Athens News Agency: News in English, 01-08-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] Restored ancient site opened on Naxos

[02] Weather Forecast: Mainly sunny on Monday

[03] Return of zone restrictions for traffic in Athens centre

[04] Athletes make world appeal for peace, Olympic truce

[01] Restored ancient site opened on Naxos

A unique marble temple on the Aegean island of Naxos is to be declared open to the public on Sunday after a ceremony inaugurating the newly restored archaeological site and accompanying museum.

Situated in the picturesque valley of Gyroula near Sagri on Naxos, the 6th-century-BC site was used by ancient farmers to worship the gods of fertility, particularly the goddess Demeter.

The ceremony will be held on Sunday evening at 19:00, with Aegean Minister Nikos Sifounakis officiating.

The site's temple is unique in that it is made entirely of marble, of which more than 50 per cent was preserved on the site itself, with more sections scattered throughout the valley.

[02] Weather Forecast: Mainly sunny on Monday

Sunny weather is forecast throughout Greece on Monday morning, with cloud gathering over mainland Greece in the afternoon and possible showers or storms in the northern highlands. Winds north northeasterly, light to moderate in the west, strong to very strong in east and up to gale force in parts of the Aegean. On the northern mainland, temperatures will range from 16C to 33C; on the rest of the mainland and Ionian from 19C to 34C; and in the Aegean islands from 22C to 30C. Sunny in Athens with scattered cloud in the afternoon, winds northerly moderate to very strong, with temperatures between 23C and 33C. Same in Thessaloniki, with light to moderate winds and temperatures from 21C to 33C.

[03] Return of zone restrictions for traffic in Athens centre

Drivers will be obliged to observe the return of traffic ring restrictions if they decide to travel through downtown Athens on Monday, August 27.

From that day, cars will be banned from the inner traffic ring (whose limits are marked by signposts as one enters the city centre) based on number plates and the day of the month - with even number plates having access on even days and vice-versa.

The restrictions apply between the hours of 07:00 - 20:00 on Monday to Thursday and on Friday between the hours of 07:00 - 15:00. The measures do not apply on weekends.

On Monday, the centre will be open to cars with odd number plates.

[04] Athletes make world appeal for peace, Olympic truce

Olympic and world champions from Greece and the world gathered together on the tiny island of Aghios Achillios in Prespes, the lake district in northern Greece, to send out a message of world peace and support for the Olympic Truce.

World-class stars in the world of sports, such as high-jumper Stefka Konstantinova, Greek weight-lifting champions Akakios Kakiashvili and Pyrrhos Dimas, veteran javelin thrower Sofia Sakorafa and many others - including several champions of the Paralympics - took part in a spectacular evening for peace and the world truce held within the framework of the annual Prespes festival on Saturday.

"In a few months from today," the Olympic medal winners noted in joint resolution, "the great festival of the Winter Olympics begins in Salt Lake City.

"We hope and appeal to humanity that these Games will take place without a single person being killed on the earth as long as the athletes are competing."

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