Archbishop Christodoulos yesterday called on the government to take advantage of its six months at the helm of the European Union to “leave its distinct stamp” on Europe by reinforcing Christian values and promoting the more widespread study of classical Greek and Latin in schools and universities. In a letter to PM Costas Simitis, Christodoulos wished him luck in his task of “successfully coordinating the work of EU officials” but also appealed for measures to highlight the value of the family, proposing the reunification of families of immigrants living legally in the EU.

A 20-year-old Albanian woman drowned yesterday when a car, in which she was traveling with another six Albanian nationals, was swept off the Cretan harbor of Kissamos by a large wave. Rescue workers managed to save four of the passengers, who had climbed onto the roof of the sinking car, but two children — aged 12 and 8 — had disappeared in the rough sea amid winds measuring 10 on the Beaufort scale. The body of the driver’s wife, Diana Yianina, was recovered.

Athens 2004 organizing committee president Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki testified about 10 days ago to a prosecutor in connection with the alleged blackmail of businessmen by extreme right-wing publisher Grigoris Michalopoulos, the Athens News Agency reported yesterday. Michalopoulos is alleged to have taken money from leading industrialists on the pretext of removing them from the hit list of terror group November 17. Angelopoulos-Daskalaki was summoned to testify a few days after her husband, businessman Theodoros Angelopoulos, whose uncle Dimitris was allegedly approached by Michalopoulos but who was killed by N17 in 1986.

Defense Minister Yiannos Papantoniou starts a two-day official visit to Algeria today where he is to meet his counterpart, and the country’s president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika. Possibilities for bilateral cooperation in the defense and technical sectors are to be discussed. Also on the agenda of talks are the Mediterranean dimension of the European Security and Defense Policy, the stance of the EU on a possible war in Iraq and the situation in the Middle East.

Lawyers representing 19 jailed November 17 suspects yesterday requested more freedom in communicating with their clients in a petition delivered to a Piraeus prosecutor, Evangelos Floratos. The latter agreed to consider the three demands, which include more time to communicate with clients, an absence of prison guards and recording equipment during conversations with clients, and the right to exchange documents and notes.

Piraeus coroners yesterday attributed the death of a 38-year-old Korydallos jail inmate to a heart attack. Iraklis Misailidis, whom fellow inmates found dead in the toilets of the jail’s psychiatric hospital early yesterday morning, had been taking prescribed drugs for a psychiatric condition. A toxicology test is to determine whether an overdose of these drugs provoked his heart attack. Misailidis was convicted to life in jail last May for a triple murder.

A Doctors of the World mission arrived in Baghdad yesterday to inspect supplies at hospitals in the capital and surrounding areas. The team of medics also aims to determine the effect of depleted uranium deposits, from weapons used during the 1991 Gulf War, on residents. Doctors of the World is also coordinating a widespread campaign in Greece to prepare for the anticipated influx of refugees following a likely war against Iraq, the organization said.

Government spokesman Christos Protopappas yesterday sent his best wishes to Natasha Karamanli following Sunday’s announcement that New Democracy leader Costas Karamanlis’s wife is pregnant with twins. “We hope that all goes well and the birth goes ahead without problems,” he said.