In Brief
Drug protest
Thousands rally in country’s north calling for crackdown after girl dies Some 4,000 people gathered in the center of Ptolemaida, northern Greece, yesterday to protest about the dealing and use of drugs in their city following the death of a 14-year-old girl there last week. The teenager died after taking drugs. It is thought that there are more than 200 youngsters using drugs in the area and protesters demanded that a local drug addiction treatment unit be set up in the area. They also want authorities to do something about the abandoned buildings in Ptolemaida that are used by drug addicts. (Page 3) Migrant death Woman drowns after boat carrying her, 5 others, capsizes in Evros River A female immigrant who tried to cross illegally into Greece via the Evros River with another five would-be migrants drowned in the process, authorities said yesterday. The migrants fell out of the boat when it was pierced by a floating tree trunk and started letting in water but the remaining five made it to the shore, authorities said. Meanwhile, coast guard officials on Samos said that more than 20 would-be migrants had been detained in the past two days. Birds’ flight Climate change to shift rare species Many rare species of birds will no longer be seen in Greece by the end of the century due to climate change, the Hellenic Ornithological Society said yesterday. It is expected that every species of bird seen in Europe will move some 550 kilometers northeast because of the changing climate. So birds that can currently be found in the Peloponnese will migrate beyond Greece’s borders. Santorini missile A missile discovered off the coast of Santorini is believed to have been left behind after a NATO exercise, authorities on the island said yesterday. The missile was discovered some 30 meters off Perissa in the island’s southeast at a depth of 4 meters. A team of experts was expected to determine yesterday whether the missile was active. Murder charge The father and brother of a 23-year-old woman seriously injured in an argument with her estranged husband last September were charged yesterday with murdering the 26-year-old man. The victim died at the AHEPA hospital in Thessaloniki where he had accompanied his wife after her injury. The 23-year-old allegedly struck her head on the pavement during the row. Authorities believe that the woman’s father and brother met the 26-year-old outside the hospital and beat him over the head, causing injuries that killed him a few minutes later. Big squid A Cretan fisherman netted a 1.5-meter squid, weighing more than 4 kilos, off the coast of Hania yesterday. The squid had probably lost its bearings in its search for food and had subsequently been unable to return to the deep, experts said. Thieves traced A group of seven youths was behind a series of thefts and burglaries in Thessaloniki over the past two years, police in the northern city said yesterday. The men, aged between 17 and 20, are believed to have stolen 11 motorcycles, some of which they abandoned after use and others which they dismantled before selling for spare parts. The group is also believed to be responsible for burglaries at five homes and a primary school. The file containing the charges was forwarded to a prosecutor but it was unclear whether any of the youths have been arrested. Lice outbreak A primary school in Aegaleo, western Athens, was yesterday closed for three days following an outbreak of head lice among the children. Municipal officials briefed teacher and parents about the disease and its treatment yesterday. Tomorrow the school premises are to be disinfected. Foreigners’ rights The Interior Ministry accepted yesterday that its immigration unit should include the number of years a foreigner has been in Greece without a permit but with proof that he or she has applied for one («vevaiosi») when deciding whether to award a full residence permit. The move comes after a complaint lodged by the Ombudsman.
