In Brief
HEAVY WEATHER
Downpours lead to treacherous conditions on roads in Ioannina Torrential rains in northwestern Greece yesterday led to many roads in the prefecture of Ioannina becoming impassable and authorities warning drivers to watch out for landslides. Sections of the Ioannina-to-Athens national road were flooded, making conditions difficult for drivers. Many rivers in the prefecture were close to bursting their banks but the rain eased off in the afternoon. The Acherondas and Louros rivers in Preveza prefecture, however, did overflow but no villages were threatened. EUROBANK STRIKE Unionists accuse branch at The Mall of operating for illegally long hours The Greek Federation of Bank Employees’ Unions (OTOE) said yesterday that its members who work at Eurobank branches in Athens and Thessaloniki will go on strike tomorrow. OTOE said it made the decision because the Eurobank branch in The Mall shopping center in Maroussi allegedly operates longer hours than legally permitted. ROAD DEATH Help needed to identify victim Traffic police yesterday asked anyone with information about a woman who was run over and killed in southern Athens yesterday morning to contact them. The victim was hit by a car on Vouliagmenis Avenue in Voula at 7.25 a.m., officers said. They have not been able to discover her identity but believe she was aged between 50 and 60. She was 1.60 meters tall with brown hair. Anybody with details should call Glyfada traffic police on 210.960.8000. Ships anchored Passenger and cargo ships remained anchored at the ports of Piraeus and Rafina yesterday, the Merchant Marine Ministry said, due to strong winds which reached 9 Beaufort. The wind is expected to ease slightly today. Jealous rage A 28-year-old man in Drama, northern Greece, was detained by police yesterday after he allegedly stabbed a waitress with whom he had been having a relationship. Police described the attack as an act of jealousy. The 29-year-old woman from Uzbekistan was hospitalized in critical condition with multiple wounds. Big joker An anxious customer at an OPAP betting shop in Athens yesterday waits for his betting slip for the New Year’s Eve Joker lottery to be accepted. Saturday’s draw is expected to be closely watched as New Year is the most popular time of the year for Greeks to gamble. One lucky winner took 5 million euros from last night’s Joker draw. The winning numbers were 2, 15, 26, 37, 39 and the joker was 7. Bread basket Consumers will need to stock up on bread on Saturday for three days as bakeries will be closed for the New Year break, the bakers’ union said yesterday. Normal bakery hours will resume on Tuesday. Hania raid Three armed robbers broke into a bank yesterday in the village of Platanos near Hania in Crete and made off with 12,000 euros in cash after threatening an employee, police said. The robbers shot at and then kicked down the door of the Hania Cooperative Bank to enter the building. Officers said they were examining the bank’s CCTV system, which they believe recorded the incident, for clues as to the robbers’ identity. Church looters Police in Thessaloniki said yesterday that they had arrested two men, aged 24 and 25, on suspicion of breaking into churches in the area and stealing from them. The suspects are thought to have forced their way into at least four churches in the city between 2001 and 2003. Officers suspect that they stole cash and computer components from the churches. Policeman dies An unnamed 27-year-old police officer was killed at 4.20 a.m. in Thessaloniki yesterday when the motorcycle he was riding crashed into a jeep near the city’s old railway station.
