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Tuesday, 5 November 2024 | ||
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-07-23Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HEADLINESWhile anti-globalisation protesters remain on the warpath following the G8's weekend summit, the leaders of the eight most-industrialised nations in the world reiterate their commitment to UN efforts on reaching a Cyprus settlement;Significant progress was made in US-Russia arms-reduction talks; An agreement on the Kyoto Protocol on the environment still eludes delegates attending a UN-sponsored conference in the German city of Bonn; The planned installation of a British telecommunications mast in the Western Sovereign Base Area once again finds itself in the spotlight; The United Nations Force in Cyprus acquires a new Chief-of-Staff; The Cyprus Stock Exchange posts losses today; and.... London's "Great Stink" seems to be no more. [02] g8 cyprusAnti-globalisation demonstrations may have captured the headlines as regards the weekend's G8 summit in the northern Italian city of Genoa, but on a more topical note, the leaders of the eight most industrialised nations in the world reiterated their commitment to supporting the UN Secretary-General's efforts towards a just and lasting solution to the Cyprus Issue, one safeguarding the fundamental rights of all parties in an indivisible Cyprus, along with respect to relevant UN Security Council resolutions.The pledge is included in the G8's Saturday communique on regional issues, and expresses full support to conclusions drawn by the Foreign Ministers of the eight, who had, earlier in the week, met in Rome and had voiced hope of a resumption of Cyprus settlement talks within the scope of the UN Secretary-General's good-offices mission. [03] genoa aftermath greeceAnti-globalisation protesters meanwhile, including a group named after the activist killed by police in Genoa, today staged two separate attacks in Athens, causing only some material damage.In an anonymous call to an Athens-based newspaper, a group calling itself "Carlo Giuliani", claimed responsibility for a firebomb attack against the Centre for European Research in the centre of the city, while another anonymous caller to the same daily said that the second gas canister device placed at the entrance of a National Bank of Greece branch in the city's Gyzi district was the work of the Anarchist Liberation Brigade group. The incidents followed overnight violence in Britain where about 150 anti-globalisation activists attacked the Italian and Canadian embassies in London. [04] us-russia armsUS-Russia arms talks took an unexpected bound forward last night, when Presidents Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush agreed to link missile defence systems to cuts in nuclear arsenals in a bid to strike a new strategic pact.The pledge, made after the G8 summit, signals a shift in US policy on negotiating mutual arms reductions, and suggests that Russia has not yet shut the door on Bush's dream of deploying an anti-missile shield. The two men, however, speaking after their second meeting in little over a month, held their cards close to their chests, saying it was still too early to say how deep the cuts in intercontinental ballistic missiles would go. Specifically, Bush said that he and Putin wanted to "change the mindset of the world, seize the moment and lead" and create a strategic security framework for the 21st century free from the shackles of the Cold War, while today, and citing Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin announced that while good progress was made, no breakthrough was reached. [05] bonn environThe UN-sponsored meeting on the environment being held in the German city of Bonn last night failed to produce a deal between Europe and Japan on global warming.The search for a breakthrough is reported to be continuing, with delegates saying that differences have boiled down to one crucial point -- how far targets for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions would be legally binding on countries ratifying the Kyoto Protocol. Japan wants a softer approach than the European Union, which along with most of the 185 countries attending had already accepted a broad set of compromise proposals. Following the US rejection of the agreement in March of this year, getting Japan to agree is vital to EU hopes of securing a critical mass of industrial powers so that the treaty may be implemented next year. At the same time, however, most attending ministers are expected to leave Bonn today, with failure possibly spelling the end of the first international attempt to coordinate efforts to curb the pollution being blamed for a warmer planet, rising sea levels and more extreme weather. [06] bases aerialThe planned installation of a British telecommunications mast in the Western Sovereign Base Area of Akrotiri has once again found itself in the spotlight, with Cyprus' Foreign Ministry announcing that it's well aware that Britain may expropriate agricultural land towards this end.In the announcement, it's mentioned that the British authorities had briefed the Republic as to their intentions, leading to the Foreign Ministry taking steps to safeguard, to the greatest possible extent, the rights of Cypriot citizens, through consultations aimed at a compromise agreement. The announcement further mentions that the Attorney-General of the Republic, who was present at the most recent meeting on the issue, said that Britain has the inalienable right to proceed with the expropriation of agricultural land within Base territory, provided this serves UK military interests. The matter is also being discussed at the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, with five separate meetings having been held to date. [07] unficyp chiefofstaffA change in the hierarchy of the United Nations Force in Cyprus, with British Colonel Hamish Fletcher taking over as Chief-of-Staff in replacement of his compatriot, Colonel Jeremy Brooks.UNFICYP's new Chief-of-Staff joined the ranks of the British Army in 1970, and has served at various posts throughout the world, including a stint with the UN multinational force in Bosnia. [08] cseThe Cyprus Stock Exchange suffered a serious blow today, with the All-Share Index dropping to the lowest-ever level recorded over the last two years.Specifically, the Index fell to 158 points, recording losses of 2.5% as compared to last week's closing, while at the same time the CSE/FTSE-20 Index fell by 3%, closing at a relatively low 584. [09] tailerIn today's tailer, a visit to the London stretch of the River Thames, which within the space of 30 years has been transformed from a veritable cesspool into one of the cleanest urban waterways in the world, and which, according to conservationists, is now alive and well and getting better all the time.In the 1960s, after centuries of excremental and pollutant abuse, the Thames was declared biologically dead and a major clean-up campaign began, crowned with success. Periodic crises however, especially after torrential downpours which flood London's drainage system, result in untreated sewage entering the river, prompting two unique boats, the Vitality and the Bubbler, to swing into action, racing to pump air into the river blackspots. Today, the Thames is home to 118 species of fish and 350 species of invertebrates -- including Mayfly nymphs which can survive only in clean water, salmon, and seals and dolphins, which make periodic appearances in the estuary and can sometimes be found basking on the mudflats that still line part of the river. It would seem that the "Great Stink", as the Thames was once known, is now a thing of the past! [10] WEATHERGenerally fair conditions are forecast for this afternoon, with winds being predominantly light to moderate westerlies, 3-4BF, gusting to strong southwesterlies, 5BF, at times, on moderate seas, and temperatures not expected to exceed 39C inland, 32C in the south, and 31C in the west and at higher altitudes.Generally fair conditions are also forecast for this evening, even though mist and low cloud will form in areas. Winds will be variable light, 3BF, on slight seas, while temperatures will drop to 23C inland throughout the island. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |