Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-04-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Olympic Airways-Sale Tender-Extension

[02] Atomic Energy Committee-Bosnia-Depleted Uranium

[03] Weather Forecast-Saturday

[04] ASE-close

[01] Olympic Airways-Sale Tender-Extension

The government has extended until April 30 the deadline for bids in an international tender to privatise Olympic Airways, the national carrier, industry sources said on Friday.

The move will give the four bidders more time to study the airline's dossier and prepare their offers, the sources said.

The original deadline was April 20.

[02] Atomic Energy Committee-Bosnia-Depleted Uranium

Contamination from depleted uranium has been traced in a sample of water for general use taken from Bosnia in the framework of checks conducted by the Greek Atomic Energy Committee (EEAE).

The official results of checks carried out for air, soil and water, both in Bosnia and Kosovo, were announced on Friday and, according to the Committee, uranium was only traced in the water from Bosnia and in a quantity which is no cause for concern.

The quantity of uranium detected is 4.5 mg per litre of water, of which 2.5 mg is depleted uranium. The usual readings for natural uranium detected in drinking water in the world range from less than 1 mg per litre to 100 mg per litre.

EEAE pointed out that pollution detected in the sample from Bosnia entails no risk for the pollution of waters in Greece, both underground and on land.

[03] Weather Forecast-Saturday

Mostly sunny weather is forecast throughout the country on Saturday, with some scattered cloud in the north. Winds northwesterly, moderate to strong. In the north, temperatures will range from 2C to 19C; on the rest of the mainland and in the Ionian from 7C to 21C; and in the Aegean islands from 11C to 20C. Sunshine in Athens, with temperatures between 9C and 20C. Intermittent cloud in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 6C to 18C.

[04] ASE-close

Equity prices ended Friday's volatile session lower on the Athens Stock Exchange, following European markets' lead.

The general index broke the 3,100 level during the session to end slightly above the technical support level of 3,050 points.

Traders said a wave of profit taking in all European bourses late at the session reversed an initial rally.

The general index ended 0.17 percent lower at 3,059.73 points, after surging to 3,116.36 points initially. Turnover was an improved 210.21 million euros, or 71.63 billion drachmas.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks ended 0.12 percent higher at 1,764.10 points, while the FTSE/ASE 40 index eased 0.33 percent to 370.77 points.

The parallel market index for smaller capitalisation stocks ended at 327.65 points, off 1.37 percent.

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