Heavy traffic is expected on roads out of the capital today and tomorrow as Athenians take advantage of Monday’s public holiday and the culmination of the Carnival season. Traffic problems are likely to be aggravated by a protest rally due to begin at 11 a.m. at the Afidnes toll gates on the Athens-Lamia national road. The rally is being held by residents of northeastern Attica who object to plans to create a landfill in their area. Carnival celebrations are planned for many cities, including Preveza, with the main focus on Patras, where 35,000 performers are due to take to the streets tomorrow.

A moderate undersea quake, measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale, shook the capital at 12.30 p.m. yesterday but caused no injuries or damage. The quake’s epicenter was off the port of Rafina, around 25 kilometers east of the capital. Seismologists described the tremor as an “isolated incident” and said there was no cause for concern. There was a second, 3.5-Richter tremor in the evening.

Parliament yesterday approved legislation establishing the Organization for the Recognition of Academic Degrees and Information (OATAP) to replace the much-criticized DIKATSA committee. The new organization will issue decisions within a specific time-frame, maintain an official list of foreign universities deemed equivalent to Greek ones, and recognize new forms of university study such as the Open University, according to the Education Ministry.

A total of 44 schools across the country are to be demolished after inspections determined that they had been constructed using asbestos, a material that can cause cancer, the Education Ministry said yesterday. In all cases, teachers and pupils will be transferred to new buildings, according to the ministry, which said all demolition work is due to be completed within 12 months. Another 237 schools across the country will be partially rebuilt.

The president of the state-controlled gaming and betting company (OPAP), Anestis Philippidis, resigned yesterday, just a few days after publicly declaring his belief that Greek soccer matches are being fixed. Later yesterday, OPAP issued a statement saying it had no information indicating that Greek soccer matches had been thrown.

OPAP chairman resigns days after hinting at fixed games

A group of 10 alleged fraudsters used dud checks to buy 600,000 euros’ worth of goods that they subsequently sold on, financial crime squad officers in Thessaloniki said yesterday. The ring had been operating in the city since January 2003, according to police who said the 10 alleged members faced fraud charges. Some 10,183 dud checks were used last month all over the country, an 82.75 percent increase from February 2004, the credit information services firm Teiresias said yesterday.

Three illegal immigrants are believed to have fatally strangled a 21-year-old Syrian man in the central Athenian district of Omonia on the night of February 22, police said yesterday after arresting one of the men. The suspects, aged 25, 27, and 30, allegedly killed Ali Tzamo before fleeing with 270 euros as well as the victim’s mobile phone, coat, ring and bag.