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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 10-08-12Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Thursday, 12 August 2010 Issue No: 3565CONTENTS
[01] PM Papandreou had telephone communication with Russian counterpartPrime Minister George Papandreou had a telephone communication with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at noon on Wednesday expressing regret for the loss of so many human lives in the devastating wildfires that ravage Russia. Papandreou also expressed the solidarity of the Greek people to the people of Russia.According to a statement issued by the prime ministers office, Putin thanked PM Papandreou who despite the difficulties due to the extreme weather conditions, has put an EMAK unit (search and rescue team) at the disposal of the Russian government, stressing that the Greek government understands the tragic situation with which Russia is faced and, at the same time, expresses in a tangible way its gratitude to the Russian people for their solidarity when Greece had to face similar situations. The two premiers also exchanged viewpoints on bilateral and international issues. [02] PM Papandreou to meet with Israeli PM Netanyahu on MondayPrime Minister George Papandreou will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Maximos Mansion government headquarters in Athens on Monday, Aug. 16.The meeting will take place within the framework of the formal visit of the prime minister of Israel to Greece held at the invitation of Prime Minister Papandreou, the prime ministers office announced. Financial News [03] Labour Minister Loverdos on social economyLabour and Social Insurance Minister Andreas Loverdos referred on Wednesday to social economy as an alternative effort aimed at combating unemployment through the indirect creation of new jobs instead of focusing on paying unemployment benefits.Outlining the draft law on social economy and the establishment and operation of social enterprises, Loverdos stated that a summary of the plan has been submitted to the parliament president to be voted in parliament in October after a debate in the parliamentary social affairs committee at the end of August. The initiative will be financed by the operational programme "Development of Human Resources 2007-2013". [04] Turnover in illegal gambling estimated at over 5 billion eurosThe turnover in illegal gambling in Greece is approximately equal to that of the legal turnover of the state-run lottery organisation OPAP S.A., but given the upward trend of the former, it is a certainty that the turnover of the illegal betting will increase disproportionately, according to market organisations.The annual online betting turnover in Greece is estimated at 4-4.5 billion euros, accourding to the same sources, while another 0.5-1.0 billion euros turnover is estimated for gaming machines, which are attracting an increasing number of younger players, including minors. According to a nationwide survey conducted by ALCO on behalf of OPAP between 8 and 15 July this year, some 4 in 10 men (43 percent) and 3 in 10 women (32 percent) aged 18-60 play OPAP lotteries and pools, the most popular of which are the numbers lotteries Joker, Lotto and Kino, and the sport pool Pame Stoichima. Thirty-five (35) percent of the respondents said that they systematically chase their luck in gaming other than the OPAP lotteries (24.1 percent in lottery tickets, 1.9 percent in casinos and 0.6 percent in horse races, and just 7 percent on the internet and 1 percent in gaming machines). Although, in numbers, OPAP products come first in players' preferences, the fewer who engage in other, non-OPAP, betting and gaming play more frequently (2-4 times more), resulting in a higher weekly expenditure than for OPAP games, while online gamers also play four times more frequently than OPAP players and gaming machine players just a little under the online gamers. [05] GSEE reaction to developments in public transportThe General Confederation of Workers of Greece (GSEE), the largest private sector umbrella trade union, issued a statement on Wednesday strongly opposing "the government's designs to destroy fundamental workers' rights".The GSEE reaction was issued "in response to personnel layoffs in the Athens Metro and OSE (Hellenic Railways), and all public transport means, under the pretext that the organizations in question are loss-making," the statement mentioned. [06] Alternative irrigation initiative in ThessalonikiCultivated land of roughly 12,000 stremma in the greater Thessaloniki region, northern Greece, is currently irrigated with water from biological sewage treatment