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Quakes Hit Siteia and Samos - 1 March, 2008 Two seaquakes took place in northern Aegean and Cretan Sea on Friday evening and Saturday morning respectively. The first one measured 4.6 on the Richter scale and was registered at 02:07 Saturday northwest off Siteia and 322 kilometres southeast of Athens. The second one also measured 4.6 on the Richter scale and was registered north of Samos, 270 kilometres east of Athens. Both seaquakes were surface quakes and as per seismologists no damages have been reported. Scientists are not concerned. From: ERT
News Ambulance attack - 29 February, 2008 Three youths attacked offices belonging to the National First Aid Center (EKAB) in Hania, Crete, late on Wednesday in retaliation for what they said was a delay by ambulance services in treating their friend. Police said the three youths had called for an ambulance to transport their sick friend to a hospital after having drunk too much. The youths then drove to the EKAB offices and started to smash windows and physically attack medical and nursing personnel. They were arrested shortly afterward by police who were called to the scene. From: Kathimerini Flying fears - 28 February, 2008 A quarter of the population feels extremely anxious about air travel, while one in 10 will not even board an airplane unless absolutely necessary, a neurologist and aviation medicine expert has told Kathimerini. Fear of flying can be combated with basic techniques such as breathing exercises and distractions like listening to music and reading, while wearing comfortable clothes also make a big difference, Ioannis Markou said ahead of an aviation medicine conference due to take place in Athens. From: Kathimerini The weather - 27 February, 2008 Scattered clouds are forecast across the country, with a possibility of occasional showers in western Greece, Crete, the eastern Aegean and the Dodecanese. Some fog is expected in the early hours. Winds will be southerly at speeds of 3 to 5 Beaufort and temperatures will range from 2C (36F) to 20C (68F) in the north and from 3C (37F) to 21C (70F) elsewhere. OUTLOOK: Showers tomorrow in western and northern Greece, the eastern Aegean and the Dodecanese and possibly also in the Cyclades and Crete. Winds will be variable at 4 to 6 Beaufort and temperatures will drop slightly. Scattered clouds Friday in the east, with a chance of morning showers, a drop in temperatures and northerlies at 3 to 5 Beaufort. From: Kathimerini
QUAKE FEARS The Organization of Antiseismic Planning and Protection yesterday called on citizens to ignore rumors of an imminent powerful earthquake, fueled by a recent series of strong tremors in different parts of the country. “No research indicating an imminent strong tremor has come to our attention,” the organization’s president, Constantinos Makropoulos, told Skai Radio. From: Kathimerini New ideas to boost Greek agritourism - 25 February, 2008 A new category of accommodation is currently being prepared and is planned to be added to Greece's tourism product under the «xenonas» (guest house) label. The newly designated facilities will offer full board services, and efforts will be made to differentiate it entirely from the customary «rooms to let» type of tourism business. In addition, as part of efforts to upgrade the Greek tourism sector, plans are being made for the establishment of another new institution, the «agroktima» (farm), offering exactly what its title describes, a farm that can be visited by tourists. The two measures are part of efforts to create the appropriate legislative framework for tourism in the countryside, envisaged to effectively boost entrepreneurship in the specific subsector, but also in view of preparing the National Strategic Reference Framework of investment subsidies under the European Union's Fourth Community Support Framework. [...] Such issues include the possibility of the on-site use and sale of agricultural products, processed or not, produced by the farm owner, the proximity of guest houses with any animal shelters, as well as insurance aspects and registration of certain new types of jobs arising from such a new activity. From: Kathimerini Tremor shakes southern Greece - 23 February, 2008 An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale shook southern Greece yesterday but there were no reports of injuries or damage. It was the fifth strong tremor to hit the area in about a week. The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the quake hit at 6.57 a.m. off the coast of Zakynthos, in the Ionian Sea. The epicenter was 235 kilometers west of Athens, the institute said. Since the middle of February, the Peloponnese has been hit by three quakes measuring at least 6 on the Richter scale. Drunk driving The Health Ministry launched a program yesterday to discourage drink driving. Under the title “One sober driver,” the scheme aims to encourage groups of friends who go out drinking to designate one person to remain sober all night so he or she can drive them home. Attitudes to drink driving in Greece remain fairly lax despite campaigns to reduce the number of car accidents caused by drunk drivers. From: Kathimerini Peloponnese shaken - 21 February,
