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Monday, 30 December 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-03-12Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HeadlinesPresident Papadopoulos stated that the Greek Cypriot side wants to strengthen the functionality of a possible new federal state, and is not asking anything from the Turkish Cypriots,Spain mourned for at least 198 people killed in Europe's worst attack in 15 years as investigators today tried to pin down if Basque separatists or Muslim militants were behind the bombs on commuter trains, and Asia's bird flu epidemic, which has killed millions of chickens and at least 22 people, is under control although the deadly virus might linger for months. [02] Tassos CyprusPresident Papadopoulos stated that the Greek cypriot side wants to strengthen the functionality of a possible new federal state, and is not asking anything from the Turkish cypriots. Asked before he left for today's talks, whether the give and take process was going to start today, the President of the Republic stressed that there's not much left to give for the Greek cypriot side. He added that there's no point of giving, because we are not going to take. The President reiterated that there has been no progress at the table of negotiations. He said that the four subcommittees working on specific issues, are hard at it, however there has not been much agreement there either. Asked if he has any indications, of where the four party conference on Cyprus will take place, President Papadopoulos replied that it is somewhere in Switzerland, without being clear at what level the talks will take place.[03] Iacovou giveForeign minister Yiorgos Iacovou expressed the view that it's very difficult for a give and take process to actually work, because of diverging positions between the two sides. He said that the positions of the Greek cypriot side aim at improving the Anan plan, whilst the Turkish positions, are outside its framework. In statements to our station, Mr Iacovou said that the Turkish cypriot leader Rauf Denktash has great demands in the issue of territory, however he has not submitted any productive proposals and no map, despite being asked to do so. He added that in case such great differences remain, the UN Secretary General will have a difficult role to play at the final stage of the procedure. The foreign minister expressed the view that Kofi Anan will present a new plan, that does not differ very much from the one already on the table.[04] Spain attacksSpain mourned for at least 198 people killed in Europe's worst attack in 15 years as investigators today tried to pin down if Basque separatists or Muslim militants were behind the bombs on commuter trains.Campaigning for Sunday's general election was halted as millions were set to join evening protests across Spain called by Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar under the slogan "With the Victims, With the Constitution, For the Defeat of Terrorism". More than one thousand four hundred people were wounded. With 60 of the wounded in a serious condition, the death toll was expected to rise. The victims of the attacks include nationals from eleven countries. The Spanish government said it believed Basque guerrilla group ETA, which wants independence for the northern region, was most likely to blame for yesterday's simultaneous bombings of four trains at Madrid stations. However, Interior Minister Angel Acebes said police were not ruling out any clues after finding a van containing seven detonators and a tape in Arabic at a town near Madrid where the bombs may have been placed on the trains. And a letter apparently from a group aligned to al Qaeda claimed responsibility. No authentication was available of the letter attributed to the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, a group aligned to al Qaeda. A walkout of workplaces was set for noon and mass demonstrations at 7 tonight. Israeli medical examiners experienced in identifying victims of Palestinian suicide bombings have been asked to assist Spanish pathologists and will travel to Madrid soon. It was the worst guerilla attack in Europe since the Lockerbie bombing in December 1988 when 270 people were killed. [05] Poland measuresPoland, like Spain a U.S. ally in Iraq, today stepped up security at its borders and put police on heightened alert in response to fears al-Qaeda could have been behind the deadly terror attacks in Madrid.The government's security committee decided to raise security measures and increase monitoring, particularly on border crossings, airports, train stations, transport hubs and sea ports. But the committee, headed by Interior Minister Jozef Oleksy, said Polish and allied countries' intelligence reports did not indicate an immediate threat. Poland leads an international military force in south-central Iraq on behalf of the occupying U.S.-led coalition. [06] BirdfluAsia's bird flu epidemic, which has killed millions of chickens and at least 22 people, is under control although the deadly virus might linger for months.Previous outbreaks of bird flu in Europe and the United States took six months to bring to heel and the head of the World Organisation for Animal Health cautioned against excessive optimism in Asia. Despite announcing on Tuesday it hoped to be "bird flu free" by next week, Thailand, the world's fourth largest poultry producer and one of the worst hit countries, today admitted it had fresh outbreaks earlier this month. Bird flu spread across much of Asia over the last few months, killing at least 15 people in Vietnam and seven in Thailand. [07] SkoreaToday's vote to impeach South Korea's president will not have a big impact on six-country talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions, especially since those discussions were unlikely to see much progress ahead of the U.S. presidential election in November.South Korea's parliament voted to impeach President Roh Moo-hyun, placing his powers in limbo until the Constitutional Court rules on the vote. That process could take up to six months and Prime Minister Goh Kun will run the country in the interim. The United States, the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and China met to discuss North Korea's nuclear programme in Beijing last month but agreed only to set up a working group and hold a third round of talks before the end of June. [08] Rugova bombA hand grenade lobbed at the residence of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian President Ibrahim Rugova shattered windows but caused no injuries.The veteran leader and his family were in the house at the time of the blast. The police spokesman said the grenade was thrown from a car driving by at about 8 this morning and that it exploded in the yard of the residence in the provincial capital Pristina. Rugova was elected president by Kosovo's parliament in early 2002, almost three years after NATO's 11-week bombing campaign drove Slobodan Milosevic's Serb forces from the majority Albanian province. [09] WeatherRain is forecast for this afternoon, mainly on the mountains. Winds will be moderate southwesterly, force three to four, over slight seas. Temperatures will rise to 18 degrees inland and in coastal areas and 11 on the mountains. Tonight more rain is expected, with isolated thunderstorms in coastal areas. Thin mist will form in some areas, with snowfalls possible. Winds will be light northwesterly, force two to three, over slight seas. Temperatures will drop to six degrees inland, eight in coastal areas and zero on the mountains.Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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