NEWS

In Brief

KOUFODINAS DISCHARGED

Hospitalized N17 convict to return to jail after 30 days on hunger strike Convicted November 17 terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas was yesterday discharged from the Athens Georgios Yennimatas Hospital where he has been receiving treatment for the past month while on hunger strike. He was due to return to Korydallos Prison. Koufodinas’s lawyer said the hit man is suffering severe health problems – affecting his nervous system, kidneys and sight – following a hunger strike that lasted around 30 days. He is due to be readmitted to hospital in about a month’s time for tests. MEAT WARNING Greece faces legal action from EC The European Commission is to take legal action against Greece over the unacceptable state of its slaughterhouses, the EU’s commissioner for public health and consumer protection, David Byrne, said yesterday. Greece failed to respond to an official warning by the EC in May to improve conditions following inspections by EC officials in March and April, Byrne said in response to a question by Synaspismos Euro MP Dimitris Papadimoulis. Equality plan A four-year scheme aimed at increasing the employment of women as part of a broader attempt to boost equal rights was yesterday approved by the Inner Cabinet. The scheme, drafted by the Interior Ministry, also aims to tackle violence against women. Leptospirosis death A 49-year-old police officer, who was on Saturday diagnosed as suffering from leptospirosis – a serious bacterial infection – died yesterday in a Rio hospital. Nikos Lymberopoulos became infected while gathering walnuts, according to doctors, who said the bacteria is passed through mud or water infected with the urine of infected animals, especially rodents. Traffic disruption Traffic will be disrupted around the junction of Kifissias and Vassilissis Sofias avenues for the next 15 days after works got under way yesterday to remove lines marking out Olympic lanes, the Public Works Ministry said. The works are to be carried out from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily, the ministry said. Athens transport The Transport Ministry’s goal of encouraging one in two Athenians to use public transport can be achieved if reforms announced earlier this week are consistently implemented, the Association of Civil Engineers of Greece said in a statement issued yesterday. The association added that it would offer its recommendations over the course of implementation. Street-walk Members of the Union of Greek Prostitutes (SEPE) staged a demonstration outside the Culture Ministry yesterday, protesting against legislation banning brothels from a 200-meter radius around buildings such as churches or schools. «Equating legal and illegal prostitution is unacceptable,» SEPE spokesman Grigoris Valianatos said. Forged applications The university and technical college applications of eight Albanian nationals have been forwarded to an Athens prosecutor as it appears they have been forged, the Education Ministry said yesterday. Pirate goods Nafpaktos port officials on Monday arrested two street traders following a complaint that they had been selling bootleg products bearing the logo of sports goods manufacturer Nike, the Merchant Marine Ministry said yesterday. Officials confiscated 46 pairs of sports shoes and 30 jackets, the ministry said. The complaint was lodged by a Nike representative.

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