[02] spokesman

This fact, he added, confirms the President's prediction that nothing positive came out of Mr. Erdogan's illegal visit because his positions have not changed either.

The spokesman said the government will continue to condemn the illegality of the invasion and continued occupation and Denktash's demand that Greek Cypriots show their passports to enter the occupied areas.

[03] IACOVOU

In statements to CyBc, Mr. Iacovou said the initiatives will be carried out by the President, the Foreign Minister himself and the diplomatic service, with the aim to explain everything that has taken place recently, the amendments required on the Annan plan due to Cyprus' accession to the European Union.

Mr. Iacovou said firstly there will be contacts with EU leaders and then meetings with Security Council members.

[04] DENKTASH STATEMENTS

Speaking to Turkish journalists, Mr. Denktash said with the opening of the crossings, Greek Cypriots will not need to lodge appeals to the European Court of Human Rights but can do that in the occupied areas now.

Mr. Denktash criticised UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan amd Alvaro de Soto for not treating both sides fair because the title deeds of Greek Cypriots are only recognised by the Annan plan .

[05] OLGUN DENKTASH

Speaking in Turkey, Mr. Olgun said the Turkish side's insistence on firm aims, as he said, has bankrupt Turkey and allowed Greek Cypriots to secure their goals.

[06] RUSSIA BOMB

Sultan Akhanov, head of the Nadterechny district, said the attack took place in the town of Znamenskoye, the district's main town north of the Chechen capital Grozny.

The blast, a setback for Kremlin plans to bring peace to Chechnya after a decade of war, is the most serious rebel attack since a March referendum anchored the separatist-minded, Moslem region firmly within Russia.

The vote was widely read as a victory for the Kremlin, but it has not curbed violence in the tiny mountainous region.

In December, a bomb attack on regional administration headquarters in Grozny killed 55 people.

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed today not to allow the deadly bomb blast to derail the Kremlin's efforts to bring peace to the rebel province.

[07] ISRAEL

After talks with Mr. Powell yesterday, the Israeli government had agreed to release 180 Palestinian detainees and allow 25,000 Palestinian labourers to enter Israel, security sources said.

The moves were apparently in response to Mr. Powell's request that Israel and the Palestinians start practical, conciliatory steps even before Israel endorses the "road map" peace plan, which aims for an independent Palestinian state in 2005.

But shortly after the Israeli measures were announced, the army reinstated a ban on Palestinian travel in and out of the Gaza Strip, citing security concerns, effectively freezing a decision on Sunday to allow Gaza labourers to travel in and out.

It was not clear how long the ban would stay in effect. Palestinians also noted that travel restrictions on their movements between cities in the West Bank, edicts imposed after suicide bombings in Israel, remained in effect.

Israeli political sources said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon would likely meet Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas before the end of the week to discuss the plan. They said security talks had secretly resumed between the sides last week.

Mr. Powell is on a Middle East tour seeking support for the plan, which the United States and fellow mediators gave to the parties after Mr. Abbas took office last month in a reform drive promoted by Washington.

[08] IRAQ PETROL

Long queues at petrol stations in Iraq's third largest city have led to angry exchanges among frustrated locals, as rations are sold on at exorbitant prices in a thriving black market.

A military official told Reuters that 20 trucks loaded with petrol had entered Iraq through the Habur border gate today and headed towards Mosul for distribution.

Some 19 trucks of propane were also being delivered.

A convoy of 400 trucks was expected to cross into Iraq on Tuesday.

The Baiji refinery, between Mosul and Baghdad, has been working with minimal output because of an intermittent power supply, leaving Mosul province with only 25 percent of its normal levels of supply.

[09] HELLAS SAT

"Hellas Sat" is an Astrium Eurostar E2000+ model. The 3450 kg spacecraft will carry 30 Ku-band transponders, with an expected life of 15 years.

[10] OMONIA CHAMPION

Omonia founded in 1948 won the Cyprus title 19 times, clinching 60 points in 26 games in the 2002-2003 football season. It scored 68 goals and conceded 22. The League's first scorer was Anorthosis' Marios Neophytou with 33 goals.

Anorthosis, a refugee club from the Turkish-occupied town of Famagusta, took the second position with 59 points, while last year's champions APOEL of Nicosia with 55 took the third position followed by Olympiakos of Nicosia with 52 points.

[11] WEATHER

Tomorrow the weather will be mainly clear with local cloud. Winds will be north-easterly light, two to three beaufort and the sea calm to slight. Temperatures will fall to 19 C inland, on the south and east coast and to 17 C on the west and mountains.

The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

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