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Athens News Agency: News in English (PM), 99-08-07Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr>NEWS IN ENGLISHAthens, Greece, 07/08/1999 (ANA)MAIN HEADLINES
NEWS IN DETAILHeatwave expected Tuesday, WednesdayThe interior ministry on Friday issued a warning about an upcoming heatwave on Tuesday and Wednesday when temperatures are expected to hit the scorching 40-42C mark. According to a special Hazardous Weather Forecast issued by the National Meteorological Service, temperatures will begin gradually rising throughout the country on Saturday. Responsible ministries, local government authorities, the police force and the fire brigade have been alerted to make appropriate preparations on the basis of the existing "Xenocrates" emergency plan and measures to prevent and combat possible forest f ires have been intensified. The elderly as well as individuals suffering from health problems are advised to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities. Health ministry concern over AIDS The Health Ministry on Friday expressed concern about the latest statistics on the deadly AIDS virus and said an information campaign to make Greeks more aware of the disease would be stepped up. Deputy Health and Welfare Minister Theodoros Kotsonis told a news conference that 81 new cases of AIDS had been recorded in the first half of 1999 alone. He added that efforts were continuing for the anonymous mass screening of the population to determine the exact number of HIV carriers in the country. According to the findings of studies covering the last three years, 40 per cent of men had sexual relations outside the relationship with their permanent partner, while the corresponding figure for women was 12.5 per cent. What has worried reseachers however is that women appear more often than men to be refusing any contraceptive protection in their extramarital relations. Professor Roumelioti said this reluctance on the part of women had been reflected by the recent sharp increase in the number of women contracting AIDS from heterosexual contact. The findings of the studies showed that of the men and women who cheated on their partners, 33 percent of women were not using contraceptives, compared to 24 percent of men. Contract signed for procurement of T-6A trainers The government yesterday signed a contract with US-based defence contractor Raytheon for the procurement of 45 new T-6A training aircraft, another five training planes and one flight simulator. Delivery of the aircraft will begin on the eighth month after the relevant contract comes into effect, with completion set by the 44th month. According to reports, several Greek defence firms, such as the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAB) and the Hellenic Vehicle Industry (EVO), will collaborate for the production of the aircraft. The total cost of the project totals approximately 72 billion drachmas. No dioxin contamination found among Thermaikos mussels Thessaloniki prefecture officials on Friday announced that DSP dioxin tests conducted by a state laboratory of Italy on mussels collected at the Gulf of Thermaikos proved negative. If further testing proves negative, then an order by the Thessaloniki prefect on July 15 prohibiting the collection and sale of mussels from the Thermaikos Gulf will be lifted. OA contacts with Commission over proposed share capital increase Olympic Airways' (OA) management yesterday received assurances from the European Transportation Committee that approval for an OA share capital increase will be issued in 10 weeks' time, allowing for the prior completion of a business plan to restructure the debt-ridden airline. In addition, new OA managing director Rod Lynch briefed EU officials on the progress regarding the state-owned national carrier's relocation to the new Athens airport at Spata, saying the Greek government had decided to reimburse OA for its relocation costs. According to sources, approval for OA's third 7.8-billion-drachma share capital increase is very probable. UNESCO lists Mycenae, Tyrins and Patmos UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage Committee, the pre-eminent international body for registering monuments, unanimously approved the listing of Mycenae and Tyrins under its Criterion 1 for "outstanding examples of human creative genius". The northern Dodecanese island of Patmos, where St. John the Divine described the Apocalypse as recorded in the Book of Revelation - the last in the New Testament - was registered under Criterion 6 for "religious tradition and its influence on Orthodox Christianity." Solar eclipse warning The health and welfare ministry yesterday issued a press release warning of dangers related to viewing the solar eclipse on Wednesday. Even a short exposure to the sun's rays during the eclipse could cause permanent damage to the eyes. Only special equipment should be used by observers. The solar eclipse will be visible in Greece between 12:40 p.m. and 5:35 p.m., while it will reach it s peak at 2:10 p.m. local time. Advertising in the Daily Bulletin The ANA will from now