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Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-08-25Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next ArticleFrom: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>CONTENTS
WEDNESDAY 25 AUGUST 1999 [01] HEADLINES--- Three new Ministers and the Government Spokesman were sworn in today, after a reshuffling of the Council of Ministers.--- Turkey today revised down the death toll from last week's earthquake to 12,514, acknowledging an error in its calculations. --- The UN Security Council today debates how to protect 300,000 young victims of armed conflicts around the world. AND --- The discovery in Canada of a well-preserved iceman frozen in a glacier has archaeologists and Indians excited over what secrets he may reveal about the past to the present. [02] MINISTERSThree new Ministers and the Government Spokesman were sworn in today, after a reshuffling of the Council of Ministers.Socrates Hasikos, a member of parliament for the ruling Disy party, was appointed Minister of Defence in place of former judge, Yiannakis Chrysostomis, who resigned on Monday along with Government Spokesman, Costas Serezis. Averof Neophytou, also a Disy deputy, was sworn in as Minister of Communications and Works to replace Leontios Ierodiaconou, who resigned last month. Frixos Savvides, chairman of the Apollon football club, was appointed Minister of Health, in place of Christos Solomis, who is said to have accepted an equally important post, that of President of the Supervisory Council. Michalis Papapetrou, vice chairman of the United Democrats, was sworn in as Government Spokesman. The new Government is at this time holding a meeting at the presidential retreat in Troodos. [03] HOUSEThe two former MPs, Socratis Hasikos and Averof Neofytou, who were appointed Ministers, have left their seats in the House of Representatives.The seat of Mr Hasikos goes to Lia Georgiadou, and that of Mr Neofytou goes to Costas Constantinou. [04] KASOULIDES OSLOMinister of Foreign Affairs, Ioannis Kasoulides, departs at six o'clock this afternoon for Oslo, where he will meet with his Norwegian counterpart Knut Vollebaek.The main topics of discussion are expected to be the Cyprus problem and the G8 initiative, as well as economic and trade issues. Mr Kasoulides will return to Cyprus on Sunday. [05] DENKTASH BANDLERNew US Ambassador to Cyprus, Donald Bandler, met yesterday afternoon with Turkish Cypriot leader, Rauf Denktash.After the meeting, Mr Bandler said that he did not bring any ideas for a solution and that the United States aim at helping the two sides to reach an agreement on the Cyprus problem. Mr Denktash said that the Turkish Cypriot side would not withdraw any of its positions. [06] TURKEY TOLLTurkey today revised down the death toll from last week's earthquake by over 5,000 to 12,514, acknowledging an error in its calculations.An official at the country's main crisis centre said a mistake had been made in counting the dead in the worst-hit province of Kocaeli. Yesterday, the centre had raised the toll to 17,997. More than a week after a devastating tremor ripped through northwest Turkey, authorities stepped up efforts to rebuild wrecked lives and towns. Some 200,000 homeless are holed up in muddy tent cities. Wary of the risks of infectious disease, the crisis centre issued orders to raze and cart off the debris from thousands of collapsed buildings, many still containing trapped bodies. The decision signalled the start of a new phase in the relief effort after week-long search and rescue operations, many of which were conducted by international teams. Turkey's central bank chief has put the cost of earthquake damages at between 5-7 billion dollars. Turkish newspapers and television stations began a national campaign to generate funds for rebuilding under the slogan "You Too Can Lay a Brick". [07] UN CHILDRENFor the second consecutive year, the UN Security Council today debates how to protect 300,000 child soldiers and countless other young victims of armed conflicts around the world.Some 300,000 boys and girls under 18 years of age, most of them under 15 and some as young as 7, are serving as regular soldiers, guerrilla fighters, porters, cooks, sexual slaves, and suicide commandos in most of the 50 countries marked by armed conflicts. Over the last decade, wars have killed 2 million children, left 6 million maimed, created 1 million orphans and 12 million refugees. The heavy toll is mostly the result of civil wars that have escalated since the end of the Cold War in such places as Sierra Leone, Angola, Liberia, Sudan, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, Colombia and Afghanistan. The simplicity and proliferation of lightweight automatic weapons has made it possible for very young children to bear and use arms. Despite a growing body of international law that governments have signed to protect children, the abuses are increasing, with children being used both as victims and perpetrators. [08] MOROCCO WOMENA government draft plan that gives women more rights in Morocco's male-dominated society has triggered an uproar among the country's Moslem scholars who have denounced it as a ticket to prostitution.Morocco's Rabitat Ulema Almaghrib, a think-tank of Moslem theologians said proposed amendments in the National Action Plan for Integrating Women in Development would discourage men from marriage and incite "prostitution and debauchery". [09] ICEMANThe discovery in Canada of a well-preserved iceman frozen in a glacier has archaeologists and Indians excited over what secrets he may reveal about the past to the present.Officials said tools and clothing associated with the preserved body indicate the man died in a fall before Europeans arrived in the region. But they stressed it was too early to give an accurate estimate on the age of the remains. The remains were found in early August by hunters crossing a glacier in Tatchenshini-Alsek Park, which is located in extreme northwestern British Columbia not far from the Yukon and Alaska borders. Because of the ice, the victim's soft tissue, such as skin and muscles are still preserved. Although intact ancient bodies have been found in the Alps, Andes, Siberia and Arctic Canada, this discovery is the first of its kind in the western Canadian mountains. Officials said study of the remains will be conducted taking into account Indian cultural concerns. [10] FINNISH PEEFinland's capital Helsinki wants to send a new vice squad into the streets to counter a surge in public urinating by the normally orderly Finns.The city fathers have asked the government to allow them to create the force, dubbed "pee police" by the media. Helsinki's prosperous, up-beat image has been increasingly tarnished by the sight of drunks relieving themselves in downtown parks and streets. City hall officers said that they were receiving angry letters and e-mails from inhabitants asking them to do something about behaviour in the streets. [11] WEATHERThis afternoon will be cloudy with a few isolated showers mainly on the mountains and in north-eastern areas.Winds will be south-westerly to westerly, moderate, four beaufort, and locally strong, five beaufort. The sea will be moderate. Tonight will be mainly clear with a few sparse clouds. Winds will be westerly to northwesterly, light, two to three beaufort, and the sea will be slight to moderate. The temperature will drop to 21 degrees inland and on the west coast, to 23 on the south coast, and to 15 over the 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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