NEWS

In Brief

FATAL FIRE

Teenager dies in blaze at his home in Kilkis A 13-year-old youth died yesterday after inhaling the toxic fumes produced by a fire that broke out in his home in Kilkis, northern Greece. According to the fire service, the blaze broke out in the attic while the boy was asleep in a nearby room. The boy’s younger cousin, who had been asleep in the same room, managed to escape. It appears that the two children had been alone in the house. The cause of the fire was still unclear last night. EXTRA CHARGE Power bills go up from today, but with some exceptions Electricity bills will go up by 7 percent for homeowners and 10 percent for businesses as of today. It is the third price hike in the last 12 months but Development Minister Christos Folias said yesterday that families with four children would not be charged extra. Public Power Corporation customers using less than 800 kilowatts will also escape higher prices. 24-hour extension TV presenter and publisher Themos Anastasiadis was yesterday given a 24-hour extension before he faces a magistrate investigating the alleged blackmail of former Culture Ministry general secretary Christos Zachopoulos. Anastasiadis is alleged to have copied footage from a DVD apparently showing Zachopoulos having sex with his assistant and then using the images to gain favors from the government. Anastasiadis, who denies any wrongdoing, asked for a postponement yesterday after feeling unwell. Sea Diamond A residents’ association on the island of Santorini said yesterday that it will hang up a huge banner near the spot where the Sea Diamond cruise ship sank last year to demand the vessel’s removal. Committee president Spyros Kavalaris said the residents want »this piece of rubbish» removed from the sea. Sex trafficking A Greek man believed to have been running an international sex ring bringing women from the former Soviet states to Greece has been arrested, Reuters cited Bulgarian police as saying yesterday. The women destined to become sex workers were issued with fake Bulgarian documents so that they could pass through the country, police said. Zoning plan European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas yesterday dismissed the government’s revised land zoning plan as «a document that cannot be used as a basis for future developments.» Dimas was responding to a question about the plan, that seeks to regulate what type of construction is permitted in certain areas, submitted to him by Greek Euro Deputy Dimitris Papadimoulis. The original law was revised with the aim of including more environmentally friendly provisions. Papandreou talk The Georgios Papandreou Foundation is holding an event at 1 Romylias Street in Kastri, northern Athens, tomorrow night that will focus on the social impact of the first PASOK government of Andreas Papandreou, who died 12 years ago. Speakers will include Sofia Papandreou, historian Katerina Varela and University of Athens professor Alexis Mitropoulos.

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