In Brief
POWER INCENTIVE
Thousands of ‘illegal’ homes in Attica have received electricity A total of 14,786 illegally built homes in Attica were supplied with electricity by the end of last month as part of a scheme to legitimize the properties, Development Minister Dimitris Sioufas said yesterday. These account for three-quarters (74.8 percent) of the applications for electricity submitted by the property owners, according to Sioufas, who said the remaining 4,979 applications would be dealt with following completion of the necessary studies. SIAMESE TWINS Six-day-old siblings are in critical condition, doctors say Doctors said yesterday they were concerned about the health of Siamese twins born to a Nigerian woman in Athens last week. The babies are in critical condition and one, which has serious heart and kidney problems, is being kept alive by a ventilator. Doctors at the Aglaia Kyriakou Hospital, who said the separation of the twins would be difficult, are in contact with foreign colleagues for advice. NUT ALERT Tons of toxic pistachios seized Authorities yesterday confiscated 21.5 tons of nuts from the island of Aegina near Athens, after finding that some batches contained a toxic substance and were unfit for consumption. The nuts will be subject to more tests in the coming days so authorities can determine whether any amounts are safe for market distribution. Aegina produces 400 tons of pistachio nuts every year. Thessaloniki crashes Three people were killed in as many accidents in a two-hour time span between Monday night and yesterday morning near Thessaloniki, police said. A 43-year-old motorcyclist was killed at 11.25 p.m. on Monday when his bike crashed into barriers on the city’s ring road. A 33-year-old motorcyclist was killed 20 minutes later when he was thrown from his bike on the Egnatia Highway. And a 22-year-old man died at 1.20 a.m. yesterday when his car crashed into barriers on the Thessaloniki-to-Kavala highway. Hit and run Police were yesterday hunting for a motorcyclist who struck and injured a 28-year-old woman in the southern Athenian suburb of Voula before speeding off, authorities said. The woman was taken to the hospital but no details were given about her injuries. There were no further details about the motorcyclist or the bike. Swimmer struck Rhodes coast guard officers yesterday arrested the captain of a small boat which hit a 38-year-old tourist who was swimming in the sea off the island’s Faliraki district, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. The tourist was rushed to the hospital but no more details about his injuries were given. Pacifiers The General Consumer Secretariat said yesterday it had ordered the withdrawal of two batches of Chicco baby pacifiers after it was found they did not comply with regulations. Authorities said the recall affected a small number of pacifiers, most of which had been distributed in the regions. Ferry arrest Piraeus coast guard officers yesterday boarded a ferry which arrived from the Aegean island of Samos and arrested a 25-year-old woman on suspicion of robbing a fellow passenger, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. The unnamed woman is alleged to have admitted to stealing a wallet with 1,900 euros and various credit cards, two mobile telephones and a camera. Spending spree Police arrested a man in Katerini, northern Greece, yesterday after he went on a one-hour spending spree using six counterfeit 50-euro notes. A kiosk owner tipped off police after accepting a fake 50-euro note from the man. During a search of the man’s home, police discovered another 29 counterfeit 50-euro notes. The man said he got the fake money from another individual, whom police are seeking. Crops damaged A hailstorm in Pella, northern Greece, caused damage to some 2,480 hectares of crops on Saturday afternoon, affecting the region’s fruit production, authrities said yesterday. Apple, peach and cherry crops were among those damaged by the storm. Authorities are set to assess the damage later this week and determine compensation payments for the farmers.