2008 A very strong undersea earthquake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, occurred off the coast of Methoni, in the southern Peloponnese, just before 8.30 p.m. yesterday. No injuries or serious damage were reported. The quake followed another tremor, measuring 5.4 Richter, that occurred off the island of Kythera shortly after 1 a.m. yesterday. Again, no damage or injuries were reported. Seismologists blamed the quakes on the same fault line that provoked two strong tremors – measuring 6.5 and 6.4. Richter – last week. From: Kathimerini Death-fall Briton - 20 February, 2008 A 33-year-old British man who killed his son when he jumped from his hotel balcony in Crete with his two children in his arms may return to his homeland for psychiatric treatment, hospital officials in Attica said yesterday. “His doctor says it would be best for him to receive (further) treatment in his native language and this can be done best in Britain,” Athanassios Cosmopoulos, managing director of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, told Agence France-Presse yesterday. John Hogan was at Korydallos Prison before his transfer to the hospital. From: Kathimerini Spring Weather Sunshine with a parallel rise in temperatures have significantly reduced problems caused by the extreme weather which hit the country at the weekend. Travel in the main roads’ network has been completely restored, however, motorists are advised to take precautions in neighbourhood side streets. Meteorologists say that the country will more often suffer from extreme weather from now on. According to the weather forecast for the next days temperatures will rise from -11C to 16C. All means of mass transport is operating according to regular schedules except for some routes [...]. Municipality crews are still dropping salt on pavements and streets to melt ice. Many schools in Attika remained closed for a third day as children’s access to schools was difficult due to slick and icy side streets and school-yards. Meanwhile, inspectors from the Hellenic Agricultural Insurance Organization (ELGA) were dispatched to various parts of the country, including the Peloponnese, central Greece and Crete, to help farmers assess the amount of damage that the freezing weather had done to their crops. Estimates were not available yesterday but it is thought that the snow has wreaked considerable damage on oranges, olives and a variety of vegetables in these areas. From: ERT
News Greece thaws out as weather crisis starts
to recede - 19 February, 2008 Rising temperatures yesterday melted the thick snow that had blanketed much of the country over the weekend, opening up roads, though several villages remained cut off. A third day of snowfall hampered transport in many areas, including Athens. For much of the day, motorists in Attica were advised to circulate with anti-skid chains as snowfall was up to 15 centimeters thick in places. Still the traffic police recorded more than 200 road accidents since Sunday morning. Much of the road network had been cleared of snow by late yesterday but icy conditions made driving dangerous in parts. As for public transport, the metro and tram were operating as normal. Trolley buses were suspended and very few buses were serving Athens routes. The Athens-Kifissia urban electric railway (ISAP) started operating yesterday afternoon after tracks were cleared of snow. Athens International Airport managed to stay open but dozens of international and domestic flights were canceled due to poor visibility and an icy runway. Ferries, which had remained moored in ports over the weekend, started serving the Aegean yesterday afternoon. Dozens of villages remained cut off, particularly in the Peloponnese, in the Aegean and on Crete and Evia, with many suffering power cuts. Their situation is expected to improve today as rising temperatures melt residual snow. Still, schools in those areas, and in Attica, will remain closed again today. [...] Meanwhile, scientists put a positive spin on the weather problems, saying that the snowfall had boosted the country’s dwindling water reserves. “The snowfall of the past few days will boost Athens reserves by around 5 percent... and will make a big difference in the Cyclades which have a drought problem,” said Nikos Mamassis, a civil engineer at the National Technical University of Athens. From: Kathimerini Snow blankets Greece - 18 February, 2008 A cold snap that hit Greece yesterday blanketed the country in snow, cutting off dozens of villages and grounding flights at Athens International Airport. Temperatures fell to as low as -11 degrees (12 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of northern Greece while in the capital snow fell steadily throughout the day. Officials said that about 70 villages were snowed in late yesterday, mostly in Evia, central Greece and on the Aegean islands. Athens International Airport closed down at about 5 p.m., cancelling domestic and international flights, and was not expected to re-open until 3 a.m. this morning. The snowstorm, the result of two cold fronts moving south from