The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 08-07-23

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

CONTENTS

[01] Athens Sends Additional Forces

23 Ιουλ 2008 08:26:0

Firefighters are still combating the blaze that is turning to ashes a forest between Agios Isidoros and Laerma. Rhodes has been declared in a state of emergency, while Athens has sent firefighting planes and 100 men to contain the fire. Moreover, 13 fire engines and 39 firefighters are expected to arrive in the island. At the same time, the fire that broke out in Koutsoupias, Larissa and Lesta, Ioannina are abating. As per the Fire Brigade, two persons have been detained in Rhodes and Larissa. They are accused of arson by negligence.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[02] Karadzic in Belgrade Prison

By Vivian Papastefanou

Sources: NET-ANA

Radovan Karadzic, 63, who is detained in the Special Court prison, will be transferred to the International Court at the Hague to be tried on war crimes and genocide in Srebrenica in 1995. His extradition will proceed after his lawyers appeal is examined. Officials of the Serb government refused to reveal details about Karadzics arrest, so that the efforts to arrest Ratko Mladic are not jeopardized. EU Foreign Ministers expressed their satisfaction over Karadzics arrest, describing it "an important step" and called on Serbia to follow this course. Serbias accession talks with the EU would receive the green light from the International Court at the Hague only if the Court would verify its full cooperation with it. Serbia will apply to Brussels on 15 September, requesting the opening of accession negotiations with the EU.

Translated by John Crystallidis

Related News:

Karadzic Arrested

[03] In Expectance of Reply

Sources: ΝΕΤ 105.8

The Commission accepted Gruevskis letter, which raises the issue of an alleged "Macedonian minority" in Greece, in a frosty way. A spokesman reported that the Commission will answer in due time, after the letter is assessed by the competent services, adding that the Commission never answers in the heat of the moment. Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis stated that the EU has been fully briefed about the Greek positions.

Meanwhile, three days after FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) PMs letter to Mr Barroso, a UN member-state is changing its stance against Skopje. After meeting with Ms Bakoyannis, Panama Ambassador to Greece Antonio Fotis-Takis Otsoa assures Greece that Panama will abide to the relevant UN resolutions on this countrys name for bilateral and international use. In its bilateral relations with Skopje, Panama has been using the neighbouring countrys constitutional name since 2002.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[04] Multifatality Accident in Colombia

By Vivian Papastefanou

At least 23 have been killed and 21 more injured when the bus they were traveling in slide in ravine in south Colombia.The accident occurred Tuesday on the highway connecting the cities of Pasto and Puerto Asis in Narino province bordernig Ecuador, provincial highway police chief General Luis Alberto Moore said. The mountain road, where the accident took place, has earned the nickname 'road of death' for the high number of accidents there. The Traffic Police attributed the accident to the bad weather conditions.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[05] Arrested for Trying to Sell their Baby

Sources: ΑNA-ΜPA

The police in Kilkis arrested a 51-year-old Bulgarian and his 38-year-old wife when they tried to sell their three-month-old baby. Two police officers pretended they wished to adopt the baby for 32,000 euros. The Bulgarians were arrested on the Thessaloniki-Evzonoi national road when they were handing their baby to the police officers. They were carrying on them the above sum of money in mark banknotes. The baby boy, as well as three foreign minors are kept in Kilkis hospital temporarily.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[06] Oil Prices Dropping

Sources: ANA-MPA

After tropical storm Dolly has not affected the oil refineries in Mexico Gulf, oil prices in Asian markets continued their downward trend. Light crude for September delivery was trading this morning at $U127.69 per barrel from yesterdays $U128.42 in New York, while Brent was trading at $U129.01.

Commonwealth analyst in Sydney David Moore reported that the oil market believes that the Dolly will not affect substantially oil production in the Mexico Gulf. Analysts are expecting this weeks announcement on US strategic reserves. As per forecasts, a 1.9-million-barrel reduction of crude oil reserves and a 500,000-barrel increase of petrol reserves will be announced.

Translated by John Crystallidis

[07] Obama in Israel

Sources: ANA-REUTERS

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama began a visit to Jerusalem on Wednesday pledging staunch support for Israel and saying that if elected, he would work to reinvigorate the Middle East peace process. As part of an overseas tour aimed at bolstering his foreign policy credentials, Obama met Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak. Later in the day, he will see President Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who could be forced out of office by a corruption probe.

"I will share some of my ideas. The most important idea for me to reaffirm is the historic and special relationship between the United States and Israel -- one that cannot be broken," Obama said after landing at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday night. Obama, who faces Republican John McCain in the November election, is struggling to overcome wariness among some Israelis and some Jewish voters in the United States about the strength of his commitment to Israel. But he also dismayed Palestinian leaders when he said last month that Jerusalem should be Israels "undivided" capital. Palestinians want Arab East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, as the capital of a future state. Obama later said he used "poor phrasing" when he made the remarks. The itinerary of the Democratic candidate, an Illinois senator, also includes a visit to the occupied West Bank to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Obama arrived in Israel just hours after a Palestinian rammed a bulldozer into vehicles on a busy Jerusalem street near the hotel booked for his stay. The attacker wounded at least 16 people, one seriously, before being shot dead. At the airport, Obama said the bulldozer attack was "just one reminder of why we have to work diligently, urgently and in a unified way to defeat terrorism". Obama also expressed his wish to reinforce the "historic special relationship between the United States and Israel".

[08] Flood in Chinese Mine Kills Seven

Sources: ΑNA, Reuters

Seven Chinese miners lost their life when the mine they were working in flooded, diminishing hope for 29 more of them, stated the Chinese Media. The disaster is the most recent in grim series of accidents to blight Chinas coal mining industry, the deadliest in the world, as mine owners push production beyond safety limits in the face of huge demand and soaring profits. The flooding occurred at a mine in Tiandong county in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Monday where 57 miners were working underground, Xinhua quoted local work safety officials as saying. A total of 3,786 Chinese coal miners died in gas blasts, flooding and other accidents in 2007, down 20 percent from 2006 as the central government cracked down on small and unsafe mines. But in 2008, there has been a renewed focus on production, to offset rising prices and supply disruptions.

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