Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-08-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Soccer-Panathinaikos-Champions League-Qualifier

[02] Iraklio -Migrant Traffickers- Jail Sentence

[03] Ethnic Greeks - Albania - Holidays

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates-Thursday

[05] Weather Forecast-Thursday

[06] Stock Market-Close

[07] FYROM PM - Name issue - Corfu

[01] Soccer-Panathinaikos-Champions League-Qualifier

Panathinaikos Athens on Wednesday put in a strong claim for a place in the European Soccer Champions League after drawing 2-2 away with Polonia Warsaw in the first leg of the third qualifying round.

The Greek team led 2-0 with goals coming from Warzycha in the 10th minute and Fyssas in 38. The Poles reduced the deficit in extra time before the break with Kielbowicz. Kaliszan scored the equaliser in 68.

The second leg will be held in Athens in two weeks' time.

Attendance: 8,000.

[02] Iraklio -Migrant Traffickers- Jail Sentence

A court in Lasithi, Crete, on Wednesday sentenced six Turkish migrant traffickers to 10 years each in prison.

The traffickers were arrested at Koufonisi, Sitia, last Sunday when they attempted to put ashore from a small boat 341 Kurdish and Afghani illegal immigrants.

The Turks were also charged for the illegal possession of arms, lack of naval documents and for overloading the boat.

The traffickers told the court that they had done a favour to the migrants who could no longer live in their countries. They said that they were destined for Italy, but due to bad weather were forced to head for Crete.

The 341 illegal migrants continued to be taken care of at the Ierapetra stadium until the authorities decide on their fate.

[03] Ethnic Greeks - Albania - Holidays

TIRANA (ANA) Thousands of ethnic Greeks hailing from southern Albania and currently residing in Greece have reportedly crossed the border over the past few days to spend the upcoming Feast of the Assumption holiday in their native villages and communities.

The development marks the first time in several years that so many ethnic Greeks have returned to often strife-torn southern Albania to spend their holidays, especially in the villages surrounding the predominately Greek-speaking areas of Dropoli, Heimarra the site of a major religious celebration on Aug. 15 -- and Sarande.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates-Thursday

Following are indicative rates released by the central bank for the next working day.

Thursdays rates (buying)

Euro 334.354

U.S. dollar 372.853

German mark 170.952

[05] Weather Forecast-Thursday

On the mainland and in the Ionian scattered cloud on Thursday is expected to turn to rain or storms in the north and west from late afternoon. The weather will be mostly sunny elsewhere.

[06] Stock Market-Close

Stocks fell in light trade on the Athens Stock Exchange on Wednesday in the wake of a rise in the previous session that was preceded by a slump, which had driven prices down to their lowest level since early May 1999.

Turnover remained thin, and the market needed to consolidate at current levels, accompanied by a rise in trade, analysts said.

The general index ended 1.15 percent lower at 3,720.49 points with turnover at 68.9 billion drachmas.

[07] FYROM PM - Name issue - Corfu

The premier of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) on Wednesday predicted that the ?name issue?, the only remaining difference between his land-locked state and Greece, will be resolved by the end of the year or early 2001.

Speaking from the Ionian holiday island of Corfu, where he arrived for a brief vacation, Ljubco Georgievski also told a local television channel that economic relations between FYROM and Greece were ?ideal? and an example for other Balkan countries.

Georgievski was met on Corfu by Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who told reporters that bilateral relations over the previous period were particularly stable, while he noted that Athens and Skopje view regional problems ?from an angle that is similar on most points.?

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