The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-09-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] US, Germany, France

20 Σεπ 2008 10:58:00 (Last updated: 20 Σεπ 2008 18:24:46)

Sources: ΑNA, French , Reuters

Stock markets around the world shot up on news of US administration plan to get the financial crisis resolved with state interventions and support of banking sector. According to an article in "New York Times" newspaper website the White House will use at least $500 billion to back money-market mutual funds. In parallel, after US and Britains ban on short- selling, Germany suspended short-selling of stocks in 11 financial service companies in an effort to protect them from profiteers. France is following suit, starting Monday, September, 22 and for a least 3- month period.

In the meantime, analysts agree that circumstances are still extremely difficult in the financial sector while Democratic party presidential candidate Barrack Obama appealed for a worldwide coordinated effort of industrial and emerging economies to get the crisis resolved.

In Athens, Prime-minister Kostas Karamanlis stressed that US credit crisis has not had a sharp impact in Europe, adding that EU regulations allow us to play a regulatory role in the financial system.

In an article in the newspaper "Kosmos tou Ependiti", PASOK leader George Papandreou says that the government had not seen the crisis emerging, assuring that the Greek economy was not at risk when the crisis was in full development. Mr. Papandreou added that policy of extreme privatizations is outmoded and new regulation of markets is the progressive request.

President Bush

George Bush explained today that the governments plan for reverse of the financial crisis was very difficult because the problem was big. The financial crisis caused "an important danger and that required a strong answer". The Congress realizes that Bush said delivering a speech in the White House having on his side president of Colombia Alvaro Uribe. "Well work so as something to be done as soon as possible" he added. The Treasury is proposing a fund worth up to $800bn to buy back a large proportion of the US mortgage market. Legislation for the plan will be pushed through as soon as possible, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said. The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, Christopher Dodd, said he and his colleagues would need to see the details of the plan first, but he accepted that quick action would be needed.

[02] Data Procession by Competent Services

20 Σεπ 2008 10:44:00

Finance Minister, George Alogoskoufis clarified that new taxation measure based on living expenses evidence will be few, fair and simple and will not affect the majority of tax payers. In an interview with newspaper "Kosmos tou Ependiti", Mr. Alogoskoufis a realistic assessment of the least cost for the maintenance of houses, cars and boats will be made. The Finance Minister said that he plans viewing a 4-year term adding that he is not satisfied from the picture of the government and he does not respond to provocations because he places the party and the countrys interests above all. He also blamed PASOK President George Papandreou for promoting an unrealistic allowances policy while he described as temporary US measures to deal with credit crisis. Among others, Mr. Alogoskoufis says that competent services are processing data to assess the impact on tax payers from inclusion of the least cost for the maintenance of one big house, a second or summer house, one car, a second car, a boat.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[03] To Attend UN Gen. Assembly

20 Σεπ 2008 13:23:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ, ΝΕΤ 105.8, ΑNA

Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni is flying to NY from Paris on Saturday to attend UN General Assembly. Mrs. Bakoyianni talks in Paris with her Skopjan counterpart focused on FYROM name issue. Both parts repeated their firm stands on the name dispute and negotiations continue within the UN framework under Mr. Nimitz. FYROM Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki described talks as positive steps towards improvement of the two countries relations, however, Skopje insists on its stand on the name dispute.

In a written statement, PASOK spokesman Andreas Loberdos, among others says: "It is clear that the meeting was held under senior pressures. Greece had not scheduled it and there was no development that could promote such a meeting at this specific time due to Skopjes intransigent stand and the recent unacceptable proposals made by the UN special envoy".

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[04] India

20 Σεπ 2008 18:32:00

By Andreas Roditis

Sources: ANA

Thousands were evacuated and at least seven people swept away in eastern Orissa state after four rivers burst their banks. Many villages were flooded, officials said Saturday.Nearly half of the seaside areas of the state were hit by deadly floods last weekend. All the deaths occurred in Uttar Pradesh state in the past 48 hours, regional relief commissioner G. K. Tandon said in state capital Lucknow.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[05] In Pakistan

20 Σεπ 2008 18:24:00

By Andreas Roditis

Sources: ANA

According to the French News agency, at least two persons were killed and 25 others injured in a massive explosion outside the Marriott hotel in the heart of the Pakistani capital today. Eyewitnesses and officials reported that a suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the main gate of the hotel. The explosion destroyed numerous vehicles parked outside the hotel and uprooted trees. It also sparked a fire in the hotel, which was evacuated.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[06] In Thessaloniki

