Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-07-02

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] Headlines

[02] Greece Euro

[03] Celebs

[04] Security Al Qaeda

[05] Turkey quake FRIDAY 2 JULY 2004

[01] Headlines

Millions of Greek soccer fans celebrated their country's Euro 2004 semi-final win all over the world. >From Melbourne to New York, Greeks celebrated a great victory,

and

An al Qaeda-linked group vowed to renew attacks on Europe and urged Muslims to flee once Osama bin Laden's three-month truce ends on July 15, two Arabic-language newspapers reported.

[02] Greece Euro

Greece beat the Czech Republic in the second Euro 2004 semi-final on Thursday 1-0 via a silver goal, hustling and scrapping their way into the final against Portugal.

It was a victory that owed much to the virtues instilled in the Greeks by their German coach Otto Rehhagel, who is far more likely to lose sleep from the sound of crashing plates than out of concern for the aesthetics of his team's performance.

The Czechs are certainly, on many levels, a better football team than Greece, as are Portugal who lost to Rehhagel's side in the tournament's opening match.

Spain and Russia, who finished below Greece in their group, and holders France who lost to them in the quarter-final would all justifiably claim to have better players.

There are reasons, though, why a country who have never previously managed to win a game at a major tournament are now in with a chance of becoming European champions.

Rehhagel has done what the coaches of every small team in major tournaments dream of, getting the very best and then something more out of a squad of hard-working and good, but not gifted, players.

He has fired them with the traditional German qualities of determination, intense concentration and huge self-belief, which have carried the Greeks to a level no-one would have predicted.

But this triumph, cruel as it was on a talented Czech side, was about much more than the necessary qualities of work-rate, team-spirit and impressive physical fitness.

Rehhagel triumphed on a tactical level by snuffing out the Czech attack using a tried and tested approach that appeared to have long since gone out of fashion.

The players were utterly overwhelmed after reaching the Euro 2004 final.

"This has not sunk in, no way," midfielder Angelos Basinas told reporters. "We are just so overwhelmed by this accomplishment we cannot believe it."

Giorgos Karagounis, who will miss the final after picking up a second yellow card, said celebrations in the dressing room were still going on an hour after the game had finished.

"We can't believe it. We have gone crazy. We have to swallow this first because the feelings and emotions are still flowing," said Karagounis who scored Greece' first goal of the tournament, in their 2-1 win over Portugal.

Greece will face Portugal again in the final. Greece had never won a game at a major tournament before coming to Portugal and were quoted at 80-1 to win the title before it began.

Angelos Haristeas said: "It's just unbelievable. I'm totally happy. It's the best moment in Greek football history."

[03] Celebs

[04] Security Al Qaeda

Al Qaeda leader bin Laden, in an audiotape on April 15, extended a truce to Europeans if they withdrew troops from Muslim nations. He said the offer not to attack Europe would last three months.

It was not immediately possible to verify the authenticity of the new statement, parts of which were published by London-based newspapers Asharq al-Awsat and al-Hayat. The dailies said the letter was dated July 1 but did not say how they obtained it.

The statement said attacks would continue until the United States freed Muslim prisoners, ended its war on Islam and until "all Muslim land, including Jerusalem and Kashmir, is cleansed of the stain of Jews, Americans and Hindus".

Several European states had rejected the truce offer, which excluded the United States and Israel. The CIA has said the voice on the tape was likely that of bin Laden, whose group carried out the September 2001 attacks on U.S. cities.

[05] Turkey quake

Soldiers worked with residents to rescue people trapped in the rubble and set up tents and mobile kitchens for those made homeless.

An official at the local governor's office said the village of Yigincal, with about 100 houses, suffered severe damage in the quake, which struck three villages in Dogubayazit district near the Iranian border at 1:30 a.m.

The remote Dogubayazit area is a destination for adventurous travellers who come to visit Mount Ararat and palace ruins on a hill near the main district town.

The Red Crescent aid organisation said it had sent 500 tents and 500 blankets to the area along with two mobile kitchens.

Weather It will be mainly fine this afternoon. Winds will be westerly to southwesterly, light to moderate, over slight seas. Temperatures will reach 31 degrees inland, 34 on the southern and eastern coastal areas and 29 on the western coastal areas and on higher ground. Tonight, fine weather will continue. Thin mist and low clouds are likely to form in some areas. Winds will be light northwesterly to northeasterly, force two to three, over calm to slight seas. Temperatures will drop to 23 degrees inland, 21 on the southern and eastern coastal areas, 19 on the western coastal areas and 16 on higher ground. The fire hazard is very high in all forest areas.

Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article