In Brief
ARCHIBISHOP OPERATION
Doctor says Christodoulos needs surgery after intestinal problems The director of the Aretaion Hospital in Athens, Christodoulos Stefanidis, said yesterday that Archbishop Christodoulos will have to undergo an operation after tests revealed that he was suffering from a narrowing of the intestinal tract. Christodoulos was admitted to the hospital on Saturday after complaining of symptoms of gastroenteritis. Stefanidis said that the archbishop underwent a series of tests yesterday that revealed the problem. He did not say when Christodoulos will be operated on. BLACKMAILERS CAUGHT Three men allegedly menaced businessman over murder contract Attica police said yesterday that they have arrested three people who are suspected of blackmailing an executive of a construction company in Athens. The three men allegedly contacted the businessman and told him they had been contracted to murder him and members of his family. The suspects demanded 30,000 euros from the executive in return for not carrying out the supposed contract, police said. The unnamed businessman contacted police who tracked down on of the suspects. During questioning, he admitted to being part of the blackmail plan and named his two alleged accomplices. One of the three suspects is an employee of the construction executive. PUFF OF INSULIN New drug for diabetes on market Inhalable insulin went on sale at Greek pharmacies yesterday. The cost of the drug, which is sold in powder form, will be covered by the patient’s insurance fund. Inhalable insulin can be used by patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes (those with the first cannot produce the hormone insulin, while people with the second do not process their naturally produced insulin properly). The patient places the powder in a special inhaler device and breathes it in through the mouth. The cost of the device, 117 euros, will be paid by patients. Bond investigation Former Labor Ministry general secretary Evgenios Papadopoulos was called yesterday to give evidence on the pension fund bond scandal after investigating authorities found his initial comments contradicted evidence given by Agapios Simeoforidis, former head of TEADY. Separately, officials from investment bank JP Morgan are expected to testify in front of a parliamentary committee today. Online KEPs The seven citizens’ information and service centers (KEP) in the City of Athens have all been upgraded so the they are part of the e-kep network that links them to the Interior Ministry and the other 1,047 KEPs around the country, it was revealed yesterday. Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis announced the news at an event at the KEP in Sepolia, western Athens. He said that this development would allow the centers to offer more services to residents. High horse An Albanian man was caught attempting to bring into Greece 157 kilos of cannabis he had saddled on two horses, police said yesterday. The man allegedly crossed over into Greece at an unguarded point on the border with Albania with two sacks of cannabis placed over each horse. A border patrol, however, caught the suspect in the Pirsogianis area, near Ioannina, after monitoring the district. The unidentified suspect told police that he was scheduled to meet two men in order to hand over the narcotics but they failed to appear. Prison explosion An explosion occurred at the new prison center at Nigritas, in Serres, northern Greece, late on Sunday night. There were no reports of injuries. Police said the blast occurred at a building, currently under construction, that is to accommodate administrative services. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the explosion. Tripolis flood The fire service was inundated with calls to pump water out of basements yesterday after sudden heavy rainfall in the area around the city of Tripolis in the Peloponnese. Authorities said the downpour lasted for more than an hour and led to tens of homes and stores being flooded. No injuries were reported.
