Deutsche Welle English Service News 08. 06. 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Fischer Discusses EU Future in US On what could be his farewell trip to the United States as Germany's Foreign Minister, Joschka Fischer discussed Turkish membership in the EU and the EU role in the world in the aftermath of the consitutional crisis. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1608366,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD's "Click Back" monthly review quiz for June is waiting for you and will test your knowledge of stories we've written. If you answer all questions correctly, you can also win a great prize. To play, please go to: http://www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Unrest in Ethiopia - 22 killed Hospital sources in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa say at least 22 people have been killed after police opened fire during a third day of unrest over last month's disputed election. Several hundred others were wounded, mostly by gunshots. Across the capital, gunfire could be heard and western diplomats said the death toll could rise. Ethiopia's government headed by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi blamed what it called "hooligans", saying police had intervened to stop looting. The opposition CUD party, which alleges the election was fraudulent, had denied a government claim that it had instigated the unrest. Students began the protests on Monday in defiance of a ban. Official results of the election are due to be released on July 8. Debt relief initiative welcomed NGO's and leaders from Africa have welcomed the new debt relief initiative from US President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agricultural Organisation, said debt relief was vital for economic development in Africa. The World Bank plans to increase its efforts to help poverty-stricken countries on the continent to achieve similar growth rates to the best-performing states. Bush and Blair said they are close to an agreement on providing debt relief for Africa's poorest countries. Eliminating poverty in Africa is to top the agenda next month at the G8 summit of industrialised nations. Bolivia's Mesa urges immediate elections A day after offering to resign, President Carlos Mesa has warned that Bolivia will slide into civil war unless immediate elections are held. The main city La Paz has seen violent clashes between security forces and protesters calling for economic reform and more rights for indigenous people. Congress will meet on Thursday to vote on whether to accept Mesa's offer. It denied a similar resignation offer by Mesa in March. Mesa has served as president for 20 months, after his predecessor was driven from office, also by demonstrations. France remains committed to EU French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has said that France remains committed to the European Union. In his first major speech in front of parliament since taking over as prime minister last week, de Villepin also said that France would continue to play a major role in the bloc. He said this despite the rejection of the EU constitution by French voters on May 29. In light of 10 percent unemployment, de Villepin pledged to make the fight against joblessness a top priority. Four US soldiers killed in Iraq The US military has reported that four US soldiers have been killed in less than 24 hours in attacks by Iraqi insurgents north of Baghdad. In the latest incident, a US soldier was killed when his patrol hit a roadside bomb near Ad-Dawr on Wednesday. In nearby Tikrit, Saddam's hometown, two US soldiers were killed late Tuesday in a mortar attack on their base. Violence towards Iraqis has also been high. In Baquba, a car bomb blew up outside a petrol station, killing three Iraqi civilians. A total of 47 Iraqis have been killed since Tuesday in a string of attacks centred in the northern part of the country. Nepal police detain journalists Police in Nepal have detained some 50 Nepali journalists in the capital Kathmandu. The action came on Wednesday after the journalists were preparing to hold a demonstration for the restoration of press freedom. That would have been in defiance of a current ban. King Gyanendra seized power in February and imposed media curbs, saying he needed to take charge to fight a nine-year Maoist revolt. On Monday, 14 Nepal security force members were killed and the bodies of six Maoist rebels were recovered after a clash in the south-west of the country. German leader says he will not resign German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has dismissed as "utter nonsense" a press report that his SPD party had discussed plans for him to resign rather than go ahead with early elections - which he looks set to lose. This after a German news agency reported that the Social Democrat leadership had considered replacing Mr Schroeder as head of government with party Chairman Franz Muentefering. This apparently so that the SPD-Green coalition to stay in office until regular elections due in 2006. No verdict yet in Jackson trial In the United States, jurors in Michael Jackson's child abuse trial have ended their second full day of deliberations without reaching a verdict. They are deciding whether Jackson is guilty on 10 charges, including the alleged abuse of a boy two years ago. Other charges faced by the singer include conspiracy to kidnap and giving the 13-year-old boy alcohol. 46-year-old Jackson, who denies all the charges, faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted on all counts. American actress Anne Bancroft dies Oscar-winning actress Anne Bancroft, who starred opposite Dustin Hoffman in film classic The Graduate, has died. The actress, who was 73 years old, died of cancer. She had five Oscar nominations, including one win for The Miracle Worker in 1963. She married comedian Mel Brooks in 1964. Born Anna Maria Italiano in 1931 to Italian immigrant parents in New York's Bronx borough, Bancroft went on to become a versatile stage and screen performer whose career spanned five decades. Fischer to meet Rice in Washington German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is to hold talks in Washington with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Transatlantic ties and Germany's bid for a permanent UN Security Council seat are likely to top the agenda. After talks with National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, Fischer said the US wanted to see extensive reform of the United Nations. Germany wants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council should it expand under future reform. Fischer also said he and Hadley discussed the the EU constitution, following a rejection of it by French and Dutch voters. Italian abductee in good health Italy's Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini has confirmed that an Italian aid worker kidnapped last month was in good health. Rome said that all efforts were being made for Clementina Cantoni's release. According to the Afghan government the 32-year-old Cantoni who works for CARE International was abducted on May 16 by a criminal gang. Meanwhile, at least one US soldier was killed in a mortar attack in the southeast province of Paktika. Another eight people were injured in the shelling. Kashmiris want to join peace process Separatists from Indian Kashmir have promised support for Pakistan's efforts to resolve the long-running dispute over the territory after talks with President Pervez Musharraf. The separatists, who belong to the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, insisted on being included in the peace process. A statement from Pakistan government said Musharraf stressed that a solution to the Kashmir dispute should be acceptable to all parties. One Pakistani proposal is the demilitarisation of those areas of Indian Kashmir where the decades-old conflict has been centred, free movement for Kashmiris and some form of self-governance. Hurriyat's moderates want a united and autonomous Kashmir. Japan first to qualify for World Cup Ahead of next year's World Cup soccer contest, Japan has beaten North Korea 2-0 - inside an empty stadium in Thailand - to become the first team besides the hosts Germany to qualify. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Send us your favorite picks for sight-seeing, museum hopping, historical edification – whatever you’ve got to share with others heading to Germany. Restaurants, hotels, back-country hideaways – write to us with your insider tips and tell us about what you liked best about traveling in Germany. For more information, please go to http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1096790,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information please turn to our internet website at http://dw-world.de/english Here you'll find out what's happening in Germany, Europe and the rest of the world. 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