on welcomes professional half-page or full-page advertisments in its daily English and French Bulletin. Advertisements will be accepted from embassies, banks, commercial and maritime companies, chambers of commerce, advertising companies, airlines, organisations, professional associations, educational and research institutions in Greece and abroad as well as international bodies. Also, for a small fee, the above groups may channel their Press Releases (PRs), announcements or photographs - in Greek, English or French - to the ANA's more than 100 media subscribers throughout Greece and Cyprus via the recently introduced ANA on-line PR's service. For details on and arrangements for the advertising and/or PRs on-line service, please contact the ANA Management and Sales Department, tel: 6400580 , fax: 6400024. Consumer price inflation steady at 2.1 pct Consumer price inflation remained unchanged at 2.1 percent year-on-year in July, the same as June, the National Statistics Service (NSS) announced yesterday. The consumer price index slowed 1.9 percent month-on-month in July from June, NSS said in a statement. In July, price declines were seen in foodstuffs and non-alcoholic beverages, apparel, footwear and consumer durables. Increases were reported in accomodation, transport and hotels, the statement said. Budget for 2000 to parl't in October The government's budget for 2000 will be submitted to parliament in October, Deputy Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis said yesterday. Mr. Christodoulakis was speaking to reporters after a meeting with National Economy and Finance Minister Yiannos Papantoniou and National Defence Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos to discuss the defence budget for next year. Under the constitution, the budget must be sent to parliament by November 30 each year. Bourse closes on high note in brisk end-of-the-week trading An upward turn on most European bourses yesterday following Thursday's decline apparently affected the Athens Stock Exchange, where turnover exceeded the 200-billion-drachma mark for the first time in several weeks of trading. Investors' interest was particularly strong in the equities of low- and medium-cap companies, while remaining weak in the banking sector. For the second successive day of trading, buying interest centred on the construction sector, where the index closed near the limit up mark and the price of 15 shares rose by the maximum 8 per cent. The general index ended 0.89 per cent higher at 4,443.4 points from 4, 404.26 points in the previous session. Turnover was 201.529 billion drachmas from 189 billion drachmas a day earlier. Changing hands were 32,130,301 stocks. Sector indices ended as follows: Banks (-0.44%), Leasing (+2.37%), Insurance (+0.40%), Investment (+0.32%), Construction (+7.06%), Industrials (+0.99%), Miscellaneous (+4.99%) and Holding (+4.25%). The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended 3.31 per cent higher. The FTSE/ASE 20 index for heavily traded stocks and blue chips rose 0.33 per cent to finish at 2,511.39 points. Of 298 shares traded, advances outpaced declines at 214 to 73 with 11 issues unchanged. The price of 54 shares closed at the 8 per cent limit up, including those of Bank of Greece, Themeliodomi, Techniki Olympiaki, Tegopoulos, Karelias, Papastratos, Bar ba Stathis (common), Minoan Lines and Olympic Catering. National Bank of Greece ended at 21,540 drachmas, Alpha Credit Bank at 21, 400, Bank of Piraeus at 8,480, Ergobank at 30,000, Titan Cement (commom) at 30,400, Hellenic Petroleum at 2,780 and Intracom (common) at 21,255 drachmas. Bond prices drop further Secondary market bond prices fell slightly yesterday, in line with trends elsewhere in Europe. Analysts consider that prices, after receding 7 per cent over the last few day, have now fallen to levels where they represent investment opportunities. Specifically, heightened interest was reported for the benchmark 10-year bond outside the electronic trade, whose volume reached 39 billion drachmas. The yield spread above German bonds remained almost unchanged at 178 basis points. At the central bank's daily fix, the drachma rose against the euro to 326.210 from 325.920 yesterday. The US dollar rose slightly to 303.960 from 301.940. WEATHERFine weather is forecast throughout Greece on Sunday with local clouds in the north. Winds will be northerly weak. Athens will be sunny with moderate winds and temperatures ranging from 25C to 38C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures ranging from 22C to 36C.FOREIGN EXCHANGEMonday's rates (buying) U.S. dollar 301.528 Pound sterling 486.814 Japanese yen (100) 263.049 French franc 49.332 German mark 165.455 Italian lira (100) 16.712 Irish Punt 410.887 Belgian franc 8.022 Finnish mark 54.426 Dutch guilder 146.844 Danish kr. 43.473 Austrian sch. 23.517 Spanish peseta 1.945 Swedish kr. 36.829 Norwegian kr. 30.001 Swiss franc 201.986 Port. Escudo 1.614 Can. dollar 201.138 Aus. dollar 197.061 Cyprus pound 559.488 Euro 323.600(M.S.) Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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