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Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English, 16-08-10Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>Wednesday, 10 August 2016 Issue No: 5225CONTENTS
[01] Bill on simplifying business licensing posted for public consultationThe economy ministry posted on Tuesday a draft bill which aims at simplifying the licensing procedure followed by businesses in Greece, which will be tabled in parliament in September.The law will be the guide for all economic activity but initially, the first sectors to be included, will be the manufacturing of food and beverage, restaurants and cafes and activities relating to the operation of tourist accommodation. The ministry called on all social partners and interested parties to post their comments and observations on the bill to improve its provisions. The deadline for reading and commenting is August 29, at 14:00 (local). It also said the government will continue by implementing a major IT project for an online licensing procedure that will be completed by 2018 and will then draft laws for a new regulating system that will focus on the operating phase of businesses. Those interested may find the bill on the following website: http://www.opengov.gr/ypoian/?p=7653 [02] The gov't will not relax its efforts against tax evasion, says Alt. FinMin AlexiadisAlternate Finance Minister Tryfon Alexiadis send a message that the government will not compromise or relax our effort against tax evasion, smuggling and corruption, speaking to AMNA radio "Praktoreio 104.9 FM" on Tuesday."Corruption, tax evasion and smuggling always seek new ways to continue what they have started in the previous years but there is strong political volition to clash with these phaenomena and what you are experiencing recently is only the tip of the iceberg". He underlined that "the citizens must ask for receipts and to complain". [03] ND leader: 'Greek society demands security and prospects'New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis accused Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of not taking public safety seriously, saying SYRIZA's "ideological obsessions" dictate public policy. The statement follows an armed bank robbery in Ambelokipi earlier on Tuesday.Mitsotakis said his party stressed repeatedly the importance of public security and civil protection by repeatedly reproaching the prime minister and demanding that he addresses this issue with the necessary responsibility and effectiveness. "Both him [Tsipras] and his government felt uneasy and trapped in the ideological obsessions of the deep SYRIZA, which, particularly on the issue of public order and safety, appears to be imposing its views," Mitsotakis said. "But the more they 'wink' to anti-establishment groups and squatters, the longer the chain of violence and acts of lawlessness and desecration gets. Greek society demands security and prospects," he added, noting that the prime minister and SYRIZA cannot guarantee any of these public goods. [04] Public safety is guaranteed daily by state institutions, says PM's officeThe safety of Greek citizens is guaranteed daily by the institutions of the state and democracy, the prime minister's office said on Tuesday, in response to criticism leveled against Alexis Tsipras by the leader of the main opposition, Kyriakos Mitsotakis."Feeling uneasy with the government's initiatives concerning institutions, the economy and the welfare state, Mr. Mitsotakis follows the known but failed recipe of 'Law and Order', a known and consistent political policy of the [Antonis] Samaras government in economy and propaganda," Maximos Mansion said. "When you have a failed program, you count on 'security'," it added. Financial News [05] Greek stocks end slightly higherGreek stocks edged higher in the Athens Stock Exchange on Tuesday following a trading session with minor fluctuations, as the majority of investors remaining outside the market. This was recorded in the particularly low turnover, which was the second lowest for 2016.The composite index of the market rose 0.36 percent to end at 562.40 points. Turnover totaled a mere 17.080 million euros in a volume of 23,427,721 shares. The Large Cap index rose 0.48 percent while the Mid Cap index ended 1.05 percent lower. Mytilineos (2.87 pct), TERNA Energy (2.66 pct) and National Bank of Greece (2.23pct) were top gainers among blue chip stocks, while Eurobank (3.16 pct), Hellenic Exchanges (0.95 pct) and Viohalco (0.79 pct) recorded the