Athens News Agency: News in English, 02-09-19

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

CONTENTS

[01] Mayors of the world received by President Stephanopoulos

[02] ATHOC president gives NY mayor tour of Olympic facilities

[03] Fixed-line and mobile phone numbers to change

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[05] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Friday

[06] Greek stocks' plunge continues on Thursday

[01] Mayors of the world received by President Stephanopoulos

President Kostis Stephanopoulos on Thursday night received mayors due to participate in the mayors of the world conference scheduled to begin at the Old Parliament mansion in Athens on Friday morning.

Welcoming the mayors, President Stephanopoulos expressed satisfaction over the meeting and said he is certain of its satisfactory outcome.

The mayors of the world conference will be addressed by UNESCO and UN representatives.

[02] ATHOC president gives NY mayor tour of Olympic facilities

Athens 2004 Olympic Games Organising Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos Daskalaki on Thursday gave New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg a guided tour of installations under construction at the main press centre, the international radio and television centre and the indoor Olympic stadium.

Bloomberg, who was accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Athens Thomas Miller and a number of American senators of Greek origin, was also briefed by Daskalaki on the course of preparations to host the Olympic Games in 2004.

Bloomberg had expressed his desire for a briefing on the course of preparations since New York will make a bid to host the Olympic Games in 2012.

[03] Fixed-line and mobile phone numbers to change

Phone numbers for fixed-line and mobile telephones will change as of November 3 this year and January 19, 2003 respectively, according to an announcement by the National Telecommunications and Post Offices Committee (EETT) on Thursday.

As of November 3, the initial digit ''0'' in fixed-line telephone numbers will be replaced by a ''2''. Consequently, as an example, the number 010-1234567 will become 210-1234567. The same number will apply to calls from abroad as well.

As of January 19 next year, the initial digit ''0'' in mobile telephone numbers will be replaced by a ''6'', while the method of calling emergency telephone numbers (police, fire brigade, etc.) will not change.

Regarding access to the Internet, the first digit in the number 096 will be replaced by an ''8'' and consequently the number 896 will be used.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 0.989

Pound sterling 0.636

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.168

Japanese yen 119.8

Swiss franc 1.479

Norwegian kroner 7.383

Cyprus pound 0.577

Canadian dollar 1.553

Australian dollar 1.792

[05] Weather Forecast: Sunshine on Friday

Sunshine is forecast in all parts of the country, with scattered cloud on the mainland and in the Ionian from late afternoon. Parts of the mainland will be misty in the morning. Winds northerly, light to moderate. In the north, temperatures will range from 11C to 28C; on the rest of the mainland from 14C to 30C; and in the Aegean islands from 18C to 29C. Temperatures in Athens between 17C and 30C; and in Thessaloniki from 14C to 27C.

[06] Greek stocks' plunge continues on Thursday

Greek stocks continued breaking new record-low levels in the Athens Stock Exchange on Thursday, with sentiment undermined by a negative climate in other European markets.

Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation's share price fell 3.11 percent to 11.20 euros, below its listing price of 11.74 euros (April 19, 1996).

The general index dropped 1.57 percent to end at 1,868.74 points, with turnover an improved 118.5 million euros.

The Textile index was the only one to score gains (0.41 percent), while the Telecommunications, Retail and Publication sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (3.25 percent, 2.89 percent and 2.49 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks dropped 1.56 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index fell 1.31 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index ended 1.05 percent lower.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 241 to 85 with another 35 issues unchanged.

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