Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation: News in English, 99-11-02

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From: The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation at <http://www.cybc.com.cy/>

CONTENTS

TUESDAY 2 NOVEMBER 1999

[01] HEADLINES

[02] KASOULIDES CZECHS

[03] RADIOMARATHON

[04] TAXI STRIKE

[05] MIDEAST RAID

[06] MIDEAST OSLO

[07] RUSSIA CHECHNYA OSCE

[08] GLOBAL WARMING

[09] WORLD IN BRIEF

[10] HUMAN PUNCH BAG

[11] WEATHER

[01] HEADLINES

--- The Radiomarathon continued its success for a second day today.

--- Israeli planes attacked suspected guerilla positions today in Lebanon.

--- Russia has agreed to let representatives of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe into Chechnya.

AND

--- Does anyone fancy punching someone up? You can do that in Japan, for just 10 dollars.

[02] KASOULIDES CZECHS

Speaking after meeting, Czech Ambassador to Cyprus, Vera Zerepkova, said that the discussion focused on ways to achieve coordination between the two countries on EU accession.

She also expressed hope that efforts to solve the Cyprus problem will lead to a settlement as soon as possible.

The delegation then met with Attorney General, Alecos Markides.

[03] RADIOMARATHON

Collections have already passed the half a million line.

The Radiomarathon, organised by the CyBC and the Cyprus Popular Bank, will end at midnight.

[04] TAXI STRIKE

The drivers belong to a new company, which was created after Kyriacos, Karydas, Makris, Kypros and Acropolis offices merged.

The board of the new company said that the measures were unjustified, because the provident fund would come into effect during the first half of the year 2000.

[05] MIDEAST RAID

Two planes fired rockets at ridges of al-Dahr Mountain. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israeli air force has recently intensified attacks on suspected Moslem guerrilla positions north of the 15 km deep south Lebanon occupation zone.

Israel has occupied parts of south Lebanon since 1978. In 1985 it set up a "security zone", saying it was needed to prevent potential cross-border attacks.

Moslem and leftist groups are waging a war of attrition to try to oust Israeli troops and their local South Lebanon Army militia allies from the zone.

[06] MIDEAST OSLO

Preparing for a three-way summit later today with US President Bill Clinton, they met for over an hour, ending just after midnight. The talks were their first for six weeks.

The three leaders were in Oslo for a tribute today to Rabin, Barak's mentor, who launched secret peace moves with Arafat in the Norwegian capital in 1993 and was murdered by a right-wing Israel four years ago this week.

Clinton said he hoped his summit with Israeli and Palestinian leaders would produce a road map leading to a final peace within 10 months. The talks are due to begin in earnest on Monday in the West Bank town of Ramallah.

Barak and Arafat last met on September 17 in a secret rendezvous near Tel Aviv in the dead of the night. Their previous meeting was on September 5 when they signed an interim land-for-security peace deal in Egypt.

[07] RUSSIA CHECHNYA OSCE

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov agreed to the mission, which will report back to an OSCE summit in Constantinople on November 18 and 19.

Russia had previously refused to allow OSCE representatives to go to Chechnya and has turned a deaf ear to European and US calls for it to scale down its offensive as civilian casualties mount.

Thousands of refugees are fleeing the fighting.

[08] GLOBAL WARMING

The two-week conference seeks to follow up on an incomplete 1997 deal agreed at Kyoto, Japan, in which industrialised nations pledged to cut greenhouse emissions blamed for global warming by 5.2 percent from 1990 levels by 2008-2012.

The goal of the 168-nation Bonn conference is to decide when the world will start reducing emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to avoid a steady warming of the planet that could lead to major environmental problems.

Strong divisions between the United States and Europe and between the industrialised world and developing nations has marked the meetings, making major progress uncertain.

[09] WORLD IN BRIEF

- - - -

The US Coast Guard abandoned its search for survivors from EgyptAir Flight 990 and shifted efforts to recovering bodies and debris from the plane crash before bad weather sets in.

- - - -

Rescue and relief efforts cranked into action in the eastern Indian state of Orissa, where officials say a mammoth cyclone may have killed thousands and left more than a million homeless.

- - - -

Pro-Western incumbents topped the polls in weekend elections in the former Soviet republics of Ukraine and Georgia, facing down pro-Russian challengers who sought closer ties with Moscow.

- - - -

A coalition of exiled Iraqi political groups, with a ringing endorsement from the United States, announced new leadership to carry out its aim of overthrowing Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, an international pariah since his 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

- - - -

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan summoned an extraordinary session of parliament to start the process of forming a new government after the murder of the country's prime minister.

- - - -

Pakistan's army ruler, faced with world demands to say when military rule will end, held out the possibility of a referendum to give his 21-day-old army-led government some international legitimacy.

- - - -

Universal Pictures executive Stacey Snider was promoted to chairman of the film studio, becoming one of the few women in Hollywood ever to take the helm of a major filmmaker.

- - - -

A push for Australia to become a republic appears doomed only four days before a national vote on the issue with an opinion poll showing a late surge in opposition to the change.

[10] HUMAN PUNCH BAG

For two weeks, Jun Sato, as he calls himself, has dressed up in protective face and stomach equipment, stood on a sidewalk and allowed anyone who feels the urge to punch him up for 10 dollars for three minutes.

He said he enjoyed being used as a punching bag, that it was good business and also another way to experience life.

So far only a few passersby have laced up and belted him, but Sato says he enjoys the work after failing to find other jobs and that his favourite part is chatting to people just after they've beaten him.

He says he enjoys overcoming his fear of being hit after being picked on in junior high school and quitting high school due to a fear of bullies.

[11] WEATHER

This afternoon will be fine with a few passing clouds.

Winds will be northeasterly to southeasterly, moderate, three to four beaufort, and locally five beaufort.

The sea will be slight to rough in eastern areas.

Tonight will be mainly clear with a few sparse clouds.

Winds will be northeasterly, light to moderate, three beaufort, and the sea will be slight to moderate in eastern areas.

The temperature will drop to 11 degrees inland, to 14 along the coast, and to 8 over the mountains.

The fire hazard is extremely high in all forest areas.

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