heaviest percentage losses of the day. Raw Materials (2.87 pct), Chemicals (1.37 pct), Telecommunications and Utilities (both 1.19 pct) scored gains while Financial Services (1.39 pct) suffered loses. Broadly, advancers led decliners by 52 to 30, with another 16 issues unchanged. ANEK (17.91 pct), Alpha Astika Akinita (16.78 pct) and G.E Dimitriou (14.29 pct) were top gainers, while Revoil (29.84 pct), Nexans (18.82 pct) and SATO (11.76 pct) were top losers. [06] ADEX closing reportThe August contract on the FTSE/ASE Large Cap index was trading at a marginal discount of 0.07 percent in the Athens Derivatives Exchange on Tuesday. The FTSE/ASE Large Cap index closed at 1,494.82 points, registering profits of 0.48 percent.Volume on the Large Cap index totaled 470 contracts with 5,344 open positions in the market. Volume in futures contracts on equities totaled 8,186 contracts with investment interest focusing on Piraeus Bank's contracts (2,815) followed by National Bank (2,588), Eurobank (2,208), Alpha Bank (1,675), MIG (427), OPAP (226), GEK (139), OTE (113), Ellaktor (80), PPC (26), Mytilineos (25), METKA (14), Motor Oil (10), Viohalco (4) and Hellenic Petroleum (2). General News [07] Gun-wielding masked men hold 13 hostages in Piraeus Bank before escaping with lootFour masked armed robbers held eight bank employees and five customers hostages for two hours on Tuesday while they emptied the cash registers and vault of a Piraeus Bank branch in Ambelokipi, central Athens.According to an initial police estimate, the four perpetrators stole about 60,000 euros in cash and unknown content from 21 deposit boxes they managed to crack open in the roughly two hours they spent in the bank. Police is looking at CCTV footage to piece together the movements of the armed men. They said the suspects entered in pairs at the branch on Kifisias Avenue shortly after 14:00 (local time) and used what appear to be rifles to hold up employees and customers. They wore silicon masks with fake faces which were not of politicians, as some media reported. They then forced bank employees to take them to the vault in the basement, opened it using drills and other tools they carried in their sacks and removed the content from 21 deposit boxes. They also emptied cash from the cashier registers on the main floor. Before leaving, the robbers threw disinfectant liquid, presumably to eliminate genetic material and other traces. They left the bank at about 16:00 and employees notified police who are now on site investigating the incident. Police is puzzled that nobody outside the bank branch noticed anything was wrong saying employees and customers received phone calls on their mobiles but didn't respond. [08] Corfu's Barcarolle to offer unique moments to visitors on Wednesday nightThe Barcarolle, a spectacular celebration-festival will be held in the waters of the Ionian Sea in Faliraki bay of the town of Corfu. The event commemorates the miracle of Saint Spyridon, as the locals believe that it was the saint who saved the island from a Turkish siege on August 11th, 1716.The event is held every year and on the closest Saturday to August 11th. A parade of boats will sail along the bay while local bands will play Corfu's music and dancers will present local dancing. At the end a boat will be set on fire and fireworks will explode in the sky of Corfu town to commemorate the burning of the Turkish fleet during the 17th century siege. The party will continue on the beach until dawn. [09] 57 wildfires reported throughout Greece in the last 24hTwo wildfires that broke out early Tuesday near the town of Karystos and Kymi on Evia are under control.57 wildfires in forest areas throughout Greece were reported in the last 24 hours that were all contained. The strong winds blowing throughout the country increase the danger of fire and the Fire Brigade recommended citizens to be very careful. [10] German tourist rescued in Crete after suffering trekking injuryA special rescue unit of the fire department located on Tuesday afternoon a German tourist who was injured while trekking in the mountainous area of Sfakia, southwestern Crete.The 55-year-old man suffered a fracture while trekking at the E4 European long distance path and alerted authorities that he wasn't able to move. A unit from Vrysses located him at an altitude of 700 kilometers and transferred him at a safe area where an ambulance could pick him up. He is being treated at the local hospital. [11] Lesvos police finds 16.8 kilos of heroin in car, customs