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Thursday, 18 April 2024
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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 01-09-17Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
[01] HEADLINESThe US is pledging resolute action against those responsible for last Tuesday's terrorist attacks against the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, while mediation efforts to secure the handover of prime suspect Osama bin-Laden are underway;More violence breaks out between Israelis and Palestinians; The Turkish lira falls to a new record-low; Evidence points to the existence, in the occupied areas of Cyprus, of islamic organisations linked to bin-Laden; and... Dogs helping in the search for survivors amid the rubble of the World Trade Centre are appropriately catered for. [02] ATTACKS WRAPThe White House yesterday promised resolute action by a "mighty giant" awakened by the world's worst terror acts, as New Yorkers looked to God and today's re-opening of Wall Street to help them recover from Tuesday's attacks which reduced the city's World Trade Center to rubble.Weary rescue workers swarmed for a sixth day over the World Trade Center ruins in the heart of New York's financial district, but prospects dimmed that any of the more than 5,000 people missing in the concrete and steel sarcophagus survived. "The hope is still there that we might be able to save lives, but the reality is for the last several days we haven't found anyone," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said. The official number of those missing as a result of the World Trade Center attacks rose above five thousand for the first time yesterday, with Mayor Giuliani putting the figure at 5,097. In the most recent count, 180 people were confirmed dead, and of those 115 had been identified. At the same time, he cautioned that it was "very possible" that some of the missing may never be found. The toll of missing and injured at the Pentagon crash site totaled 187, while 45 died in the Pennsylvania plane crash. [03] us poll attack?Four out of five Americans polled over the weekend said that the US should hold off on using military force to retaliate against the worst terror attack in US history.According to the results of an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll published yesterday, 81% of those asked said the United States should be "completely sure who is specifically responsible" for the attacks before striking, while 73% of the 821 people surveyed said they were confident the US would capture or kill Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the attacks. 16% of those participating in the nationwide survey said they were still worried that a friend or relative might be among the dead from Tuesday's attacks. [04] afghan fleeOfficials from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement have started to flee the capital, Kabul, amid growing expectations of US attacks.Witnesses were today quoted by Reuters as saying that Taliban officials and their families were seen heading out of the city for the countryside, but it was not clear if this was under instruction from their spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar. Those fleeing however appear to be mainly junior commanders and officials. The majority of the leadership is based in the southern city of Kandahar. Hundreds of ordinary residents of the capital are also trying to flee Kabul. With Iran having closed its eastern border with Afghanistan, opposition fighters controlling a narrow northern corridor, and Pakistan pledging to support US anti-terrorism efforts, Kabul residents are feeling increasingly vulnerable. [05] pak afghMeanwhile, a team of senior Pakistani officials flew into Afghanistan today to try to persuade the ruling Taliban to hand over Saudi-born terror suspect Osama bin Laden or face punishing retaliatory attacks by the US.The delegation arrived in the southern city of Kandahar early this morning, and immediately entered talks with the Taliban's Foreign Minister, Maulawi Wakil Ahmad Muttawaki. The team of officials, including intelligence chief General Mahmood Ahmed, won permission from the United Nations to break a ban on flights to Afghanistan to try to convince the landlocked country's purist Islamic rulers of the gravity of their situation. The semi-official Afghan Islamic Press also reported that the Pakistan delegation is due to meet the Taliban's spiritual leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, later in the day. [06] mideastIsraeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said today that the country would not make concessions to the Palestinians to facilitate US efforts to recruit Arab and Islamic countries in an anti-terror alliance.Last week, Middle East analysts had said that continued violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip could stymie the efforts, even though the US has been pushing for high-level truce talks in order to end almost a year of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. The latest victim of violence in the region was a 55-year-old Palestinian man killed this morning during a battle between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip, while three Israeli soldiers were reported injured in a heavy exchange of fire at Rafah. And, while the world continues to focus on events in the US, the Israeli army announced it would make a 30-km-long area of the West Bank adjacent to the Israeli border off-limits to Palestinians, save for local villagers. The army said that the move was a security measure to block suicide bombers from reaching Israeli cities, but a Palestinian cabinet minister described it as nothing short of a prelude to "an all-out assault" on Palestinian-ruled areas. [07] turkey econWith US retaliatory attacks against Afghanistan looming just over the horizon, Turkey's economy is being hard-hit.Following August's plummeting of the lira to a then record low of 1,515,000 to the dollar, today's bank-brokered spot-market pounded it even more, down to 1,540,000 to the dollar. Fears mostly derive from the possibility of the 15.7 billion dollar IMF-backed rescue pact going of course if conflict erupts in the region. Similar sharp falls were also observed in the Turkish stock index, despite reassuring words from Economy Minister Kemal Dervis and other senior officials prior to the opening of today's markets [08] terrorism occuThe statement made on CNN a few days ago by American General Wesley Clarke, through which the former NATO supreme commander implicated Cyprus in international terrorism, appears to have been directed against the illegal Turkish-Cypriot regime.Reliable sources disclosed to our station late last night that Islamic organisations linked to Osama bin-Laden are engaged in activities in the occupied northern part of the island, with the Denktash regime granting them full cover. One of these bears the name "Rapidah", and is funded by islamic fundamentalists active in bin-Laden's country of birth, Saudi Arabia. [09] tourism reprecuss?Insurance companies worldwide have announced that they plan to impose a 1-and-a-half dollar per passenger surcharge on all air transport companies, given projected losses ensuing from the US terrorist attacks.Commenting on the news, Cyprus Airways Board Chairman Charis Loizides said that the company will be contacting international aviation organisations in order to clarify whether the amount will have to be paid by the carrier or the client. In a parallel development, Cyprus' Commerce, Industry and Tourism Minister Nikos Rolandis told our station that tourism both to and from the island has not been affected, with a few isolated incidents of cancellation observed not being reason for concern. [10] tailer wtc dogsFor our last item today, a story from the fringes of the tragedy that struck the US last week...A Canadian company that makes padded boots for dogs has sent hundreds of pairs to New York police to help protect their canine unit's paws from splintered glass and debris while they help search for bodies in the remains of the World Trade Center. Muttlucks Inc., based in Toronto, began shipping the boots in response to a request from the New York Police Department, but because of delays in air transport, and tightened security at the Canada-US border, a police escort was needed to get the latest shipment across. Company owner Marianne Bertrand expressed the hope that there wont be any more delays, and was quoted by Reuters as saying "Those dogs put their lives before the people they're trying to rescue. They're no different from police and firemen. They need protective gear too." And the search goes on... [11] weatherGenerally fair conditions are forecast for this afternoon, with skies however being marked by light passing cloud. Winds will be moderate west-to-southwesterlies, 3-4BF, on slight seas, while temperatures are not expected to exceed 32C inland, 30C in the south, and 28C in the west.Generally fair conditions are also forecast forthis evening, even though mist and low cloud will form in areas. Winds will abate to light northwesterlies, 2-3BF, on slight seas, while temperatures will drop to 19C inland and in the west, 21C in the south, and 14C on the higher reaches of the Troodos mountains. The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas. Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article |
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