Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-09-30

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Greek National Division soccer results

[02] Tsohatzopoulos arrives in Cyprus to attend Independence Day

[03] Greek church head says terrorists untypical of Islam

[04] Weather Forecast: South and east to stay sunny on Monday

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

[06] Foreign minister to Moscow, Berlin and Washington this week

[07] Main opposition leader says party ready for early elections

[08] Peaceful anti-war demo held in Athens

[09] Weather Forecast: Warm and sunny on Sunday

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] Greek National Division soccer results

Following are the results of Greek National Division soccer matches played over the weekend:

Olympiakos Piraeus-Panionios Athens 2-0

Ethnikos Asteras Athens-Akratitos Athens 2-1

Aris Thessaloniki-Ionikos Piraeus 1-0

AEK Athens-Aigaleo Athens 4-0

Panathinaikos Athens-OFI Crete 5-1

Iraklis Thessaloniki-PAOK Thessaloniki 3-1

Xanthi-Panahaiki Patra 2-0

Standings and points after second round:

Olympiakos 6 points, AEK 6, Panathinaikos 4, Aris 4, Ethikos Asteras 3, Panahaiki 3, Xanthi 3, Akratitos 3, Iraklis 3, OFI 3, PAOK 1, Panionios 1, Aigaleo 0, Ionikos 0.

[02] Tsohatzopoulos arrives in Cyprus to attend Independence Day

NICOSIA (ANA - G. Leonidas) - Greece's Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos arrived in Cyprus on Sunday afternoon to represent the Greek government at Monday's celebrations on the island for the Independence Day of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Greek official was met at Larnaca Airport by his counterpart Socratis Hasikos, Greek Ambassador to Cyprus Christos Panagopoulos and Chief of the Cyprus National Guard Evangelos Florakis.

No statements were made.

Tsohatzopoulos afterwards departed for Nicosia where he met with Hasikos at the General Headquarters of the National Guard.

The Greek minister was due later to have separate meetings with the Parliamentary Defence Committee and Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides.

A dinner was to be hosted later in honour of Tsohatzopoulos by the Greek ambassador, attended by political party leaders. The Greek defence minister was due to meet later with Movement of Social Democrats (KISOS) honorary president Vassos Lyssarides.

[03] Greek church head says terrorists untypical of Islam

Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece said on Sunday that terrorists claiming to represent Islam were not typical of the faith.

"This is not the (true) picture of Islam, the one that appears on the face of a terrorist," Christodoulos told churchgoers in the Athens suburb of Aghii Anargyri.

"We must not allow ourselves to harbour hatred or even suspicion for the entire Moslem world, the overwhelming majority of which is moderate," the archbishop said.

[04] Weather Forecast: South and east to stay sunny on Monday

The weather will be sunny on Monday in the east and the south. The west and the north can expect some scattered cloud, turning to showers or storms in the northern Ionian, Epirus, the western mainland, and western Macedonia. Winds variable, light to moderate. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 12C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 15C to 31C; and in the Aegean islands from 18C to 28C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 17C and 30C. Cloudy in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 14C to 27C.

[05] Athens Newspaper Headlines

SUNDAY ADESMEFTOS: "Now is the right time to get a mortgage"

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "Maharajahs of Modernisation"

SUNDAY APOGEVMATINI: "Religion on the ID cards of Europeans"

VIMA ON SUNDAY: "Impact of the invisible war: What will change for Greece in the wake of terrorist attacks in the US"

SUNDAY VRADYNI: "New mortgage rates mean cheap homes for all"

SUNDAY ETHNOS: "New order in the government, the party and the economy"

SUNDAY ELEFTHERI ORA: "Governments in distress"

ESPRESSO ON SUNDAY: "Man says woman offered him Dr 45 million to slay her husband"

EPOHI: ?World says yes to peace?

SUNDAY KATHIMERINI: "Global alliance under UN to combat terrorism"

SUNDAY HORA: "Blood is thicker than water: Athens mayor to return to New Democracy party"

SUNDAY AVGHI: "Apprehension reigns"

SUNDAY AVRIANI: "Mad cow alert"

SUNDAY ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "October seen as a month for clashes"

SUNDAY RIZOSPASTIS: "The people are back on centre stage"

LOGOS ON SUNDAY: "UN votes against terrorism"

STO KARFI ON SUNDAY: ?Ruling party in conflict?

SUNDAY PARON: "Minister breaches real estate law"

NIKI: "Defence minister throws down the gauntlet"

SUNDAY TYPOS: "US and the rest of the world under the shadow of terrorism"

[06] Foreign minister to Moscow, Berlin and Washington this week

Foreign Minister George Papandreou is to visit Moscow, Berlin and Washington this week for talks with senior government officials.

In a trip beginning on Monday, Papandreou is scheduled to meet his Russian and German counterparts to discuss the global political situation in the wake of terrorist attacks in the US on September 11.

On Tuesday, the minister leaves for Washington for talks with the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell.

[07] Main opposition leader says party ready for early elections

The leader of the main opposition New Democracy party said on Sunday that his party was ready if the government were to call early national elections.

In a news conference in the northern port city of Thessaloniki, Karamanlis also criticised the government for the way it had handled the economy, especially the stock market and reform of the social insurance system.

In addition, he underlined the need for transparency in public life and sound management of public money.

Finally, Karamanlis complained of delays in carrying out projects linked to the 2004 Athens Olympics and skyrocking costs. He also urged the government to adopt any measures proposed by international organisations to ensure security at the Games.

On Saturday, Karamanlis made the main opposition leader's traditional annual speech at the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.

The speech and news conference the next day were postponed from September 15 when the ND leader was stranded in the US in the wake of terrorist attacks in New York and Washington several days earlier.

[08] Peaceful anti-war demo held in Athens

Anti-war activists held a peaceful weekend demonstration in central Athens that was timed to coincide with similar action in US universities to protest against an anticipated military attack on Afghanistan in Washington's drive against terrorism.

Also condemning terrorism, the demonstration and concert on Saturday evening in central Syntagma Square was organised by Citizens of the World working with the Coalition of the Left and Progress and other groups.

More than 200 public figures in politics, the media, the arts and the trade union movement signed a petition condemning any bloodshed in Afghanistan by the US and NATO as a response to thousands of deaths in terrorist attacks on New York and Washington on September 11.

[09] Weather Forecast: Warm and sunny on Sunday

The weather will be sunny on Sunday with temperatures rising a little. Winds northerly, light to strong, easing off later in the day. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 10C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland and the Ionian from 14C to 31C; and in the Aegean islands from 18C to 27C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 17C and 30C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 14C to 26C.

[10] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates until Monday

U.S. dollar 370.179

German mark 172.829

French franc 051.531

Pound sterling 543.443

Irish punt 429.202

Belgian franc 008.379

Luxembourg franc 008.379

Dutch guilder 153.389

Italian lira (100) 017.457

Austrian schilling 024.565

Danish kroner 45.453

Swedish kroner 34.732

Finnish mark 056.852

Spanish peseta 002.032

Portuguese escudo 001.686

Japanese yen (100) 310.054

Swiss franc 228.998

Norwegian kroner 041.679

Cyprus pound 588.535

Canadian dollar 234.450

Australian dollar 183.504

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