In Brief
Fatal floods
One dead, two missing after heavy rain in central Greece Rescue workers in Volos, central Greece, yesterday recovered the body of a farmer who drowned when a river near his house broke its banks following heavy rain. A search continued into the night for the farmer’s brother and for another person reported missing. In some parts of Volos, including the municipality of Sourpi, the depth of the floodwater level was said to have reached 4 meters. Two motorists who became trapped on flooded roads were rescued by members of the fire service, while dozens of residents and shopowners of ground-floor and basement properties in the broader prefecture of Magnesia called firemen to pump out floodwater. Migrant center Lesvos to get ‘model’ unit Senior officials of the Defense and Citizens’ Protection ministries yesterday heralded the creation and operation of a «model» reception center for undocumented migrants on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos in 2010. The plan is that the center, which is being funded by the European Union, would be a temporary stop-off point for migrants who would stay there just a few days. Those meriting asylum would then be forwarded to hostels until their applications are processed, minors would be sent to special facilities and the remainder of the migrants would be deported. According to sources, there are plans for a similar center to open in Ritsona on the island of Evia. Kifissias Ave protest Pupils at the Athens and Psychico colleges are due to stage a sit-down protest at a junction of Kifissias Avenue in Psychico, northern Athens, at 8 a.m. today. They are demanding the construction of a pedestrian bridge over the busy road after a 15-year-old schoolboy was killed last week when he was struck by a car while trying to cross the street. Ship freed A Greek-owned cargo ship hijacked off the coast of Madagascar in May was reportedly released yesterday after the vessel’s Athens-based owner paid a ransom to Somalian pirates. A spokesman for the firm, Alloceans Shipping, confirmed that a ransom had been paid, according to Reuters, which was told by a pirate source that a helicopter had dropped $2.6 million (about 1.7 million euros) onto the deck of the MT Ariana. The 24-member crew, all Ukrainians, were safe yesterday. OTE burgled A branch of OTE telecom in Tripoli, central Greece, yesterday was burgled by unidentified intruders who made off with dozens of cell phones but no cash. It was thought that the robbers panicked after setting off the store’s alarm and grabbed what they could before fleeing. There were no injuries reported in the raid. Lawyer in custody Lawyer Elisavet Pouliou, who has been linked to the activities of an alleged widespread criminal network, will remain in custody, it was revealed yesterday, after her appeal to be released on bail was turned down. Ill-afforded debts The Athens Pharmaceutical Organization said yesterday that it would no longer accept prescriptions from the Merchant Seamen’s Fund (YEN) because of the money it is owed.
