Browse through our Interesting Nodes on Education in Cyprus Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923) Read the Convention Relating to the Regime of the Straits (24 July 1923)
HR-Net - Hellenic Resources Network Compact version
Today's Suggestion
Read The "Macedonian Question" (by Maria Nystazopoulou-Pelekidou)
HomeAbout HR-NetNewsWeb SitesDocumentsOnline HelpUsage InformationContact us
Friday, 29 March 2024
 
News
  Latest News (All)
     From Greece
     From Cyprus
     From Europe
     From Balkans
     From Turkey
     From USA
  Announcements
  World Press
  News Archives
Web Sites
  Hosted
  Mirrored
  Interesting Nodes
Documents
  Special Topics
  Treaties, Conventions
  Constitutions
  U.S. Agencies
  Cyprus Problem
  Other
Services
  Personal NewsPaper
  Greek Fonts
  Tools
  F.A.Q.
 

Athens News Agency: News in English, 00-12-22

Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

  • [01] Italian Mafia-Prudentino-Arrest
  • [02] Greece-Turkey-EU-Funding
  • [03] Greek President-Expatriate Greeks-Message
  • [04] Foreign Exchange Rates-Monday
  • [05] Weather Forecast-Saturday
  • [06] (copy) Patriarch Diodoros - funeral

  • [01] Italian Mafia-Prudentino-Arrest

    22/12/2000 23:01:48

    Greek police on Friday afternoon arrested leading Italian mafia member Francesco Prudentino, 52, while he was shopping in a supermarket in the district of Ano Toumba in Thessaloniki, northern Greece.

    Italian police believe Prudentino to be a leading member of the Sacra Corona Unita mafia which is responsible for murders, extortions, gunrunning, cigarette smuggling and other criminal acts and is active in southern Italy and primarily in the cities of Brindisi and Lecce.

    He did not reveal where he stayed in Thessaloniki, nor his activities in Greece. He is being held in custody at the Thessaloniki police headquarters, while processes for his extradition to Italy have already been activated. He will be brought before prosecuting authorities on Saturday. Police found and confiscated 3,500 German marks and 343,000 drachmas on him.

    Prudentino had been sought in various parts of Greece over the past six months, following information provided by the Italian authorities that he was hiding in Greece and continuing his criminal activities.

    Interpol had issued a red notice against Prudentino, which is usually issued for internationally dangerous wanted criminals, while an arrest warrant issued against him by judicial authorities in the city of Lecce is still pending against him since 1995 for numerous criminal acts.

    According to reports, Prudentino recently moved to Greece from Montenegro, which is considered a crossroads for many cigarette smuggling operations.

    [02] Greece-Turkey-EU-Funding

    22/12/2000 21:27:55

    BRUSSELS (ANA - B. Demiris) - The 15 European Union ministers of telecommunications postponed the approval of a 135-million euro support package to Turkey after Greeces objections.

    The decision was to be taken without discussion, but following Greeces objection the French presidency proposed that the approval be postponed until the next meeting of the ministers.

    European Union grants to Turkey caused criticism as they coincided with the recent events in Turkish prisons, where many inmates lost their lives protesting changes in prison facilities.

    [03] Greek President-Expatriate Greeks-Message

    22/12/2000 20:49:48

    President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos on Friday addressed a message to expatriate Greeks on the occasion of the Christmas and New Year holidays.

    ?I would like to express my warmest wishes and the deepest feelings of love of all the Greek people for our expatriate brethren,? Stephanopoulos said.

    ?We watch with satisfaction your progress and prosperity in various sectors of your new homelands around the world with your ever lively national identity and love for Greece,? he noted.

    The Greek president, finally, wished Greeks abroad a "merry Christmas, a happy New Year, good health, prosperity and happiness?.

    [04] Foreign Exchange Rates-Monday

    22/12/2000 19:14:42

    Indicative rates released by the central bank for the next working day.

    Monday's rates (buying)

    Euro 338.024

    U.S. dollar 366.594

    German mark 172.829

    French franc 051.531

    Pound sterling 542.862

    Irish punt 429.202

    Belgian franc 008.379

    Luxembourg franc 008.379

    Dutch guilder 153.389

    Italian lira (100) 017.457

    Austrian schilling 024.565

    Danish kroner 045.315

    Swedish kroner 038.625

    Finnish mark 056.852

    Spanish peseta 002.032

    Portuguese escudo 001.686

    Japanese yen (100) 326.715

    Swiss franc 221.851

    Norwegian kroner 041.247

    Cyprus pound 589.744

    Canadian dollar 241.155

    Australian dollar 204.099

    [05] Weather Forecast-Saturday

    22/12/2000 19:04:32

    Snow is forecast in northern and central Greece on Saturday with heavy rain and storms in the south. The bad weather will ease off late in the day. Winds northeasterly, very strong to gale force. In the north, temperatures will range from -6C to 4C; on the rest of the mainland from -3C to 8C; and in the islands from 1C to 9C. Sleet or snow in Athens, with heavy snowfall on mountains around the city. Temperatures between 2C and 3C. Snow in Thessaloniki in the morning with temperatures from -1C to 4C.

    [06] (copy) Patriarch Diodoros - funeral

    22/12/2000 17:35:14

    JERUSALEM (ANA - M. Papoutsaki) - Patriarch Diodoros of Jerusalem has been laid to rest in the city's Mount of Olives, as he requested, alongside his predecessors Patriarchs Benedictos and Timotheos.

    The funeral service was held at the monastery of St. Constantine on Friday afternoon, and immediately afterward there was a procession through the narrow streets of the Jerusalem to the Patriarch's final resting place.

    Dozens of wreaths sent by Patriarchates, Orthodox and other Christian Churches had been sent to the St. Constantine's since early in the morning. A wreath was also sent by President of the Republic Kostis Stephanopoulos.

    Attending the service were Alexandria Patriarch Petros, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos, representatives from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Catholic Church, the Mormons, the Armenian Church and others.

    Representing the Greek government was Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoris Niotis at the head of a Greek Parliament delegation consisting of Evangelia Schinaraki (PASOK), Eleftherios Papanikolaou (ND) and Nikolaos Gatzis (KKE).

    Speaking during the funeral orations, Niotis said the Greek government would watch the elections for a new Patriarch with interest and urged the Jerusalem clergy to choose someone who would continue the Patriarchate's traditions "with burning zeal for its Greek Orthodox character."

    Archbishop Christodoulos referred to the character and work of the late Patriarch, and said that he left at a crucial time for the fate of the Holy City and the fates of the Holy Sepulchre's brotherhood. "Our prayer and our wish is that a worthy successor is elected that is inspired by feelings of Hellenocentricity and will continue the 1700-year presence of Greeks in the region," he added.

    The Jerusalem Patriarchate's Holy Synod is scheduled to convene on Monday to set the succession process in motion.


    Athens News Agency: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article
    Back to Top
    Copyright © 1995-2023 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network). An HRI Project.
    All Rights Reserved.

    HTML by the HR-Net Group / Hellenic Resources Institute, Inc.
    ana2html v2.01 run on Friday, 22 December 2000 - 21:30:33 UTC