Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-08-28

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Cabinet discusses gov't planning on education

[02] Erdogan receives Patriarch in Ankara; Halki school discussed

[03] Fugitive Russian magnate applies for temporary release

[04] Greece one of the most favourable tourist destinations in the world

[05] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

[07] Profit taking reverses early advance of prices in ASE

[01] Cabinet discusses gov't planning on education

A four-hour cabinet session on Thursday focused its discussion on the government's planning on education, in view of the commencement of this year's academic year.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis, who chaired the meeting, referred to the action to be taken by his government to improve education on all levels, including the construction of more school buildings.

''This year, we are increasing the number of full-day kindergartens and primary schools to cater for 300,000 students. The full-day school is the type of school of the 21st century. It provides full educational facilities, but it mainly assists the working family, especially the working mother,'' Simitis said.

[02] Erdogan receives Patriarch in Ankara; Halki school discussed

ISTANBUL (ANA A. Kourkoulas) -- Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday received Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos here for a 45-minute meeting that reportedly touched on a handful of long-standing issues revolving around the ancient Patriarchates continued viability and its relations with the Turkish state.

The re-opening of the Halki Theological Seminary on the eponymous island in the Sea of Marmara was apparently high on the agenda of the meeting, the first official one between the Turkish premier and Vartholomeos.

Although no decisions were announced, the Patriarch mentioned that Thursdays meeting could prove to be ?historic?.

[03] Fugitive Russian magnate applies for temporary release

A one-time Russian media baron held here on an Interpol warrant issued by Russian authorities on Thursday applied for a temporary release from custody, claiming that the warrant was the product of political pressure.

Vladimir Gusinskiy, 51, wanted in Russia since 2000 in connection with a multi-million-dollar money laundering and loan fraud scandal, was formally remanded in custody on Monday following his arrest at Athens' International Airport ''Eleftherios Venizelos'' last week.

Gusinskiy's request is expected to be reviewed by an Appellate Council of justices on Friday.

[04] Greece one of the most favourable tourist destinations in the world

Greece is steadily improving its position as one of the most favourable tourist destinations around the world, National Tourism Organisation said on Thursday.

Quoting figures published in foreign newspapers and magazines, GNTO said that in the UK, a survery by the Berret Southampton University showed that Greece was the second most favourable tourist destination after Spain (Canary Islands).

In France, according to travel agents' estimates Greece was among the three biggest organised travel destinations after Spain and Italy.

[05] Weather Forecast: Sunny on Friday

Sunny weather is forecast in all parts of Greece on Friday. Winds light to moderate. Temperatures in the north will range from 18C to 37C; in western Greece from 20C to 38C; and in the Aegean islands from 23C to 35C. Temperatures in Athens between 24C and 37C; and in Thessaloniki from 22C to 36C.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates - Friday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.091

Pound sterling 0.695

Danish kroner 7.489

Swedish kroner 9.293

Japanese yen 128.1

Swiss franc 1.553

Norwegian kroner 8.344

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.534

Australian dollar 1.707

[07] Profit taking reverses early advance of prices in ASE

A late wave of profit taking reversed an early upward trend in the Athens Stock Exchange on Thursday pushing Greek stocks off their day's highs.

The general index ended at 2,256.03 points, off the day's highs of 2,292.31 points, unchanged from Wednesday. Turnover was a brisk 191.5 million euros.

The Investment, Textile and Wholesale sectors suffered the heaviest percentage losses of the day (1.57 percent, 1.33 percent and 1.15 percent, respectively), while the Publication and Retail sectors scored the biggest percentage gains (0.97 percent and 0.78 percent, respectively).

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks eased 0.03 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index ended 0.83 percent lower and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index dropped 0.97 percent.

Broadly, decliners led advancers by 240 to 82 with another 47 issues unchanged.

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article