Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-01-31

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Tziakourmas

[03] Oil

[04] India

[05] Japan

[06] Lightning

[07] World

[08] Stock

[09] CyBC

[10] Weather WEDNESDAY 31 JANUARY 2001

[01] HEADLINES

--- Rescuers plucked a badly injured woman from the rubble of India's earthquake today, the sixth day for searching, as relief teams struggled to ease the plight of homeless survivors.

--- At least 25 people on board a Japan Airlines Boeing 747 jumbo jet were injured today when the pilot swerved to avoid a mid-air collision with another plane.

--- Fourteen people died and 10 others were injured by a single bolt of lightning that struck the hut where they were sheltering from a storm in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province.

And

--- A Libyan has been found guilty of murdering 270 people in the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing.

[02] Tziakourmas

Turkish Cypriot media reported that the reason the regime did not accept Paul Poga, was that he was not registered in the so-called law registry of the pseudostate.

Media in the north also reported that Tziakourmas, who is a diabetic, has been taken to a hospital in the Turkish occupied areas of Nicosia.

Tziakourmas was abducted from within the British Bases on December 13 and is being illegally held in the north.

[03] Oil

This morning, the President met with Democratic Rally and United Democrats leaders, Nicos Anastasiades and George Vassiliou respectively.

[04] India

But the 55-year-old woman, who was pulled out in the city of Ahmedabad, was so badly injured that the rescue team had to amputate both her legs and an arm after her rescue.

Elsewhere, a huge international relief effort triggered by Friday's devastating quake started to make its presence felt with airlifted supplies reaching some of the worst-hit areas.

But survivors in remote areas, which have struggled on alone since the monster quake flattened towns and villages across the prosperous western state of Gujarat, complained that aid was still slow in getting through.

The final death toll from the quake, which measured 7,9 on the Richter scale, will not be known until relief teams clear the debris but estimates range from 20.000 up to 100.000 dead.

Relief workers and at least 20.000 Indian soldiers raced to clear rubble and dig out decomposing corpses across Gujarat but the World Health Organisation dismissed fears of epidemic.

But in Lodai, a village of 5.000 people, a doctor said four children under three had come down with diarrhoea today, after five cases yesterday.

Meanwhile, relief supplies poured into the stricken state as the world's largest disaster relief network began a massive airlift of life-saving supplies. The government said its main needs included tents, shelter, earthmoving equipment and mobile hospitals.

The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said three cargo planes landed at Bhuj.

The aircraft carried more than 100 tonnes of supplies including a mobile field hospital and equipment to make 130.000 litres of safe drinking water a day.

India's arch-foe and neighbour Pakistan flew the first of four planes to Ahmedabad, the biggest city in Gujarat, ferrying tents and blankets, in what it called a goodwill gesture.

[05] Japan

The four men and 21 women, including at least two crew members, were hurt when the pilot yanked the controls of the airliner to avoid hitting the other aircraft.

Some media reports said three women were badly hurt and could not walk without assistance. Several pasengers shown leaving the aircraft appeared to have slight head injuries.

One passenger said people were lifted out of their seats by the force of the plane's descent, hitting the ceiling of the cabin.

Japan Airlines flight 907, with 411 passengers and 16 crew on board, was en route to Naha on Japan's southernmost island of Okinawa when the near-miss occurred. The pilot returned to Tokyo's Haneda domestic airport to allow the injured to be treated.

The other plane has not yet been identified.

[06] Lightning

Police said 24 people returning from work and school yesterday dashed to the hut when a storm hit Highflats in southern KwaZulu-Natal.

A bolt of lightning struck the hut, killing 14 people, including two elderly women and a 15-year-old girl.

The 10 injured were taken to a nearby hospital, where they are reported to be in a serious condition.

South Africa has one of the highest incidences of lightning in the world. In many rural areas, lightning deaths are seen as a result of witchcraft.

[07] World

- - - -

One Libyan, Abdel Basset al-Megrahi, was found guilty of murdering 270 people in the 1988 Lockerbie airliner bombing.

Co-accused Libyan Al-Amin Khalifa Fahima was found not guilty of the crime.

Megrahi faces a mandatory life sentence. Fahima will be set free. Both verdicts were unanimous.

- - - -

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak trailed 22 percentage points behind right-winger Ariel Sharon in an opinion poll published today, less than a week before Israel's prime ministerial election.

- - - -

The Philippines' disgraced but defiant Joseph Estrada emerged from seclusion to tell cheering supporters he was still the rightful president and vow he would not use violence to reclaim power.

- - - -

Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, under mounting pressure over multi-million dollar financial scandals, insisted he had the support of his popular deputy and the military.

- - - -

Japan's embattled Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said he would do his utmost to regain confidence in politics and apologised to a nation angered by a string of scandals involving top lawmakers and bureaucrats.

- - - -

Seeking to whip up public outrage against the Falun Gong sect, Chinese state newspapers splashed gruesome pictures of a 12-year-old girl who was part of a fiery group suicide attempt on Tiananmen Square.

- - - -

Beijing has issued a stern warning that any attempt to turn Hong Kong into a centre for the Falun Gong spiritual movement or an anti-China base will not be tolerated.

- - - -

A leftist guerrilla deserter who hijacked a Colombian aircraft carrying 32 people was overpowered by the pilot and a passenger and all passengers and crew were safe.

- - - -

Authorities in Mozambique's flood-hit Zambezia region have appealed for 2.000 tonnes of food for thousands of people after torrential rains swept away farmlands.

- - - -

Yemen's interior minister said his country had no evidence that Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden was linked to the apparent suicide bombing of the USS Cole in Aden which killed 17 US sailors.

- - - -

US President George W. Bush holds the first Cabinet meeting of his administration today, but three appointees, including his controversial choice for attorney general, will not attend.

[08] Stock

The volume of transactions reached 10,4 million pounds.

[09] CyBC

Of those asked which channel they preferred for their news, 28,7 percent said CyBC, while 37 percent said they watched CyBC anyway.

The survey was carried out for CyBC among 292 adults, by the Intercollege Research and Development Centre.

[10] Weather

Winds will be mainly southeasterly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort, over moderate seas.

Temperatures will reach 18 degrees inland and 20 along the coast.

Tonight will be generally clear.

Winds will be mainly westerly, light to moderate, three to four beaufort over moderate seas.

Temperatures will drop to 5 degrees inland, to 8 along the coast, and to 2 over the mountains.

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