The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-09-10

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

CONTENTS

[01] ND to Present Its Candidates

Political parties are feverishly working to draw up their ballot papers. The ruling New Democracy party is about to unveils part of its candidates for the 4 October general elections. In the meantime, Giannis Adrianos, head of the Prime Minister's press office, tendered in his resignation, since he wishes to run for a parliamentary seat. Later on Thursday, the Prime Minister will give his first interview with a television channel.

News item: 26602

[02] PASOK's List of Candidates

The National Council of the opposition PASOK party okayed Thursday the party's list of candidates for the 4 October general elections. Former ministers Christos Verelis and Christos Pachtas were excluded from the list. New faces, including Anna Vagena, Pemy Zouni, Kostas Botopoulos, Kostas Patavoukas, Anna Dalara, Giannis Vouros, Mary Chatzaki and Giorgos Charalampopoulos, have been included in the list. With regard to former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, he is highly likely to head the list with the state parliamentarians.

The vacancies left are to be completed in the days to come.

In the meantime, former Minister Christos Pachtas expressed his dissatisfaction with his being excluded from the candidate list.

Click here to read the list of PASOK's candidatesOlder news items: News item: ekloges-2009-2.htm

[03] PASOK's List of Candidates

The National Council of the opposition PASOK party okayed Thursday the party's list of candidates for the 4 October general elections. Former ministers Christos Verelis and Christos Pachtas were excluded from the list. New faces, including Anna Vagena, Pemy Zouni, Kostas Botopoulos, Kostas Patavoukas, Anna Dalara, Giannis Vouros, Mary Chatzaki and Giorgos Charalampopoulos, have been included in the list. With regard to former Prime Minister Kostas Simitis, he is highly likely to head the list with the state parliamentarians.

The vacancies left are to be completed in the days to come.

In the meantime, former Minister Christos Pachtas expressed his dissatisfaction with his being excluded from the candidate list.

Click here to read the list of PASOK's candidatesOlder news items: News item: 26614

[04] Showers and Storms Expected

The Hellenic National Meteorological Service has issued a weather bulletin, warning of extreme weather conditions in eastern and southern Greece, with heavy rains and storms.

The areas expected to be hit are western Crete and Messenia, the south Cyclades, the Dodecanese and probably the Peloponese and central Greece, including Evia, Magnisia and the Sporades.

Source: NET 105.8

Older news items: News item: 26612

[05] Schools Open Normally

Schools will open normally on the set date, said the pandemic flu committee, while in case any H1N1 infections come up, classrooms or schools will close. Students' absences are to be taken down on a daily basis, so that the experts can control the development of the disease.

The vaccination campaign is expected to start in two months' time, since the first results on the vaccine's safety will come out in six weeks, said the head of the National Pandemic Council, after the meeting.

On Wednesday, Education Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos unveiled Wednesday the measures taken to shield school children from the H1N1 flu in view of the new academic year.

News item: 26609

[06] Papoulias-Sioufas Meeting

House Speaker Dimitris Sioufas met Thursday with President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias, terming the meeting as a personal desire rather than an institutional obligation. The meeting was part of the procedures followed the dissolving of Parliament.

Welcoming House Speaker Dimitris Sioufas at the Presidential Mansion, Karolos Papoulias said he was pleased to see him. βI am glad to see you too, because, beyond my institutional obligation, my coming here to thank you for the impeccable and creative cooperation we had was my personal desire.β No comments were made after the meeting.

News item: 26601

[07] Obama Urges the Congress to Pass Healthcare Reform

President Barack Obama told Congress on Wednesday to end its political bickering and move quickly on a broad healthcare overhaul that would dramatically transform the U.S. health system and insurance market. In a sometimes emotional speech, Obama said lawmakers were closer than ever to enacting healthcare reform and spelled out proposals to improve conditions for those with insurance and expand the choices for 46 million uninsured Americans, including a controversial government-run "public option."

He also sharply rebuked critics, accusing them of substituting scare tactics for honest debate by pushing false ideas like the charge that "death panels" would decide treatment for the elderly.

"I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it," he told a joint session of Congress and a national television audience. "If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out."

Democrats, who have struggled for decades to enact healthcare reforms, gave Obama frequent standing ovations while Republicans murmured unhappily at times and held aloft copies of a Republican-sponsored healthcare bill.

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson shouted "you lie" when Obama said his plan would not insure illegal immigrants.

Republicans also laughed loudly when Obama said "there remain some significant details to be ironed out."

Obama hoped the speech would rejuvenate his flagging push for an overhaul of the $2.5 trillion healthcare system and reclaim control of a debate that has bogged down in Congress amid rising public skepticism.

He said the overhaul would cut costs, improve care and regulate insurers to help protect consumers while expanding coverage. He repeated his pledge that the proposal, which would cost $900 billion over 10 years, would not increase the budget deficit.

As promised, he spelled out the concepts he wanted in any final bill passed by Congress, including affordable coverage for all Americans and creation of an insurance exchange where individuals and small businesses could shop for policies.

He reiterated his support for a government-run insurance plan -- the so-called "public option" -- that has drawn strong opposition from critics who say it would harm insurance companies and amount to a government takeover of the industry.

But he was clear that the lack of a public option in any final bill would not be a deal-breaker, and he promised to entertain Republican ideas to foster more competition and reduce costs.

"The public option is only a means to that end -- and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goal," he said.

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Source: Reuters CNN: Obama calls for Congress to face health care challenge

Older news items: News item: 26592

[08] G. Papandreou's Message

PASOK's (Panhellenic Socialist Movement) National Council unanimously okayed the party's candidates for the 4 October general elections. Addressing the Council, PASOK leader George Papandreou admitted that the day after would be a tough one, and claimed he was determined to clash head-on with those who deprive the people of Greece of a society of equal opportunities. He then went on to blast the government for its economic policy, while he sent a message to the PASOK officials, warning them that whoever failed to live up to their responsibilities had no place in the party.

News item: 26605

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