Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-01-28

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

CONTENTS

[01] More seismic activity in Ionian reported

[02] Monday weather - Sunny

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[04] Sports roundup

[05] Greek FM: EU against Montenegro secession

[01] More seismic activity in Ionian reported

A strong quake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale was recorded Saturday evening with an epicentre south of the Ionian island of Zakynthos, some 260 kilometres southwest of Athens.

The quake was recorded at 10:05 p.m. No damages were reported.

On Friday an earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale was recorded at 7:55 p.m. in a sea region south of another island in the Ionian sea, Cephallonia.

[02] Monday weather - Sunny

Mostly sunny weather is forecast for Monday throughout Greece. Early morning fog may surface in some areas. North to northwesterly winds, moderate to strong on the seas. Temperatures between 1C to 17C in the north, 5C to 21C in the rest of the mainland and 9C to 18C on the islands.

Sunny in Athens, 8C to 20C. The same for Thessaloniki, 4C to 17C.

[03] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro

U.S. dollar 0.873

Pound sterling 0.617

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.320

Japanese yen 117.28

Swiss franc 1.483

Norwegian kroner 7.919

Cyprus pound 0.580

Canadian dollar 1.404

Australian dollar 1.693

[04] Sports roundup

League-leading Olympiakos Piraeus remained atop the Greek first division standings on Sunday with a one-point difference from AEK Athens despite its shocking home field loss to a previously mediocre Aris Thessaloniki squad.

The last time Olympiakos lost on its home field was in 1997 to bitter rival AEK.

In an equally disappointing loss, AEK failed to capitalise on Olympiakos unexpected slip-up after PAOK Thessaloniki defeated the visiting Athens club 3-2.

In other action:

Akratitos Athens-Aegaleo, 0-1

Panathinaikos Athens-Ethnikos Asteras Athens, 1-0

OFI Crete-Skoda Xanthi, 0-1

Panahaiki Patra-Ionikos Piraeus, 0-2

Panionios Athens-Iraklis Thessaloniki, 0-1

The standings after 13 games:

Olympiakos 28

AEK 27

PAOK 25

Panathinaikos 24

Xanthi 22

Aris 20

Iraklis 20

OFI 18

Panionios 16

Ethnikos Asteras 12

Ionikos 11

Akratitos 9

Aegaleo 9

Panahaiki 7

[05] Greek FM: EU against Montenegro secession

Greeces foreign minister reiterated on Sunday that the European Union continues to oppose a possible secession by Montenegro from the Federal Yugoslav Republic.

In comments just prior to attending a meeting in the northern port city of Thessaloniki between diplomats from Austria, Italy and Greece to examine the situation in southeast Europe, Greek FM George Papandreou said such a development will intensify instability in the region.

?Its not certain that we will have a referendum (in Montenegro). The international community is extremely wary over such a development. The European Unions view, as well as that of the international community, is that new secessions and new states in the region create instability and should be avoided,? he said, adding:

?Greece and the other European Union countries advice the peoples of the region that it is better to work towards a common European vocation -- because we will all be under one roof, while the issue of borders has, in the end, very little importance instead of searching to create new structures, which create more tension??

Ambassadors of the three countries Austria, Italy and Greece -- serving in various Balkan countries were set to attend the meeting.

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