Athens News Agency: News in English, 09-07-12

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

CONTENTS

[01] OSE work stoppages on Monday

[02] Police operation in makeshift migrants' camp in Patras port

[03] The Cretaquarium sea world park on Crete

[04] 'Abandon irredentism'

[05] Immigrants camp torn down

[01] OSE work stoppages on Monday

No domestic OSE itineraries of passenger or merchant trains will be carried out on Monday, while only the international routes will be operating normally, according to an announcement.

As for the Suburban railway (Proastiako), only five routes on the Piraeus-Kiato-Piraeus itinerary will be carried out, while there will also be reduced number of Proastiako routes on the Liossion-Airport line.

[02] Police operation in makeshift migrants' camp in Patras port

Patras Security Police officers entered the camp in the morning and began an inspection of the migrants' papers. A total of 44 minors were found, and were taken to hospitality facilities for underage youth, while 15 migrants who had legitimate documents were put up at a local hotel.

Another 15 migrants lacking travel documents were detained.

While the inspection was in progress, a fire broke out in the camp from reasons as yet unknown, and spread quickly due to combustible material, although propane canisters had been removed from the area.

A strong team of firefighters rushed to the scene and contained the blaze before it spread to nearby apartment buildings. The fire burned tens of makeshift shelters, but no injuries were reported.

At the same time, unidentified persons set fire to four state cars, ATMs and the entrance of a court building.

The inspection was later extended to the southern part of the port, where migrants from mostly African countries have established a makeshift camp. All migrants lacking legal travel documents were detained.

[03] The Cretaquarium sea world park on Crete

In addition to viewing the marine life in the aquariums, Cretaquarium has organised a number of activities targeting all age groups that are designed to offer visitors a very enjoyable day out and some new, unique experiences.

Among these is a workshop where participants can make their own clay models of marine organisms and then paint them, or even "invent" their own organisms and equip them with the tools they need to survive in a specific environment, or "enact" their imagined organism in a group setting. These workshops take place every day throughout the summer months (until September 11), between 10:00-12:00 and 16:00-19:00.

Alternatively, one can visit the specially designed 'touch pool' where visitors can observe and touch invertebrate marine species, feel the strange structures and adaptation of their bodies and experiment with touch. They also become acquainted with marine organisms within the aquarium, many of which are commonly found in Greek seas. Opening hours are 11:00-14:00 and 15:00-18:00 on all days of the week.

Visitors can also observe divers enter the larger aquariums for routine maintenance and thus get an opportunity to see how marine animals react to the presence of humans, especially when they are offered food. The divers enter the pools at 13:00-14:00 each day, except weekends and holidays. On some days, there are also special shows put on with divers in specific tanks.

One of the most impressive sights at Cretaquarium is the feeding of the animals, which are fed between 12:00-13:00 every day by the aquarium staff.

The Cretaquarium building is part of the Thalassocosmos complex, the largest research, technology and entertainment centre in the Mediterranean.Thalassocosmos extends over 6 hectares in the northwest shoreward section of the former American Base at Gournes, Heraklion Prefecture.

[04] 'Abandon irredentism'

Papoulias called on the FYROM leadership to 'finally manifest the necessary political volition" and to take part in the negotiations "with the required constructive spirit, without and ethnicist practices, to the benefit of the prosperity and progress of its citizens".

The President thanked the overseas Macedonians for the "strength and determination with which you defend not only the cause of Macedonia but also all the causes of our country", adding that "all you overseas Macedonians, and all the overseas Greeks, have actively proven your faith in Greece and in the power of Hellenism".

"We all share a common vision for our country's future and the future of the Balkans" for peace, prosperity, economic growth and cooperation in the framework of the United Europe," he added.

[05] Immigrants camp torn down

Patras Security Police officers entered the camp in the morning and began an inspection of the immigrants' papers. A total of 44 minors were found, and were taken to hospitality facilities for underage youth, while 15 migrants who had legitimate documents were put up at a local hotel.

Another 15 immigrants lacking travel documents were detained.

While the inspection was in progress, a fire broke out in the camp for reasons as yet unknown, and spread quickly due to the abundance of combustible materials, although propane canisters had been removed from the area.

A strong team of firefighters rushed to the scene and contained the blaze before it spread to nearby apartment buildings. The fire burned tens of makeshift shelters, but no injuries were reported.

At the same time, unidentified persons set fire to four state cars, ATMs and the entrance of a court building.

The inspection was later extended to the southern part of the port, where immigrants from mostly African countries have established a makeshift camp. All immigrants lacking legal travel documents were detained.

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