Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-12-12

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

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greece, Turkey seek to extend Egnatia highway to Istanbul

[02] Greek singer Nena Venatsanou to sing at new Wembley Arena

[03] Olympic Airlines spreads its wings

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Saturday

[05] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose up, holding support

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

[01] Greece, Turkey seek to extend Egnatia highway to Istanbul

Greece and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding on Friday for extension of the Egnatia highway to Istanbul, completing a European link to the Middle East that will stretch from the Ionian Sea to the Black Sea.

The memorandum, which was signed by Greek and Turkish officials, will also be countersigned by Greek Transport Minister Christos Verelis and his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim.

In statements to the press, Verelis called the memorandum significant for southeastern Europe, making Greece a strategic crossroads for European east-west road and railway links.

[02] Greek singer Nena Venatsanou to sing at new Wembley Arena

Greek singer Nena Venatsanou will be singing at a benefit concert taking place at the new Wembley Arena in London on December 14, which is organised by the UK-based organisation for the revival of Iranian art Phoenix.

The concert, entitled ''A night in Iran'' seeks to give publicity to the Iranian people's demand for a referendum at the next elections, which has the backing of political parties in Europe, Australia, Asia and America.

Venetsanou will be singing works by Mikis Theodorakis and her own songs.

[03] Olympic Airlines spreads its wings

Olympic Airlines, successor to Olympic Airways, spread its wings on Friday three months after the state-owned enterprise's new identity was encapsulated in parliamentary law.

''Olympic Airlines is born, and Olympic Airways comes to the end of its working life after 46 years,'' Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis told a news conference.

The minister said he hoped that a consortium of banks working with the finance ministry would find an investor for the airline in the near future in order to privatise the company.

The new airline spans routes covered by Olympic Aviation, Macedonian Airlines and the former Olympic Airways.

Flight attendants are continuing their 14-day strike until Saturday to protest against OA's new status.

[04] Weather Forecast: Cloud, showers on Saturday

Overcast weather and showers are forecast throughout the country with storms in the south. Light snowfall is expected on high ground in the north. Winds variable, moderate to very strong. Temperatures will remain the same, with a minimum of 10C and maximum of 14C in Athens; and in Thessaloniki, 5C to 12C.

[05] Athens Bourse Close: Stocks nose up, holding support

The Athens bourse finished higher on Friday, comfortably holding support at 2,200 points for the third straight session, led by the heavily weighted banking sector.

The general share index gained 0.19 percent to end at 2,208.73 points. Turnover was 156.1 million euros.

The FTSE/ASE-20 index for blue chip and heavily traded stocks ended 0.53 percent up; the FTSE/ASE-40 for medium capitalisation paper 0.10 percent higher; and the FTSE/ASE-80 for small cap equities finished with gains of 0.35 percent.

Of stocks traded, advances led declines at 166 to 119 with 75 issues remaining unchanged.

[06] Foreign Exchange Rates: Monday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.235

Pound sterling 0.706

Danish kroner 7.498

Swedish kroner 9.037

Japanese yen 133.2

Swiss franc 1.562

Norwegian kroner 8.250

Cyprus pound 0.588

Canadian dollar 1.618

Australian dollar 1.662

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