Deutsche Welle English Service News
31.03.2004, 17:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Afghanistan Conference Opens with Financial Aid Pledges
The third International Conference on Afghanistan opened in Berlin on Wednesday with an inaugural speech by German Chancellor Schröder promising more financial aid to the war-torn country.
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Qurie says Gaza pullout could help peace
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie has for the first time voiced hope that Israel's planned withdrawal from the occupied Gaza strip could revive peace negotiations. Mr. Qurie also demanded a similar withdrawal from the occupied West Bank. The statement, the most positive to date by a Palestinian leader, comes on the eve of a visit by United States peace envoys. Meanwhile, in Hebron in the West Bank, hundreds of Israeli settlers protested against the dismantling of two illegal settlement outposts by Israeli troops. The US has long demanded the removal dozens of such outposts as part of the international roadmap for peace.
Bomb kills 5 U.S. soldiers in Iraq
In the Iraqi city of Fallujah, at least four foreign civilian contractors have been killed when gunmen ambushed two vehicles similar to those used by American forces. At least one of the victims is thought to be an American citizen. According to eyewitness reports, angry local crowds pulled victims' bodies through the streets. Fallujah is located in the so-called "Sunni Triangle", a hotbed of resistance to US occupation. In a separate incident, five US soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb west of Baghdad. In a third attack, 5 people were wounded in an assassination attempt against an Iraqi provincial governor in the town of Baquba.
Judge rejects criminal charges in Mannesmann trial
The judge in the trial of six former executives of the German telecommunications corporation, Mannesman, has ruled that the accused should not face criminal charges. The case has dealt with the executives' settlement packages after Mannesman's takeover by British company Vodafone. Prosecutors allege that former chief executive Klaus Esser and other company directors, including Deutsche Bank chairman Josef Ackermann, acted illegally in awarding themselves a total of 70 million euros compensation. The judge in the case has now ruled that the payments warrant civil but not criminal charges.
Afghanistan conference underway in Berlin
The international donor's conference for Afghanistan is underway in the German capital, Berlin. Addressing the conference, President Hamid Karsai appealed for help in fighting opium production in his country. According to United Nations' sources, some 4 billion dollars in aid has so far been pledged. Karzai is seeking a total of
25 billion euros in aid for his country over the next seven years. Representatives from over 60 states and delegations are attending the two-day conference, which is being hosted by Germany, Afghanistan, Japan and the United Nations.
British imams asked to help fight terrorism
British Muslim leaders have urged every Imam in the country to help police fight terrorism after the arrest of eight young Britons of Pakistani origin. The men are suspected of planning bomb attacks in London and southern England. The police operation, the biggest in Britain since the September 11th attacks in 2001, also netted half a ton of fertilizer, which can be used for making bombs. The arrests have aroused fears that disaffected young Britons may be as much of a security threat as foreign militants. According to security sources, those arrested are not thought to have connections to al Qaeda or other foreign terrorist groups.
OPEC agrees to cut oil output
Members of the Organsitaion of Petroleum Exporting Countries, have agreed to cut production by 4%, a move likely to further increase oil prices worldwide. The production cut, strongly supported by Saudi Arabai, comes in spite of recent price rises and pressure from non-OPEC countries, who fear that it could endager world economic growth. In the United States, where gasoline prices are at a record high, presidential challenger John Kerry has accused incumbent George W. Bush of failing to keep oil prices down as promised.
Cyprus talks on verge of breakdown
Negotiations on the future of Cyprus have taken a major blow after the European Union rejected a major Turkish demand. Ankara foresaw a ban on Greek Cypriots returning to the northern Turkish-controlled part of the divided island, a measure Brussels has said would contravene international law. Diplomats from Turkey, Greece and the two Cypriot communites now have till Wednesday night to reach agreement. If talks fail , United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan will be charged with proposing a compromise to be put to local referendums. If either community rejects the reunification deal, only the Greek part of the island will join the European Union when Cyprus accedes to the EU on May 1st.