20 Σεπ 2008 18:18:00

By Andreas Roditis

Sources: ΝΕΤ-ΑNA

According to police a group of 15 hooded men barged into a supermarket in Thessaloniki, stole food and then sold it in a near market flee market distributing the products. This incident occurred at 12.40 in a supermarket in Touba area. When police arrived at the flee market the unidentified men had vanished.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[07] In Propylaia

20 Σεπ 2008 18:13:00

By Andreas Roditis

Sources: ANA

People of all ages as well as pupils gathered today in a mass rally that started at 12.00 in the afternoon in Propylaia, Athens and was organized by the Ally against War Organization as well as by working unions.

Despite the heavy rain, participation was big (hundred of protestors). The representation of the Afghan community was impressive as about 50 people were holding banners with pictures of amputee and dead children, victims of the war in Afghanistan. "Get out of NATO and Afghanistan", "Asylum to Refugees" they shouted.

Young protestors gave the pace sending the message: "NATO sixty years, the same story. Juntas-wars-terrorism", "Get out of NATO and Caucasus. Close Suda and Aktio". Just before the rally, Grigoris Telonis member of the Prefecture Council of Athens, Dimitris Tsoukals of OTOE, OLME, ADEDY trade unions and POST (Pan Hellenic Working Organization) as well as employee reps of Agrotiki and National Bank of Greece addressed the crowd.

Similar rallies took place in Germany (Berlin and Stuttgart), in Brussels, Britain (London and Manchester), as well as in Male, Sweden.

New mobilizations have been scheduled in October, 18.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[08] "Stop the war Alliance"

20 Σεπ 2008 14:21:00

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

"Stop the war Alliance" staged an anti war demonstration on Saturday, at Propylaia. Demonstrators marched to the Foreign Ministry carrying placards reading "NATO out of the Caucasus and the Balkans". Demonstrators demanded return of the Greek army from Afghanistan and Kosovo, the closing of the bases in Souda and Aktio and Greece to leave from the NATO alliance. NATO expansion to the east is fueling military confrontations and competition from the Balkans to Caucasus. Installation of NATO antimissile shield in the Czech Republic and Poland further escalates US imperialist race and their NATO and EU partners for imposition of their supremacy. High competitions on oil and natural gas pipelines endanger to set flames whole regions.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[09] On Nuclear Activities

20 Σεπ 2008 12:33:00

By Nasos Bratsos

Sources: ANA, German, French

The group of six super powers (United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany) warned Iran on Friday that it faced possible new sanctions over its suspect nuclear program as it has not freezed uranium enrichment activities.The foreign affairs political directors of the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany were meeting in Washington to help prepare for a meeting next week of their respective foreign ministers.All participants of the meeting expressed their support for the actions of the IAEA and underlined the need for Irans full and transparent cooperation with the agency. Russia, however, said it was against new UN Security Council measures targeting Iran at this stage.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[10] Monday, September, 22

20 Σεπ 2008 12:16:00

By Nasos Bratsos

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8, ΑNA

Within the framework of the "European Mobility Week"- an event held to promote the use of public transport as a mandatory mobility solution to face the environmental social and economic challenges of today- OASA (Athens Urban Transport Organization) has announced free use of all means of mass transport ( bus, trolley bus, electric train, metro, suburban railways) on Monday, September, 22 from the start to the end of the shifts. Free transport applies for the urban part of metro and suburban railways, that is for the Metro till Koropi station and suburban railways till Magoula station.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[11] New Tragedy in China Mine

Sources: ΑNA, German, French

At least five miners died and 27 others were trapped by a fire on Saturday, in Hegang, Heilongjiang province, in northeastern China according to authorities. Some 44 miners were working underground at the mine.Around a dozen miners escaped but more than 30 could be trapped in the mine. Rescuers had so far found five bodies from among those trapped.It was not immediately known what caused the accident at the privately-owned mine with an annual production of 60.000 tones of coal. Nearly 3,800 people died in Chinese coal mines last year, according to official figures, although independent monitors say the real figure is probably much higher since many accidents are covered up.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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