Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-11-26

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] Hasikos

[03] Cem

[04] Hannay

[05] Denktash

[06] Fire

[07] Greece

[08] Afgan

[09] Nepal

[10] Mideast

[11] Weather MONDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2001

[01] HEADLINES

--- US Marines set up a base in the southern spiritual heartland of the hardline Afghan Taliban today, advancing their campaign to flush out Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden and topple his protectors.

--- The Nepal cabinet said today it would ask King Gyanendra to impose a state of emergency on the country after authorities said nearly 230 people, mainly Maoist rebels, died in three days of guerrilla violence.

And

--- The military wing of the militant Palestinian group Hamas claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in the Gaza Strip today that lightly wounded two Israeli soldiers.

[02] Hasikos

During his stay in the Russian capital, Mr. Hasikos is expected to discuss issues regarding the technical cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking on his departure from Larnaca Airport, Mr. Hasikos said relations between Cyprus and Russia had been upgraded and that the aim was to further promote bilateral relations.

Mr. Hasikos said there were no plans to purchase new defence systems during his visit.

Commenting on fresh Turkish threats, Mr. Hasikos said the period until the end of the year 2002 was very crucial, in view of the Cyprus-EU pact.

He added that measures had been taken and that the answer to Turkish threats had already been given by European officials and the Greek government.

[03] Cem

Mr. Cem said Ankara wanted a solution to the Cyprus problem, that would meet its interests, and at the same time wanted to promote its own EU accession course.

[04] Hannay

Lord Hannay will be visiting Greece, Turkey and Cyprus.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Office Political Affairs Director, Peter Rickets, is in Ankara to discuss the Cyprus problem and Euro-Turkish relations.

[05] Denktash

Turkish Cypriot newspaper "Ortam" says that Mr. Denktash aims at implementing his slogan "Death or division", thus ruling out any possibility of reuniting the island.

It also says that Mr. Denktash's policy is leading to deadlocks both in the pseudostate and in Turkey.

The Turkish Cypriot press also hosts an interview Mr. Denktash gave to Turkish newspaper "Sabah", in which he said he regrets not having achieved anything in his life.

Turkish Cypriot daily "Avrupa" comments on Mr. Denktash's statement, saying that it is the first time the occupation leader admits to his failure.

Mr. Denktash will be flying to Rome today, via Ankara, to give a lecture.

While in transit, he will meet with Turkish President Sezer, Prime Minister Ecevit and Foreign Minister Cem.

[06] Fire

Georgiades entered the apartment, carried his neighbour out and extinguished the fire.

He was taken to the Nicosia General Hospital with breathing problems and was later discharged from casualty.

The fire started yesterday evening by a frying pan Neophytou had forgotten on the stove.

The blaze caused damage to her kitchen.

[07] Greece

The epicentre of the quakes was located in the sea off Crete, near the island of Gavdos, Europe's southernmost stretch of land.

Greece has recently been rattled by several earthquakes, including a 4.5 tremor that shook Athens two weeks ago.

[08] Afgan

And as resistance from the former ruling militia melted away across the country, the US-backed Northern Alliance said its troops had captured the city of Kunduz, the Taliban's last northern bastion.

General James Mattis told reporters on the USS Peleliu assault ship in the Arabian Sea that troops had landed and "we now own terrain" in south Afghanistan.

The Marines secured a private airstrip within striking distance of the Taliban's last remaining bastion of Kandahar without a shot being fired. It will be used as a bridgehead to ferry in more troops, armour and supplies.

In the north, thousands of Pakistani, Chechen and Arab defenders loyal to bin Laden were holed up in Kunduz and had vowed to die rather than surrender, but alliance spokesmen said the city was taken after only brief fighting.

Fears that foreign fighters would not give themselves up easily were confirmed yesterday when a fierce battle erupted in a fort near Mazar-i-Sharif between foreign prisoners and their alliance captors.

US warplanes and helicopters were called in to quell the revolt but the uprising left hundreds dead or wounded.

Mystery surrounded the whereabouts of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar and bin Laden. The United States accuses bin Laden of masterminding the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington that killed nearly 4,000 people.

It has offered a 25-million-dollar reward for information leading to his capture.

[09] Nepal

The violence was the worst since the guerrillas began a bloody revolt to overthrow the country's constitutional monarchy and install a one-party communist republic five years ago.

Nepal radio said 150 rebels, 27 policemen, four soldiers and a senior bureaucrat were killed when guerrillas attacked government installations late yesterday in Sallery in eastern Nepal.

The attack followed the killing of at least 45 people, mainly security forces, earlier during the weekend in a rash of assaults by rebels on security posts.

The attacks ruptured a truce between the government and the rebels which began in late July aimed at seeking a settlement of the conflict.

[10] Mideast

The group said in a statement that a resident of the Jabalya refugee camp was killed in the attack at the Erez crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Hamas, responsible for a spate of suicide bombings that has killed scores of people in Israel, had vowed to avenge Abu Hanoud's death, a top Hamas member.

It said a mortar bomb attack that killed an Israeli soldier in Gaza on Saturday was part of its revenge.

[11] Weather

Winds will be southwesterly, moderate, four beaufort, over slight to moderate seas.

Tonight will be cloudy with local showers.

Winds will be westerly, light, two to three beaufort, over slight seas.

Temperatures will drop to 8 degrees inland, to 10 along the coast, and to 2 over the mountains.

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