The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-11-13

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

CONTENTS

[01] Seventeenth Night of Unrest French Rioting Affects Provinces

By Annita Paschalinou

Sources: Le Monde - AFP - Reuters

Although there has been a considerable fall in violence, French rioting continued on Saturday night. As per the French Media, Paris remained calm, however serious incidents were reported in provincial cities, including Lyon and Toulouse. The police announced that by 4am (local time) some 315 vehicles were set ablaze and 161 people had been arrested as opposed to the previous night which had witnessed 384 arsons and 162 arrests. At the same time, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy appears unbending and determined to restore order. Delivering a speech on Saturday to a police station in central Paris, he sent a crystal clear message to the rioters.

They Stand By Sarkozy

"If you wish to live in France with a residency permit, you have to comply with the laws. Immigration laws do not rule out deportations. I am the Interior Minister and I will apply the law," Nicolas Sarkozy pointed out and added, "All those who commit acts of violence will be brought to Justice."

Nicolas Sarkozy came in for sharp criticism by rioters as well as by politicians for his harsh tongue.

However, the vast majority of the citizens seem to embrace his stance on the problem.

As per an opinion poll released in Le Journal du Dimanche newspaper, 53% of those questioned stated their firm belief that Sarkozy could settle the problems plaguing the Parisian suburbs.

Riots in Lyon and Toulouse

As per Le Monde newspaper, the French capital remained calm during the seventeenth night of rioting.

The prefectures decision to ban any gatherings that could stir up problems played an instrumental role in that.

However, on Saturday night incidents rocked the city of Lyon a few hours before the curfew was imposed. Reuters announced that 130 vehicles and a nursery school were torched in Lyon.

These were the first incidents to affect the city since the outbreak of the riots on October 27.

In the meantime, riots also broke out in the suburbs of Toulouse and in the city of Carpentras.

A school was burnt down, a vehicle was set aflame in front of an old peoples home, while a number of minor incidents upset the residents.

It is noted that the previous night, unidentified individuals had thrown Molotov cocktails at a mosque in Carpentras.

On Saturday, hundreds of French citizens packed the streets of many French cities rallying against the riots.

Translated by Areti Christou

Read the story on other sources:

Reuters:French interior minister vows tough action over riots

Liberation: Affrontements dans le centre de Lyon

Le Monde: Les violences persistent dans les banlieues

[02] For a Four-Year-Old Boy Flight to Life

By Annita Paschalinou

Sources: NET

A C-130 jet transferred a four-year-old boy suffering from mushroom poisoning to Palermo, Italy to undergo a liver transplant. As per information, the child ate wild mushrooms his mother had cooked. Suffering from acute stomach pains, diarrhea and vomits, the little boy was taken to Florinas hospital. Being in a critical condition, the doctors ordered his transfer to the Hippokration hospital in Thessaloniki and then to Palermo, Italy to deal with the situation.

Translated by Areti Christou

[03] No Damages Reported Quake in the Aegean Sea

By Annita Paschalinou

Sources: NET

An earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale occurred at 23:52 on Saturday night. Its epicentre was located in the wider area of Aigio, 150 km west of Athens. The quake was shallow, of short duration and no damages were reported.

Translated by Areti Christou

[04] On Alexandras Avenue Molotov Cocktails at Auto Dealerships

By Annita Paschalinou

Sources: NET

The auto dealerships of Citroen and Mercedes at Alexandras Avenues junction with Katsadoni Street sustained serious damages when youths threw stones and Molotov cocktails 20 minutes after midnight. A fire broke out and some 15 vehicles were damaged. The youths immediately fled the area. 12 fire engines with 30 firefighters rushed to the site and put the fire under control.

Translated by Areti Christou

[05] King Abdullah's Interview with CNN "These People Are Insane"

By Annita Paschalinou

Sources: CNN

Jordans King Abdullah appeared determined to crack down the leader of Al Qaeda in Raq al-Zarqawi following the triple bomb attack that rocked Amman. Speaking on CNN, the Jordanian King pledged to combat terrorism and did not conceal his rage against the couple of terrorists (two of the four terrorists). "To take your wife or your spouse with you into that wedding and blow yourself up is a preposterous idea. These people are insane," he said and underlined that the probe carried out so far has proved that those involved in the bombings were all Iraqis.

Al-Zarqawi Changed His Strategy

Information that speaks of a new strategy followed by al-Zarqawi is pretty interesting.

Wednesdays attack, which was the deadliest in Jordans history, signals, according to King Abdullah, the onset of a new strategy for the Jordanian-born leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq.

"He used to use Jordanians in his attacks. He is using foreigners now. That means that the Jordanian security forces have to change tactics," he argued.

At the same time, he voiced his belief that the terrorists are likely to slip into Jordan from Iraq and Syria and therefore he urged the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to reinforce the police forces across the borderline.

Translated by Areti Christou

Read the story on other sources:

Jordan:Jordan confirms al Qaeda behind hotel blasts

Related News:

Questioning Suspects

The Work of al-Qaeda

Series of Explosions in Amman

[06] "Welcome to Beijing"

By Vicky Keleri

Sources: BBC

Their names are Bei Bei, Jing Jing, Huan Huan, Ying Ying and Ni Ni and they are following in the footsteps of Phevos and Athena to take action for the 2008 Olympic Games! We are talking, of course, about the official mascots for the Beijing Olympic Games presented on Friday. In fact, if put together, their names read in Chinese "Beijing Welcomes You!" Bei Bei is a carp, Jing Jing a panda, Huan Huan stands for the Olympic Flame, Ying Ying is a Tibetan antelope and Ni Ni is a swallow. All five of them are dressed in the colours of the Olympic rings and also represent the sea, forests, earth and air. "They reflect the cultural diversity of China. They represent the enthusiasm and aspirations of our people," said Liu Qi, President of Beijing Organising Committee. The decision on the official mascots for the Beijing Olympics had been a closely guarded secret until the vary day they were unveiled, while it is the first time in the history of the Olympic Games that so many mascots were introduced.

Translated by Areti Christou

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