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In Brief

MALE CONTRACEPTIVE

Greek professor developing ‘effective’ new pill with Japanese scientists An effective male contraceptive pill, being developed by a Ioannina scientist and Japanese researchers, may be on the market in the next few years, it was revealed yesterday. The new pill curbs sperm activity without having any adverse effects on testicular functions, as has been the case with previous male contraceptive pills, according to Nikolaos Sofikitis, professor of urology at Ioannina University. The pill will undergo clinical trials in 2008, according to Sofikitis, who is developing the drug with scientists at Tottori University. SUBURBAN RAILWAY Combined ticket helps connect eastern Attica with central Athens Commuters living in eastern Attica can now use a single ticket to travel to Athens, using the suburban railway and the KTEL bus service. Tickets for Athens-Lavrion cost 5 euros (9 euros day return) and for Athens-Porto Rafti/Avlaki 4 euros (7 euros day return). The bus service connects Koropi suburban railway station with Lavrion, Porto Rafti and Avlaki. In three months, metro trains will also stop at stations in Pallini, Kantza and Koropi. More information is available at www.oasa.gr JEWELER MURDER Police arrest sixth suspect Police in Attica yesterday arrested a sixth man alleged to have played a part in the murder earlier this month of a 66-year-old Israeli diamond dealer. The body of Sami Levi was found in a chest at the site of a disused mine in Lavrion on Saturday. Five men, including two jewel traders who had dealings with Levi, have allegedly admitted to planning the murder. November 17 Civil engineer Constantinos Avramidis will be tried for membership in the November 17 terror group following yesterday’s ruling by the Council of Appeals Court Judges. The council indicted Avramidis, by two votes to one, on the grounds that he allegedly organized events supporting N17 following its members’ arrests and that his fingerprints were found on a copy of «Guerrilla Warfare» at an N17 hideout. The appeals of convicted members of N17 are to be heard next month. Trolley strike There will be disruptions on trolleybus services today as workers strike from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Workers will also strike from noon to 4 p.m. on Thursday and during the same hours on Monday. Murder arrest Police in the northern prefecture of Pella yesterday arrested a 22-year-old man for the murder of a 38-year-old woman in the village Promachi. The woman’s body was found on a building site on Sunday. The suspect is alleged to have repeatedly struck the victim on the head after she spurned his sexual advances. Police said the man had confessed. Asylum seekers Countless illegal immigrants, many of whom have the right to political asylum, are living in conditions of abject poverty in Greece, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revealed on the occasion of UN Day yesterday. Some asylum seekers have been in this situation for nearly two years, according to the UNHCR’s representative in Greece, Karen Farkas. Car fees Car and motorbike owners will be required to pay annual registration fees as of November 1, the Finance Ministry said yesterday. Registration charges start from 15 euros and go up to 483 euros, depending on engine size. Motorists can pay the charges at banks and the tax office up until the end of the year. Hash sniffed Police said yesterday they located about 42 kilos of hash in a bag hidden in a forest in Kastoria, near the Albanian border, with the help of sniffer dogs. Police found said they also found six hand grenades and three detonators. Trial delayed The trial of Dimitris Aivatzidis, arrested in 2002 for firing shots at the home of former prime minister Costas Simitis, was postponed yesterday. Court sources said the trial has been set for May 24 so Aivatzidis can be examined by a psychiatrist.

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