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Friday, 27 December 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 02-06-20Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HeadlinesThree mild earthquakes rattled Limassol early today, with no damage reported,The White House was briefly evacuated last night after an aircraft flew into restricted airspace several miles away, apparently by accident, but according to officials, President Bush was never in danger, and Turkish foreign minister Ismail Cem stated that the Turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has submitted a solution model at direct settlement talks, referring to it as negotiable, [02] Quakes CyprusThree mild earthquakes rattled Limassol early today, with no damage reported.Geologist Kyriakos Solomis of the Geological Survey department said that a a tremor measuring 4.4 on the Richter Scale was preceded and followed by smaller tremors of 3.8 and 3.5 between three and seven in the morning. The epicentre of the earthquake was at the Yermasoyia area, on the same fault line which produced a tremor measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale in August 1999. Then, aftershocks were felt for up to two months. Cyprus sits on a Mediterranean fault line stretching from the Greek island of Crete though to the Middle East and mild tremors are not uncommon. The largest earthquake it has experienced in recent years measured 6.3 on the Richter scale in October 1996. [03] Italy QuakeA mild 4,2 richter quake was also felt at dawn near the Tuscan city of Livorno, in Italy. The Strasburg seismological centre said that the epicentre of the tremor was the La Specia area. Last night, another quake hit the area, measuring four point three on the Richter scale.[04] Attack evacuationThe White House was briefly evacuated last night after an aircraft flew into restricted airspace several miles away, apparently by accident, but according to officials, President Bush was never in danger.The evacuation, which lasted less than 15 minutes, was reminiscent of the Secret Service's decision to evacuate the White House on Sept. 11th. The plane, a private Cessna, came within 6 kilometers of the White House and air traffic controllers were unable to contact its pilot, triggering the executive mansion's first evacuation since the attacks. The president remained at the White House and was not taken to a bunker. Secret Service spokesman Brian Marr said the aircraft entered a zone of temporarily restricted airspace and then skirted the airspace near the executive mansion that is always off limits. Marr said the pilot may not have known of the temporarily restricted airspace. The incident followed the evacuation of the U.S. Federal Reserve in Washington earlier yesterday because of a false alarm over suspicious packages. [05] FBI WarningsMeanwhile, the FBI recently has warned its field offices about possible terrorist attacks at July 4 celebrations.American officials emphasized there was no specific or credible information an attack was planned on Independence Day, but said July 4th was a significant date in U.S. history and terrorist groups in the past have used such dates to carry out attacks. The officials said FBI field offices were told to make sure appropriate security measures are in place and should develop contingency planes in case of a terrorist attack. The FBI advisory to its field offices fell short of a formal alert, like the one in April warning of possible terrorist attacks on banks. Last month, the FBI issued a number of warnings, including one on the possible use of scuba divers by terrorists to launch an attack. It also warned of possible threats against landmarks in New York, including the Statue of Liberty. [06] Attack MessagesU.S. intelligence intercepted two messages in Arabic, a day before the Sept. 11th attacks that indicated an event was planned the following day, but the communications were not translated until Sept. 12th.According to US government sources, the National Security Agency, which eavesdrops on communications worldwide, intercepted messages that said "tomorrow is zero hour" and "the match begins tomorrow. The intercepted messages gave no details of the time, location or nature of the event that was to take place. The NSA handles a huge volume of intercepted communications traffic from around the world in many different languages. A U.S. official said the two messages were so non-specific that even had they been translated the same day they were intercepted, they would not have rung any alarm bells. Some lawmakers made the point that NSA was only translating, analyzing and disseminating a portion of the huge volume of communications it collected, and it needed to improve. [07] Cem againTurkish foreign minister Ismail Cem stated that the Turkish-cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has submitted a solution model at direct settlement talks, referring to it as negotiable. Cem said that Denktash is proposing two states with a unified international identity, a suggestion that might lead to a solution of the Cyprus problem, if it is accepted by the Greek-cypriot side. The Turkish foreign minister supported a continuation of Ankara's guarantees as established in 1960, with UNFICYP remaining on the island. Regarding Turkey's European Union accession course, Cem reiterated that the Cyprus problem should not be a precondition for his country's entry. He added that if the Turkish occupation of the northern part of the island is a problem, then Turkey can fight and come out a winner.