The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-04-20

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

CONTENTS

[01] Uncertainty Over Berlusconi's Resignation Resignation Expected Today

By Athina Saloustrou

Silvio Berlusconi is faced with the worst crisis since his election in 2001 and today is expected to submit his resignation at the Senate, without waiting for tomorrows confidence vote in Parliament, as the Italian Press evaluates. Newspaper Corriere della Sera stated "the event that after his intervention in Senate he will submit his resignation to the President of the Republic is not ruled out." The Italian newspaper does not make its sources known, but notes that the information comes from Forza Italia, Berlusconis party, that met yesterday in Rome. Corriere della Sera writes that the aim of the resignation is the formation of a new government in order for Berlusconi to complete his term in office, which ends in the spring of 2006. It also adds that if the PM does not form a new government he will ask for early elections. Berlusconi will attend the Senate Synod, which begins at 16:00 GMT in order to inform the Senators over the situation that has risen after the withdrawal of the UDC party and its four ministers from the government. Minister of Foreign Affairs Gianfranco Fini is also threatening to resign from the National Alliance Party.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[02] Eagles Soar Through Rehab!

By Tina Valaoura

When the ambulances arrived, it was already too late for the four of them. Another three were found in a semi-comatose state, sick and motionless and currently are under treatment by specialists. The cause for all the above was a barbiturates overdose. Sad, but not unusual one would say. Alas, no such case of sedative abuse has ever been recorded before, as the victims were bald eagles. The many overdose incidents that occurred, within ten days, in southern areas of Alberta caused concern to the authorities of west Canada. A wildlife shelter in the Cochrane Ecological Institute, in Calgary, hosted one of the bald eagle o.d. victims.

The issue, overshadowed by a cloud of mystery has troubled the Canadian Drug Squad, as they do not know what to assume. Their first assumptions are that the feathered victims took their dose of sedatives from a landfill where illegal drug labs dump their waste. These are only assumptions but the still questions remain. Until the investigation is concluded the scientists are looking above at the proud bald eagles gliding through and inspecting any suspicious flights.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[03] Three Students in Hospital Bus Driver At Police Court

By Vivian Papastefanou

Three students from the Neas Peramos High School, who were injured in a traffic accident, while returning from their school trip, remain in Thriasio Hospital for precautionary reasons. Today, the 56-year-old bus driver was taken to the Police Court. The accident occurred at 21:00, at the 34th km of the new Athens-Corinth National Road, on the lane towards Corinth, when a truck crashed into the tourist bus. When the bus driver noticed he had missed the exit to Nea Peramos he reversed on the National Road. In total, 14 students were slightly injured, 12 of which were children, a teacher and the bus driver. Minister of Education, Marieta Giannakou expressed her grief over the incident and visited the injured in hospital.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

Related News:

Students Injured

[04] Bus Crashes With Truck Students Injured

By Vagelis Theodorou

Sources: NET- ANA

A tourist bus that transported Middle School students from Nea Peramos Attica, that were returning from their school trip, crashed on Tuesday night with a bus, thankfully without being seriously injured. From the crash, eight students and a teacher attendant were slightly injured. For precautionary reasons, two of the injured students and the attendant, were transported late at night at the Nikaia General State Hospital. Minister of Education, Marietta Giannakou immediately visited the scene and the injured at the hospital.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[05] 23 People Killed and 27 Injured Multi-Fatality Bus Accident in Peru

By Vivian Papastefanou

On Tuesday, at least 23 people were killed and 27 injured when a bus served off and fell into a deep ravine, in central Andes in Peru. When the accident occurred, the bus was on route from the capital of Lima and was driving in a road filled with potholes, 482 km north of Lima, near the central town of Huaraz, Andes. A police source stated that the causes have not been yet known, and added that this is the fourth multi-fatality accident this week. The new accident increased the number of victims from bus accidents to 49 this week. On Monday, another 23 were killed and several others injured in three bus accidents.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[06] In Fukuoka Province, Japan Earthquake Causes Injuries and Landslides

By Vivian Papastefanou

At least 13 people were injured from a strong earthquake that measured 5.8 on the Richter scale, on Wednesday morning in the province of Fukuoka in Japan. The countrys Meteorological Service stated that its epicentre is located at a depth of 14 km at the Sea of Japan, outside Fukuoka. Many residences and other buildings in the area have suffered damage from the previous March 20 earthquake. Hundreds inhabitants of the island had evacuated their homes and were transported to Fukuoka after last months 7 on the Richter scale earthquake which had cost the life of one person and another 20 to be injured.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[07] In Neighborhoods in Iraq Two Dead and 8 Injured

By Vivian Papastefanou

Two attacks with cars packed with explosives occurred today in Baghdad within two hours. The first attack occurred at 10:00 GMT, in the neighborhood of Amiriya, against a U.S. motorcade, in which two Iraqi civilians were killed and five injured. The second attack occurred two hours later, near a police station in the neighborhood of Durha, south of Baghdad, in which three Iraqi civilians were injured while police cars were destroyed from the explosion.