Russia and Scandinavia, struck Athens on Saturday night. Authorities had issued appeals for people to remain indoors but said some drivers ignored calls to take extra care on the country’s road network and this had contributed to traffic problems. “Drivers that decided to circulate without using anti-skid chains created additional problems,” said a local government official. “They slowed down traffic on some main roads by double parking in order to put on snow chains,” he added. The snowfall in the capital kept many Athenians indoors over the weekend, with normally busy central streets far quieter than usual. Other villages across the country, including on the southern island of Crete, reported a number of problems with power and water supplies. According to television reports, mountain villages near Iraklion on Crete and other small towns on the islands of Andros and Tinos had their power cut off since midday yesterday. The snow is becoming more dangerous for drivers as it is turning to ice, authorities warned. Schools in Athens will remain closed, but government officials said public services will operate as normal. However, today’s driving examinations will be cancelled. The National Meteorological Service said it expects conditions to begin improving today. From: Kathimerini Transportation Encountering Problems [...] Many parts of the country road network are closed, while anti-skid chains are required for vehicles using the national road network. 153 villages remain cut-off in Chania, Lasithi, Heraklion, Rethymno, Euboea, Andros, Argolida, Arkadia and Lakonia, while many of them have no electricity. Electric power cuts have also taken place in Penteli, Vravrona, Vari, Koropi, Thrakomakedones, Kato Kifisia, Pireaus and Korydallos. At the same time, ships will remain docked in Piraeus, Lavrio and Rafina until 12:00. Not all flights are taking place at Eleftherios Venizelos airport, while passengers scheduled to travel by air should first contact the airport on 210-3530000. Over 100 flights have been cancelled for today. Meanwhile, schools will remain closed in Attica, Argolida, Arcadia, Corinth, Laconia, Fthiotida, Viotia, Evrytania, the Cyclades, Crete, Pilio and in five municipalities of Egio, while schools in Northern Greece will operate as normal Monday. Courts in the prefectures of Athens, Piraeus, eastern and western Attica, Viotia, Euboea, Fthiotida, Evrytania, Arcadia and Laconia will remain closed. From: ERT
News Country braces for cold snap - 16 February, 2008 Most of the country is expected to be affected by extremely cold conditions this weekend with snow expected tomorrow in many parts of Greece, including Athens, as temperatures could drop to a 100-year low. The National Meteorological Service said there will also be winds reaching 10 Beaufort, particularly in eastern Greece, and below-zero temperatures. Government officials said that state emergency services will be on standby through the spell of bad weather, which is likely to last until Monday. People should limit their travel plans over the weekend, while those that still need to make short journeys should take extra care, officials added. Municipal officials, particularly in northern Athens, have prepared the necessary equipment to clear roads of the snowfall. Temperatures in Athens today are expected to range between 3 Celsius (37 Fahrenheit) and 8C (46F), while weather conditions in the northern city of Thessaloniki are forecast to hover between 0C (32F) and 2C (36F). From: Kathimerini Permit scam - 15 February, 2008 A public official on Crete is suspected of accepting payments to falsify migrants’ records so that they could obtain residence permits, police said yesterday. The suspect works in the municipality of Mythimni near Hania. Officers said they are also looking for three more men, a Greek and two foreigners, in connection with the alleged scam. It is not known yet how many migrants on the island obtained residence permits in this manner. From: Kathimerini Greece to freeze A new cold wave will hit Greece in the night as per meteorologists. Snowfalls, gale-force winds and low temperatures will extend from northern Greece to the rest of the country in the weekend. It will snow in Attica, where the lowest temperatures of the last 100 years may prevail. The temperature will drop several degrees below zero. The extreme weather conditions will hit Greece mainly on Sunday. The authorities are on alert to combat any problems that may arise, while the General Secretariat of Political Protection advises attention to people when circulating; calling them to check the water network of the block of buildings they are living in. The weather is expected to improve as of next Tuesday. From: ERT News Earthquake shakes southern Greece - 14 February, 2008 A strong earthquake has struck southern Greece, shaking buildings over an area from the southern Peloponnese region to the capital, Athens. The earthquake struck at about noon (1000 GMT) and geologists said its magnitude was between 6.5 and 6.7. Seismologists said the epicentre was beneath the seabed off Kalamata, about 230km (140 miles) south of the capital. Witnesses in Athens said it