In Brief
CHANGING CHURCH
Archbishop Ieronymos calls for new form of administration The head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop Ieronymos, yesterday proposed a restructuring of the institution in his opening speech to the Holy Synod. Ieronymos said forces who wanted to «dechristianize Greek society and alienate it from its true traditions» were «no longer far away, they are within our walls.» Speaking after reports suggested that some 1.2 million euros collected from worshippers had been used to pay Church expenses rather than go to good causes, the archbishop said that «we have to re-examine the way we organize and administrate our affairs.» Ieronymos proposed that the Church hierarchy meet twice a year, not once. WEATHER TURNING Drop in temperatures as of today The unseasonably fair weather that has prevailed in recent weeks is set to come to an end today, with temperatures dropping several degrees and rainfall expected in many parts. Meteorologists are even predicting thunderstorms in some areas. Heavy rainfall over the weekend caused serious damage to agricultural cultivations in the broader region of Agrinio, central Greece. Girl’s death A 9-year-old girl crushed under a metal gate that fell on her at the port of Karlovasi on Samos last Thursday died of her injuries late on Sunday in the capital’s Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s Hospital, doctors said yesterday. It was unclear whether the girl was a local or one of many immigrants that arrive on the island from neighboring Turkey each week. Serial rapist An alleged serial rapist was arrested in the southern Athens suburb of Neo Faliro yesterday, police said. The 30-year-old is suspected of carrying out six rapes and another six attempted rapes in Piraeus, Neo Faliro, Kallithea and Kolonos. MP Tsipras Alexis Tsipras, the leader of the Coalition of the Radical Left (SYRIZA), yesterday tendered his resignation as a City of Athens councilor so that he could take up his place in Parliament. Tsipras was elected as an MP for the first time on October 4. Weapons arsenal A Cretan man and his son were in custody yesterday after a police raid on their home in Therisos in the prefecture of Hania turned up an arsenal of weapons, including a Kalashnikov automatic rifle, a pistol and several rounds of ammunition. Police did not reveal the ages of the two men, who are both farmers. Salmonella outbreak Health authorities on Crete yesterday announced the closure of a poultry farm in Hania after inspections revealed that 4,000 chickens had been infected by the Salmonella bacteria. A prefectural official said that the chickens in question were sent to a special incinerator in Ioannina, northwestern Greece. Officials said that further inspections were being carried out on other poultry units on the island. Cars firebombed Unidentified arsonists early yesterday torched four luxury cars parked in Pylaia, Thessaloniki, causing extensive damage but no injuries, police said. The fires were set almost simultaneously, shortly after 2 a.m., according to police, who did not give any indication of the vandals’ motive.
