Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-11-09

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday

[02] Greek Press Review

[01] Athens Classic Marathon on Sunday

The finish in the men's race was particularly sensational, with three athletes coming in with a time of less than 2:13:00 for the first time in its history and the winner decided literally at the finish line by a matter of seconds.

The race also doubled up as the Greek national championship, with 39-year-old Georgia Abatzidou finishing third overall in the women's race and becoming Greek champion for the sixth time in her career, with a time that allows her to vie for the world championship. The Greek title for the men was won by George Karavidas of AEK for the second consecutive year.

Held at the same time as the Marathon race in the city were 10-kilometre and 5-kilometre races for men and women that started and finished at the Panathenian Stadium in central Athens.

Marathon runner dies of heart attack

The 2008 did not escape a note of tragedy, however, when a 60-year-old runner taking part in the 10-kilometre run suddenly collapsed and died of a heart attack during the race. The unlucky man was identified as Dimitris Nikolaidis and collapsed on Mesogeion Avenue, very near the Errikos Dunant Hospital where he was immediately taken.

Despite the doctors' best efforts, however, the unlucky man was unable to recover and died shortly afterward.

Another accident involving a runner also occurred nearby, when one of the participants suffered broken bones as a result of a fall.

Caption: ANA-MPA file photograph of runner in 24th Classic Athens Marathon

[02] Greek Press Review

The spat between banks and the government over the 28-billion-euro 'rescue' package and an MRB opinion poll dominated headlines in the Athens press on Sunday.

ADESMEFTOS TYPOS: "New price hike 'up in the air'. We are heading for a January reduction, not an increase in electricity rates" [Claims development minister has vetoed planned rate increases by the Public Power Corporation].

APOGEVMATINI: "Ministers should be equal with citizens before the law". [Cites interview with Justice Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis on recent scandals]

AVGHI: "Half a million workers to get no raise in 2008".

AVRIANI: "Trepekli's accounts opened in America." Runs story on investigation into George Trepeklis.

CHORA: "Big Brother for unauthorised development".

ELEFTHERI ORA: "Let the people decide the divorce of Church and State."

ELEFTHEROS TYPOS: "Terror is here! 'Bleak' future seen by nine in 10 Greeks".

ELEFTHEROTYPIA: "Far West banking. Cost of credit cards above 23 percent."

ETHNOS: "Freefall for [ruling] New Democracy and [Prime Minister Costas] Karamanlis".

KATHIMERINI: "The world with Barack Obama".

LOGOS: "The government... in danger from bankers".

NIKI: "Government throws in the towel".

PARON: "Karamanlis or the bankers? Who's in charge, finally?"

PROTO THEMA: "Unfeeling bankers, incompetent government".

RIZOSPASTIS: "To the anti-worker handling of the economic crisis: 'Strong class movement and popular alliance for a counterattack".

TO ARTHRO: "Newly minted 'pimps'. Big bankers and the extortionist dilemmas."

TO VIMA: "Global 'New Deal' for exiting the crisis. Markets not reacting to constant [cash] injections".

VRADYNI: "Real estate: the slide gives rise to opportunities. Areas with the biggest reductions".

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