The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 05-05-08

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

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

CONTENTS

[01] On Monday Greek Cabinet Meeting

Sources: NET 105.8

The Cabinet meeting that is scheduled for Monday morning will focus on developing regional Greece and will be presided over by the Prime Minister. According to sources, Mr Karamanlis will ask the Cabinet to better cooperate and coordinate their efforts, while he is expected to set the foundations of his government policy for the next three months.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[02] By Unknowns in Ilion Attack against Reporter

By Vivian Papastefanou

Greek reporter Kostas Nikolakopoulos was severely battered a little 5pm, just outside his home on Ektoros Street in Ilion. The reporter, who writes for the newspapers Fos and Adesmeftos, as well as being a sportscaster for SuperSport FM, was attacked by four unidentified men, who beat him on the face and body and then disappeared, leaving him on the street bleeding. Nikolakopoulos was immediately taken by ambulance to Nikaia General Hospital. As per the medical port, he mainly sustained bruises and was then transferred to the private hospital Errikos Dynan, where he will undergo further tests as a precaution. The police believe that the culprits were probably football fans who oppose the reporters views and opinions regarding his team. Nikolakopoulos had just finished his radio programme on the station he is working, so the police have asked for the tape, in case the content sheds some light into their search to locate and arrest the four men. Meanwhile, they are also questioning eyewitnesses, in order to record the precise descriptions of the culprits.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[03] Floods and Disaster in Colombia

By Tina Valaoura

Heavy storms across several Colombian regions over the last two weeks have claimed the lives of 16 people, while another 30 were injured and 7 are missing. Areas close to rivers and mountains have fared the worst due to flooding and some mudslides. At least 41,500 people have already abandoned their homes; while, as per the Colombian meteorological institute, the storms are set to continue until the end of June and will mostly afflict the western part of the country. The authorities have estimated that at least 5,000 homes have been damaged, while 21 have been completely destroyed.

Most of the problems are faced in Floridablanca, Santander province, where in April, heavy rains caused a landslide, killing three people and damaging the homes and crops of some 1,700 families.

Rainy season usually brings about disastrous consequences for Colombia, leaving behind images that resemble a biblical catastrophe. Around the same time last year, storms killed 30 people, while another 67,000 were forced out of their homes.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

[04] Airplane Tragedy

By Tina Valaoura

Fifteen passengers and crew were tragically killed on Saturday, when the small aircraft they were aboard crashed in remote northeastern Australia. The adverse weather conditions in the area did not allow rescue crews to approach the crash site yesterday; however, any hopes of finding survivors have dwindled. The burned-out wreckage of the plane was located in a tropical forest northwest of Lockhart River.

The Fairchild Metroliner private plane had been travelling from Bamaga towards the Aboriginal community of Lockhart River, when the accident occurred. At the moment, the authorities are not in a position to name the causes of the accident, given that the pilot did not transmit an SOS, while four minutes before the crash, he had radioed that the plane was about to land. However, they are speculating that the bad weather may have been a major factor in the accident.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article