Capitals

Speaking to Kathimerini after the halls of US Congress in Washington were stormed last Wednesday by a mob in the wake of a rally by US President Donald Trump, the US Capitol Police Officers' Union chairman, Gus Papathanasiou, said he "never thought the Capitol would be breached."

Athens municipal authority crews embarked on a cleanup campaign this week, removing thousands of posters from walls and columns on streets in the city center as part of what it says is an ongoing effort to spruce up the capital.

Similar actions are also planned for neighborhoods in seven districts of Athens facing the same problems.​​​​

A big fire at a plastics factory in the northern Athens suburb of Metamorfossi has shut down the highway to Thessaloniki, as well as the Attiki Odos ring road, near its junction with the highway.

Early in the afternoon, the direction to the north was opened to traffic.

Tolls on the Attiki Odos open segment to the airport are free.

A protest rally by healthcare workers and ongoing public works in central Athens created long bottlenecks in main streets on Tuesday morning.

A National Archaeological Museum employee wears a face protective mask while walking next to statues, as museums open following the easing of measures against the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), in Athens, Monday. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]

Greek twins Marianna and Sofia Erotokritou delivered a fresh batch of thousands of protective face masks to the Hellenic Police (ELAS) on Wednesday to assist their country's fight against Covid-19.
The two young students, who have been living and studying in China since 2013, launched a campaign via WeChat to gather the supplies.

The first phase of the plan to create an extensive network in Athens for pedestrians and bicycles, called the Grand Walk, began on Thursday on Vasilissis Olgas Avenue and Irodou Attikou Street. There was a strong Municipal Police presence to inform drivers and passers-by about the changes, while special signs are expected to be put in place today.

Small store owners and the owners of car parks in the centre of Athens have expressed their disagreement with a municipal plan to create a large traffic-free zone in the capital, saying it would ruin their business.

The plan, dubbed the Grand Walk of Athens, which aims to encourage on-foot exploration by tourists, will be pilot-tested on Thursday.

Small store owners and the owners of car parks in the centre of Athens have expressed their disagreement with a municipal plan to create a large traffic-free zone in the capital, saying it would ruin their business.

The plan, dubbed the Grand Walk of Athens, which aims to encourage on-foot exploration by tourists, will be pilot-tested on Thursday.

The ambitious project to create an extensive network for pedestrians and bicycles in the center of Athens begins on Thursday with Vasilissis Olgas Avenue and Irodou Attikou Street.
This means the imposition of restrictions on cars, with the exception of certain categories.