[08] Denktash VerheugenMeanwhile, Rauf Denktash has accused European Commissioner for Enlargement Gunther Verheugen of harming direct settlement talks, with his positions on the Cyprus issue. As reported in the Turkish-cypriot press, Denktash claimed that Commissioner Verheugen has no knowledge of the Cyprus issue, therefore his comments are unimportant and he personally does not take them into consideration. Turkish-cypriot daily Volcan, thought to be a mouthpiece of the pseudostate, blamed the abandonment of the discussion over security issues on President Clerides' insistence for the deployment of a multinational force in Cyprus. The paper claimed that the Greek side aims to make Turkey's right of intervention inoperative.[09] Negroponte solutionAmerican representative to the United Nations John Negroponte said that the next six months will be really crucial for the Cyprus issue. In a speech at the Conference of Greek emigrants, Negroponte clearly implied that it is impossible to achieve a framework for a solution by the end of the month. He added that there might be positive developments in Cyprus, as there were in three other fronts, namely the recent United States Russia agreement on nuclear arms reductions, the fall of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and independece for East Timor.[10] Bishop propertyBishop of Paphos Chrysostomos claimed that certain employees of the Archbishopric, including Archbishop Chrysostomos, should quit their positions for the sacrilege they have committed against the Church, by mismanagement of church owned property. In statements to our station, the Bishop said that at a meeting of the Synod next Tuesday, he will suggest forming in investigative committee to examine cases concerning mismanagement of church property.[11] Markides propertyAttorney General Alekos Markides stated that his office is gathering evidence over the church property mismanagement allegations in order to intervene in the case, if asked. Markides clarified, that the constitution provides the church with exclusive rights to handle its own property without interference from the state. However, he did not rule out the possiblity of intervention, in case of a criminal offence.[12] Mideast wrapA Palestinian suicide bomber killed six people and wounded 35 at a Jerusalem bus stop late yesterday afternoon, prompting U.S. President Bush to delay a speech laying out the path to a Palestinian state.A child and a baby were among the six people killed by the bomber, member of tke Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, linked to Fatah faction. The second attack of its kind in the city in two days, raised the prospect of the Israeli army responding in line with a new policy of retaking and holding Palestinian land as long as such attacks continue. Shortly after the bombing, Israeli helicopters fired missiles at metal foundries in the Gaza Strip, wounding four people. The army said it targeted factories used to produce weapons for Palestinian militants. Also, four Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were killed, in a gunbattle at the city of Qalkilia. Overnight, Israeli forces entered three Palestinian-ruled areas of the West Bank, imposing curfews and arresting what they said were wanted terrorists. [13] Minister hospitalAgriculture Minister Costas Themistocleous was admitted to the intensive care of the Nicosia General Hospital last night, following respiratory problems. Preliminary medical tests have not come up with anything serious, but the minister will remain hospital for at least another two days for precautionary reasons.[14] TailerPassengers who are too large to squeeze between the arm rests of Southwest Airlines seats will be charged double for flying the low-cost carrier.The Dallas-based airline, which does not have first or business class sections with larger seats, said the policy has been in effect for some time but will now be more strictly enforced. The airline's "people of size" policy will require passengers who need seat-belt extensions or cannot lower the arm rests on their seats to purchase two seats if they are flying on a plane near or at capacity. When the plane is not crowded, a larger passenger can apply for a refund for the second seat, Southwest said one of the top complaints it receives are from passengers who say they were "sat on" during their flight. [15] WeatherIt will be mainly fine this afternoon, with patchy clouds forming in some areas. Winds will be northerly, moderate to strong, force four to five, over moderate seas. Temperatures will reach 32 degrees inland and 31 on the coast. Tonight it will remain mainly fine. Winds will be light to moderate northwesterky to northeasterly, force three to four , over moderate seas in windward areas. Temperatures will drop to 22 degrees inland and the south and east coasts, 19 on the west coast and 14 on the mountains. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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