Translated by Eirene Nisiriou

[08] Inauguration ceremony on Sunday New Pope Benedict XVI

By Vagelis Theodorou

The approximately one billion followers of the Catholic Church gained a new spiritual father on Tuesday afternoon. Confirming predictions, 78-year-old German Cardinal Josef Ratzinger was elected pope and will take the name Benedict XVI. In his first public speech, from the balcony of St Peters Basilica, the new Pontiff described himself as "a simple and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord," and asked the faithful to pray for his papacy. The election of Benedict XVI has been hailed by political and religious leaders, while he was welcomed with warm applause by the thousands of faithful who had gathered in St Peters Square. The new Pope is considered a strong supporter of tradition, with ultra-conservative views on many issues. The inaugural ceremony for Benedict XVI will take place on Sunday 24 April at 11 Greek time.

"Habemus Papam"

The election of Josef Ratzinger is one of the shortest in the history of the Vatican, as it came in the fourth ballot of the Conclave.

Since early on Tuesday afternoon, the eyes of millions of the faithful around the world had been turned to the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. White smoke, a signal that the Conclave had elected the new leader, rose at ten to seven Greek time, and seconds later, the bells pealed out festively.

In accordance with tradition, the phrase "Çabemus Papam" (we have a pope) accompanied the name of the new Pontiff, which was announced from the balcony of St Peters Basilica to the faithful 45 minutes after the appearance of the white smoke ad the sound of the bells.

Following this, Benedict XVI appeared on the balcony of St Peters Basilica to give the blessing "urbi et orbi" (to the city and to the world). In a short speech to the faithful, he referred to his work together with John Paul II, asked for the prayers of all, and concluded: "In the joy of the Risen Lord, we will continue with his help and the Virgin Mary will be at our side."

As stated by the Vatican spokesman, Joaquin Navarro Valls, on Wednesday morning, the new Pope will celebrate his first Mass in the Sistine Chapel with the Cardinals who elected him, while his duties and travel schedule will be decided over the next few days.

International Congratulations

Warm congratulations and wishes were sent to the new Pontiff by political and religious leaders from all corners of the world, while bells pealed jubilantly in many churches.

"Strength and courage now that he is undertaking this authority," was the wish of UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, who stressed in his statement that "the United Nations and the Holy See have a mutual, strong commitment to peace, social justice, human dignity, religious freedom and mutual respect between all world religions."

The US hailed the election of the new pope, stating that they would work with him, as reported in the statement from the State Department. Furthermore, warm wishes from their countries governments and citizens to the newly-elected leader were sent by the Spanish PM, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his Italian counterpart, Silvio Berlusconi, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and the President of France, Jacques Chirac.

A congratulatory note has been sent to the Pontiff by the Patriarch of Alexandria Theodoros II, expressing the conviction that the new Pope of he Catholic Church will contribute to solving many of mans problems in the 21st century.

In Cuba and Sarajevo, the bells pealed out immediately after the announcement of the election of the new leader of the Catholic Church, while priests called on the faithful to pray for a long and successful papacy.

Good wishes and satisfaction were expressed by the President of Ireland Mary McAleese, while in the message from the South African President, Thabo Mbeki, he speaks of the popes effort to combat poverty and under-development.

However, there were also complaints, mainly from Latin America, where the faithful wanted to see one of their own as the new Pontiff. "It would have been good if a Latin American had been elected, as most of the worlds Catholics live in this region of the Earth," stated one radio station.

Who is Benedict XVI?

Born in Bavaria in 1927, Ratzinger drew attention as a liberal theological adviser during Vatican Council II (1962-1965). A theologian, a graduate of the Theological Academy, he became Archbishop of Munich in 1977, and four years later, in 1981, he arrived in Rome, where he was appointed head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), considered by many to be the "successor" to the Holy Inquisition.

The 265th Pope is considered to be an ultra-conservative, mainly owing to his positions on contraception, ordination of women, abortion and euthanasia. Indicative of his opinions are the statements he made on Monday regarding dangers threatening the Catholic Church. He condemned liberalism and atheism, while he called for the Holy See to return to the roots of the Faith.

In 1986, he made a strict sermon at the Vatican against homosexuality and homosexual marriage. Besides this, during the 90s, he put especial pressure on theologians (mainly Asians), who considered non-Christian religions to be a part of Gods plan for humanity.

In 2004, he released a document condemning the feminist movement, describing it as "an ideology, which destroys the meaning of the family and abolishes natural differences between men and women."

In his homeland, he is especially well-loved for his spirit and writings, but at the same time, he has critics who state that he is dogmatic and remote. Furthermore, he has been criticized for a Nazi past, as during WWII, he was conscripted and served in the Airforce. However, he denies these charges, saying that he was drafted against his will.

The 78-year-old Pope was one of the closest colleagues of John Paul II. His influence developed over the years. His appointment as Dean of the College of Cardinals, a position of great influence, was another responsibility he undertook before being elected by the Conclave.

His name, Benedict, means blessed. Blessed Benedict was born in Nurcia in Italy and lived n the 6th century. As soon as he was old enough, he abandoned his parents home and withdrew to a ravine in the Apennines, where he devoted himself to prayer and study. He quickly gained a great reputation and in 540 he founded a monastery on Mount Cassino. Blessed Benedict was the founder of the Benedictine Order, which still exists today, and died in 543, at the age of 62.

Translated by Millie Williams

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