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Voice of America, 99-12-28Voice of America: Selected Articles Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Voice of America <gopher://gopher.voa.gov>CONTENTS
[01] EUROPE STORMS (L ONLY) BY PAUL MILLER (PARIS)DATE=12/28/1999TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-257563 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Western Europe has been hit by a second fierce winter storm in three days. At least 100 people have died in the storms, which packed unusually strong winds. France suffered the worst damage where at least 19 people were killed. Spain also was hard hit. Paul Miller in Paris reports French electrical power and transportation systems -- already struggling to recover from the first storm -- have suffered further damage. TEXT: This time it was the southwestern coast of
France that suffered the worst effects of the 160-
kilometers-an-hour winds.
Along the coast, pleasure boats sank or were piled
onto each other and the docks. Inland there were by
now familiar scenes of trees down on top of roads,
buildings and especially cars. Despite warnings,
several people died when they drove in the storm and
were hit.
More people lost electric power and heat -- perhaps
one million from the latest storm. In all, the French
electric company estimates there are three-and-a-half
million people without electricity. And, it will
take time to restore the power -- pylons on wooded
hillsides and in open fields have been flattened.
Transportation has been disrupted, with both roads and
train lines affected by floodwaters, the fallen trees,
and the power outages.
The second storm forced airports in the south of
France and the north of Spain to close.
In Spain, construction workers were most at risk. Two
died when a crane collapsed, three more when walls or
buildings fell in.
There will be a lot of re-building in France --
including work on several well-known monuments. In
Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral lost roof tiles and part
of a spire. One of Sainte Chapelle's famous stain
glass windows was shattered. And the recently
renovated Versailles palace suffered roof and window
damage.
French authorities promise that New Years celebrations
will go on -- no matter what nature does. (Signed)
[02] N-Y ECON WRAP (S & L) BY BRECK ARDERY (NEW YORK)DATE=12/28/1999TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-257575 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Stock prices in the United States were mixed today (Tuesday) but the Industrial Average closed at a record high. VOA Correspondent Breck Ardery reports from New York. TEXT: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record high 11-thousand-476, up 85 points. The Standard and Poor's 500 index closed at 14-hundred-57, up one-half point. The NASDAQ index lost three points to close at 39-hundred-72. A monthly index of consumer confidence in the United States rose to its second-highest level in history in December. The index shows Americans are optimistic the U-S economy will continue growing in the new year. //Begin opt//////OPT JOHNSON ACT//////END ACT, END OPT////// Rest opt for long ///NNNN Source: Voice of America [03] TURKEY / KURDS (PART ONE OF THREE) BY AMBERIN ZAMAN (HAZRO, TURKEY)DATE=12/28/1999TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT NUMBER=5-45135 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A semblance of peace is returning to Turkey's largely Kurdish southeastern region as rebels of the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party obey a call by its imprisoned leader to end their armed campaign for independence. Amberin Zaman recently toured the area and filed this (first of three) report(s). TEXT: Haci Gokcer is a Kurdish farmer from Hazro township in Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeastern region. Like tens of thousands of civilians here, Mr. Gokcer was forced to leave his village seven years ago at the height of a 15-year Kurdish insurgency that has claimed nearly 40-thousand lives. NEB/AZ/JWH/JP 28-Dec-1999 12:01 PM EDT (28-Dec-1999 1701 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America [04] U-N-KOSOVO (L ONLY) BY LARRY FREUND (NEW YORK)DATE=12/28/1999TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-257574 CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the U-N mission in Kosovo is making progress in involving the population of the province in its provisional administration. But in a report issued today (Tuesday), Mr. Annan adds that the number of attacks against Kosovo Serbs and other ethnic minorities in Kosovo remains high. More from correspondent Larry Freund in New York. TEXT: Mr. Annan says a significant development in
Kosovo was the agreement earlier this month by the
leaders of several Albanian political groups in the
province to take part in its interim administration.
Serb leaders in Kosovo have rejected participation in
the power-sharing arrangement. Also, in his report to
the U-N Security Council, Mr. Annan points to the
demilitarization of the Kosovo Liberation Army,
successfully completed, he says, on September 20th.
However, Mr. Annan indicates concern about the
security situation for Kosovo Serbs, Roma and other
minorities. A number of serious incidents, he
reports, have heightened tension and security concerns
in Kosovo. Mr. Annan says ethnic Albanians suspected
of collaborating with Yugoslav authorities have also
been the targets of attacks. He says the security
situation of women in Kosovo remains precarious, with
an increasing number of abductions of young women.
And he sees signs that organized criminal elements are
reinforcing their position and activities in Kosovo.
Those activities, according to Mr. Annan, include
protection rackets, smuggling, extortion, gambling and
the sale of narcotics, among others.
The U-N Secretary-General says at least 810-thousand
refugees have returned to their homes in Kosovo. He
estimates that more than 25-thousand-500 refugees,
including Serbs and Roma, remain in neighboring
countries.
The U-N Security Council is expected to hold private
talks on Mr. Annan's report. (signed)
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