lasted at least 15 seconds, and there were no reports of casualties or damage. "We were shaken for quite a long time, swaying back and forth," Tanya Spiropoulou from the northern Athens suburb of Marousis told Reuters news agency. A farmer in Kalamata told the agency that the quake "was not as strong as other times, but we felt it". Seismologists said aftershocks were possible, and Greek television stations warned people in areas near the epicentre, to stay away from buildings. The tremor was felt as far away as Cairo, in Egypt. Earthquakes are common in Greece, and the last serious earthquake there killed more than 100 people in September 1999. From: BBC News Stores agree to bin plastic bags - 12 February, 2008 Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis and the country’s top nine supermarket chains yesterday signed an agreement to phase out the use of plastic bags and introduce environmentally friendly ones, joining a growing trend in Europe. The new reusable bags will be available in supermarkets from mid-April at a small cost – which was not determined yesterday – along with plastic bags. From June 1, the scheme will be extended to other cities and supermarkets will begin withdrawing plastic bags. The initiative is to run for five years before being reviewed, Kaklamanis said. Every day, Greek consumers use some 8 million plastic bags – non-biodegradable refuse that ends up on thousands of landfills. [...] The supermarkets participating in the initiative are Vassilopoulos, Atlantic, Veropoulos, Galaxias, Carrefour Marinopoulos, Dia, My Market, Sklavenitis and Bazaar. “We need to persuade people to stop using plastic bags,” said Christoper Giokas, sales manager of My Market. “We frequently see shoppers taking five spare bags home,” he added. Kaklamanis said that other retailers have also expressed an interest in implementing the scheme, both in Athens and other cities. [...] Similar initiatives restricting, or banning, the plastic bag from supermarkets have been implemented in several EU countries, including France, Belgium and Germany. A tax on the use of plastic bags in Ireland has been particularly successful. The weather Snowfall or sleet are forecast for Thessaly, the northern Aegean, eastern mainland, Evia, Peloponnese, Cyclades, Crete and possibly Thrace. Showers expected in southern parts of the country. Scattered clouds elsewhere. Winds will be northeasterly, 3 to 5 Beaufort in the Ionian and 7 to 9 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures from -7C (19F) to 6C (43F) in the north and -4C (25F) to 11C (52F) elsewhere. OUTLOOK: Similar conditions are forecast for tomorrow across the country, with winds expected to drop and cold everywhere. Scattered clouds are forecast for Thursday in the east and south. Winds will drop and temperatures will rise slightly, especially in the west. Heavy frost is expected overnight and in the morning on the mainland. From: Kathimerini Rain, snow, wind - 11 February, 2008 Showers, freezing rain and snow on the higher elevations are forecast for eastern Thessaly, the eastern mainland, Evia, the Peloponnese, Cyclades and Crete, with clouds elsewhere and heavier snow likely in Thrace. Winds will be northeasterly at 3 to 5 Beaufort in the Ionian and 7 to 9 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will range from -7C (19F) to 8C (46F) and -4 (25F) to 12C (54F) elsewhere OUTLOOK: Similar conditions can be expected for the beginning of the week, with winds expected to ease slightly and temperatures set to remain at low levels. Northerly winds will pick up again on Wednesday, reaching speeds of up to 9 Beaufort in the Aegean, and cold will prevail throughout the country. From: Kathimerini WEATHER WARNING - 9 February, 2008 The weather is set to deteriorate across most of the country today, with heavy showers and thunderstorms on the mainland, the Peloponnese, Cyclades and Crete. Winds will reach up to 10 on the Beaufort scale in the Aegean. Temperatures will fall in Attica with snow forecast for hilly parts of the suburbs. Those intending to travel by sea should contact port authorities to check schedules as some itineraries will be canceled due to high winds. From: Kathimerini The weather - 8 February, 2008 Showers are forecast for central and southern Greece, with storms in coastal areas and snow on the mountains. Light showers or sleet in the north. North-northeasterlies at 7 to 9 Beaufort in western, central and northern Greece and southeasterlies at 5 to 6 Beaufort elsewhere. Temperatures from -1C (30F) to 8C (46F) in the north and 2C (36F) to 15C (59F) elsewhere. OUTLOOK: Light snow is expected over the next two days in the north. Showers are forecast for Thessaly, the eastern mainland, Evia, the eastern and southern Peloponnese and the Aegean, with storms in the south and snow on the mountains and the plains of central Greece. Northeasterlies at 6 to 7 Beaufort in most parts, 8 to 9 Beaufort in the east. From: Kathimerini Migrating bugs are on the rise - 7 February, 2008 Warmer global temperatures are likely to create conditions for an increase in pests able to carry diseases and destroy Greek crops, according to agriculture