Thousands of Athenians of all ages took part in yesterday's 8.5-kilometer Round of Athens run which started at the Panathenaic Stadium and culminated at Zappeio Hall. Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis, speaking before the run, conceded that it was not being staged «under the best circumstances» - an apparent reference to the tons of garbage on the streets of the capital.

A 12-year-old boy, who has been on artificial hearts for the past year as doctors sought to find him a transplant donor, died early yesterday. Surgeons at Athens's Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center were unable to save Dimitris Karitsas following the rupture of a valve connecting his heart to the artificial pump. Synaspismos Left coalition leader Alekos Alavanos urged Parliament to launch a public awareness campaign on the need for organ donation.

Twenty-four Turkish fighter jets and a military helicopter violated Greek air space in the northern and central Aegean six times yesterday, military sources in Athens said. Eight of the jets were photo-reconnaissance aircraft.