Macedonian Press Agency: News in English, 03-08-13

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From: The Macedonian Press Agency at http://www.mpa.gr and http://www.hri.org/MPA.

CONTENTS

[01] THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN FOR THE ATHENS 2004 OLYMPICS

[02] PAPANASTASIOU IS NOT RELEASED FROM JAIL

[03] GAINS IN THE ASE

[04] FOREST FIRE IN THE ISLAND OF IKARIA

[05] KEFALONIA: SPECIAL EVENTS TO HONOR THE 1953 EARTHQUAKE RESCUE TEAMS

[01] THE COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN FOR THE ATHENS 2004 OLYMPICS

In exactly one year from today, on August 13, 2004 the Athens Olympic Games will be underway.

Greek Culture Minister Evangelos Venizelos issued a message on the occasion stressing that everybody can see with their own eyes that the Olympic projects are very close to being completed and no one has the right to have reservations as far as the result of the Olympic preparations is concerned.

Mr. Venizelos also added in his message that everybody must work together for the success of this major sports event.

Music concerts have been scheduled to take place today in the four Olympic cities of Thessaloniki, Iraklion, Patras and Volos.

International Olympic Committee President Mr. Jacques Rogge and Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Mrs. Yianna Angelopoulou are in Lauzanne today to attend a ceremony during which they will issue an invitation to the 201 National Olympic Committees for participation to the games.

[02] PAPANASTASIOU IS NOT RELEASED FROM JAIL

Anestis Papanastasiou, one of the defendants in the 17November terrorist group trial, will not be released from jail. The request filed by his defense lawyers was rejected.

According to his lawyers, he had to be released on August 9 because his temporary detention was not extended by the Council of Court of Appeals Judges. The prosecutor's office announced today that the extension was not necessary because his trial was already underway.

[03] GAINS IN THE ASE

Gains were recorded in the Athens Stock Exchange today. The general index rose to +1.27% at 2.162,22 points, while the volume of transactions was at 128.6 million euros.

Of the stocks trading today, 225 recorded gains and 85 had losses, while the value of 61 stocks remained unchanged.

[04] FOREST FIRE IN THE ISLAND OF IKARIA

A forest fire is raging in the central Aegean island of Ikaria. The fire in the region of Agios Kirikos is very close to residential areas.

Fire fighters and volunteers have arrived in the area. In the fire fighting efforts participate 7 aircraft and 3 helicopters.

[05] KEFALONIA: SPECIAL EVENTS TO HONOR THE 1953 EARTHQUAKE RESCUE TEAMS

Fifty years have passed since the deadly earthquake of 1953 that rocked the Ionian Sea island of Kefalonia. The local authorities will hold a special event on August 17 to honor the members of the international forces that offered help to the earthquake stricken population.

Israel will be represented in the events by a high ranking Navy delegation and two warships will sail into the Argostoli Port bringing memories from the past when sailors from Israel helped the local people deal with the effects of the earthquake that caused extensive damage in the island.

Four Israeli warships were sailing in international waters in the Mediterranean on August 12, 1953 when they received an SOS signal that came from the island of Kefalonia hit by a catastrophic earthquake.

The Israeli forces were the first international forces that arrived in Argostoli after the earthquake where the disaster was biblical. The Israelis formed rescue crews offering emergency medical aid, food and water to the people. One Israeli warship was used to take wounded people from Kefalonia to the city of Patras to be hospitalized.

The help offered by Israel to the people of Kefalonia is formally recognized and every year the local authorities hold an event to honor the members of the international forces that helped the locals. A street was named after Israel in recognition of the help offered by the Israelis.

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