NEWS

In Brief

COMMUNISTS

Greek party’s chief calls for unity against capitalism Greek Communist Party (KKE) General Secretary Aleka Papariga yesterday called on the communist and labor parties of the world to unite to fight against capitalism. «We must develop a broad movement to defend the workers’ gains. We must develop our coordination and cooperation with workers’ class organizations who resist and fight against the aggression of capital,» Papariga told an international gathering of communist and labor parties in Athens. She decried the attack on human rights which, she said, «came under the fabricated cover of the war on terrorism.» And she described NATO’s enlargement as renewing the organization’s role as «imperialism’s international policeman.» MIGRANTS Two draft decrees tabled on border guards, immigration policy foundation The government yesterday submitted for approval to the Council of State two draft presidential decrees aimed to tackle the increasing problem of illegal immigration. They provide for the creation of 500 new positions for border guards – who will also be on the lookout for illegal immigrants in Athens and the Attica area – and the foundation of a state institute for immigration policy. DIAL-UP INFO New numbers as of Tuesday OTE state telecom yesterday announced a series of changes to three-digit phone information services, many of which will acquire an extra digit from Tuesday. The new numbers are: 1440 for long-distance bus, ferry, airline and train timetables, 1425 for Ministry of Transport (KTEO) tests on vehicles, 1422 for theater and cinema programs and 1448 for weather forecasts. Other numbers for information and emergency services will remain unaltered. Big Brother An Athens court yesterday ordered that the TV reality shows «Big Brother 2» and «Bar» may only be screened after midnight, valid as of yesterday, ruling in favor of a suit lodged by six Athens lawyers against the television channels Mega and Antenna which claimed the programs were harmful to young children. The channels were warned that they faced a 5,800-euro fine if they failed to comply. Mandela President Costis Stephanopoulos held a luncheon yesterday in honor of Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa, who is on a visit to Greece. Mandela canceled his official appointments on Thursday due to what South African diplomats described as a minor stomach ailment. Car bomb A makeshift device exploded at dawn yesterday in the central Athens district of Pangrati, damaging a car belonging to the Egyptian Embassy, police said. There were no injuries, and nobody claimed responsibility for the attack. Cheap books An Athens court yesterday sentenced and fined a bookseller for selling books at a discount higher than the legally permissible 10 percent. The man, who has a bookshop on central Aeolou St, received a two-month sentence and a fine. It is the first conviction of its kind, due to a drive by the publishers and booksellers’ union last year to have legislation on competition implemented. No stop Athens electric railway trains heading from Piraeus to Kifissia will not stop at the Nea Ionia station from June 25 to September 9, due to station renovation works, the railway authority ISAP said yesterday. Forest fire Firemen aided by two firefighting aircraft and three helicopters were battling a blaze in a forest near the village of Elaiohori on the island of Evia yesterday. The fire, which posed no threat to inhabited areas, was being fanned by strong winds.

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