The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-07-04

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

CONTENTS

[01] US Transgender Man Gives Birth

By Betty Savourdou

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA

Thomas Beatie, who was born a woman but after surgery and hormone treatment lives as a man, gave birth to a girl at an Oregon hospital, on Thursday US media reported. Beatie, 34, the transgender man who made headlines as the so-called "pregnant man when he revealed he was pregnant last April, conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and his own eggs. He had undergone surgery and hormone therapy but had kept female reproductive organs. Thomas Beatie decided to get pregnant through artificial insemination because his wife was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy

"The desire to have a child is neither a male nor a female privilege, it is a human need. I am a human and have the right to have a baby", he said at Opras show.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

Read the story on other sources:

ABC News: 'Pregnant Man' Gives Birth to Girl

[02] Incidents in the Center of Athens

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA

Tension prevailed in the center of Athens, on Thursday evening when a group of anarchists clashed with police forces. They were staging a demonstration march from Bictoria square to Propylaia in support of two anarchists sentenced to imprisonment. Police forces intervened when they set a car on fire, parked behind the Athens Academy.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[03] Belarus Exlosion

By Betty Savourdou

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA

At least 40 people were injured when a home-made bomb exploded at an outdoor Independence Day concert in Belaruss capital Minsk according to police and eyewitnesses.

A police official said that the explosion occurred shortly after midnight. "Some 40 people had received injuries of various types", he said but he did not know whether they were seriously injured and their life was at risk. The type of the explosive has now been established yet. According to preliminary data, this was a home-made explosive device," he said.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[04] Bush to Attend Opening Ceremony

By Betty Savourdou

Sources: Reuters, ÍÅÔ 105.8, ÁNA-ÌPA

US President, George Bush will attend Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony on August, 8, according to White House announcement. On the contrary, his French counterpart, Nikola Sarkozy is not welcome due to his stand in the Tibet issue. French President Nicolas Sarkozy says his attendance depends on progress in dialogue between Beijing and the Tibetan government-in-exile.

China will deploy unmanned aircraft over Olympic co-host city Qingdao to watch for "suspicious activities", in the countrys first known use of drone planes, according to state media while a senior Chinese security official said the Olympics are threatened by sabotage and unrest

In the meantime, regular flights between China-Taiwan were launched today, an indication of both sides willingness for reconciliation, thus opening the road for millions of Chinese to visit the island.

Deployment of Unmanned Aircraft

China will deploy unmanned aircraft over Olympic co-host city Qingdao to watch for "suspicious activities", in the countrys first known use of drone planes. China regards terrorism as the biggest threat to the Games starting on Aug. 8, and has introduced a raft of measures in recent months to boost security. Armed police tested one of the drones in Shandong provincial capital Jinan on Thursday, remotely piloting it to peek into a third-floor office building, the Shanghai Daily said. The drones, which cost almost $146,000 each, "will watch for suspicious activities and transmit photos and videos back to command stations," the paper said.

The country has said it hopes to secure the Games for less than a third of the Athens bill by relying on its own armed forces, but rights groups accuse it of using the potential terrorist threat as an excuse to suppress internal dissent.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[05] Slovenia Boat Accident

By Betty Savourdou

Sources: ÁNA-ÌPA

At least six people are missing after two boats capsized, close to the site of the hydropower plant Blanca on the River Sava, in east Slovenia, state television reported. The two boats with 10 to 14 people turned over because of strong currents on Thursday afternoon, on the River Sava, near Sevnica, some 80km southeast of the capital Ljubljana. An eyewitness said that five people were collected alive and taken to hospital.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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