The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-09-06

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

CONTENTS

[01] Prime-minister K. Karamanlis

06 Σεπ 2008 11:21:00

Thessaloniki still focus of political interest as Prime-minister, Kostas Karamanlis today inaugurated the 73rd International Thessaloniki Fair and was briefed by the ITF and HELEXPO administration boards. Development Ministry kiosk was the first stop of Mr. Karamanlis tour of the exhibition to point out the governments priorities while next to visit were the kiosks of the Education Ministry, Thessaloniki Municipality, Fire Department, Italys, which is this years honoured country, Hellenic Police, Athens-Macedonian Press News Agencies and the Thessaloniki Prefecture. The Prime-minister, who was accompanied by State Minister, Thodoros Roussopoulos and director of the Premiership office, Yiannis Andrianos, received a warm welcome by a crowd of people, high ranking government officials, deputies, Thessaloniki Mayor and Prefect.

Mr. Karamanlis is expected to announce measures to enforce low-incomes during his speech at the Bellidios Congress Center this evening and will present the basic axis of the governments economic policy. According to reports, the Prime-minister will be firm on the reforms strategy and particularly refer to the big projects in progress in northern Greece and nationwide. In tomorrows press interview, the Prime-minister is expected to send messages towards all directions regarding recent developments in the political stage.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[02] Strict Security Measures

Protest demonstrations and rallies will be held in Thessaloniki this afternoon. GSEE, ADEDY and the Thessaloniki Labor Center will stage a demonstration at 18:00, at the Eleftherios Benizelos monument, PAME supporters have scheduled to gather at 19:00, at XANTH square while the Hellenic Social Forum has organized a separate demonstration at 18:30, in Kamara. "I do not expect the prime-ministers speech this evening to include any surprises" said GSEE president, Yiannis Panagopoulos in an interview with NET 105.8 while he exercised strong criticism against the governments economic policy. In the meantime, 2000 policemen are out in force while strict security measures and special traffic regulations have been effected to prevent any incidents. Furthermore, in his report Thessaloniki Prosecutor has asked for police intervention within the Aristotelio University campus in the event of first instance crimes.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[03] Pakistan: Elects New President

Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Pakistani Prime- minister Benazir Bhutto, is the winner in a presidential election on Saturday. Zardari has secured 458 out of total 702 electoral votes, according to unofficial and partial Election Commission results. Members of the two-chamber parliament and four provincial assemblies voted on a replacement for deeply unpopular Pervez Musharraf, who resigned on August, 18. Zardari, 53, was thrust into the centre of politics by his wifes assassination. A February parliamentary election win for their Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) made him one of the most powerful figures in the country. Zardari, whose rivals call him Mr. Ten per cent on corruption and other charges stemming from his time in government when his wife was prime minister in the 1990s, had been widely expected to win. His two rivals for president were Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, a former judge, nominated by former prime- minister Nawaz Sharifs party, and Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a senior official of the party that backed Musharraf and ruled under him.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[04] Death Toll in Haiti Soars

Tropical Storm Hanna headed inland early on Saturday after barrelling ashore between South and North Carolina and beginning a rain-swept march up the U.S. Atlantic Coast. Hanna, packing winds was forecast to move rapidly northeast along the East Coast, bringing heavy rains and a risk of flash flooding to the mid-Atlantic states and New England. In the meantime almost 500 people died when up to 5 metres of muddy water swept through the Haitian town of Gonaives this week, triggered by torrential rains from Tropical Storm Hanna, police said on Friday. The soaring death toll in the impoverished Caribbean countrys fourth largest city began to be revealed as floodwaters receded and aid started to be delivered to those who survived by fleeing to their rooftops. "We have found 495 bodies so far and there are 13 people missing. The smell of the dead is very unpleasant in Gonaives. The death toll could be even higher "Gonaives police commissioner Ernst Dorfeuille said.The 495 dead in Gonaives brought the toll for all of Haiti to at least 529 after a week of floods and mudslides caused by Hanna, a storm that swirled over the south-eastern Bahamas islands for a couple of days before aiming for the Carolinas on the U.S. East Coast on Friday. The United Nations said it would launch an appeal for emergency funds to help up to 600,000 Haitians while the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appealed for 3.8 million Swiss francs in donations for Haiti. A freighter with food supplied by the U.N.s World Food Program and carrying other supplies including drinking water docked in Gonaives yesterday. Ships and planes had begun to arrive with desperately needed aid for Haiti, which has been hit by three deadly storms in less than a month.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[05] Quake in Thessaloniki

Sources: ΝΕΤ

Thessaloniki was shaken yesterday by moderate quake measuring 3,8 on the Richter scale. Even though it was a weak quake, it was strongly felt. The epicenter was traced in Lagadas Lake, 7 Km east from the city. Seismologists appear reassuring.

Translated by Sofia Gartziou

[06] Medvedev Fresh Accusations

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused the West on Saturday of acting provocatively in and around the Black Sea, where the United States is using warships to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia. A whole U.S. fleet had been dispatched to deliver humanitarian aid to Georgia. Medvedev has accused U.S. warships of rearming Georgias defeated army, a charge dismissed by Washington. Medvedev was speaking at a meeting of his advisory state council, which meets regularly and comprises regional governors. Medvedev said he had summoned the state council to discuss changes in Russias foreign and security policy after the conflict in Georgia.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[07] Killed Daughter for Wanting Divorce

06 Σεπ 2008 13:07:00

Halkida Prosecutor filed intentional murder charge against both Masami Taninta, 77- former Japans diplomat in the Vatican- and his wife Maria, 67 for killing their daughter Amfithea Taninta, 36 because she no longer wanted to live with her husband. The corpse of the young woman, wrapped in a sheet, was found in the shower of her parents villa in Amarynthos without any apparent signs indicating cause of death.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[08] Cairo Landslide

At least ten people were killed and 19 injured when a rockslide hit a shanty town in Cairo on Saturday, with the death toll expected to rise, security sources said. Dozens of houses in the Manshiyet Nasser shanty town east of central Cairo were completely destroyed by boulders and rocks.Police have cordoned off the area. Massive boulders destroyed entire buildings.The shanty town is famously overcrowded, with entire poor families sometimes crowded into single rooms. Its buildings were all huddled at the base of cliffs next to a main Cairo highway.

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

[09] Berlusconi Loses Libel Suit

Italy'

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi lost a defamation suit he brought against "The Economist" over a 2001 cover story that accused him of being "unfit to lead Italy". Berlusconi, one of Italys richest men, was ordered to pay The Economists legal costs of 25,000 euros after a Milan court rejected his libel claims. The Economist, which published the court ruling on its website, said it was pleased and would make no further comment. Silvio Berlusconi had filed the libel suit in July, 2001, shortly after he assumed duties as prime-minister.

The Economists April 26, 2001, edition ran a front page photo of the media mogul with the headline: "Why Silvio Berlusconi is unfit to lead Italy". It accused him of having conflicts of interest, analysed his business empire and detailed trials against him, in an issue which came out just ahead of elections that Berlusconi won and stayed in office for 5 years, the longest term of Italian politician since World War II. The Economist has repeatedly launched broadsides against Berlusconi, whose business empire spans television, publishing, film and top flight soccer team A.C. Milan. After he narrowly lost his bid for re-election in 2006, he won a triumphant third term in office in April, 2008

Translated by Chrisanthi Sarantis

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