A telephone hotline linking the air force headquarters of Greece and Turkey began operating yesterday as the countries seek to put recent tension behind them. Authorities said that the heads of the air force bases in Larissa, central Greece, and Eskisehir, western Turkey, will now be able to directly communicate with each other in what is perceived as a trust-building measure between the two nations. Additionally, the moratorium for military flights over the Aegean came into effect yesterday.

Firefighters received more than 20 calls for help yesterday from homes in western and southern Athens that flooded during a storm which hit the city and central Greece. The heavy rainfall also caused traffic problems on the Athens-Corinth national highway for Athenians returning to the capital from weekend jaunts. Meteorologists said that they expect a drop in temperatures across the country today.

A 35-year-old man was found dead on a street in Aghia Varvara, western Athens, on Saturday, police said yesterday. The man, who was not identified, had apparently been stabbed to death. Police have launched an investigation.

Firefighters launched a campaign in Hania, Crete, on Saturday to inform local residents about how they can help prevent forest fires. Firefighter officials handed out two different types of pamphlets on main roads in a bid to help increase public sensitivity to the issue.

The Public Power Corporation (PPC) said on Saturday that it has managed to meet increased demand for energy across the country despite experiencing technical problems. PPC added that some blackouts have occurred, mostly in Athens and Thessaloniki, but were overcome quickly.

Residents in Crete yesterday staged a symbolic sit-in protest at the Palace of Knossos, south of Iraklion, as they called on the government to reclassify the archaeological sites surrounding the palace. The residents are calling for a zoning change which would allow them to develop properties that are affected by the classifications. The protest took place between 11 a.m. and noon.

A four-year-old boy who had allegedly been beaten viciously by his mother’s partner died on Friday night, doctors said on Saturday. The boy was hospitalized last Tuesday when doctors determined that the child had sustained serious head injuries and had bruises, bite marks and old cigarette burns all over his body. The boy’s mother, a 24-year-old ethnic Greek from Kazakhstan, and her partner, a 25-year-old ethnic Greek from Russia, have both been remanded in custody.

A performance by the popular US-based act Antony and the Johnsons scheduled for the Vrachon Theater in Athens last night was postponed for tomorrow evening, at the same venue, due to bad weather, the event’s organizers announced yesterday.