In Brief
CLINIC PROBE
Hospital staff under scrutiny after baby’s abduction An investigation into the security and staffing at the Elena Venizelou Maternity Hospital in Ambelokipi, where a baby was abducted on Thursday, has revealed serious shortfalls, it emerged yesterday. A report submitted yesterday to Health Minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou refers to «signs of serious shortcomings in the operation and guarding of the hospital.» Xenogiannakopoulou responded by asking the ministry’s chief welfare inspector to look into whether any hospital staff should face charges of negligence. The newborn baby taken from the clinic on Thursday was found later that day at the home of a 38-year-old woman in Aegaleo who faces abduction charges. EVROS EASES Officials assess flood damage The water level of the Evros River, which broke its banks earlier this week leading to widespread flooding in the area, ebbed slightly yesterday, allowing local officials to start repairing damage to cracked flood barriers. Deputy Citizens’ Protection Minister Spyros Vougias visited the region yesterday to inspect damage to farmland and homes. Some 25,000 hectares of farmland have been submerged and dozens of homes have sustained damage. The cost of destruction caused by the flooding has been estimated at 50 million euros. The regional railway and road network had returned to normal yesterday following a week of disruptions. Casino raid Police in Halkidiki, northern Greece, yesterday were seeking the perpetrators of an armed robbery on a casino in Neo Marmara on the Sithonia peninsula. The two gunmen burst into the Porto Carras casino shortly after 3 a.m. yesterday when only a few customers were still on the premises and threatened the cashiers into filling their bags with money. They fled with an undetermined sum without causing any injuries. Delivery man shot A scooter driver was in critical condition yesterday after being shot at while delivering food to a customer in Nea Halkidona, northwestern Athens. According to police, the delivery driver was shot in the pelvis by two assailants who had been waiting for him outside the address of the customer. There had been no sign of the assailants by late last night. Coastal cleanup A special antipollution vessel has been cleaning up the coastline off Thessaloniki after several days of heavy rainfall resulted in masses of garbage washing up on the beach. Several beaches were strewn with plastic and glass bottles as well as driftwood and household trash, prompting local residents to complain to authorities about the mess and the smell. Co-op robbed Two masked gunmen netted 55,000 euros on Thursday night after holding up the offices of an agricultural cooperative near the city of Sparta in the Peloponnese, police said yesterday. The pair forced the employee who was on duty at the offices at the time to open the safe containing the cash.
