Crete feels more tremors
Minor tremors continued to rattle Crete yesterday, as another 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Greek island at 1.27 a.m. The Athens Institute of Geodynamics reported the quake’s location at about 80 kilometers off the south coast of Crete and at a depth of 40 kilometers. Eight more minor tremors between 3.3 and 3.9 on the Richter scale were felt up until 7.30 a.m., according to the institute. Experts have sought to allay fears over the increased number of earthquakes close to the island in recent few days, a highly seismic area where tectonic plates converge.
Women’s shelter.
The Municipality of Thessaloniki is due to open a shelter for female victims of domestic abuse and their children, which will have the capacity to house up to 20 guests at a time, Deputy Mayor for Social Services Kalypso Goula said yesterday. The shelter will be run with funding from the European Unionbacked National Strategic Reference Framework for a period of 36 months. It will have five permanent members of staff and domestic abuse victims will be able to stay at the facility for up to five months.
Patricide sentence.
A mother and son were sentenced to life in prison by a Thessaloniki court yesterday over the 2011 murder of their respective husband and father. The victim, aged 58, was shot dead with a hunting rifle by his son, 26, in Neokastro in the Imathia region of Central Macedonia. His wife, aged 52, has been convicted as a moral accomplice, while another man, aged 32, was sentenced to 16 years for providing the weapon. Financial and personal differences are cited as being the cause of the crime.
Sacking brawl.
Three people were injured in a brawl late on Tuesday following the sacking of three employees from a grill house in the Rotunda district of Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The incident occurred when a group of leftists, who reportedly blocked the entrance to the restaurant in protest at the sackings, were attacked by supporters of the far-right Golden Dawn party. One person was hospitalized with unspecified injuries while three people filed lawsuits.
Yacht safe.
A Belgian-flagged yacht that ran into trouble off the southern coast of Crete yesterday was safely towed to shore and its two passengers unhurt, the coast guard said. The yacht was towed to the port of Iraklio, where it was found to have sustained damage to its rudder.
New union chief.
Odysseas Drivalas has been appointed president of the civil servants’ labor union ADEDY, replacing Costas Tsikrikas, who has retired. Drivalas had been ADEDY’s vice president since 2011.