In Brief
Cyprus elections
Papadopoulos holds slim lead over challengers before Sunday polls Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos holds a very slim lead over his challengers ahead of presidential elections on Sunday, final opinion polls revealed yesterday. The incumbent has an advantage of between 2 and 3 percentage points over his rivals, communist leader Demetrios Christofias and right-winger Ioannis Kasoulides, according to the polls. A runoff on February 24 is seen as likely. Deadly door Supermarket guard, 55, flattened A 55-year-old guard died in Thessaloniki on Saturday after being flattened by a large steel door at the supermarket warehouse where he worked, police said. It is not clear how the door came loose and fell on the private security guard, who was not named. The incident occurred early on Saturday morning when gale-force winds were blowing across Greece. Prison death A 40-year-old woman died in Korydallos women’s prison yesterday. It appears that she choked on her own vomit, although a coroner had not issued a statement by last night. The women had been remanded in prison four days earlier for drug offenses. Scrap yard beckons Cars without catalytic converters and those that have them but are more than 15 years old will be gradually withdrawn from Greek roads, Transport Minister Costis Hatzidakis said on Saturday. He said the withdrawal of these vehicles would begin at some point next year. Hatzidakis added that there are also plans to build more bicycle lanes. Train stop Rail workers will stage work stoppages today and tomorrow that will seriously disrupt services on the inter-city network and the Proastiakos suburban railway. The stoppages will occur from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 9 p.m. to midnight on both days. On Wednesday, the Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) employees will take part in a nationwide 24-hour general strike to protest pension reforms. Passengers are advised to call 1110 before traveling. Hania clashes Four Albanian nationals were in a Hania hospital under police guard yesterday following a large-scale street fight on Friday night in the Cretan city involving several more Albanians. Police arrested six Albanians after the scuffle – including the four who were hospitalized – and seized two kitchen knives, brass knuckles and a wooden bat. Firebomb makers Two 18-year-olds were arrested in Peristeri, western Athens, in the early hours of yesterday morning after police found them carrying material that could be used to make Molotov cocktails.
