In Brief
METRO STATIONS
Cost of tickets to Kantza, Koropi stops to be reviewed Transport Minister Michalis Liapis yesterday opened access to the metro stations of Kantza and Koropi, east of Athens, and said that there will be a review of the ticket prices, which locals have labeled expensive. Commuters wanting to travel from the metro’s Line 2 or 3 to either of the new stations will have to pay 3 euros. The Pallini stop will also be included on the metro’s network by the end of August, the minister added. The suburban railway also stops at these three stations. ALEX PROBE Police seek those who broke into car of missing boy’s stepfather Police in Veria, northern Greece, said yesterday that it was not clear who had broken into the car of the stepfather of Alex Meshivili, the 11-year-old boy who disappeared in February. Officers said that the suspects did not steal anything from the car but had crushed a packet of cigarettes and broken a lighter that they found inside the vehicle. Meanwhile, child psychologists are continuing to question the five schoolboys alleged to have been involved in Alex’s disappearance. The first round of questioning is due to be completed in the next few days, sources said. PEDESTRIAN KILLED Cars veer on to Pireos St sidewalk A 49-year-old Romanian woman was killed on the sidewalk of Pireos Street in the early hours of yesterday morning after being hit by two cars which crashed and veered off the road, police in Athens said. The three people who had been in the two cars were all seriously injured. Trafficker caught Two Iraqis, believed to have kept illegal immigrants in a deserted house in Peristeri, western Athens, before arranging for their transfer to Igoumenitsa, have been arrested, police in Attica said yesterday. According to police, the Iraqis received 3,500 euros from each would-be migrant for their transportation to the northwestern port and then to Italy. Uncle murder The nephew of 62-year-old Greek American Pantazis Derakis, who was found dead in his Thessaloniki home last week, has confessed to his murder, police said yesterday. Officers said they arrested the unnamed suspect after discovering an attempted fraud in which two suspects attempted to use the dead man’s identity card to obtain bank loans. Derakis was found dead after having been repeatedly stabbed, officers said. Fatal fire A 75-year-old woman was killed yesterday in Patras when her apartment caught fire, authorities said. Her son, aged 35, was also taken to a nearby hospital with serious injuries from the blaze, authorities added. Firefighters have launched an investigation into the causes of the fire that broke out in the early morning hours. Twelve firemen using four trucks were involved in the operation. Extension granted Two men charged with the attempted murder of Nikolaos Fountoulakis, in Sfakia, Crete, last week, have been given until today to testify to a magistrate in Hania, sources said yesterday. The two suspects, aged 19 and 45, are accused of shooting Fountoulakis in the stomach on Wednesday while he was sitting at a cafe. Police have launched a manhunt for two more men they believe were involved in the incident. Missing notes The Bank of Greece (BoG) said yesterday that it has discovered a shortage of 9,000 euros among 275 million euros in banknotes that had been returned to it by other banks. The money had been distributed to a number of banks to meet customer demand as Greece switched from the drachma to the euro in 2002. BoG said it has launched an investigation into how the 9,000 euros went missing. Fading light The Development Ministry said yesterday that it was recalling 928 table lamps that were sold by the Praktiker hardware chain and Carrefour supermarkets. The ministry said that the lamp, which was sold under the Ballon Abazour brand name, does not meet European Union safety standards. Store robbery Three armed robbers yesterday raided the Veropoulos supermarket on Acharnon Street in the northern suburb of Kifissia shortly after 5 p.m. No one was injured during the robbery.
