Weekly News from Fyksland
Coverage and translation provided by Vaijskä Radio
Sunday, 29 June, 2003
KAANSÄ (VKK) - Full story...
Monday, 30 June, 2003
EU could lift GM ban
BRUSSELS, Belgium (VKK) - The European Parliament is expected to approve tough rules that could lift a ban on new genetically-modified foods, but require wider warning labels. Observers say the legislation is likely to aggravate an already bitter trade dispute between the U.S. and the EU. Wednesday's vote should finally lift a seven-year-old freeze on the introduction of new biotech products in the EU. The lift could mean Fyksian-developed GM technologies can now be used within Fyksland or sold to other European countries. Full story...
Politicians grace pride parade
KAANSÄ (VKK) - Fyksland's annual GayFest ended in another record-breaking parade with over a million and a half spectators. Revellers flooded the Kaansä city centre Sunday evening to take in outrageous parade floats, drag queens and muscled bodies among charity and corpoarate groups. But it was the politicians that took the most limelight as municipal elections are just less than four months away. Of the 23 municipalities that make up the Kaansä Capital Region, no less than 30 mayoral candidates representing 11 cities and towns registered in the parade. But it was out-of-towner Niekopenhaag MP Krooni Värgas who seemed to have gathered the most cheer. Värgas has gained considerable visiblity in recent months as a leading voice in the Alþig to counter the same-sex marriage repeal. Full story...
Tuesday, 1 July, 2003
HVT to fight U.S. authorities over blocked acquisition
CHICAGO, U.S.A. (AP) - Paper industry giant HVT announced on Tuesday that it will "vigorously oppose" the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to block HVT's acquisition of American labelstock company MECtak. HVT also reiterated that the suspicions of a cartel in labelstock pricing are unfounded, but that the company will fully cooperate with the U.S. authorities in the cartel investigation. HVT President and CEO Julien Rötenieget denied that there is a cartel in the labelstock industry. The European Union and Canadian competition authorities have already approved the MECtak acquisition. A Chicago court will begin processing the case in August. Rötenieget observed that HVT will not just sit back and await the outcome, but has hired a team of lawyers to handle the case. Full story...
Wednesday, 2 July, 2003
EU passes tough new GM rules
BRUSSELS, Belgium (VKK) - The European Parliament has approved tough rules on genetically modified products, a decision that could end a ban on biotech foods provided they are clearly labeled. Under the new rules, products with more than 0.9 percent of biotech material would have to be labeled with the words: "This product is produced from GMOs." The rules approved by the 626-member EU assembly include plans to trace all genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, at all stages of production. The lift now paves the way for Fyksian-developed GM technologies being used in Fyksland or being sold to other EU countries. Full story...
Thursday, 3 July, 2003
Woman to sue prison for forced body search
NIEKOPENHAAG, Jølantä - The lawyer for a woman inmate who underwent a "traumatizing" body search wants to sue an Jølantä prison for sexual assault and damages. Däniel Raumburg, a lawyer for Trisia Heiler, said his client was coerced into undergoing an anal and vaginal search on June 30 by officials who accused her of having cocaine. Heiler, who has been in prison for seven years for second-degree murder, was thrown into a cell for observation and told that she could come out only if she consented to an X-ray. She agreed and the X-rays didn't show anything. Raumburg said Heiler, was later subjected to a body cavity search by doctors, even though the X-rays confirmed she wasn't smuggling drugs. Full story...
Friday, 4 July, 2003
Six feared dead in mall explosion
KAANSÄ (VKK) - Four people are dead and two more are missing after an explosion levelled a shopping plaza in a southern suburb of Ælsä. The massive blast destroyed four storefronts and residential apartments in the two-storey mall Friday afternoon, while tearing a hole in the side of a nearby home and shattering windows a block away. Six people were feared to have been inside the building, including a mother and her daughter. Police discovered the first body, believed to be a woman, early Friday evening as they sorted through the remains of the plaza. Nearly 100 firefighters and 35 fire trucks rushed to the scene of the explosion in an effort to control the blaze. Smoke from the blast could be seen several kilometres away for hours. Full story...
Saturday, 5 July, 2003
Investigators rule out mall explosion a terrorist act
KAANSÄ (VKK) - Authorities have quickly ruled out yesterday's deadly blast in an Ælsä suburban plaza has any link to terrorism. Police has so far retrieved all bodies of victims who were reported missing since yesterday. Officials said that they are investigating reports that a construction crews doing road work outside the building may have ruptured a gas main shortly before the explosion. The impact of the explosion means there will almost certainly be a coroner's inquest, and Linutaa's chief coroner said the danger created by ruptured gas lines will be a central issue. However, the U.S. Embassy in Kaansä insisted yesterday's blast that seemingly timed to the American national holiday was "no coincident". A noticeable security presence can be observed outside the U.S. Embassy on Saturday even though the embassy has been closed since yesterday. Full story...
