The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 04-01-16

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Delegates prepare for World Social Forum in Bombay

Organizers of the World Social Forum - billed as the worlds biggest anti-globalization summit - chose Bombay when they decided to move the event to Asia in 2004 from Porto Alegre, Brazil. «This is the city where we face the toughest challenges in terms of globalization,» organizer Gautam Mody told The Associated Press. Since Bombay is Indias financial capital, «we thought it would be more appropriate to raise the voice of resistance in the lions den,» said W.R. Varada Rajan, secretary of the 3.2 million-member Center of Indian Trade Unions. Delegates were gathering in Bombay today for the forum. Thousands of small factories have closed over two decades, and the labor movement has weakened in this bustling city of 12 million. Unemployed Bombay natives now compete for jobs with tens of thousands of migrants in the shantytowns, away from a beautiful seafront dotted with skyscrapers and British colonial architecture. Bombay «has borne the brunt of ... Indias so-called liberalization policies,» World Social Forum organizers said in a statement.

[02] US to ask UN to send fact-finding team to Iraq

The United States intends to ask U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to send a fact-finding team to Iraq to convince Shiites that direct elections are unfeasible or to suggest a workable compromise. The request is expected to be made by Paul Bremer at a crucial meeting in New York on Monday with Annan and members of the U.S.-selected Iraqi Governing Council during an effort to get the United Nations back into Baghdad.

Meanwhile, faced with objections from Iraqs most powerful Muslim cleric, the White House said today it may agree to some changes but would stick to its plans for handing over political power to Iraqis by July 1 without first holding elections.

[03] Counter-terror groups discuss possible targets at the Hague

The view that the Olympic Games in Athens may comprise a target of terrorism activities by anarchist groups was expressed the leaders of counter-terrorism services who met in the Hague to discuss the increase of terrorist attacks in European cities.

The leaders of the counter-terrorism services of Italy, Spain, Holland, Germany, Belgium, Great Britain and Greece met in order to exchange information and views about the latest wave of attacks in Italy and other European cities over the past few months.

[04] Justice Minister Floridis' contacts in the U.S.

The security of the Olympic Games is the top priority for the Greek government, stated Minister of Public Order Giorgos Floridis, after his meeting with US National Security Consultant Contoleezza Rice. Mr. Floridis added that cooperation with the United States is exceptional and underlined the U.S. is completely satisfied over the course of the Olympics preparations.

Mr. Floridis contacts also include meetings with U.S secretary of Justice, John Ashcroft, CIA director, George Tenet, deputy secretary of state, Richard Armitage and the State Department coordinator for terrorism issues.

[05] ND's central electoral committee meets to map out strategies

New Democracys pre-election tactics were tabled during the partys central electoral committee meeting that was presided by party leader, Kostas Karamanlis. The New Democracy leader spoke about his partys lead in the polls and underlined that his government will be obligated to be successful for the young generation, isolated citizens and for the essential meaning of democracy.

[06] Papandreou visits citizens advocate group

Pasok party presidential candidate, Giorgos Papandreou described today the most significant changes according to his model of governance following his visit to the offices of the citizens advocate group in Athens.

Mr. Papandreou announced he supports a reduction in the number of ministries, regional decentralization and strengthening the effectiveness of local administration. Tomorrow and Sunday, Mr. Papandreou will be touring the prefecture of Thrace.

[07] PM Simitis in Heraklion Crete

From Heraklion Crete today, Prime Minister Simitis expressed his certainty that Pasok would win the March 7th national elections. Mr. Simitis spoke about the dilemma faced by citizens who will have to choose between a specific government program and the generalities being proposed by the New Democracy party.

[08] Two new polls show narrowing ND lead, Papandreou leads as preferred leader

An opinion poll carried out by Metron Analysis for Ta Nea showed the difference between the governing Pasok party and conservative New Democracy has decreased to 2.5%, while in the OPINION poll for the Eleftherotypia newspaper, the difference is 3%. The conservatives were lead the Pasok party with 40.1 percent of all voters versus PASOKs 37.6 percent.

The leadership change in Pasok has more than halved the lead held by the opposition conservatives in the run-up to the March 7th general election according to the two polls.

The polls also showed Foreign Minister George Papandreou, who is set to replace Prime Minister Costas Simitis as head of the PASOK party, had overtaken opposition New Democracy Party leader Costas Karamanlis as voters preferred leader.

The Metron Analysis poll also showed the distance between the two parties has significantly decreased in victory probability as well, with ND concentrating 45% and PASOK 38.1%.

[09] Weather Forecast

The weather will be overcast but pleasant in all parts of the country with a slight increase in temperatures and a possibility of rain in western Greece and Macedonia. Winds southwesterly, light to moderate. Temperatures in Athens will range between 6-15 C and in Thessaloniki from 0-10 C.

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