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Friday, 19 April 2024
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The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-10-02The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>CONTENTS[01] Weather ForecastMost parts of the country will have scattered clouds, with showers likely in the centre and north. The west will be sunny. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 27C; and in Thessaloniki from 15C to 24C.(2/10/2003 8:31:00 μμ) [02] Weather ForecastMost parts of the country will have scattered clouds, with showers likely in the centre and north. The west will be sunny. Temperatures in Athens between 18C and 27C; and in Thessaloniki from 15C to 24C.(2/10/2003 8:38:00 μμ) [03] Cabinet approves 2004 state budgetThe 2004 general state budget was approved today by the Cabinet that will be presented by the National Economy and Finance Minister Nikos Christodoulakis to Parliament on Monday.The budget forecasts next year's growth rate at 4.2% GDP while the deficit in 2004 is expected to touch on 1.2%. The budget also forecasts 8% spending increases for the education sector and 7.4% for the health sector. The largest increase is expected for the Ministry of the Aegean with a 15.4% rise in spending costs. During the Cabinet's meeting, Prime Minister Simitis underlined the new budget is distinct due to the Olympic Games adding that economic and social cohesion is being promoted in 2004 and all being promoted must be done so in a climate of stability. (2/10/2003 8:41:00 μμ) [04] Supreme Court to accept term "Turks of Western Thrace"According to today's "To Vima" newspaper, The State Supreme Court will announce a significant decision stating that the court accepts the usage of the term "Turks of Western Thrace" based on the right of self-determination.In response to a related question, Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Panayioits Beglitis underlined that Greece's policies concerning the minority in Thrace are based on respect to International Law and International Treaties partucularly on the Treaty of Lausanne. (2/10/2003 8:44:00 μμ) [05] Islamic Conference recognizes Greek-Cypriot governmentTurkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash strongly reacted to a report about Cyprus by the General Secretary of Islamic Conference, Abdelouhed Belkezuz. According to the Turkish-Cypriot press, the Conference's general secretary mentioned in the report that the organization recognizes the island's Greek-Cypriot government as legal and expressed complete support of the policies implemented by President Tasos Papadopoulos.(2/10/2003 8:45:00 μμ) [06] New air corridors do not affect sovereign rightsThe agreement on the new air corridors was at the center of the discussion between the government and the opposition during the briefing of the members of the Parliamentary Committee on European Affairs made today by Alternate Foreign Minister Tasos Yiannitsis and Undersecretaries of Defense Lazaros Lotidis and Manolis Stratakis.It was clarified categorically both by the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defense that no sovereign right is affected by the agreement that has to do with the operation of civil aviation. The opposition, meanwhile, characterized the agreement as unfair serving only the interests of Turkey. During the briefing of the Parliamentary Committee it was clarified that the agreement would be effective from December 25th 2003 provided there would be no objections. The new agreement states, 15 new air corridors will be created with nine belonging to the Athens FIR, five shared by the Athens and Istanbul FIR while one will belong to the Istanbul FIR. (2/10/2003 8:47:00 μμ) [07] Strikes everywhere...Workers - including university professors, slaughter house inspectors taxi drivers and other transport employees - picked up the pace of national strikes today, disrupting a wide range of services for tourists and Greeks alike. The latest walkouts closed courts today with court employees demanding higher salaries. On Friday, flight attendants at state carrier Olympic Airways plan work stoppages to protest a government staff-trimming proposals. Academic staff at universities have entered their third week of a strike, demanding a 20 percent pay increase over two years. The impasse threatens to halt classes indefinitely while state elementary and high school teachers plan to strike Monday. Private school teachers may join the action. State veterinarians and others from the Agriculture Ministry have also been on strike for more than three weeks - effectively closing slaughter houses and causing shortages at butcher shops.State hospital doctors called for a three-day strike beginning Monday. Taxi drivers - protesting government plans that would require them to issue printed receipts - have announced a 24-hour strike for Saturday and a two-day work stoppage beginning Wednesday. The added strikes have been fuelled by PM Simitis' announcement that no further increases could be given other than those already announced by Economy Minister Nikos Christodoulakis. (2/10/2003 8:48:00 μμ) [08] Israel to build 600 new settler homes in W. BankIsrael unveiled plans today to build more than 600 new homes in Jewish settlements, drawing fresh Palestinian condemnation a day after it approved an expansion of its security barrier in the West Bank. The government published tenders for a series of building projects planned for three West Bank settlements on occupied land in defiance of a U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan that calls for a halt to construction at settlements.Housing Ministry spokesman Koby Bleich said the plan was part of "a government policy by which we are to advance and develop communities in Judea and Samaria (biblical names for the West Bank) in accordance with needs and natural growth." But Palestinians denounced the move. The international community views all Jewish settlements on occupied territory as illegal but Israel disputes this. (2/10/2003 8:52:00 μμ) [09] Pakistan kills militants, Afghan violence worsensPakistani forces killed 12 suspected Taliban and al Qaeda fighters today and arrested 12 in an operation near the Afghan border touted as a demonstration of commitment to the U.S.-led war on terror. In neighbouring Afghanistan, two Canadian peacekeepers were killed and three hurt when their vehicle hit a landmine, the first Canadian casualties since joining the NATO-led force in August.Afghan officials reported another 17 deaths, including 10 soldiers and two children, taking to over 300 the number of people killed in violence, much of it blamed on a resurgent Taliban. An official from the ousted hardline regime said the militia's elusive one-eyed supreme leader Mullah Omar had approved a new commander for southern Afghanistan, Mullah Wakil Ahmed, and attacks were likely to be stepped up. (2/10/2003 8:55:00 μμ) [10] U.S. general says Iraq guerrillas more lethal- Annan criticizes US draft resolutionThe top American general in Iraq said today guerrillas fighting his troops were becoming deadlier, after the killing of three more soldiers added urgency to U.S. efforts to garner help stabilising the country. A military spokesman said a soldier from the 4th Infantry Division was killed on Wednesday evening in a rocket-propelled grenade attack on a convoy driving through the town of Samarra, in the heart of the turbulent "Sunni triangle" region. A female soldier from the same division was killed earlier on Wednesday and three soldiers wounded when guerrillas detonated a remote-control bomb as a convoy passed in deposed dictator Saddam Hussein's home town of Tikrit. In Baghdad, an attacker with a handgun ambushed soldiers after dark on Wednesday in the Mansur neighbourhood, killing one and wounding another, the Army said. The attacks brought to at least 84 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in action since Washington declared major combat over on May 1, according to Pentagon figures.Meanhwile, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan questioned today whether the new U.S.-draft resolution on Iraq went far enough in changing attitudes towards foreigners in the still-occupied country. Trying to win over skeptics, the United States revised a U.N. Security Council resolution that emphasizes a step-by-step transfer of power to Iraqis but gives no timetable for the end of the occupation. It strengthens duties of the United Nations but does not give the world body an independent role in overseeing the transition to sovereignty in Iraq as many wanted. (2/10/2003 9:01:00 μμ) The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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