The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 01-10-29

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

29/10/2001 11:55:00 рм

Weather forecast.

Light cloud is forecast for most parts of the country today. Winds northerly, moderate to strong, turning gale force in the southeastern Aegean. Light cloud in Athens, with temperatures between 11C and 20C. Same in Thessaloniki with temperatures from 4C to 16C.

Latest developments on U.S led attacks on Afganistan.

The U.S bombing campaign on Afganistan entered its fourth week today with arapidly rising toll among civilians and swelling anger among tribesmen in neighbouring Pakistan eager to fight alongside the ruling Taliban. In the meantime, U.S warplanes have intensified air attacks on the ruling Taliban front lines north of the capital of Kabul. The southern city of Kandahar stronghold of taliban supreme leader Mullah Mohammad Omar came under fierce attack through the night and into dawn.

Eyewitnesses speak of 12 civilians dead while the Human Rights Watch Organisation said that 15 Afgan civilians were killed during last week's bombardments of Kandahar. American Defence Secretary did not rule out the extention of air strikes through the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan that starts in mid-November.

He also warned that more ground forces will soon be used on the war on terrorism.

However, the Islamic Conference has called for a halt of air strikes during the Ramadan while in an interview with today's issue of the "Daily Telegraph", the General of the special British forces Roger Lane said that the 200 Britons of the Royal Marine force were not ready for their mission. In Pakistan, masked gunmen on motorcycles opened against a Catholic church killing 18 people and injuring tens of others. Christians had feared they could become targets if unrest broke out in Muslim Pakistanover opposition to the U.S led attacks on neighbouring Afganistan' s ruling Muslim taliban militia. The local police suspect muslim fighters while Pope John Paul described the incident as an "evil action". In an other incident in west Pakistan, 2people were killed and 18 injured in a bus bomb explosion. Former President of the Soviet Union, Michael Gorbatef believes that the U.S should pull out soon from Afganistan. He said that the American operation in Afganistan was justified but it should not be used to impose a foreign solution to resolve the problem in Kabul.

In an interview with an Algerian newspaper, the spiritual leader of the Taliban, Mullah Mohammad Omar said that the real war against the U.S has not yet begun. In the meantime, with a fresh antrax scare confirmed in New Jersey, bringing to 13 the total number diagnosed since the September 11 attacks on New york and washington, administration officials took to the airwaves in an effort to reassure an increasingly jittery public that America's war on terrorism was on track.

Antrax has been discovered at an off-site facility that handles mail for the U.S Department of Justice, including the office of Attorney General John Ashcroft who heads the hunt for those responsible for mailings of the potentially fatal bacteria. The CIA and the FBI examined the possibility that local extremists may be perpetrating the antrax attacks that have spooked the nation, but sai no definite conclusion had been reached.

The London Times newspaper say that Saudi-born multimillionaire, Osama bin Landen has been supplied with nuclear material which could be used on new terrorist attacks. However, the same article says that he does not have the technology to produce a nuclear bomb. In an interview with Britain's Sunday Telegraph, Iraqui Deputy Prime-minister Tareq Aziz said that Washington and London will launch attacks on iraq during its war on terrorism. He said that the U.S and Britain wanted to use the campaign as an excuse to oust Iraqui President Sadam Housein. British Prime-minister Tony Blair has assured partners in the U.S led coalition that the war on terror would not spread to any country beyond Afganistan without absolute evidence that the country sponsored terrorism and then only after full consultation with other allies.

Prime-minister chairs a meeting of the newly appointed Olympiad ministers.

Prime-minister Kostas Simitis will today chair a meeting attended by the newly appointed ministers competent on the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens while in tomorrow's meeting of the interministerial committee, the prime-minister is expected to clarify the administration and coordination model for the Olympic Games preparation and the responsibilities of the 6 new Olympic Games ministers.

Foreign Minister- new dynamism in Pasok after the congress.

Ruling PASOK party structures can not operate with the logic of an era gone by said Foreign Minister George Papandreou in an interview to the Sunday edition of Ethnos daily. He stressed that the institutions of the party "have reached their limits", adding that PASOK has a new dynamism that it gained from the last congress, through which "it is rediscovering its vitality, so as not to remain simply in the management ... but to have a vision and a prospect and the ability to mobilize Greek society". He believes that there was a "general renewal" in the party and reaffirms his support for Central Committee Secretary Costas Laliotis in his "effort to renew the structures". Speaking on foreign affairs the minister said that Greece can play the role of the bridge between West and Islam, adding that "it has played an important role in the dialogue of civilizations".

Spiros Vougias candidate for the municipality of Thessaloniki.

Transport undersecretary Spiros Vougias left open the possibility to stand as candidate for the municipality of Thessaloniki.

New form of taxation on the transfer of property.

The Ministry of Economics in its effort to readopt the taxation system ,is examining to replace the tax on the transfer of property with a new form of taxation according to the system in other EU member states.

Electric train 1 hour work stoppage tomorrow.

The electric train will not run from 12-13 hours tomorrow due to a work stoppage.

Works in progress at the Kakia Scala deviation of traffick.

Motorists using the Athens-Korinthos national highway will be deviated today at the Kakia Scala due to works in progress.

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article