The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 03-04-21

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

CONTENTS

[01] Weather forecast

The temperature in Athens will range from 10 to 20 C and in Thessaloniki from 8 to 17C.

(21/4/2003 11:46:00 рм)

[02] Sars continues spreading

The latest fatalities came after the Chinese Government admitted covering up the extent to which Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, a pneumonia-like virus, had spread.

The revised figure for the number of Sars cases in Beijing has jumped nine-fold while the national total is up to several hundred.

As a result of the cover-up, the Mayor of Beijing, Meng Xuenong, has been sacked while the health minister has lost his Communist Party post.

The three previously unaffected provinces, which now have Sars cases, are eastern Zhejiang, northern Jilin and northern Liaoning.

More than $100m is being made available for disease control in China's poorest provinces, while the nation's traditional week-long May Day holiday has been cancelled in an attempt to stop people and Sars from travelling.

Meanwhile, extraordinary security measures have been taken in Toronto and the whole of Ontario, Canada, where the victims number 14.

The Sars virus has now claimed at least 205 lives worldwide, while 3,800 people, mostly Asians have been reported to be carrying the virus.

China's official death toll is now 81, with 1,807 confirmed cases of the illness.

In Singapore, 2,400 people that have been exposed to the Sars virus are in quarantine.

Finally, in an interview with NET 105.8, the President of the Pneumonological Society Panayiotis Behrakis assured that the virus had not passed the Greek borders, while the medical authorities are taking all necessary precautionary measures.

(21/4/2003 11:47:00 рм)

[03] Turkey changes stance on Cyprus issue

Meanwhile, following Mr Simitis' meeting with the Turkish Cypriot leaders in Cyprus, the Turkish Foreign Minister Abdulah Gul assured that Ankara does not intend to annex the occupied territories of Cyprus when Cyprus is acceded to the European Union.

At the same time, Greece and Cyprus' common positions on Cyprus' course to the EU and the Cyprus issue were verified during Mr Simitis' two-day visit to Cyprus. The Greek Premier called on Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot representative Rauf Denktash to change their stance on the Cyprus issue, adding that the Green Line is the one that separates Ankara from Brussels.

Finally, Mr Denktash promised the Turkish Cypriots better days on the basis of the new protocols signed with Turkey.

(21/4/2003 11:49:00 рм)

[04] Newspaper accuses government cadres of being involved in Stock Market 'games'

At the same time, Council Minister Stephanos Manikas, who has been the target of the newspaper 'Avriani', intends to have recourse to justice, while government spokesman Christos Protopapas reiterated from Chania that Messrs Manikas and Neonakis had not been involved in any illegal acts with respect to the Greek Stock Market.

From his side, New Democracy Secretary of the Central Committee Vagelis Meimarakis spoke of corruption and decay, demanding ample light to be shed on the case.

Moreover, PASOK MP Costas Laliotis underlined his full political and moral solidarity to Mr Simitis, expressing is support to transparency.

Finally, Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works Minister Vaso Papandreou reminded that the government had legislated a strong law framework on transparency, while Environment Minister Evagelos Venizelos stated that the issue should be resolved the fastest possible.

(21/4/2003 11:51:00 рм)

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