Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-06-16

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

CONTENTS

[01] Britain's McRae wins Acropolis Rally for third year

[02] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Monday

[03] Illegal immigrants, suspected traffickers arrested in Lavrio

[04] Gov't accuses opposition chief of making personal insults

[05] European unity may narrow gap between Orthodox, Catholic churches

[06] Wave of strikes next week against pensions bill

[07] Banks to reopen on Monday after strikes

[08] Weather Forecast: Blue skies on Sunday

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

[01] Britain's McRae wins Acropolis Rally for third year

Briton Colin McRae won the Acropolis Rally for the third year in succession on Sunday to score his first victory of the season.

Ford driver McRae came home 24.5 seconds ahead of Peugeot's

Finn Marcus Gronholm with Spaniard Carlos Sainz third.

Gronholm extended his lead in the championship to 14 points.

[02] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Monday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with rain and storms from early evening in Macedonia, Thrace and the northern Aegean. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning very strong in parts of the southern Aegean. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 18C to 36C; in the Ionian from 19C to 33C; and in the Aegean islands from 21C to 30C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 23C and 35C. Same in Thessaloniki but stormy from evening, with temperatures from 20C to 33C.

[03] Illegal immigrants, suspected traffickers arrested in Lavrio

Authorities on Sunday detained 43 illegal immigrants near the port of Lavrio, later arresting two suspected migrant traffickers, the merchant marine ministry said in a statement.

Twenty members of the group were aboard a yacht anchored off the coast and the remaining 23 had disembarked, the statement said.

The vessel, identified as the Clymene, has sailed from Turkey, it added.

[04] Gov't accuses opposition chief of making personal insults

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas on Sunday charged the leader of the main opposition New Democracy party, Costas Karamanlis, with resorting to personal verbal attacks in the absence of specific proposals on politics.

''The leader of New Democracy is keeping up an unparalleled recital of abuse and personal attacks. This is the only way he can comprehend politics. He is unable to submit proposals and programmes,'' Protopapas said in a statement.

The spokesman was responding to statements that Karamanlis made during a weekend tour of Zakynthos and Lefkada.

[05] European unity may narrow gap between Orthodox, Catholic churches

Visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos said that the attainment of political and economic unity in Europe could help to bring about a major rapprochement between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.

In an interview to the Sunday Kathimerini newspaper, Vartholomeos said that differences in theology and dogma between the two sides should not act as a stumbling block to cooperation in resolving the problems faced by people living in modern societies.

The Istanbul-based Patriarch arrived in Crete on Saturday at the start of a weeklong private visit to the southern Aegean island.

In Iraklio to receive Vartholomeos were church, government and regional officials.

Education Minister Petros Efthymiou presented Vartholomeos with the Crete Technology and Education Institute's award for 2002.

The Patriarch is visiting the island as guest of economist Minos Zombanakis in Kalyves, Hania.

On Sunday, Vartholomeos was to be declared an honorary resident of Hania.

On Monday he will visit the world-famous Samaria Gorge, and on Wednesday travel to the nearby island of Gavdos.

On Thursday Vartholomeos is to deliver a message on environmental protection in Rethymnon.

He will also launch a radio station of the Cretan archdiocese.

[06] Wave of strikes next week against pensions bill

A barrage of strikes is scheduled for the coming week to protest against a government pension reform bill whose debate begins in parliament on Tuesday.

Workers on Athens buses and the old metro line are to stage a 24-hour strike on the first day of debate, joining a walkout called by the General Confederation of Workers of Greece, which represents nearly a million workers in the private and public sectors.

In a concerted move, the civil servants union will also stay off the job on Tuesday, disrupting state services.

Hospitals and health centres run by the state Social Security Foundation are to continue strike action throughout the week.

Emergencies will be handled under a minimum staffing requirement that is mandatory by law.

Also taking part in Tuesday's strike are civil aviation workers, with air traffic controllers set for a 24-hour walkout on Wednesday. Severe disruption of flights is expected.

In addition, seamen are to launch rolling 48-hour strikes beginning on June 18, the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation said.

The strike call is for seamen on all categories of ships to press for a signed agreement with Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis on social insurance coverage, and the creation of a sector unemployment fund.

On Wednesday, staff on the old Piraeus to Kifissia metro line will also stage a walkout from 1300 to 1700.

[07] Banks to reopen on Monday after strikes

Bank workers throughout the country are to return to work on Monday after their union called off rolling 24-hour strikes to protest against the government's pension reform bill.

The OTOE union said that talks on Friday with government ministers had led to an acceptance of key demands for the sector, leading to amendment of the bill that workers were protesting.

[08] Weather Forecast: Blue skies on Sunday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country. Winds north-northeasterly, light to very strong, turning gale force in parts of the central and southern Aegean. On the mainland, temperatures will range from 17C to 35C; in the Ionian from 19C to 33C; and in the Aegean islands from 20C to 30C. Sunny in Athens, with temperatures between 21C and 34C. Same in Thessaloniki, with temperatures from 19C to 33C.

[09] Foreign Exchange Rates - Monday

Indicative tourist buying rates per euro until Monday

U.S. dollar 0.955

Pound sterling 0.647

Danish kroner 7.496

Swedish kroner 9.239

Japanese yen 118.6

Swiss franc 1.487

Norwegian kroner 7.474

Cyprus pound 0.584

Canadian dollar 1.476

Australian dollar 1.685

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