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Thursday, 21 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-06-05Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HEADLINESUN Secretary General Kofi Anan charged turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash of refusing to attend the proximity talks on Cyprus, that were to take place in Geneva at the end of January, resulting in their suspension, and the postponement of subsequent talks,Meanwhile, the first 150 out of 280 Slovak officers and soldiers, that are to take part in UNFICYP, arrive on the island today, Australia today launched an investigation into reports that the bodies of Australian babies were sent to the United States for use in nuclear energy experiments in the 1950s and 1960s, Nepali authorities slapped a new curfew on the capital today after fresh protests broke out over a palace massacre which killed most of the royal family and President Bush bares all in a Tampa football stadium in Florida! [02] Anan reportUN Secretary General Kofi Anan charged turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash of refusing to attend the proximity talks on Cyprus, that were to take place in Geneva at the end of January, resulting in their suspension, and the postponement of subsequent talks.In his report to the UN Security Council on the renewal of the UNFICYP mandate in Cyprus, the UN chief says that Rauf Denktash had asked him not to set a date for future talks. In the report, Kofi Anan considers the situation at the ceasefire line, as stable in the last six months, but for the prohibitions imposed by turkish occupation forces and so-called turkish cypriot authorities. He notes that these prohibitions, remained in force, despite repeated representations for a restoration of the status quo and caused serious problems and difficulties on Unficyp operations. The UN Secretary General also blamed the turkish government for maintaining the status quo in Famagusta. Regarding the 428 Greek Cypriots and 167 Maronite enclaved, its noted that the occupation regime forces them to submit an application to visit the free areas of the Cyprus republic, five days in advance. There is no reference in the report, regarding in separate agreements between UNFICYP and Turkish-cypriots. It is also expressly recognised that the Cyprus republic is making efforts to identify missing persons. The report also notes that many rapprochement efforts were cancelled, due to prohibitions imposed by the occupation regime. [03] Casoulides reportReacting to the report, foreign minister Ioannis Casoulides said it was satisfactory. He noted that wording which was used in the report a year and a half ago, after turkish reprersentations, had been avoided.Mr Casoulides added that there was an effort to use correct terms, for example, referring to the Cyprus republic where necessary, the renewal of UNFICYP mandate, the financing and activities of the peaceforce as well as the missing persons issue. [04] Denktash reportHours before the release of the report, Turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash, demanded that the UN Security Council ask turkish-cypriots their views in its drawing up.Rauf Denktash claimed that the Cyprus republic is attempting to join the European Union, with the turkish-cypriots as a minority. [05] Slovaks UnfivypMeanwhile, the first 150 out of 280 Slovak officers and soldiers, that are to take part in UNFICYP, arrive on the island today.The Slovak peacekeepers are going to replace Austrian and Slovenian soldiers, that are going to gradually leave the island, by next September. [06] Fire ProkopiouFoul play is behind the fire that broke out last night at the Andreas Prokopiou furniture factory in Aradippou.The fire started at the furniture storage place, inside the factory. The coast of the damage is estimated at tens oif thousands of pounds. [07] Youth rifleAn eighteen year old was arrested last night for possession of a G3 military rifle and a round of cartridges.Police discovered the rifle, after stopping the youth's car at the Amathounta avenue in Limassol. [08] Australia babiesAustralia today launched an investigation into reports that the bodies of Australian babies were sent to the United States for use in nuclear energy experiments in the 1950s and 1960s.British newspapers this week that the bodies of stillborn babies and infants were snatched from Australian hospitals for use in U.S. Department of Energy tests to monitor radioactivity levels of the element Strontium 90. "Project Sunshine", the reports said, began in 1955 when University of Chicago doctor Willard Libby, who was awarded a Nobel prize for his research into carbon dating, appealed for bodies, preferably stillborn or newly-born babies, to test atomic bomb fallout. The reports said about 6,000 bodies were taken from hospitals in Australia, Britain, Canada, Hong Kong, the United States and South America over 15 years without the permission of parents. Australia last month raised allegations its troops were used as human guinea pigs during British atom bomb tests in the 1950s to test protective clothing in low-radiation nuclear tests at Maralinga in the South Australian outback. [09] Nepal CurfewNepali authorities slapped a new curfew on the capital today after fresh protests broke out over a palace massacre which killed most of the royal family.City authorities announced a 12-hour curfew this morning, just hours after lifting an overnight curfew imposed to stop riots by mobs demanding to know the truth behind the bloodbath. It followed sporadic outbursts of fresh violence in the city. Witnesses said protesters burned tyres and blocked roads early today near the site where King Dipendra had been cremated in a lonely funeral during yesterday's curfew. Dipendra, proclaimed king on Saturday, died yesterday of injuries from the shootout which also killed his father King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and seven others. He had initially been blamed by officials for killing his family and then shooting himself -- reportedly after a family row over his choice of bride -- but his uncle, the new King Gyanendra, later described the deaths as an accident. Nepalis were now awaiting the results due on Friday of a high-level inquiry ordered by King Gyanendra to find out what happened at the palace last Friday. Officials, who first blamed Dipendra, later said the deaths were caused by an accidental explosion of an automatic weapon -- a explanation described as implausible by ballistics experts. [10] Mideast wrapIsrael said Palestinian moves to implement a ceasefire promised by President Yasser Arafat have fallen short of its demands but it has yet to give up on chances for a truce.A fierce gunbattle that wounded 20 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip near the Egyptian border yesterday underscored the difficulties of putting into motion any plans to end eight months of bloodshed. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell asked Palestinian President Yasser Arafat to arrest militants who might attack Israelis. Russia sent a special envoy to the Middle East as Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov engaged in a round of telephone diplomacy as part of international efforts to bring peace to the region. [11] Cse upStocks were slightly up today.The All Shares price index at the Cyprus stock exchange closed at 192 point five units, a rise of zero point 31 percent. Volume of trading reached 13 point five million pounds. [12] Bush bottomIt was payback time for President George W. Bush in Florida yesterday, and he learned the naked truth -- revenge is sweet.To the delight of several thousand supporters at a rally in a Tampa baseball stadium, his younger brother Jeb, Florida's governor, flashed on a big screen set up at midfield an old black-and white photograph of the U.S. president as a toddler lying in a stroller with his bottom bared to the world. In April, at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents' Association at which presidents traditionally poke fun at themselves and others, George W. Bush in perfect deadpan addressed the prolonged recount of presidential election ballots in Florida after the 2000 election. Some people have asked me, he had said,if the vote recount left any hard feelings between my brother Jeb and me. Not a bit. In fact, here's a picture of the governor of Florida. The screen faded to a photograph of a very young Jeb Bush stark naked and smiling into the camera. [13] WeatherThis afternoon it will be mainly clear, with patchy clouds.Winds will be generally moderate, northwesterly, four beaufort, turning strong, five to six beaufort on the south coast, over moderate and rough seas on the south coast. Tonight it will be mainly clear. Winds will be moderate, northwesterly, four beaufort, over moderate seas. Temperatures will fall to 15 degrees inland, 17 on the coast and 14 on the mountains. The fire hazard is high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |