Athens News Agency: News in English, 04-02-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Greeks celebrate end of carnival, start of Lent

[02] Athens Olympics organisers win award for conduct of Diving World Cup

[03] Weather Forecast: Warmer on Tuesday

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

[01] Greeks celebrate end of carnival, start of Lent

Hundreds of Athenians on Monday climbed Philopappou Hill near the Acropolis to celebrate the beginning of Lent with traditional delicacies and music, flying their holiday kites despite chilly, overcast weather.

Leading the annual municipally-arranged event was the mayor of Athens, Dora Bakoyianni, who joined traditional Cretan dances. Greece's commissioner at the European Union, Anna Diamantopoulou, also took part in the celebration.

Children around Greece flew kites, another tradition that marks the end of the annual carnival season, with Lent leading to Greek Orthodox Easter in the first half of April.

Visitors flocked into Patras over the weekend for the start of the western port city's annual carnival, the largest in Greece.

The carnival peaked on Sunday in showery weather with a long parade through the city centre, this year featuring the Olympic Games, which Athens is to host in August.

The carnival's traditional King of Laughter, whose effigy is burnt at the end of the event, appeared in two forms - as a handsome young athlete - and as an overblown satyr.

The carnival also includes a treasure hunt in Patras, enjoyed by hordes of children wearing masks and costumes.

[02] Athens Olympics organisers win award for conduct of Diving World Cup

National organisers of the Athens Olympics on Sunday received an award for the conduct of the 14th World Diving Cup held at installations of the 2004 Games in the Greek capital.

The award was presented by FINA watersports federation president Mustapha Larfaoui to chief operating officer Marton Simtisek for the organising committee.

FINA also made an award to the Hellenic Swimming Federation for its work in making diving more popular.

?This was one of the most important competitions we have organised so far, Simitsek said. ?It is good to know that top divers found that the conditions were ideal for their bid to qualify for the Olympics?.

The way national Olympics organisers ran the 14th World Diving Cup also drew praise from divers, coaches and sport officials.

Sammy Lee - one of the great names in diving with three Olympic gold medals commented that it was ?a fantastic venue, really most impressive, helping competitors to put up big performances?.

Laura Wilkinson, gold medallist at the Sydney Olympic Games and victor in the 10m Platform event in the 14th World Cup, said: ?Its the nicest pool Ive ever seen and thats a lot of pools, believe me!?

Canadas Alexandre Despatie, who won the gold in the 3m Springboard and the bronzes in the 10m Platform and the 10m Platform synchronised diving, was equally enthusiastic. ?The venue is superb and everything went faultlessly?.

The 14th World Cup was also a Sport Event for the 2004 Olympics.

Among spectators at the finals were the US ambassador to Greece, Thomas Miller; and the Chinese ambassador in Athens, Zhenqi Tang.

[03] Weather Forecast: Warmer on Tuesday

Warmer, cloudy weather is forecast in all parts of the country with showers in the west, north and eastern Aegean islands. The mainland and Ionian Sea will be misty in the morning. Winds southerly, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea. Temperatures in Athens 8C to 16C and in Thessaloniki from 5C to 11C.

[04] Foreign Exchange Rates: Tuesday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.276

Pound sterling 0.678

Danish kroner 7.510

Swedish kroner 9.260

Japanese yen 137.6

Swiss franc 1.588

Norwegian kroner 8.893

Cyprus pound 0.590

Canadian dollar 1.703

Australian dollar 1.624

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