In Brief
RAIN DAMAGE
Cost of weekend bad weather is set to reach millions of euros Authorities yesterday began calculating the damage that was caused to crops, businesses and homes by the weekend storms, which is believed to run into the millions of euros. Meanwhile, Agricultural Development Minister Evangelos Bassiakos said yesterday that farmers whose crops were destroyed by bad weather in May and August would be compensated by the end of this month. He said about 15,000 hectares of farmland had been affected by the summer storms. ANTENNA HUNT TV transmitters cause interference The National Post and Telecommunications Commission (EETT) has called for the public prosecutor to investigate possible cases of television stations setting up antennas illegally on mountains around Athens. EETT and the prosecutor agreed yesterday to work together, along with the forestry services and the Public Power Company, to get rid of any illegal antennas. The antennas are blamed for sending signals on frequencies used by the Civil Aviation Authorities, which could jeopardize flight safety. Chinese glue The General State Laboratories yesterday called for the withdrawal from the market of a Chinese-made liquid glue sold as a children’s product but containing a toxic chemical. The product, which retails under the trade name «Milky Glue» in a 40ml transparent plastic tube with a feeder, was found to contain the chemical formaldehyde despite being labeled non-toxic. Crete shooting Police officers prevented Giorgos Moraitakis from being lynched outside an Iraklion court yesterday after he was remanded in custody for the alleged murder of his estranged wife last Tuesday. The 43-year-old suspect is alleged to have shot Kalliopi Fragou when she refused to get into his car. Moraitakis told the magistrate that he regretted the incident and that he had been drunk at the time. Traffic disruptions Corinth-bound traffic on the Athens-Corinth national road will be subject to disruptions in Kakia Skala today and tomorrow as works get under way inside the tunnels, the Public Works Ministry said yesterday. Traffic is to be diverted via the old national road for the duration of the works, which are to be carried out between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m., the ministry said. Bus bargain The Athens public bus company (ETHEL) yesterday handed over 28 refurbished buses to seven Attica municipalities, including Kifissia and Alimos, as well as two from Xanthi in northern Greece. The buses will be put into operation immediately and will be free of charge for commuters. Owner shot The owner of a convenience store in Menidi, northwestern Athens, was shot and injured yesterday by an armed man holding up his store, police said. The robber made away with an unknown amount. Coffin capture Thieves in Crete made off with an unusual loot yesterday when they stole three coffins from the storage of a funeral parlor in Arkalohori, near Iraklion, according to authorities. The value of the stolen coffins was estimated at 600 euros. Earring tests The General Secretary for Consumers will be conducting tests on jewelry items to detect if potentially damaging nickel content is being illegally used. The tests will mostly target earrings sold in stores and outdoor markets, authorities said yesterday. Nickel can cause allergic skin reactions in some people. Amnesty Amnesty International is to present today its annual report on refugee treatment in Greece.