plants.The purification process is undertaken by the Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Co. S.A. (EYATH) and the initiative takes place for a fourth consecutive year in cultivated land in the regions of Chalastra and Kalochori. [07] Stocks end 0.97 pct lowerGreek stocks ended lower in the Athens Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The composite index of the market fell 0.97 pct to end at 1,649.87 points, with turnover at 64.723 million euros. The Big Cap index dropped 1.13 pct, the Mid Cap index eased 0.56 pct and the Small Cap index ended 0.05 pct down. Health (-2.59 pct) Industrials (-2.01 pct) and Travel & Leisure (-1.93 pct) suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day, while only Utilities (+1.88 pct) and Technolgy (+1.41 pct) scored gains. Broadly, decliners led advancers by 104 to 72 with another 43 issues unchanged.Sector indices ended as follows: Insurance: -1.26 Industrials: -2.01% Commercial: -0.18% Construction: -1.36% Media: -0.71% Oil & Gas: -0.37% Personal & Household: -1.05% Raw Materials: +0.05% Travel & Leisure: -1.93% Technology: +1.41% Telecoms: -0.16% Banks: -1.29% Food & Beverages: -0.96% Health: -2.59% Utilities: +1.88% Chemicals: -1.02% Financial Services: -0.99% The stocks with the highest turnover were National Bank, Alpha Bank, OPAP and Eurobank. Selected shares from the FTSE/ASE-20 index closed in euros as follows: Alpha Bank: 5.60 ATEbank: 1.17 Public Power Corp (PPC): 13.05 HBC Coca Cola: 18.60 Hellenic Petroleum: 6.18 National Bank of Greece: 10.56 EFG Eurobank Ergasias: 5.57 OPAP: 11.46 OTE: 6.08 Bank of Piraeus: 4.75 Titan: 15.94 [08] Greek bond market closing reportTurnover in the Greek electronic secondary bond market fell to 21 million euros on Wednesday, of which 6 million were buy orders and the remaining 15 million euros were sell orders. The 3-year benchmark bond (20-03-2012) was the most heavily traded security with a turnover of 5 million euros. The yield spread between the 10-year Greek and German bonds increased to 801 basis points from 780 basis points on Tuesday, with the Greek bond yielding 10.47 pct and the German Bund 2.46 pct.In interbank markets, interest rates remained unchanged. The 12-month rate was 1.43 pct, the six-month rate 1.16 pct, the three-month 0.903 pct and the one-month rate 0.65 pct. [09] ADEX closing reportThe September contract on the FTSE 20 index was trading at a small discount 0.22 pct in the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Wednesday with turnover falling to 36.756 million euros. Volume on the Big Cap index was 7,693 contracts worth 30.867 million euros, with 25,368 open positions in the market.Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 10,033 contracts worth 5.889 million euros, with investment interest focusing on Alpha Bank's contracts (1,976), followed by Eurobank (1,912), National Bank (1,779), MIG (871), Hellenic Post Bank (511), Piraeus Bank (452) and ATEbank (417). [10] Foreign Exchange rates - ThursdayReference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank:U.S. dollar 1.312 Pound sterling 0.834 Danish kroner 7.51 Swedish kroner 9.554 Japanese yen 111.44 Swiss franc 1.380 Norwegian kroner 8.030 Canadian dollar 1.361 Australian dollar 1.451 General News [11] Ancient theatre on Limnos opens after 2,500 yearsThe ancient theatre of Hephaistia, on the eastern Aegean island of Limnos, opens for the first time after 2,500 years on Aug. 11 with a performance of ancient Greek dramatist Sophocles' play "Oedipus the King" directed by Spyros Evangelatos.The theatre has a seating capacity of 200 in its main area, while other 1,000 people can be seated outside where they will be able to watch the performance through a giant screen. The ancient theatre of Hephaistia, the city of the ancient Greek god Hephaestus, underwent reconstruction in 2000-2004 and is regarded as one of the most important ancient Greek theatres dating back to the late 5th and early 4th century BC, while certain additions have been made in the Hellenistic and Roman Times. [12] Felony charges filed in Church of Greece property sell out caseAthens First Instance Court head prosecutor Eleni Raikou filed felony charges on Wednesday against any party responsible in the case concerning the controversial sale in 2009 of a real estate property that belonged to the Church of Greece.The 4-stremma real estate in the region of Limanaki Maltsiniotis in Vouliagmeni, greater Athens, was sold on June 15, 2009 for 14 million euros (almost half its market value) to a sanitation worker in the municipality of Vouliagmeni appearing as the buyer. Soon after, the property was resold to three Cypriot offshore companies. A