experts. Mosquitoes and leeches are seen as moving northward and appearing for greater time periods if predictions of an increase in temperatures of between 1.5 to 5.5 degrees over the next 50 to 100 years come true. Anastassios Siomos, an associate professor of Agriculture at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, said yesterday that climate changes have already had a negative impact on crops such as asparagus, onions, beans and tomatoes. Another consequence of the warmer temperatures is that plants mature faster than usual but reproduce at slower rates. A recent study by the Aristotle University showed that 60 different types of insects have appeared in Greece over the last 20 years, moving from nearby areas, and threaten the country’s crops. Experts blame the larger number of bugs party on a one-degree rise in temperatures. From: Kathimerini Cheesy tricks buying time for fake feta - 6 February, 2008 Three months or more after the irrevocable decision in Greece’s favor for the use of the name feta, an unorthodox war continues to rage on the shelves of Europe’s supermarkets. The object of that war is the survival of fake “feta,” using all kinds of tricks to tell consumers that “this is feta” without actually saying it. Therefore, the packaging may carry the description “white cheese,” but on the supermarket shelf there may be a small label that reads “feta.” Another trick is the use of the word “feta,” which in various languages, such as Italian, means “slice,” to introduce a piece of white cheese as “feta” in reference to the slice on sale. Although it is the European Commission that has imposed the law that only allows Greek goat cheese to be called feta since October 16, 2007, it is down to member states, in this case Greece, to follow up on the proper application of the law and report any violations. Following a question by a Greek European Parliament member, the Commission stated that there has not been a single complaint from Athens on this matter, so no process can yet begin to root out Europe’s feta imposters. From: Kathimerini Cab strike - 5 February, 2008 Taxi drivers in Athens and the rest of Greece are due to stage a 24-hour strike tomorrow to demand the right to increase their fares. The cabbies want to hike their prices by more than the rate of inflation as they feel they have been unfairly hit by the rising price of fuel. The Transport Ministry has not approved the fare increases yet. From: Kathimerini Greek to Make Internet 200 Times Faster! - 4 February, 2008 University of Melbourne research fellow Dr John Papandriopoulos, who is already working in Silicon Valley has developed an algorithm to reduce the electromagnetic interference that slows down ADSL connections. However, he reported that some time will pass until the discovery is completed. Meanwhile, Stanford University engineering professor John Cioffi, known by some as the "father of DSL", was one of the external experts reviewing the research, which made up Dr Papandriopoulos’s PhD thesis. Professor Cioffi, who developed the computer chips inside the first DSL modems, was so impressed he offered the 29-year-old a job at his Silicon Valley start-up company, ASSIA, which is developing ways to optimise the performance of DSL networks. Finally, The Age newspaper has ranked recently Mr Papandriopoulos one of the top 100 personages in 2007 for his discovery. From: ANA ATM blast Would-be robbers failed in an audacious attempt to blow open an ATM on Crete, police said yesterday. The assailants placed an improvised explosive device next to the cash machine in Ierapetra but only managed to set off the alarm. Police arrived soon after but the suspects had already fled empty-handed. The explosion caused damage estimated at around 3,000 euros. From: Kathimerini The weather - 2 February, 2008 Showers are forecast for western Greece, the Dodecanese, the eastern Aegean and Crete. Clouds elsewhere, with fog in the morning on the mainland. Winds will be southwesterly at 4 to 5 Beaufort in most parts and up to 6 Beaufort at sea. Temperatures from 0C (32F) to 13C (55F) in the north and 2C (36F) to 18C (64F) elsewhere. Clouds are expected tomorrow across the country, with sporadic showers in the northwest and stable temperatures. OUTLOOK: Showers are forecast over the next week, especially in western, central and southern Greece. Winds will be southerly at 4 to 6 Beaufort, turning northerly at 3 to 5 Beaufort midweek. Showers are expected on Thursday in the east and south, with moderate northerlies that will be stronger in the Aegean. Temperatures will drop. From: Kathimerini EC raps Greece over water - 1 February, 2008 The European Court of Justice yesterday ruled that Greece has failed to adequately protect and manage its water resources. All European Union member states have been obliged since 2004 to conduct regular inspections on the quality of rivers, lakes and underground water sources, to evaluate the impact of industry and agriculture on the water and to report to the European Commission with updates. Greece has failed to do this adequately, the court ruled. Meanwhile, the EC rapped Greece for failing to observe minimum health and safety standards in handling animal byproducts not destined for human consumption, such as bones, feet, heads and intestines. According to the EC, Greece fails to respect EU standards governing the collection, transport, storage, processing, use and disposal of these products. This is a potentially dangerous practice as some animal byproducts can cause «mad cow disease» - Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - if fed to cows, the EC remarked. From: Kathimerini Weather
