Athens Olympic venues cut

The organisers of the Athens Olympic Games - which are due to take place in 2004 - have decided to cut the number of venues, saying this will save much needed time and money.

The decision comes after the latest inspection by the International Olympic Committee, which has repeatedly expressed concern over delays.

The IOC has previously warned the Greek authorities that Athens was in danger of losing the games if it could not complete the preparations in time.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service