Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-09-27

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

CONTENTS

[01] HEADLINES

[02] GREECE CRASH

[03] GREEK PLANE

[04] TASSOS BELGIUM

[05] IRAQ

[06] SYRIA HAMAS

[07] WEATHER JEANNE

[08] APOEL STABBING

[09] KAROLINA FREESTYLE

[10] WEATHER MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2004

[01] HEADLINES

--A New York-bound Greek passenger jet was given the all-clear today after it was forced to make an emergency landing at a London airport following a bomb threat.

- Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos begins today a three-day working visit to Belgium at the invitation of the Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt. And

-- A weakening Tropical Storm Jeanne sloshed into north Florida today after pounding areas of the state's east coast ravaged by Hurricane Frances three weeks ago.

[02] GREECE CRASH

The accident occurred near the coastal town of Aghios Constantinos when a truck, reportedly carrying glass, veered into the opposite lane and crashed nearly head-on with the bus, causing both vehicles to overturn.

The bus was carrying pupils from Farkadona, Trikala, and their chaperones to attend the Paralympic Games.

According to initial reports from the public order ministry's Operations Centre, at least 7 persons were killed and 12 others were seriously injured, while all the pupils and their chaperones have been removed from the wreckage and were rushed to hospital in nearby Lamia. An air-lift was also underway to transfer by helicopter a pupil whose hand was severed in the accident to the KAT hospital in Athens for reattachment of the limb.

Sources also said that the Lamia hospital has made arrangements with several central hospitals in Athens and Thessaloniki for the transfer of the more seriously injured who may require specialised medical attention.

The bus driver, 21-year-old Dimitris Peslis, and the driver of the truck, 60-year-old Antonis Pardalakis, were taken to the nearby police station in Kamena Vourla for questioning.

At the same time, Public Order minister George Voulgarakis, Health minister Nikitas Kaklamanis and education minister Marietta Yiannakou left immediately for the crash site by police helicopter.

[03] GREEK PLANE

Police ended their search of the Greek Olympic Airlines Airbus 340 about 12 hours after it touched down at Stansted Airport yesterday.

Two Royal Air Force Tornado fighter planes were scrambled to escort the Athens to New York service after a caller to a Greek newspaper said a bomb was on board.

An airlines spokeswoman said the pilot was informed of the threat over France. About 300 passengers and 12 crew were safely evacuated at Stansted.

Athens international airport is on heightened alert because of the Paralympic Games that end today. Hundreds of armed security guards, sniffer dogs and bomb experts patrol the airport.

[04] TASSOS BELGIUM

During his stay here Papadopoulos will meet Mr. Verhofstadt and other Belgian officials.

The president arrived in the Belgian capital this morning. This afternoon, he will visit the Brussels Town Hall and sign the city's golden book.

[05] IRAQ

In fresh attacks against Iraq's beleaguered security forces aimed at destabilising the U.S.-backed government, insurgents detonated the bomb near a National Guard patrol in Mosul, 390 km north of Baghdad. Three civilians were also wounded.

Earlier today, insurgents fired five mortar bombs near a police academy in eastern Baghdad, but there were no reports of any casualties or damage.

The attacks came a day after Mr. Powell's warning, which linked the growing militancy to elections scheduled in Iraq for January.

Also today, U.S. planes fired at rebel positions in the eastern Baghdad Shi'ite slum of Sadr City, residents and doctors said. The U.S. military said it had no word on those attacks.

[06] SYRIA HAMAS

"This terrorist act represents a grave development that Israel shoulders responsibility for, as it emphasises its intention to shake security and stability in the region," the Syrian state news agency quoted an official source as saying.

A bomb killed Izz el-Deen al-Sheikh Khalil, 42, when he started the engine and an explosive charge under the driver's seat ripped through his SUV in the Az-Zahera neighbourhood of Syria's capital. Three passers-by were wounded.

Palestinian sources in Gaza said Khalil was believed to be in charge of the group's military wing outside the Palestinian territories. Hamas sources in Beirut said he was a mid-level official. The Palestinian militant group vowed revenge.

[07] WEATHER JEANNE

Jeanne was blamed for at least four deaths in Florida after causing floods in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico last week in which up to 2,000 people died.

As a hurricane, Jeanne dealt Florida its fourth major strike this season, ripping off roofs and filling oceanfront condos with sand when it crashed ashore with 195 kph winds near Stuart, on the Atlantic coast, and moved across the state to the Gulf coast yesterday.

The storm left about 4 million people without electricity as it pulled down trees and shredded power lines from the east-central coast to Tampa before moving into north Florida and toward Georgia.

Forecasters said Jeanne's sustained winds had weakened to about 80 kph. But it threatened to spawn tornadoes and dump up to 8 inches of rain in north Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

[08] APOEL STABBING

Marios Charalambous from Nicosia, underwent surgery after he was stabbed by two unknown persons as he was coming out of the Antonis Papadopoulos stadium in Larnaca.

Two buses with APOEL fans were stoned after the match but no persons were injured.

[09] KAROLINA FREESTYLE

She ranked third with a time of 30.33 and is in the seventh position of the category.

[10] WEATHER

Tonight the weather will be clear. Locally there will be mist and low cloud. Winds will be north-westerly to north-easterly light, two to three beaufort and the sea slight. Temperatures will fall to 17 C inland, 19 C on the coasts and 15 over the mountains. The fire hazard remains extremely high in all forest areas.

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