about Rio drug gangs.Law enforcement officials said 10 of the people killed were suspected drug traffickers and one was a woman who lived in the neighborhood. Two women were also wounded during the shootout between police and the suspected traffickers, who had taken refuge in a house in the slum after fleeing from authorities. Police seized six automatic rifles, five grenades and drugs during the raid. Authorities also sent reinforcements after the raid to prevent retaliation from drug gangs or protests from residents of the neighborhood. Rio police are notorious for rough tactics against drug gangs that control many of the citys shantytowns (favellas).

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[07] Damaged Two Shops and a Car

26 Apr 2008 11:17:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

An improvised explosive device blew up at 04:25 on 134 Thiseos Av., in Kallithea causing damage to two shops and a car. Police are conducting investigations and believe that it was targeted against a gym club above the shops.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[08] Murder Attack in Sygrou Av.

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8-ΝΕΤ-ΑNA/ΜPA

Two unknown men ridding a motorcycle fired at 3 Albanians in a car, killing one and injuring the other while the third person in the car was unharmed. The shooting took place at the early hours today in Sygrou Av. The culprits are believed to have followed the victims who had left a cafeteria in Nea Smirni. Athens Police are carrying out an investigation.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[09] Easter Holidaymakers

26 Apr 2008 10:30:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

The exodus of holidaymakers celebrating Easter in the country culminated today Holy Saturday with the last city dwellers en route to their destinations. However, traffic police are out in force to effect special measures for the Easter holiday exodus. In the meantime, lorries are banned from highways till 15:00 today while Elefsina, Isthmos, Zevgolatiou, Rio, Aktio and Malgara toll gates will be open from 20:00 o clock this evening till 06:00 on Monday. Buses, trains and airplanes are fully booked. Yesterday, 525 flights of which 16 were additional flights and 33 charter flights- took off from "Eleftherios Benizelos" airport. It is estimated that 60.000 passengers flew from the "Eleftherios Benizelos" airport yesterday with the most favourite destinations being Paris, Corfu, Rhodes, Barcelona, Konstantinopolis and Prague.

KTEL coach lines had scheduled 500 services of which half were extra services to meet high passenger demand while service have returned to regular levels today. The only bad point for this years Easter holidays is the weather forecast with rain in all parts of the country, local showers in the Ionian and continental parts, mainly in the afternoon today. Bad weather is forecast to limit in central and south Greece to gradually improve tomorrow.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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