preliminary investigation had been ordered on the case following press reports and subsequently led to the charges filed, including breach of faith against the state, moral instigation and complicity to breach of faith and filing false documents pursuant to Law No.1608/50 on embezzlement of public monies. The Church of Greece is a legal entity of public law. [13] Helicopter makes forced landing - Crew safeÁn Air Force helicopter on Wednesday morning made a forced landing in a rocky area on the Cycladic island of Anafi.The three-member crew is well and the AB-205 helicopter has no damages. The helicopter took off at 9:07 am from Santorini airport in order to make a maintenance flight. After 3 miles of flight it suffered engine failure and the pilot safely landed the helicopter on Anafi island. Technical crews are at the scene in order to find a way to transport the helicopter back to base. [14] Teacher accused of opening fire on teenage childrenA 50-year-old teacher, who allegedly opened fire on a group of teenage children in the early morning hours on Wednesday, is faced with multiple counts of attempted voluntary homicide.The incident took place at the courtyard of a church in the town of Lianokladi, 12 km west of the city of Lamia in central Greece. According to the case file, a group of 10 teenage children, 14 to 16 years old, were shot at just before 03.00 am on Wednesday and two of them suffered superficial injuries. The teacher, who lives nearby, was arrested after the victims told police that the shots came from the direction of his house without, however, naming him as a suspect. He denied all charges against him and a police search in his house has revealed no guns. The 50-year-old is scheduled to appear before a prosecutor on Friday. [15] Buglars break into Interior MinistryBurglars broke into the Interior Ministry's canteen early Wednesday morning in downtown Athens.According to police, the burglars climbed up a tree adjacent to the first-storey canteen, broke the window and entered the building, and took an unknown amount of money. Police are conducting an investigation. [16] British woman accuses fellow national of rape on CreteA 22-year-old woman tourist from Britain has reported to police that she was raped by a 21-year-old Briton in her hotel room at dawn Tuesday in Hersonisos.According to the woman, she was asleep in bed with her boyfriend when the 21-year-old entered the hotel room from an unlocked door and lay down in the bed, and had sex with her taking advantage of her mis-impression that he was her boyfriend. She said she realised it wasn't her boyfriend after the fact. The 21-year-old British man was arrested, and positively identified by the woman. [17] The Wednesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glanceThe shortfall in state revenues from the Memorandum target in January-July 2010, the decrease in the state deficit, the market conditions, the changes in benefits in the public sector and the drop in real estate prices, dominated the headlines on Wednesday in Athens' newspapers.ÁDESMEFTOS TYPOS: "All opposition parties against the government over the disastrous economic policy". APOGEVMATINI: "Money exists in illegal gambling'. AVGHI: "Deep in recession - GDP 3.5 percent down in second quarter of the year". AVRIANI: "Help, we are destroyed! Market sends cry of agony". ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Plunge in real estate prices - Crisis creates new scenery in real estate market". ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Six reversals for civil servants". ESTIA: "High taxes unfruitful". ETHNOS: "Pensions will be given from the Funds in ...installments - Extraordinary measures as of September to avoid a 'blackout'." IMERISSIA: "Alarm over the revenues - 9 percent decline in July". KATHIMERINI: "Finance Ministry speeds up to collect revenues - Target: 26.4 billion euros". LOGOS: "Suffocation in the market - One hundred thousand enterprises go out of business". NAFTEMPORIKI: "State Budget revenues off the target". NIKI: "Environment, Energy and Climate Change Minister Tina Birbili's crap - Explosive decision bomb changes the renewable energy sources map". RIZOSPASTIS: "Communist Party of Greece: Struggle for a popular development and not for the monopolies' profits". TA NEA: "Fuel prices a nationwide looting - Profiteering orgy in tourist areas". TO VIMA: "End to benefits and allowances". VRADYNI: "Disability pensions targeted - Intensive controls to identify the beneficiaries". 36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: ILIAS MATSIKAS Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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