Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 02-07-18

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] mideast

[03] spain - morocco

[04] nov17

[05] omirou anasta proposal

[06] denktash foodpoisoning

[07] london anniversaries

[08] occu celebrations

[09] tailer

[10] weather TUESDAY 18 JULY 2002

[01] HEADLINES

Spanish troops entrench themselves on the barren isle of Perejil;

Greek authorities detain a man believed to be the leader of the November 17 urban guerilla group;

A proposal by the Chairman of the Democratic Rally as regards the formation of a national unity government under a commonly-accepted president is viewed favourably by the Social-Democrats;

Today's session of the UN-sponsored direct talks on Cyprus has been cancelled;

The Cypriot community in the UK is holding a series of events to mark the 28th anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of the island, while celebrations are being organised in the occupied areas of the Republic;

and...

Leading a stressful life? Stay tuned for today's tailer.

[02] mideast

The attacks, at a cafe and a cinema, followed a Palestinian bus ambush which killed seven Israelis near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank on Tuesday, shattering a month of relative calm, and undermining hopes of reviving peacemaking.

Responsibility for the attacks, according to the the Lebanese Hizbollah group's al-Manar television station, was claimed over the telephone by the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.

Islamic Jihad officials in the Gaza Strip however did not confirm the report, but did say that the attacks showed taht resistance to Israeli occupation would not be broken after 21 months of violence since the Palestinians rose up seeking independence.

Israel blamed the attack on President Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority, saying it had failed to prevent such incidents. Responding, the Authority condemned the attack.

Last night's attacks were the first suicide bombings in Israel for about a month, dispelling hopes among Israelis that the army crackdown in the West Bank, in which seven of the area's eight Palestininan cities have been re-occupied, has halted such attacks.

[03] spain - morocco

Morocco compared Spain's pre-dawn swoop yesterday by 28 members of a Spanish special forces team to a "declaration of war", but, despite intense rhetoric, Foreign Minister Mohamed Benaissa left the door open to negotiations.

Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio also heeded pleas by allies of both sides for a rapid end to hostilities. She said Spain would withdraw from the uninhabited isle, just 200 metres off Morocco's coast, once it had a guarantee that Rabat would respect the outcrop's neutral status. She also suggested that a pledge from Morocco's King would suffice for Spain to remove its troops, but ruled out mediation by the United States or the United Nations, describing the issue as "not sufficiently complicated" for that.

Before nightfall last night, Spanish soldiers were seen working on stone walls and setting up a radio antenna and what appeared to be an anti-aircraft gun. Despite its tiny size, the sovereignty of the islet is sensitive as it lies only 6 km from Spain's North Africa enclave of Ceuta.

[04] nov17

According to an authoritative police source cited by Reuters on condition of anonymity, the 60-year-old man, identified as Michalis Economou but believed to be one Alecos Yiotopoulos, a university professor who was a student in Paris during the 1960's years of student radicalism and who has also travelled to Cuba, was detained on the remote Aegean island of Lipsi where he had a holiday home.

Police swooped on the location yesterday in a surprise helicopter raid, and believe the man may be the head of November 17, blamed for killing 23 people since 1975.

The source also said that the suspect was being questioned at Athens police headquarters, while documents, a typewriter and a computer had been seized from his main home in Athens.

His wife, a French national, is also being sought by police for questioning.

[05] omirou anasta proposal

In statements issued today, Mr Omirou said that there is no longer any room for discussing the matter with either AKEL or the Democratic Party, since both have flatly rejected Mr Anastassiades' suggestion.

On the proposal itself, Yiannakis Omirou noted that a national unity government could be established and remain in power for a whole year after Cyprus' EU-accession so that the process may be completed. Following that, he added, a popular mandate could be set for the holding of new elections.

The Social-Democrats leader also said that candidacy could be fielded by either himself or any of the other names submitted by his party, emphasising that the people of the island have long sought electoral progress.

Meanwhile, and following a meeting with Mr Omirou, the Chairman of the Eurodemocratic Renewal Party, Antonis Paschalides, stated that he supports, in principle, the Anastassiades proposal.

[06] denktash foodpoisoning

The reports also mention that his temporary incapacitation led to the cancellation of a lecture scheduled for last night during which, according to earlier statements, Mr Denktash planned to make disclosures as regards the contents of the ongoing Cyprus settlement talks, in violation of the UN-imposed news blackout.

Commenting on the situation, political analysts have offered the assessment that the UN actively intervened in the matter, and that the occupation regime leader's food poisoning is merely a face-saving pretext.

At the same time, "Kibris" newspaper reported that while Mr Denktash's programme for today remains unchanged, this afternoon's meeting with President of the Republic Glafkos Clerides within the framework of the direct talks will not be held. The next meeting has been set for next Tuesday, July 23rd.

[07] london anniversaries

A protest demonstration organised by the "Lobby for Cyprus" is currently underway outside the Houses of Parliament, while 5 o'clock this afternoon London time will see the UK-Cyprus Federation holding a parallel protest outside the Turkish Embassy to Britain.

[08] occu celebrations

Turkish naval vessels sailed into the occupied harbour of Kyrenia this morning in order to participate in the events, while a Turkish Air-Force squadron will also take part.

According to the Turkish-Cypriot press, some 80 parliamentarians and journalists from 25 countries have been invited to attend the observances.

[09] tailer

German police investigating reports of screams coming from an apartment said yesterday that they had found a 76-year-old woman practising for a yodelling diploma.

Neighbours called police after hearing noises coming from the flat in the western town of Offenbach near Frankfurt. According to the relevant police statement, "The officers were not able to judge if the neighbours were unfamiliar with Bavarian folk music or if, quite simply, the lady still requires a lot of practice."

Raucous and inarticulate vocalisations however do not appear to be untoward in Germany, with Aachen police having earlier in the day reported that a man in the habit of entering a forest and screaming has been ordered not to because he is scaring neighbours.

The 25-year-old man said that walking into the forest at night alone and screaming as loudly as he could was his way of dealing with the stress of everyday life. Police also considered it advisable to warn him against going into the forest for yet another time, after the slapping of a 75-euro fine stressed him out again.

[10] weather

Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, even though mist and low cloud may form in areas. Winds will abate to light northwesterlies, 3BF, on slight seas, while temperatures will drop to 24C inland and in coastal regions, and 20C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains.

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

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