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Sunday, 22 December 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 04-10-06Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HeadlinesThe European Commission is expected to approve the start of EU accession talks with Turkey,Nicosia will lodge an official protest with Tel Aviv over the way Israeli fighter jets intercepted a Lufthansa 747 passenger aircraft and forced it to land at Larnaca airport, A new law mandates that microchips are implanted in all dogs, New polls show that the race for the White House has tightened, AND Palestinian militants infiltrated a Jewish settlement in Gaza. [02] EU-TurkeyThe European Commission is meeting at this hour to put final touches to its recommendation that Turkey start accession talks with the EU.The Commission will demand that Ankara must make progress on human rights and other standards until it clinches membership which is not expected to come for a decade or more. EU leaders will take the final decision on December 17 on whether and when to open negotiations with Turkey. Dutch Foreign Minister Ben Bot, whose country is currently president of the 25-nation bloc, said he expected talks to start in the second half of 2005. Mr. Bot said in an interview that successful completion of negotiations is not certain because it would depend on developments in Ankara. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped negotiations would not take too long. [03] Thrassou-IsraelisCommunications Minister Haris Thrassou said the government will lodge an official complaint with the Israeli government over the conduct of Israeli fighter planes that intercepted a Lufthansa passenger aircraft off the Cyprus coast.Mr. Thrassou confirmed reports that the two Israeli F16 fighters had mistakenly approached a Swiss airlines jet which was forced to change altitude. The minister said he was immediately informed about the Boeing 747's landing at Larnaca airport, but not about the fact that Israeli jets had intercepted the aircraft 70 nautical miles off the Paphos coast. Justice Minister Doros Theodorou said he was informed that the Israeli fighters were scrambled to keep the passenger aircraft from entering Israeli airspace. The Tel Aviv bound Lufthansa flight with 331 people and 14 crew aboard, was forced to land at Larnaca airport at around three in the afternoon yesterday following a hoax bomb threat. Cyprus police scoured the aircraft and checked all passengers and luggage and found nothing. The aircraft took off again at around ten and landed safely less than an hour later in Tel Aviv. It was the sixth bomb hoax involving passenger aircarft inside European airspace in the last 10 days. [04] Traffic accidentOne man was killed and two others injured in an early morning traffic accident in Koutrafas villages.The victim has been identified as 58-year-old Michalis Pembetsios from Orounta. Pembetsios, a Nicosia District Office worker, was killed when the car he was driving smashed into a roadside tree. His colleagues, 41-year-old Charalambos Ioannou from Galata and 23-year-old Michalis Yiallouris from Astromeritis are being treated for serious injuries at Nicosia General Hospital. The car involved in the accident belonged to the Nicosia District Office. [05] Dogs lawA new law that came into effect October first will force dog owners to have their pets implanted with microchips that would allow authorities to keep track of them.The locator devices will contain the owners' name, address and telephone number. In case the pet strays off, the owner faces a prison sentence of up to a year and a fine of up to 1,000 pounds. Private vets will insert the chip for a 20 pound fee. Meanwhile, the pets will also be issued a "passport" that will contain the owners' details, a description of the dog, the chip's registration number as well as all vaccinations that have been administered. A photo of the dog will also figure prominently in the passport which will be issued by vets and will make travel within Europe easier for both the animals and their owners. [06] Lyn ParkerBritain's High Commissioner to the island Lyn Parker told Turkish Cypriots that his country supports direct trade between the EU and the occupied north.According to the Turkish Cypriot press, Mr. Parker visited the occupied Karpas peninsula and met with Rizokarpaso's Turkish Cypriot community leader. The two discussed problems faced by area residents. Mr. Parker asked that a respresentative from the Greek Cypriot enclaved community also attend the meeting, something that did not happen. [07] US campaign-debateAmerican Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic Senator John Edwards battled fiercely over the war in Iraq in a debate that featured repeated personal attacks on the other side's records and judgment.Mr. Edwards accused the vice president "not being straight" on Iraq, while Mr. Cheney countered the Democrats were not qualified to lead. Mr. Edwards said the US administration was ignoring the growing chaos in Iraq and diverting attention from international threats like the nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea. Yesterday's vice-presidential match-up gained new significance after a series of polls showed the race tightening. [08] Gaza-hostagePalestinian gunmen infiltrated a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip and took one Thai farm worker hostage.One of the militants was killed in a gunbattle with Israeli soldiers and two others were still thought to be inside the Kfar Darom settlement. The Islamic militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack. Kfar Darom is well away from the northern Gaza Strip, where Israeli troops have killed at least 75 Palestinians in a seven-day-old offensive to end rocket fire into Israel. Three Israelis have also been killed. [09] Iran-nukesIran is reportedly defying the UN's nuclear watchdog by starting to process uranium to prepare it for enrichment -- a process that can be used to make nuclear weapons.A diplomat close to the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency said the uranium processing was "under the watchful eye" of the agency. The agency has installed monitoring cameras at the Isfahan uranium conversion facility in Iran to supervise the production material used for enrichment. The agency passed a resolution last month demanding that Iran freeze all activities connected with the enrichment of uranium. But Iran's president said that Tehran would not give in to foreign pressure aimed at stopping what he said was a peaceful nuclear energy programme. [10] Sea twistersThe Weather Service has issued a warning that twisters could develop off the Cyprus coast due to unstable conditions in the region.A statement said one twister appeared off the Dhekelia coast, which dissipated a few minutes later. [11] WeatherWe can expect unstable conditions to bring showers and isolated thunderstorms this afternoon.Strong winds will be out of the west, force 5 to 6, while seas will be rough. Temperatures will reach 28 degrees inland and the coasts and 17 in the highest mountains. More shower activity tonight, heavy at times especially along the coasts. Winds will be southwesterly light to moderate, force 3 to 4, with moderate to rough seas. Temperatures will drop to 15 degrees inland, 17 on the coasts and 9 in the highest mountains. Despite the rain, the risk of fire remains extremely high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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