woes -
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2008 Snowfall and strong winds yesterday caused transport problems and some damage in many parts of the country. Several domestic flights were canceled as winds reached gale-force strength. Ships remained moored at Piraeus and most other ports. Sudden snowfall caused traffic problems in the capital’s northern suburbs and the north of the country. Strong winds in Thessaloniki damaged electricity pylons, causing blackouts for several hours. On Samos, winds demolished the wall of a school building, without causing any injuries. From: Kathimerini The weather - 29 January, 2008 Clouds are forecast for the eastern mainland, Evia, Cyclades and Crete with possible snowfall and freezing rain in southern areas. Conditions will gradually and steadily improve, with fair conditions elsewhere. Winds will be northerly, 4 to 6 Beaufort in the Ionian and 7 to 9 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures from -6C (21F) to 6C (43F) in the north and from -4C (25C) to 11C (52F) elsewhere. OUTLOOK: Conditions are expected to improve tomorrow with generally fair weather and clouds in the south, northerly winds, light in the Ionian and to 6 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will rise over the course of the day but will return to freezing at night. Some rain expected again on Thursday, moving west to east across the country. From: Kathimerini The worrisome flight of the honey bees - 26 January, 2008 Greek scientists are on the alert for Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which has resulted in beehives’ denizens mysteriously disappearing in numerous countries around the world. CCD, which has yet to appear in Greece, occurs when worker bees from a hive abruptly disappear for no apparent reason. The problem has hit the US hard, as well as some European countries, including Germany and Switzerland. “We are on the alert. If CCD appears in Greece, the consequences could be massive,” said Paschalis Harizanis, a professor at the Agricultural University of Athens. Greece has one of the largest bee populations in the world on a relative basis, with nine beehives for every square kilometer. Greece is the European Union’s third-largest honey maker, producing 14,000 tons every year. From: Kathimerini Fatal burns - 25 January, 2008 A 2-year-old girl died yesterday of burns she had sustained earlier this month when a fire broke out at her home in Tymbaki, near the Cretan port of Iraklion. The girl’s mother, who had also been seriously burnt in the fire, died of her injuries last week. The blaze on January 9 started in the family’s fireplace. Weather woes Ferries remained moored at the ports of Piraeus and Rafina yesterday after coast guard authorities imposed a sailing ban due to strong winds in the area. Closed-top, high-speed vessels were still operating. In northern Greece, heavy snowfall obliged motorists to use anti-skid chains on the wheels of their cars. The coldest part of Greece yesterday was Florina, where temperatures plunged to -5 Celsius (23 Fahrenheit). From: Kathimerini Briton cleared of son murder - 24 January, 2008 A British man who killed his son when he jumped from a hotel balcony with his two children in Crete was cleared of murder yesterday. The court in Hania, Crete, ordered that John Hogan, 33, receive mandatory and indefinite treatment at a Greek psychiatric hospital as he was considered a risk to public safety. [...] From: Kathimerini Briton who killed son on trial - 22 January, 2008 A 34-year-old Briton, who killed his son and injured his daughter after jumping from a hotel balcony on Crete in 2006, had been “out of his mind” at the time, a Hania court heard yesterday. John Hogan, who has been in the psychiatric unit of Korydallos Prison for more than a year, broke down in court yesterday, saying he had not known what he was doing when he grabbed his 6-year-old son and daughter, then aged 2, and leaped off the fourth-floor balcony in Ierapetra, eastern Crete. Two psychiatrists, asked by a prosecutor to examine Hogan at the time, said he had been mentally unstable. Hogan’s lawyer said his client had a family history of depression and that the defendant had tried to kill himself while in Korydallos. Hogan’s ex-wife, who was also in court yesterday, said that they had been arguing during the holiday because she wanted to separate. She said he had feared that he would lose the children if they split up. Hogan’s trial continues tomorrow. From: Kathimerini The weather - 19 January, 2008 Showers are forecast for eastern Thessaly, the eastern mainland, Evia, the Peloponnese, the Cyclades and Crete. Clear skies will prevail