The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-02-08

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

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK and SYN Questions

08 Feb 2008 09:53:00

Political interest lays in Parliament today as the Prime Minister Mr. Costats Karamanlis will answer questions submitted by PASOK and SYN presidents in "the Hour of the Prime Minister." Mr. Papandreou's questions will focus on Greeces Public Power Corporation (DEH) and its energy policy while Mr. Alekos Alavanos will submitt questions regarding the privatizations in Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE) , Olympic Airways and DEH.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[02] Massacre with Six Dead in Missouri

Sources: ANA, CNN

A gunman killed two police officers and three city officials on Thursday night when he stormed into a city council meeting in a suburb of St. Louis. According to eye witnesses the killer was as 52-year-old Charles "Cookie" Thornton, a contractor in a feud with local officials. He killed one police officer in the parking lot outside the city hall building in Kirkwood before rushing in the city hall.

"He kept saying something about, Shoot the mayor and he just walked around shooting anybody he could," said Janet McNichols, a reporter covering the meeting for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch newspaper.

The criminal was trapped when a city attorney fended off the gunman by throwing chairs at him. Kirkwood Mayor Mike Swoboda was shot in the head and was in critical condition and another reporter suffered a hand wound.

Thornton was well-known for his erratic behavior in Kirkwood, an upscale suburb of 25,000 people. He was convicted in 2006 of disorderly conduct after twice disrupting city council meetings. Thornton had complained that his contracting business was being harassed by city officials.

After the shooting, local television station KMOV-TV interviewed Gerald Thornton, the gunmans brother. "My brother went to war tonight with the people and government that were putting torment and strife into his life and he ended it," Gerald Thornton said. "Im OK with it."

[03] No Damages or Victims Reported

08 Feb 2008 09:01:00

By

Strong quake with a magnitude of 6,1 hit northwest Indonesia. No damages or victims are reported. The Bureau of Meteorology and Geophysics agency reported the epicenter was located 10 km, underwater 90 km northwest of Indonesia. An official said that this is a "usual tectonic quake" and there is no possibility a tidal wave to be created.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

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