Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 03-08-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] IRAQ WRAP

[03] MIDEAST

[04] MALI HOSTAGES

[05] EREL PARTY

[06] ACCIDENT

[07] TAXI DRIVER

[08] HEALTH WARNING

[09] WEATHER WEDNESDAY 20/8/03

[01] HEADLINES

--Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas cut off contact with Islamic militants today and vowed to crack down on them after a suicide bomber killed 20 people on a Jerusalem bus.

--Fourteen Europeans held hostage in the Sahara by Algerian militants for half a year arrived back in Germany today to relief but also criticism of the adventure travellers who cost the taxpayer millions.

And,

-- Chairman of the Turkish cypriot chamber of Commerce, Ali Erel, is expected to announce the formation of a party in the occupied areas in the next few days.

[02] IRAQ WRAP

Salim Lone said at least 17 people were killed but they are afraid that more are buried under the rubble.

The top U.N. envoy to Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, was among those killed in yesterday's suspected suicide bombing, the most devastating attack on a U.N. civilian complex in the world body's 58-year-old history.

More than 100 people were wounded in the strike which came a day after Iraq's U.S. governor, Paul Bremer -- a counter- terrorism expert -- said fighters from Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network were operating in the country.

FBI investigators and U.S. forensic teams scoured the rubble today for clues about those behind the attack which was similar to a truck bombing two weeks ago that wrecked Jordan's embassy, killing 17 people. No group claimed responsibility.

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan vowed it would not deter his organisation, whose staff would stay on in Iraq.

He told a news conference in Stockholm that the UN will continue its work and make a very comprehensive assessment of the present security arrangements and what needs to be done.

He said he would be meeting later in the day with the U.N. Security Council in New York.

Many of the wounded were being evacuated from Iraq.

Vieira de Mello's death brought an outpouring of grief from the United Nations and messages saluting a highly respected international servant from around the world.

President George W. Bush vowed to hunt down the bombers and said he would not to be intimidated by "terrorists and the remnants of Saddam Hussein's brutal regime" into giving up his goal of transforming Iraq into a peaceful democracy.

Washington has blamed mainly die-hard Saddam loyalists for daily guerrilla attacks on its forces, which have killed 61 U.S. soldiers since the start of May. But U.S. officials have made increasing mention of what they call foreign terrorists.

In the latest attack, four U.S. soldiers were wounded today when a makeshift bomb was detonated near their convoy in northern Iraq.

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said his country will seek a stronger U.N. mandate toward Iraq.

Mr. Straw also said Britain and the United States may have failed to anticipate the security vacuum left by the sudden collapse of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

[03] MIDEAST

Israeli leader Ariel Sharon met his top security officials to discuss what action to take over yesterday's attack, one of the worst in a 34-month-old Palestinian uprising for statehood.

It dealt a critical blow at a U.S.-backed "road map" to peace.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian leadership ordered its security forces today to hunt down and arrest militants behind the suicide bombing.

Palestinian Information Minister Nabil Amr told reporters that Prime Minister Abbas would also convene his cabinet later today to decide on other security measures against Islamic militants who claimed responsibility for the attack.

Israel yesterday suspended talks to hand over occupied cities to Palestinian authorities and reimposed a total military closure on West Bank cities.

The attack on the bus packed with ultra-Orthodox Jewish families returning from a daily pilgrimage to Jerusalem's Western Wall shrine -- the Wailing Wall -- dealt a critical blow to a seven-week-old ceasefire underpinning the peace plan.

[04] MALI HOSTAGES

The nine Germans, four Swiss and one Dutch tourist, looking thin but in good health, smiled and waved to the waiting press but made no comment as they descended from the German air force plane that had flown them to Cologne from Mali's capital Bamako.

Deputy Foreign Minister Juergen Chrobog, Germany's top official handling the case, told reporters after flying back with the hostages that it was the most drawn-out and elaborate rescue of German tourists abroad the government had ever carried out.

The hostages were among 32 seized in separate incidents in February and March while travelling in southern Algeria, famous for its grave sites but notorious for smuggling and banditry.

The exact terms of their release to Malian authorities on Monday remain unclear. Germany has not commented on reports that Berlin was planning to reimburse Mali for meeting ransom demands of about 5 million dollars with development aid.

[05] EREL PARTY

According to Turkish Cypriot daily "Kibrisli", the new party will be named Party of the Solution and the European Union.

The newspaper said that the chamber is preparing to open up a television station while a radio station which is controlled by the Republican Turkish Party has asked permission to operate a television station too.

The occupation regime however, is delaying the process of granting both permits for the TV stations.

Kibrisli also wrote that Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash will resign from the position of so called "president" and head the rightists parties.

[06] ACCIDENT

Onoufrios Kyriakou, 25, was burnt to death from the explosion which followed the crash.

[07] TAXI DRIVER

Pericleous was shot three times, once in the head. Coroner Eleni Antoniou said the victim was beaten which shows that he may have been attacked.

He was recently questioned regarding the murder case of his colleague, Michalis Zachariou, 65, in Paphos.

[08] HEALTH WARNING

It advises the public to avoid sunbathing and any unecessary outdoor activity. It also calls on the public to avoid fatty foods, alcohol and drink plenty of fluids. It also warns that children or elderly who suffer from gastroenteritis to seek medical advice.

[09] WEATHER

Temperatures will reach 39 C inland, 35 C on the south and east coast, 31 C on the west and the mountains.

Tonight the weather will be clear but thin mist and low cloud will form in some areas. Winds will be mainly south-westerly to north-westerly light, two to three beaufort and the sea calm to slight. Temperatures will fall to 25 C inland, 23 on the south and 20 over the west and mountains.

The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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