The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-08-07

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From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] At the House of Representatives Bribery Scandal

By Despina Hristopoulou

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

American magazine Vanity Fair revealed a Turkish lobby scandal, implicating the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert. In his article, which appears in the current September 2005 issue, reporter David Rose described in detail the allegations made by a former FBI translator, Sibel Edmonds, who revealed information concerning talks between Turkish diplomats and US lawmakers. According to the article, Hastert received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for blocking a Congressional resolution supporting the Armenian genocide by Turkey. The Speaker of the House withdrew the draft resolution unexpectedly in October 2000, just before it was scheduled for voting by the plenary session. The Speakers spokesperson denied the allegations.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[02] British Navy Offered Invaluable Help Happy Ending

By Despina Hristopoulou

Sources: BBC, ΝΕΤ, ANA

The seven Russian seamen who had been trapped 190m underwater in the Russian mini-submarine AS-28 since Thursday are safe and sound. The British submersible Scorpio 45 managed to cut through the cables that were keeping the mini-sub down. "The mini-sub has surfaced. The seven submariners on board are alive," naval spokesman Igor Dygalo was quoted by Interfax as saying, while Rear Adm. Vladimir Pepelyayev, deputy head of the naval general staff, told reporters, "The crew opened the hatch themselves, exited the vessel and climbed aboard a speedboat." The Russian AS-28 emerged to the surface in the early hours of Sunday morning, almost 24 hours before the air supply was due to run out. The resurfacing took just three minutes. The seven crewmembers are well and were transferred to hospital as a precaution.

Strenuous Efforts

Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no comments on the accident yet, however, he sent Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov to Kamchatka to take charge of the rescue operation. In the meantime, the Russian Foreign Ministry thanked Britain, the United States and Japan for their help.

Over the last three days, the seven Russian seamen were gathered in one area of the mini-sub, while the temperature within the cabin was 6 degrees Celsius. The men were wearing thermal suits and kept still in order to save air.

Initially, it had been thought that the mini-sub got tangled in nets, but it was later proven that it had also been trapped in a network of underwater antennae, weighing 60 tons.

The first rescue operation was unsuccessful, as the cables kept the sub pinned down. The only hopes lay in the unmanned Scorpio vessels.

The British submersible arrived at Berezovaya Bay on Saturday at midnight. It commenced the rescue operation approximately two hours later. At one point, the Scorpio 45 had to resurface due to a technical fault. After cutting though the cables and nets, a piece of net got struck on its stern. The British operators fixed the problem quickly and the Scorpio 45 submerged once again to continue the rescue operation.

A Kozmine vessel, which was carrying equipment to the rescuers, American experts and two Super Scorpios were also assisting in the operation.

This is the first time, following the naval tragedy with the nuclear submarine Kursk five years ago when 118 people perished, that the Russian authorities accepted help from Britain and the USA.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related News:

Memories of Kursk Awakened

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