elsewhere. Winds will be northerly at 3 to 4 Beaufort in the Ionian and 4 to 6 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will range from -2C (28C ) to 11C (52F) in the north and 0C (32F) to 15C (59F) elsewhere. Clear skies are forecast tomorrow across the country, with light winds in the Ionian and northerlies at 3 to 5 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will rise slightly. OUTLOOK: Sunny skies and warm temperatures are forecast next week across the country. However, conditions will deteriorate midweek, with showers, snow on the mountains and sporadic rainstorms in coastal areas. Winds will turn southerly at 5 to 7 Beaufort. Unsettled weather Thursday and Friday, with northerly winds and low temperatures. From: Kathimerini Patras may be a city under the sea by 2100 - 18 January, 2008 The Peloponnesian city of Patras could be 1.6 meters under water by the end of the century if the sea level continues to rise at the current rate, a university professor said yesterday. Efstratios Doukakis, associate professor of topography at the National Technical University of Athens, said that the sea level has risen by 16 millimeters every year from 1969 to 2001. “It is not necessary for me to tell you that receptionists at the country’s large hotels will in a few years be wearing bathing costumes at work,” he joked in an effort to underline his point. According to the professor’s research on 2,000 kilometers of coastal area, most of the land was categorized as being at high risk. Some scientists have claimed that 80,000 hectares of Greece will be covered by the sea in 2100. From: Kathimerini Big squid - 16 January, 2008 A Cretan fisherman netted a 1.5-meter squid, weighing more than 4 kilos, off the coast of Hania yesterday. The squid had probably lost its bearings in its search for food and had subsequently been unable to return to the deep, experts said. From: Kathimerini The weather - 15 January, 2008 Showers are forecast for Macedonia, Thrace, the eastern Aegean, Dodecanese, eastern Cyclades and Crete. Snowfall is expected on the mountains of northeastern Greece. Clear skies elsewhere, with possible showers overnight in the northwest. Winds will be southwesterly at speeds of 4 to 6 Beaufort. Temperatures from -2C (28F) to 10C (50F) in the north and 0C (32C) to 16C (61F) elsewhere. OUTLOOK: Showers are forecast tomorrow in western Greece, later spreading to the north and the east. Scattered clouds elsewhere. Winds will be southwesterly, 5 to 7 Beaufort in the Ionian and 3 to 5 Beaufort in the Aegean. Rain is expected on Thursday across the country, with southerly winds, 6 to 7 Beaufort, and a drop in temperatures. Kickbacks
cost
613
mln
euros One in five Greeks paid an estimated total of 613 million euros in bribes to public and private sector officials last year, according to the results of a survey made public yesterday. According to corruption watchdog group Transparency International, 26 percent of the 6,000 households surveyed said they had been asked for a bribe at some point in their dealings with the public service. Nine percent also said they had been asked to pay bribes by non-state bodies, including hospitals and banks. Hospitals, town-planning and tax departments are considered the most corrupt public services. As for the private sector, bribes go mostly to doctors, banks and lawyers who often play an intermediary role between their clients and the state. The average public sector bribe in 2007 reached 1,313 euros, while private sector kickbacks averaged 1,554 euros. [...] Crete
extortion Police on Crete believe they have smashed an extortion ring after arresting six people in Rethymnon yesterday. The operation was sparked by ongoing police efforts to stamp out lawlessness on the island following a raid on the village of Zoniana last November. The six suspects are due to be charged with blackmail, causing grievous bodily harm and illegally carrying firearms. Officers said that the six were extorting money from shopkeepers in Iraklion, Prinia and Megali Vrisi. Police also confiscated two cars and a handgun. From: Kathimerini House
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11
January,
2008 A 39-year-old Cretan woman and her 2-year-old daughter, who sustained serious burns after a fire broke out in their home in Iraklion on Wednesday, were yesterday flown by military aircraft to Athens hospitals. The mother, being treated at the Thriassio hospital, is in a critical condition as she reportedly has burns on 80 percent of her body. The child, being treated at Athens’s Paidon hospital, has less serious injuries. The woman’s 20-year-old son sustained minor burns during his attempt to rescue his family from the blaze, believed to have started from the house’s fireplace. Extra doctors Greece will hire 5,500 new doctors by the end of next year, Health Minister Dimitris Avaramopoulos revealed yesterday. Responding to a question in Parliament, the minister said that 1,000 doctors would be taken on at state hospitals this year and a further 4,500 would be hired next year. The extra medical personnel means that Greece will be able to comply with European Union guidelines that require