Athens News Agency: News in English, 03-10-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] Press minister presents report on Greece's image abroad

[02] Gov't spokesman says the sooner Iraq comes under UN auspices so much

[03] Parl't speaker sees elections in spring 2004 after meeting PM

[04] Shipping register shows net rise in vessels, tonnage

[05] International conference told genes determine possibilities of man in

[06] Athens, Piraeus hospital doctors on strike October 9-10

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, rainy on Thursday

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

[09] National Bank leads ASE to recovery on Wednesday

[01] Press minister presents report on Greece's image abroad

Greece is no longer a small, marginal force but is seen as a modern, European country, Press and Media Minister Christos Protopapas said on Wednesday as he presented a report on Greece's image in the foreign press during its European Union presidency.

The report was commissioned by the general secretary for communications, Dimitris Gerou.

Protopapas said that the prejudice and scepticism with which the foreign media had formerly treated issues pertaining to Greek society had largely disappeared, while noting that the country's ''visibility'' would become steadily more apparent as the 2004 Olympics in Athens approached.

He said that foreign news coverage of Greece, particularly that concerning preparations for the Olympics, would henceforth be systematically monitored, recorded and analysed by the same applied communications team at Athens University that prepared the report.

The press minister also noted that a positive image for the country depended on delicate and balanced handling of Greece's foreign and communications policy and called for intense efforts to upgrade the country overall.

The report was based on articles about Greece appearing in 32 foreign newspapers with proven influence on the international reading public in 19 countries that, apart from the United States and Russia, were either EU member-states or countries due to join the EU.

[02] Gov't spokesman says the sooner Iraq comes under UN auspices so much the better

Government spokesman Christos Protopapas, commenting on Turkey's decision to send 10,000 troops to Iraq, said on Wednesday the sooner Iraq comes under the auspices of the UN so much the better.

''The present situation in Iraq is leading nowhere. The sooner the country comes under the auspices of the UN so much the better for Iraq and for all of us,'' the spokesman said.

[03] Parl't speaker sees elections in spring 2004 after meeting PM

Parliament Speaker Apostolos Kaklamanis on Wednesday said that the next elections will definitely be held right at the end of the government's term in spring 2004, after a meeting with Prime Minister Costas Simitis to discuss Parliament's legislative work.

According to Kaklamanis, the bills and other legislative acts that were currently being prepared by the government made an earlier election date very unlikely.

Among these he cited the bill for the new electoral system, that is to be voted on before the Christmas break, the developmental bill and a bill for the 'statement of means' inspection procedure.

[04] Shipping register shows net rise in vessels, tonnage

The Greek shipping register in September gained 17 vessels and lost 10, posting a net gain of seven ships, the merchant marine ministry said on Wednesday.

The register acquired 907,803 gross registered tonnes and lost 167,553 gross registered tonnes, the ministry said in a statement.

[05] International conference told genes determine possibilities of man in sport

From the moment a person is born science will be able, in the near future, to determine whether he will be a possible Olympic Games medallist or world champion.

Consequently, genes determine the possibilities of man in sport, according to the 7th International Medical Conference on Sports Sciences taking place at a downtown Athens hotel on Wednesday.

According to Dr. John Holloszy, a professor of medicine at the universities of Washington and Saint Luis specialising in the effective training of athletes, the ''reading of genes'' will enable the deciphering of the capabilities of a newborn person.

''All our research lead to the fact that in a few years time we will recognise a champion from the time he is born. We will be able to find those genes which make someone run faster, make bigger jumps or become stronger,'' Holloszy said.

[06] Athens, Piraeus hospital doctors on strike October 9-10

Hospital doctors in Athens and Piraeus are to begin a 48-hour strike starting on Thursday.

In addition, doctors will refuse to handle regular duties in outpatients departments along with surgical work on October 13-15, their union said in a statement on Wednesday.

Another 48-hour strike is scheduled for October 16-17, the statement said.

Hospital doctors are seeking a rise in state spending on health, an increase in pay brackets, improved working schedules, payroll status for all practictioners, payment of legally ordained allowances, and classification of their profession as hazardous to health.

[07] Weather Forecast: Cloudy, rainy on Thursday

All parts of the country will be cloudy, turning to showers and isolated storms in many areas. The weather will soon brighten up, except in Macedonia. Winds variable, moderate to strong, turning very strong at sea. In the north, temperatures will range from 6C to 18C; on the rest of the mainland from 10C to 25C; and in the Aegean islands from 16C to 24C. Temperatures in Athens between 12C and 25C; and in Thessaloniki from 10C to 18C.

[08] Foreign Exchange Rates: Thursday

Reference buying rates per euro released by the European Central Bank

U.S. dollar 1.187

Pound sterling 0.713

Danish kroner 7.488

Swedish kroner 9.056

Japanese yen 130.3

Swiss franc 1.561

Norwegian kroner 8.278

Cyprus pound 0.589

Canadian dollar 1.580

Australian dollar 1.717

[09] National Bank leads ASE to recovery on Wednesday

Greek stocks recovered spectacularly on Wednesday following a rebound in National Bank's share price above the 18 euros level in the Athens Stock Exchange.

The general index ended 1.42 percent higher at 2,123.22 points with turnover an improved 171.9 million euros.

All sector indices ended higher with the exception of the Textile sector which ended 0.10 percent down. The Insurance (4.38 percent), Publications (2.66 percent) and Construction (2.39 percent) sectors scored the biggest percentage gains of the day.

The FTSE/ASE 20 index for blue chip and heavy traded stocks rose 1.30 percent, the FTSE/ASE MID 40 index jumped 2.12 percent and the FTSE/ASE SmallCap 80 index rose 1.72 percent.

Broadly, advancers led decliners by 281 to 42 with another 37 issues unchanged.

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