Hospital doctors are to join civil servants and private sector workers in tomorrow's 24-hour nationwide strike which has been called by the General Confederation of Greek Labor (GSEE) and the main civil servants' union (ADEDY). GSEE and ADEDY leaders are pressing for permanency for staff on short-term contracts while doctors are demanding outstanding pay from last year, salary rises and staff recruitment.

The Council of State's fourth section yesterday ruled that 15 Attica radio stations, including some which are highly popular, should have their licenses revoked, deeming as flawed the process by which they had been issued. The stations are En Lefko, Ciao, Diphono, Planet, Rythmos, Eva, Love, Profit, Lampsi, Athens Radio DJ, Sport FM, Alpha Sport, Athens Business Radio, Polis and Radio Sphaira. Also, the court deemed illegal the non-issuance of licenses to Piraiki Ekklisia, Radio Gold and Diva. Planet radio staff yesterday protested outside the National Broadcasting Council's offices (photo), demanding their August wages.

A parliamentary investigative committee probing multimillion-euro purchases made by the military under PASOK governments yesterday, in its inaugural session, decided to make public the minutes of its sessions on their completion. It is the first time that a parliamentary committee has voted to make public the proceedings of sessions, though classified documents are excepted.

Athens 2004 Organizing Committee President Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki and her husband, top businessman Theodoros Angelopoulos, yesterday testified before a prosecutor investigating an August blaze at the Attiko Alsos caused by fireworks set off at the couple's Filothei home during a party to celebrate the launch of the Olympics. According to sources, the couple described the fire as an «unfortunate incident.»

Police were yesterday seeking three young foreigners believed to be behind the fatal beating of a 46-year-old Greek near Vathis Square in central Athens. The body of Anastassios Bekris, found by passers-by shortly after 1 a.m., bore severe head and chest injuries, police said. According to witnesses, the attackers were probably Kurds or Pakistanis.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov yesterday frustrated Greek and Bulgarian hopes of getting Moscow's support for an oil pipeline linking the Black Sea port of Burgas to the Greek port of Alexandroupolis. Following talks in Sofia with Bulgarian PM Simeon Saxe-Coburg, Fradkov said he doubted whether the project would suit Russian interests.

Pipeline plans upset

A homemade explosive device, comprising four gas canisters bound together, caused minor damage, but no injuries, when it detonated outside a Post Office Savings Bank in the Athenian district of Vyronas at 3.30 a.m. yesterday.

Train services between Diakofto and Kalavryta, a scenic route in the northern Peloponnese, resumed yesterday after the completion of rail works, the Hellenic Railways Organization said.