doctors to work no more than a maximum of 48 to 58 hours a week, depending on their specialization. From: Kathimerini Tremor stirs up water woes - 8 January, 2008 State inspectors reported minimal damage to buildings in Leonidio, southeastern Peloponnese, yesterday after Sunday’s earthquake, which appears to have caused problems to the area’s drinking water. The 6.5 Richter tremor, which struck the area early on Sunday and shook many parts of the country, caused only minor damage to some old buildings and a local school, officials said. Damage occurred in the teachers’ area but the school will operate as normal, said a state official. No one was injured from the large quake on Sunday because of the depth at which the tremor took place, according to experts. “Its great depth saved the area. If the tremor had been on the surface, it would have had large consequences,” Giorgos Drakatos, research director at the Athens Geodynamic Institute, told Kathimerini. The tremor, however, shifted rocks and soil in the Lerna River which supplies Nafplion and Argos with drinking water. The water has clouded up and authorities are running tests to determine whether it is still drinkable. Television footage also showed the beach near Leonidio, where seawater had become a thick red color after the tremor. One of the largest earthquakes to hit Greece recently has left seismologists arguing over the efficiency of the monitoring system as some experts argue that announcements on Sunday were delayed. Authorities expect to test by the end of March a new national network that will link the country’s four bodies to better monitor seismic activity. The system is expected to be fully operational in the summer. From: Kathimerini
Strong quake hits Peloponnese An unusually strong quake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale shook southern Greece early yesterday, and was felt in Athens and even Italy, but no injuries or major damage were reported. The quake, whose epicenter was off the coast off Leonidio in the south eastern Peloponnese, struck at 7.14 a.m., sending panic-stricken villagers out into the streets. Two weaker aftershocks, measuring 3.4 and 3.9 Richter, occured at 8 a.m. and 9.49 a.m. Greek television initially interrupted normal programming to report the tremor. However, seismologists were quick to reassure viewers that the worst had passed. According to experts, it was the depth of the quake’s epicenter that saved the village and surrounding areas from tragedy. “The tremor occured 70 kilometers below sea level – which is why there have been no casualties,” said Yiannis Drakatos, spokesman for the Athens Observatory. The 5.9-magnitude quake that struck Athens in September 1999, killing dozens, had been closer to the earth’s surface. “The danger has passed – whatever happens from now on is only of scientific interest,” said Giorgos Stavrakakis, director of the observatory’s geodynamic institute. Police reported a number of small landslides in the area of Leonidio and some minor damage to school buildings. Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos said that state engineers had been dispatched to the area to inspect school buildings and other structures and determine whether they are safe for use. Local officials said that residents of Leonidio and surrounding areas had initially panicked, many running out onto the street. “It was a very strong earthquake... but everything is now normal,” said Leonidio’s Deputy Mayor Ilias Manos. From: Kathimerini The weather - 4 January, 2008 Clouds are forecast in central and southern Greece, with light showers on the plains and snowfall on the mountains. Clouds can be expected elsewhere. Winds will be southeasterly in the Ionian and northeasterly in the Aegean at speeds of 5 to 7 Beaufort. Temperatures will range from -10 Celsius (14 Fahrenheit) to 5 Celsius (41 Fahrenheit) in the north, -7 Celsius (19 Fahrenheit) to 11 Celsius (52 Fahrenheit) on the mainland and -2 Celsius (28 Fahrenheit) to 12 Celsius (54 Fahrenheit) on the islands. OUTLOOK: Clouds are forecast tomorrow throughout the country, with possible light showers and snowfall on the mountains of western, central and northern Greece, southeasterly winds at 5 to 7 Beaufort in the Ionian and northeasterly at 4 to 6 Beaufort in the Aegean. Temperatures will rise. Light showers are likely on Sunday in western parts of the country and Macedonia, with snowfall in mountainous regions. Temperatures are forecast to rise a bit more, though frost is expected overnight and early in the morning on the mainland. Possible showers are expected throughout next week in western, central and southern Greece, with winds up to 6 Beaufort and stable temperatures. From: Kathimerini TEXT
FEVER -
3
January,
2008 Mobile phone users sent some 256 million text messages over the festive period this year, a significant increase on last year, the country’s operators said yesterday. Wind reported an increase of 79 percent in the number of text messages sent between December 24 and January 1. Cosmote reported a 30 percent increase, while Vodafone reported the smallest increase, of 5 percent. From: Kathimerini
From: Kathimerini |
