Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 00-11-14

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From: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Clerides contacts

[03] kas athens

[04] Clerides-Kyprianou

[05] Major synod

[06] mideast

[07] us elections

[08] pseudostate anniversary

[09] CSE

[10] Tailer

[11] WEATHER TUSEDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2000

[01] HEADLINES

A controversial Major Synod convened this morning to discuss problems plaguing the Church of Cyprus;

Israel erects blockades around West Bank towns, while the country's prime minister cancels a brief stopover in London;

The future of the US elections Florida recount could be decided this afternoon;

Tomorrow marks 17 years since the occupation regime declared an independent state in the north of the island;

The Stock Exchange takes a serious beating today;

and...

A touch of nostalgia on the Internet...

[02] Clerides contacts

Speaking at an Athens University ceremony, the President of the Republic reiterated that the Government will continue to respond positively to those UN initiatives creating prospects towards the realisation of a substantive dialogue between the Greek- and the Turkish-Cypriot sides.

This morning, President Clerides met with New Democracy deputy Miltiades Evert, while he is currently attending a working luncheon with Greek Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

He is scheduled to return to the island at 9:30 tonight, and CyBC's First Television and Radio Channels will be linking-up live with Larnaka airport at the time for any statements.

[03] kas athens

In statements at Larnaka airport prior to his departure, Ioannis Kasoulides emphasised that the Greek-Cypriot side will never accept a rotating presidency as part of a Cyprus settlement. As regards the latest non-paper on the issue submitted by the United Nations at the fifth round of proximity talks in Geneva, Mr Kasoulides said that this will be examined by the National Council and any reponse to matters contained therein will be given during the sixth round, tentatively scheduled for the end of January 2001.

[04] Clerides-Kyprianou

Speaking to reporters, Mr Kyprianou said that the Athens meeting between himself and the President, during which the two veteran politicians exchanged views on the current developments marking the Cyprus Issue, had been arranged well in advance. Mr Kyprianou also noted that the positions of the Democratic Party, which he founded and led for years, are well-known, and that discussions will continue in Nicosia.

[05] Major synod

Meeting at the Holy Arhbishopric in Nicosia, the high-ranking Orthodox Church officials comprise the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch, Bishops and Metropolitans from the two cities, six Metropolitans from Greece, as well the senior Church of Cyprus clerics.

No statements were made prior to the conclave.

One of the issues the Major Synod will deal with is the charges of homosexuality levelled against Limassol Metropolitan Athanasios, for which the special investigative committee set up by the Church of Cyprus was expected to deliver as much of its verdict as possible by this morning.

No further details were immediately available, but a number of high-ranking clergymen from within the Church of Cyprus have repeatedly expressed their disagreement with the Archbishop's calling of a Major Synod, saying that the decision should have been left to the island's Holy Synod.

[06] mideast

The army said it was sealing off the areas for security reasons after the Israelis were killed in drive-by shooting attacks yesterday, one of the bloodiest days of an uprising by Palestinians demanding independence.

Three Palestinians were also killed in Monday's violence and a fourth died of wounds sustained earlier.

Each side accused the other of terrorism during the nearly seven weeks of Israeli-Palestinian clashes in which at least 214 people have been killed, most of them Palestinians.

The violence has left peacemaking in tatters, with no sign of a breakthrough following US President Bill Clinton's separate Washington meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday and Palestinian President Yasser Arafat last week.

Citing yesterday's deaths, the Prime Minister Barak cut short his trip, which included a brief stopover in London for a meeting with his British counterpart Tony Blair, and is expected back in Israel today.

[07] us elections

Today's 22-hundred hours GMT deadline announced by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris could result in the election of Republican Governor George W. Bush of Texas, who currently leads Gore in the peninsular state, albeit by fewer than 400 votes.

The deadline is set by state law, but Democrats say it can be extended at Harris's discretion. The election will not be completely over until at least Friday, the deadline for overseas absentee ballots to arrive.

A state court ruling on whether to uphold or dismiss the Florida secretary of state's deadline for all recount results is expected at around 1530 hours GMT today.

Bush and Gore each polled 48.9% of the nearly 6 million votes cast in Florida, and the state's 25 electoral votes would give either man the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency.

[08] pseudostate anniversary

Various events have been organised to condemn the action, among which a peaceful student protest march starting out at 7:30 this evening from the University of Cyprus grounds in Nicosia and ending at the Ledra Palace checkpoint, where anti-occupation concert will be held.

Meanwhile, the emergency sirens which went off at 12 noon today in all of the island's free cities had no relation to tomorrow's anniversary, with the Civil Defence announcing that the sounding was a pre-announced test-run.

[09] CSE

With the overall volume of trading reaching some 25 million pounds and the All-Share Index closing at 242.93, down 8.7% from yesterday, financial analyst Marios Mavris this morning suggested that a suspension of Stock Exchange activities until the current investors' panic subsides would not be such a bad idea.

Voicing a different opinion, Broker Louis Klappas advised patience and said that the market will gradually stabilise and reverse, a not uncommon occurence in bourses throughout the world.

[10] Tailer

The Beatles are finally taking the long and winding road onto the information superhighway with the world's top Internet designers offering a magical mystery tour around their 27 Number One hits.

-- You can step back on a London roof to hear The Beatles perform "Get Back" in their last live performance together.

-- Players from London, Tokyo, Sydney and New York can sign on to play "Help" in an interactive search for the Beatles' instruments in a giant labrynth.

-- Welcome to the famous Abbey Road recording studios, stand behind John Lennon, join in for the first chorus of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" and listen to the band chatting between takes.

And, for those who had fun in the Sixties but may be too addled to remember why, try the kaleidoscopic effects designed for "Day Tripper."

The site, <www.thebeatles.com>, went live on the Internet yesterday. Once again, that's <www.thebeatles.com>

[11] WEATHER

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, with winds abating to light to moderate northerlies, 2-3BF, on slight to moderate seas, while temperatures will drop to 13C inland, 15Cin coastal regions and 10C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

A reminder that the fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

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