From Monday, commuters will be able to catch the metro from the stations at Kantza and Koropi, east of Athens, the Transport Ministry said yesterday. Currently only the Proastiakos suburban railway stops at the stations but the ministry said the necessary changes have been made to the platforms so that metro trains can also stop there. Passengers will have to pay 6 euros for a ticket to take the metro toward Athens or the airport.

The Greek Association of Blood Donors (GABD) yesterday asked people to give blood before they go on their summer vacation. The association said it was making the appeal because blood banks usually run low during the summer, when it is hard to get hold of donors. GABD said that donors should visit their nearest hospital before leaving on vacation and people wanting to become members of the association should call 210.52.47.061 or 210.52.32.821.

PRO-PO betting shops are likely to be closed tomorrow, the day of the soccer World Cup final, because owners said they will be striking to protest the size of the 2 percent commission which they make from the bets placed at their stores. Betting shop owners also want equipment supplied to them by operator OPAP to be updated. OPAP insisted that all of its 5,500 outlets around Greece would be operating as normal on what is expected to be a bumper day for soccer betting, but did not make clear how this would happen.

Police have arrested two suspected drug dealers who allegedly sold large amounts of illegal substances in Palaio Faliron, southern Athens, officers said yesterday. The two men, both foreign nationals, had 200 grams of cocaine in their possession as well as 1,000 euros, as they were caught just after selling drugs to addicts, police said.

Coast guards picked up 16 people off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Samos yesterday as they were trying to sail to the island. The illegal migrants -13 from Afghanistan, two from Syria and one from Lebanon - were immediately taken to the island's hospital for medical checks and then to a reception center. The human traffickers who had brought them to Samos evaded arrest, the coast guard said. Meanwhile, coast guard officers detained two men off the coast of the Ionian island of Corfu yesterday. The two men, both Albanians, had been trying to illegally sail to the island in a rubber dinghy.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Athenians will be able to visit Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior ship, which will be docked at Zea Marina in Piraeus. The 40-meter ship, used as a support vessel in Greenpeace protest activities, will be open to the public between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Three armed men held up a taverna in Nea Ionia, northern Athens, early yesterday, police said. The men, whose faces were covered with hoods, made off with more 4,000 euros, police added.

A 35-year-old woman was killed in Aghioi Anargyroi, western Athens, yesterday when the motorcycle she was riding crashed into a wall, according to police. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors confirmed her death.

Port authorities arrested a 30-year-old man in Lavrion yesterday who was found to be in possession of 29 grams of cannabis. Separately, Patras port officials arrested a 20-year-old man for possessing small quantities of cannabis.