World court upholds appeal against US death row
The International Court of Justice in the Hague has ruled that the United States violated international law and should review the cases of some 50 Mexicans on death row. Mexico filed its complaint against Washington at the ICJ in January last year. It accused the United States of violating the 1963 Vienna Convention by not informing foreign prisoners that they are entitled to consular assistance or legal help from their government.
Bosnian Serb policeman jailed for 1992 massacre
Judges at the United Nations warcrimes tribunal in The Hague have sentenced a former Bosnian Serb policeman to 17 years jail for his involvement in the massacre of more than 200 prisoners in Bosnia in
1992. Darko Mrdja had confessed to his participation in the shootings as part of a plea bargaining deal. At least 228 Bosnian Muslim prisoners, were executed by machine gun on a clifftip on Mount Vlasic in central Bosnia in August 1992.
Unemployed miner blows himself up at Bolivian Congress
An unemployed miner has blown himself up in the Bolivian national Congress building, killing himself and two policemen. Ten people were wounded. Reports say the 47-year-old was angry because his age prevented him from finding another job. Police said he demanded early pension payments before detonating the explosives. The incident comes at a time when thousands of Bolivian miners are out of work and have been unable to claim retirement benefits.
Sudanese opposition leader arrested on coup allegation
The leading opposition politician in Sudan, Hassan el Turabi, has been arrested for allegedly attempting a coup. The British Broadcasting Corporation reports that police arrested at least ten other opponents of the government and military men. Sudan's leaders accuse El Turabi of having planned to topple President Omar el Bashir. The prominent Islamist leader is regarded as a supporter of the rebels in the Darfur region of west Sudan who demand more autonomy and have fought for months against Arab militias close to the government. El Turabi was for many years a close confidante of El Bashir until they split in the late 90s.
Search for Uzbek terror suspects continues
There are reports that thirty people have been detained on terrorism charges in the wake of three days of attacks in the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan. The violence, including the country's first suicide bombings, left 42 people dead and dozens injured. The attacks were mostly directed against police targets and were the deadliest to hit the central Asian republic -- a key US ally in the war on international terrorism.
Condoleezza Rice to testify to 9/11 commission
US President George W. Bush has reversed course and allowed his national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, to give sworn public testimony before the commission looking into the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have also agreed to appear in a private meeting before all 10 members of the commission. The White House had previously said that Rice would not appear publicly before the commission, citing separation of the executive and legislative branches of government. Bush had faced growing pressure to let Rice testify, following criticism of his anti-terror policies before the attacks in 2001.
Philippine police arrest two more bomb suspects
Authorities in the Philippines say they have arrested two more terror suspects who were allegedly planning a major attack on trains and shopping malls in the capital Manila. Earlier, President Gloria Arroyo announced the arrests of four other suspected terrorists. All six were identified as members of the Abu Sayyaf militant Islamist group, believed to be linked to al-Qaida. In addition to the arrests, President Arroyo said 36 kilos of explosives had been seized, preventing what she called a "Madrid-level" attack on Manila.
Anti-semitic attacks on the rise in Europe: study
A report by the European Union's racism watchdog says the number of anti-semitic attacks in Europe has soared in recent years, with the main perpetrators being young, white males. The report by the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia contrasts with controversial findings of a Berlin study last year, which blamed young Arabs and Muslims for rising anti-Semitism. Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Britain were singled out for particular concern, but by far the biggest rise in anti-Semitic violence was reported in France, where the number of incidents rose sixfold in 2002 over the previous year.
Fire strikes third-largest U.S. refinery
In the United States, a major fire has broken out at a BP oil refinery in Texas, the third-largest in the country. The cause of the fire is not yet known, but a BP spokesperson said it did not appear to have been started intentionally. No injuries were reported. BP has been maintaining high security at its Texas refinery after an FBI warning this month of an unsubstantiated threat of an attack. The fire has driven gasoline prices to an all-time high and unnerved currency markets worried about security threats.
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