Iraklio

Pancretan Cooperative Bank announced on Tuesday that former Piraeus Bank president and founder Michalis Sallas is entering the share capital of the Iraklio-based lender with the purchase of a 15 percent stake.

A moderate earthquake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit the northern part of Crete on Friday afternoon.

According to the Geodynamic Institute of Athens, the tremor occurred in the sea area 73 kilometers north of Iraklion and 51 kilometers southwest of Santorini and at a focal depth of 71 kilometers.

Iraklio’s Venetian-era Morosini Fountain, widely known as the Lions Fountain, comes to life again after a decade.

Its water supply was reconnected on Friday restoring one of the historic landmarks of the old part of the Cretan city fountain to its former glory.

Greek authorities say 12 Russian tourists have been injured in a lightning strike at the archaeological site of Knossos, on the southern island of Crete.

EMAK rescue workers and fire brigade employees in the Cretan prefecture of Iraklio were attempting on Friday to rescue two men who became trapped by snow in the area of Krousaniotiko Livadi.

A track-laying vehicle was dispatched to the scene in a bid to reach the exact location of the two men, according to local reports late on Friday morning.

The deputy mayor of Iraklio, Petros Iniotakis, was undergoing treatment at a Cretan hospital on Thursday after being attacked in the city center on Tuesday night.

Iniotakis had two surgeries on Tuesday night after being struck by an assailant wearing brass knuckles.

By George Georgakopoulos

Gennaro Gattuso has recalled his resignation from the OFI Crete bench following pressure by the club’s fans and administration, one day after his quitting accusing the club and its players of not doing enough.

A wildfire broke out north of Damasta, in the municipality of Iraklio on the island of Crete, on Friday morning.

A group of 18 firemen were battling the blaze although strong winds were reportedly hampering their efforts on Friday afternoon.

Police in the Cretan prefecture of Iraklio said on Wednesday that they had broken two criminal rings operating in the area – one trading in drugs and the other an established usury and extortion racket.

High temperatures and strong winds fanned several wildfires in different parts of the country on Friday though there were no reports of any of the blazes threatening residential areas.