The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 10-07-25

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

CONTENTS

[01] Delays & Cancellation of Flights

First problems at "Eleftherios Venizelos Athens Airport" have emerged with up to one and a half hour delays and cancellations of some flights following air-traffic controllers decision to strictly observe Greek air-space capacity after suspension of their 24-hour strike on Sunday, ruled illegal. Domestic and foreign flights from and to "Macedonia" airport, in Thessaloniki are being carried out with 40 to 90 minutes delay.

The Administration Board of the Air Traffic controllers Union meets on Monday to decide on whether to continue mobilizations.

In the meantime, air-traffic controllers have suspended their 24-hour strike, ruled illegal, but decided to strictly observe air space capacity which means delays in scheduled flights in the event of increased traffic during a specific time during the day.

So far 19 flights landed or took off on Sunday with delays from 15 minutes to one hour and a half while three flights were cancelled. Problems are expected to increase during the day.

Air traffic controllers react to draft-bill providing for reorganization of Civil Aviation Service promoted by the Transport, Infrastructure and Network Ministry.

Air-traffic controllers possible mobilizations will have a negative impact on tourism.

The National Federation of Tourist Businesses describes as tragic the situation in the tourist field this year and underlines that 24-hour rotating strikes of air-traffic controllers will be a final blow to Greece's tourism.

Sources: ÍÅÔ, ÍÅÔ 105.8, ÁNA-ÌPA

News item: 38835

[02] Truck & Tanker Truck Drivers Indefinite Strike

Truck and tanker truck drivers have announced an indefinite strike starting at midnight on Sunday in protest against the "opening" of the closed road transport sector and the creation of road transport companies.

In the meantime, cars queued to get their tanks filled up today in view of the strike. But gas station owners advise people to be calm, assuring that they have enough supplies.

Truck owners react to regulations of draft-bill on the opening of their occupation related to the price of their permit.

Reports say that the Transport Ministry had tough negotiations with the Troika on the cost of truck permits. The Troika demanded zeroing cost of truck permits. It seems though that there would be a three year transitional period for old truck permits which would be taken into account in the capital of companies to be founded.

SOURCE: ÍÅÔ - NET 105.8

News item: 38833

[03] Brazil: Floods Kill Tens

See Video

Torrential rain in northeast Brazil has killed at least 39 people and some 1.000 people are unaccounted for.

Civil defense officials said some 40.000 people have been left homeless while 65.000 were forced to leave their homes.Water level must fall to make a proper assessment of the damage.

Some villages near the banks of the River Mundau reportedly submerged while others have been completely cut off. Water level must fall to make a proper assessment of the damage.

Torrential rain since Thursday caused rivers to swell and at least one dam to burst. The resulting floods tore through dozens of towns with aerial images showing several areas that had been reduced to giant piles of rubble

Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula de Silva announced the federal government will grant financial assistance to thousands of victims who lost part or all their possessions by the floods.

Source: ÍÅÔ105.8 ÁNA-ÌPA News item: 37895

[04] Love Parade Festival Turns into Tragedy

See video

German officials said 19 people were killed and 340 injured in a panicked crush of partygoers in an overcrowded tunnel that served as the sole entrance to Love Parade techno street party in the city of Duisburg, in west Germany. Among the 19 victims are 4 foreign nationals, a Dutch, an Australian and a Chinese whose identity has not been released.

Stampeded to Death

The tragedy occurred on Saturday afternoon when hundreds of partygoers were trapped in a tunnel leading to the site of a former freight railway station where the festival was being held.

Eyewitnesses said people panicked and stampeded when trapped in the 200m tunnel.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, voiced shock that an event meant to celebrate youth, peace and love could turn so deadly.

"In these difficult hours our thoughts are with the relatives of the victims. Our sympathy and grief with them", she said.

Many Questions Unanswered

Many questions have been raised, primarily on whether a security plan had been drawn out beforehand and the site was large enough to host some 1.5 million visitors.

Some believe that the site of the festival could host up to 250.000 people.

Absolute Chaos

"The passage through the tunnel was extremely narrow", said Alexis 28 adding: "Girls fainted from extreme heat. It was ridiculous, absolute chaos".

"The number of people that I saw lying on the floor, but too far away, was ridiculous. They had stamp marks on their faces. It wasn't until I saw people being resuscitated that I understood how serious this was", said a Briton.

Many people criticized city officials, who chose not to evacuate the site, fearing it might spark more panic.

"It is absurd. People continued partying unaware of the deaths said Lupert, 31 from Annovero, adding "At the end organizers thanked us for the beautiful day"

Earlier, however, on of the organizers of Love Parade festival said it would never be held again and bowed to make any possible effort to shed light in the causes of the tragedy.

Source: ÁNA - ÌPA - French, DW

News item: 38826

[05] Focus on Money Markets after Stress Test

European governments are anxiously awaiting the markets' response to the stress tests results when they open on Monday after only 7 out of 91 european banks failed. Amid criticism and doubts about strictness of stress tests on banks , the EU hopes they prove transparent so market credibility is restored.

Amid Criticism and Doubts

With only few European banks failing the long-expected stress test, it is expected that investors will center their interest on the banks that had a marginal pass.

"I do not think it was a real stress test. When the real stress test begins in another crisis, then we will have the proof if the financial sector is healthy or not", said Oliver Roth, Chief Trader at Brothers Seydler Bank AG.

"Stress tests were only a soft option, not the scenario of the largest destruction in the financial sector", said Udo Steffens chairman of the board of Frankfurt School of Finance and Management.

ECB: Transparent & Credible Test

European Central Bank Vice President Vitor Constancio rejected suggestions the tests had not been stringent enough.

He said: "I think these stress tests are the most extensive and the most severe that have been conducted in developed countries on such a scale."

"Compared against US stress tests, the European tests are slightly stricter and the German ones even stricter, because each country was treated differently in these stress tests" said Yiozen Sanio, the chairman of the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority, Bafin.

IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn said the tests were "a major undertaking and represent an important step toward improving transparency and bolstering market confidence."

Spanish Government Satisfied

Spain's Finance Minister Elena Salgado insisted the results are "satisfactory" despite the failure of the five Spanish savings banks.

"About 95% of Spain's lenders were tested, compared with 60% for Europe as a whole, Salgado said. "If we had done only 60%, all of our savings banks would have passed," she said.

Source: ÍÅÔ

News item: 38825

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