In Brief
INFLATION RISES
Consumer prices increase on the back of oil price surge The inflation rate for June rose by 0.1 percent from May to come in at 3.3 percent year-on-year, according to figures made public by the National Statistics Service (NSS) yesterday. NSS head Manolis Kontopirakis attributed the increase to rising oil prices. He warned that consumer prices for July would reach 3.8 percent, fueled by summer sales, which begin in 10 days. The NSS predicts that inflation will stand at no more than 3.4 percent by the end of the year. MOTORCYCLE RECALL Design faults in two Yamaha models, free repairs offered Two models of Yamaha motorbikes are being recalled after design faults were identified by the manufacturer, authorities said yesterday. The general consumer secretariat advised owners of YP model scooters and XV model motorcycles to return them to the authorized dealer, Motodynamiki, for the necessary upgrades. All costs of the repairs are being covered by Yamaha. KYTHERA BLAZE Firefighters battle for 10 hours Some 30 firefighters, using 10 fire trucks, took more than 10 hours to put out a blaze early yesterday on the island of Kythera. The fire was extinguished at about 5 a.m. after it had burnt some 7 hectares of uninhabited land near the village of Diakofti. No injuries or damage were reported. Fire authorities believe the fire was caused by a short circuit in an electricity pylon. Footbridge repairs Maintenance work on the footbridge over Petrou Ralli Street in Rendi will begin at 7 a.m. on Sunday, resulting in the closure of the road to traffic traveling toward the city center until 10 a.m. at least, the Public Works Ministry said. The road will be closed to vehicles traveling toward Nikaia between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Diversions will be in place, authorities said. Istanbul train The new train service on the Thessaloniki-Istanbul line, which slashes the travel time between the two cities to 11.5 hours, compared to the current 14.5 hours, made its first journey yesterday, railway officials said. The modern trains will officially be inaugurated during a ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, to be attended by Greek Transport Minister Michalis Liapis. The air-conditioned trains have room for 140 passengers and will stop at Kilkis, Rodopolis, Serres, Drama, Xanthi, Komotini and Alexandroupolis. Vodka shaker Officers of the financial crimes squad (SDOE) have confiscated 8,200 bottles of vodka under the brand name «Romanoff» from a warehouse in Piraeus after suspicions that the tipple had been smuggled illegally into the country and may have not have been genuine vodka, authorities said yesterday. The seizure took place on Thursday and authorities are looking for the directors of the import company that rented the warehouse. Mugger charged An Athens court yesterday charged a 25-year-old man in connection with six muggings in Peristeri, during which the victims were either threatened at knifepoint or badly beaten. The suspect, who has not been named, was arrested by police on Thursday. The incidents all took place this year and officers are looking for another two people in connection with the attacks. Bridge work Engineers will be carrying out repairs on the three bridges in Athens between 10 p.m. on Sunday and 6 a.m. on Monday and at the same hours daily through next Sunday, the Public Works Ministry said. They will be working on the Treis Gefyres bridge on Kifissos Avenue in the direction of Lamia, the Halivourgiki bridge on Sarantapihos Street in both directions and on the footbridge linking Syngrou Avenue and Kallirois. Drivers are advised to use caution and comply with signs displayed by traffic police. Cat nap A British-flagged catamaran, the Apreski Cat, ran aground yesterday morning in shallow waters near Corinth, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. There was only one person on board and he did not suffer any injuries. The vessel, however, had to be towed away by the coast guard.
