The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 09-06-11

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

CONTENTS

[01] EU: Aiming at Common Immigration Policy

Angela Merkel and Nickolas Sarkozy offered their backing to Barroso, who has made economy, environment and illegal immigration the Commission's keynote priorities.

Boosting border inspections, shaping a common policy on illegal immigration and establishing better cooperation between police and justice are some of the issues to be brought up at the EU June Summit, upon Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's request.

More than 15,000 illegal immigrants, mostly from Morocco, Albania and Ukraine, entered Italy in 2008, with the Italian authorities having adopted violent readmission measures.

Spain is also among the nations receiving scores of illegal immigrants, with about 13,500 immigrants entering the country in 2008.

News item: 23497

[02] Swine Flu Pandemic Declared

Raising alert level to six, the World Health Organization has declared a global flu pandemic, the first in 40 years. The official announcement is expected to be made at a press conference. The swine flu (H1N1) virus first emerged in Mexico in April and has since spread to 74 countries, infecting about 27,737 people and killing 141. In the meantime, Greece confirmed Thursday the seventh case. It is a 28-year-old young woman, who was tested positive upon her arrival from the USA.

The last pandemic was in 1968, killing about one million people.

In the meantime, WHO contacted the nations that have been hit the hardest by the flu to get a close view of local vigilance.

Things in Chile are pretty gloomy, since the 411 cases rose to 1,694 in just two days. Authorities in Britain, Australia and Japan are also on standby.

In the meantime, Germany confirmed 27 new H1N1 case in a Japanese school in Dusseldorf. The school will remain closed for about two weeks, while the children tested positive to the virus have been put quarantine.

Authorities in Hong Kong decided to close all primary school and daycares closed for two weeks, after the swine flu was detected in twelve students.

Thailand put 13 students of a private school in quarantine, after developing flu-like symptoms.

WHO, however, is particularly cautious, with a view to averting panic, given the fact the current pandemic seems to be moderate and causing mild illness in most people.Its decision to move to pandemic phase six means to have safety measures boosted worldwide.

News item: 23496

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