Piraeus

A USP 9 MM pistol fired by fugitive Nikos Maziotis at police officers prior to his dramatic arrest in central Athens on Wednesday had not been used in criminal or terrorist activity before, ballistic tests conducted by the police department showed on Thursday.

A man suspected of starting two wildfires in Kareas, eastern Athens, was remanded in custody on Wednesday.

The 39-year-old is suspected of being behind a blaze on July 6 and another on July 11.

He will be held at Korydallos Prison until his trial for arson.

By Nikos Roussanoglou

The container handling activity of Chinese company Cosco’s local subsidiary in Piraeus posted an impressive 26.7 percent increase in the first half of the year compared with the same period of 2013, the firm announced on Tuesday.

The Hellenic Sugar Industry on Tuesday decided to temporarily shut down two of its three factories, at Orestiada and Serres, following a three-hour meeting of its governing board during which a sustainability report by Kantor consultants was discussed and accepted.

Greece and China agreed to strengthen their strategic partnership during a meeting between Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Rhodes on Sunday.

"The Chinese side will continue to support Greece on sovereign debt issues and efforts to promote economic recovery,» said the Chinese president.

The European Commission is expected in the next few days to green-light the sealing of the agreement for the friendly arrangement between Cosco and Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) regarding the extension of the western section of Terminal III.

The Greek bourse sustained quite a plunge on Tuesday, hit hard by the bearish mood that dominated most European markets, as local banks nose-dived 6.20 percent.

The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,193.30 points, dropping 3.98 percent from Monday’s 1,242.82 points. The blue chip FTSE/ATHEX 25 contracted 4.27 percent, closing at 384.86 points.

Guards at Korydallos Prison are to join the civil servants’ strike planned for Wednesday.

As a result of guards going on strike, prison visits will not take place on that day.

The ADEDY strike is being held in protest at government plans to lay off some 6,500 public sector workers by the end of the year, in line with the troika’s demands.

Four people, including a 12-year-old boy, had a narrow escape on Friday when the car they were traveling in veered off the road on the island of Salamina and fell down a cliff into the sea.

According to the coast guard, which was called to the scene, the driver, 61, and three passengers, 12, 15 and 22, were able to get out of the car on their own.

A decision on the request for conditional imprisonment by convicted November 17 terrorist Savvas Xeros, serving five consecutive life sentences plus an additional 25 years for participating in five assassinations and robberies, among other crimes, was postponed on Thursday until October 14.