offices on alertGreek customs offices are on alert after police in Lesvos found 16.8 kilos of heroin hidden in a car that arrived from Turkey, the general secretariat for public revenues said on Tuesday.During a routine check at Lesvos customs, a police dog sniffed 33 packages of the drug covered in plastic inside the truck of the car which was driven by a Greek national. The island's Chemical Service confirmed the substance was heroin weighing 16.8 kilos. The driver was led before the prosecutor in Lesvos for violating laws on drugs. [12] 57,016 identified migrants and refugees in Greece on Tuesday57,016 identified refugees and migrants were on the Greek territory on Tuesday while 76 arrivals were reported in the last 24 hours.According to the Refugee Crisis Management Coordination Body's figures, 21,836 of the refugees are in northern Greece, 9,874 are hosted in the region of Attica and 2,748 are hosted in facilities of central and southern Greece. 7,518 refugees and migrants are hosted in several facilities rented by the UNHCR, 2,849 in non-organised facilities 2,200 persons are living outside organised facilities. 9,991 refugees and migrants were recorded on the eastern Aegean islands. Olympic Games [13] Shooter Anna Korakaki wins first gold for Greece in RioShooter Anna Korakaki won the first gold medal for Greece in women's 25-meter pistol on Tuesday evening, in a nail-biting event in Rio's Olympic Games, with 8 points versus 6 for her opponent, Germany's Monika Karsch.It is the second medal for the 20-year-old champion from the northern city of Drama, who also won bronze in the 10-meter air pistol final earlier in the Games. She is the first Greek athlete in more than a century to win two medals in the same Olympics, since Konstantinos Tsiklitiras won gold and bronze for standing long and high jump in the 1912 Games in Stockholm. It is also the first gold medal for Greece in 12 years, as both in Beijing (2008) and in London (2012) the country's athletes won silver and bronze. Switzerland's Heidi Diethelm Gerber won the bronze after winning China's Zhang Jingjing with 8-4. [14] Rowing team Asoumaki-Nikolaidou qualify to Rio's finalsAnastasia Asoumanaki and Katerina Nikolaidou advanced to the finals of the women's double sculls in the Rio Olympics on Tuesday, after qualifying first in the semi-final race with a time of 6:51:99.The Greek team will claim a second Olympic medal for women's rowing after the bronze won by Christina Yiazitzidou and Alexandra Tsiavou in the women's lightweight double sculls in London's Olympics. The final is scheduled on Thursday (August 11), at 16:10 (Brazil time). [15] Men's rowing team also qualifies for Rio's finalsA second Greek rowing team made it to the finals in Rio's Olympics on Tuesday, after Stefanos Douskos, Spyros Giannaros, Yiannis Petrou and Panagiotis Magdanis finished third place in men's lightweight four.The team was competing at the second semi-final and achieved a time of 6:23:95. The finals are scheduled at Thursday (August 11) at 16:44 (Brazil time). Weather forecast [16] Mostly fair on WednesdayMostly fair weather and northerly winds are forecast for Wednesday. Wind velocity will reach 5 on the Beaufort scale. Local clouds in the afternoon in the northern and the western parts of the country with temperatures ranging from 2C to 36C. Mostly fair in the eastern parts with temperatures between 20C and 36C. Fair over the Aegean islands and Crete, 23C-35C. Sunny in Athens, 24C-34C. Mostly fair in Thessaloniki, 21C- 33C.[17] The Tuesday edition of Athens' dailies at a glanceAVGHI: Blow against 'POS' mafia.DIMOKRATIA: New tax on real estate. EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Tax evasion ring dismantled. ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: Pensioners shocked by the cuts supplementary pensions. ESTIA: Overdue and outstanding debts to PPC reach 3 bln euros. ETHNOS: Huge trick with the 'tapped' POS. IMERISSIA: Double vertigo- Ministers contradictory views blurs the privatisations landscape. KATHMERINI: Between Church and extremists. NAFTEMPORIKI: Blind spots in the transactions. RIZOSPASTIS: All together to the rally on Tuesday against NATO and Greece' involvement. TA NEA: Cassocks, firebombs and torched vehicles. 36, TSOCHA ST. ATHENS 115 21 GREECE * TEL: 210 64.00.560-63 * FAX: 210 64.00.581-2 INTERNET ADDRESS: http://www.ana.gr * e-mail: anabul@ana gr * GENERAL DIRECTOR: MICHALIS PSILOS Athens News Agency: Daily News Bulletin in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |