NEWS

In Brief

NI7 WEDDING

Koufodinas and Sotiropoulou to be married today in Korydallos An alleged hitman for the November 17 terrorist group, Dimitris Koufodinas, and N17 suspect Angeliki Sotiropoulou are to be married this morning in the office of the director of the Korydallos women’s prison – where the two are being detained pending trial. Koufodinas’s lawyer, Ioanna Kourtovik, and Alicia Romero Cortez, the companion of self-confessed N17 operative Savvas Xeros, will be witnesses. Koufodinas’s mother, Sotiropoulou’s sister, and the couple’s son have permission to attend the service which will be conducted by Deputy Mayor of Korydallos Giorgos Dimopoulos. CHARITY SHOP Greek Solidarity Convoy opens second-hand store in Athens The first charity shop selling items donated by the public was opened in Athens yesterday by Greek Solidarity Convoy – an organization which has paid for the adoption of 13,000 orphans from the former Yugoslavia and the Palestinian territories over the past 10 years. «Second Hand» – on central Pheidiou Street – sells old toys and books as well as gifts and jewelry at low prices. The proceeds of sales will go toward supporting the adoption of more orphans. MAIL STRIKE Delays to and from Thessaloniki Mail to and from Thessaloniki is likely to be delayed this Christmas, as postmen in the northern city participate in rolling strikes on December 23, 24, 27, 30 and 31 announced by unionists yesterday. Protesters are demanding extra mailmen be recruited as they claim current shortages oblige staff to cover several extra kilometers per day. Unionists are also demanding the implementation of collective contracts and the granting of permanency to colleagues on short-term contracts. Bank robber Police yesterday said they had identified Haralambos Poulopoulos, 32, a convicted murderer who escaped from prison in July, as the gunman who robbed an Egnatia Bank branch in Peristeri, Athens, on Monday, taking 21,950 euros. Meanwhile, yesterday a gunman stole 5,000 euros from a National Bank of Greece branch in Nea Erythraia, northern Athens. Tourism inspections Intensive inspections of all Attica’s tourist enterprises and facilities, including hotels, museums and other public areas, are to begin soon, following a decision by Development Minister Akis Tsochadzopoulos made public yesterday. The checks, to be conducted by the Greek National Tourist Organization, are to focus on quality and safety standards. Special attention will be given to facilities for the disabled. Mobile robbery Three men made off with 750,000 euros’ worth of mobile phones after raiding a truck delivering the merchandise to an Attica warehouse on Monday afternoon, police said yesterday. The men pulled out in a car in front of the truck in Aghios Merkourios, northern Attica, threatened the driver at gunpoint, and then made off in the truck, leaving behind the driver who eventually notified police. Officers found the truck in nearby Malakasa yesterday. Rio quake A moderate undersea quake occurred between the ports of Rio and Nafpaktos, western Greece, yesterday evening but no damage or injuries were reported. Seismologists said the quake measured between 3.8 and 4.1 on the Richter scale. Orphans Three babies, who had been abandoned at an Athens hospital, arrived at the Aghios Stylianos public nursery in Thessaloniki yesterday where they are to be kept until adoptive parents are found for them. The three infants – all around 12 months old – were abandoned at the Alexandra Hotel in Athens. Aircraft malfunction An Olympic Airways aircraft carrying 97 passengers from Athens to Sofia made an emergency landing at Thessaloniki’s airport yesterday after experiencing a technical failure over southern Bulgaria. The Boeing 737 was repaired and set off again. There were no injuries.

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