Deutsche Welle
English Service News
22. 07. 2005, 16:00 UTC
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DW-WORLD's "Click Back" monthly review quiz for July 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
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Police shoot man in London
Scotland Yard has confirmed that police have shot dead a man in
London's Stockwell Underground station in the city's south. Police
say the shooting was directly linked to the search for four people
suspected of involvement in Thursday's attempted bomb attacks on
London's transport network. Police have now released CCTV images of
the suspects and asked the public for its help. Meanwhile, in an
Internet statement, an Al-Qaeda-linked group has claimed
responsibility for Thursday's bomb incidents. The group, calling
itself the Abu Hafs al Masri Brigade, has also claimed to be behind
the July 7 bombings in London, which killed more than 50 people, and
injured hundreds more.
Pakistan arrests 90 more militants
Pakistani security forces have arrested 90 more suspected Islamic
militants. Officials said that this brings the number of detainees
from raids since the July 7 London bombings to more than 300. But
Pakistani and British officials say authorities have so far failed
to arrest any suspects linked to the London attacks, which killed
more than 50 people. The move comes a day after President Pervez
Musharraf announced new measures aimed at stopping religious leaders
from spreading hate against non-Muslims. Referring to the London
bombings, Musharraf pledged to co-operate in international efforts
to combat terrorism, but cautioned against singling out Pakistan for
blame.
Rice, Sharon discuss Gaza pullout
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has held talks with Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The meeting was hastily arranged after
fresh violence in Gaza jeopardised Israel's planned withdrawal from
the occupied territories. Israeli radio quoted an official as saying
the talks were excellent, and that the pair discussed efforts to
co-ordinate the pull-out with Palestinians. The two-hour meeting at
Sharon's ranch in the southern Negev Desert took place away from the
media. There was no scheduled press conference. The Israeli
withdrawal from 21 Gaza settlements and four Jewish enclaves in the
northern West Bank is due to begin in less than four weeks.
Guantanamo inmates stage hunger strike
Inmates at the US prison at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba have begun a
hunger strike to protest against their detention. Military
authorities said in a statement that the 52 detainees have refused
at least nine consecutive meals. The US-based Center for
Constitutional Rights said the prisoners started the hunger strike
because of the inhumane conditions at the facility on Cuba. The
Center said the hunger strikers wanted respect for their religion,
open trials, and proper food and clean water. The statement comes a
day after US authorities released eight suspects. More than 500
people are imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay. Many of them have been held
for more than three years without any formal charges raised against
them.
Japan passes missile law
Japan's parliament has passed a law which allows the defence chief
to order the interception of a missile without having to ask cabinet
for permission. The law was approved by the upper house by 126 votes
to 94. The move comes amid concern over North Korea's military
programme. The main opposition Democratic Party opposed the bill,
saying that parliament needed to be notified before a missile
intercept. Japan is constitutionally barred from using force or
maintaining a military because of its role in World War II.
Blazes grip Portugal and Spain
Portugal and Spain remain in the grip of forest fires. Five more
villages have been evacuated in central Portugal where 2,000
exhausted firefighters are into their fourth day. So far more than
20,000 hectares have been scorched and one person killed. In
southwestern Spain, where a fire is burning on two fronts, 1,000
people have left their homes. Hundreds have also been evacuated at
hotspots in northern Spain and near Barcelona. A fire near
Guadalajara in central Spain that trapped and killed 11 firefighters
last Sunday has been declared under control. A senior regional
official has resigned, saying he took responsibility for the
tragedy. It was apparently sparked by walkers who lit a barbeque.
Smaller fires have also been reported in southeastern France and on
Spain's island of Gran Canaria. Each one scorched 200 hectares.
Kenya approves new constitution
Kenya's parliament has approved a new constitution despite massive
street protests against the bill. Lawmakers voted 102 to 61 to
approve the draft constitution. The move comes after three days of
violent demonstrations by protesters who said the bill waters down
the original proposal and gives too much power to the president. The
original draft called for a prime minister's post to be created and
for its holder to take over some executive powers from the
president. The bill will go to a national referendum in October.
Dam collapses in China, killing 16
A dam has collapsed in south-west China, killing at least 16 people
and injuring more than 20 others. The reservoir wall collapsed in
Xiaocaoba, a town in the mountainous Yunnan province, after days of
continuous rain. The water swamped three villages in the early hours
of the morning when most people were asleep.
German election challenged
The decision in Germany to hold an early general election on
September 18 is being challenged by two Bundestag parliamentarians.
The dissenters plan to file lawsuits next week at Germany's
Constitutional Court. One of them, Werner Schulz of the Greens, said
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's deliberate loss of a confidence vote
on July 1 was a ploy and unconstitutional. On Thursday, President
Horst Koehler as head of state decided a fresh election was needed
and dissolved parliament. Koehler agreed that Schroeder lacked support
for his welfare reforms within his centre-left coalition. Surveys
show three-quarters of Germans want early elections. The opposition
conservatives led by Angela Merkel have a lead over Schroeder's SPD
-Green coalition. A new factor is the recently-formed Left Party.
It's on 12 percent nationwide, with 32 percent in eastern states.
Enrolment call to expatriate voters
Germany's electoral commissioner has urged Germans living abroad to
make sure they are registered as voters ahead of Germany's planned
early election on September 18. Comissioner Johann Hahlen told
Deutsche Welle that the estimated 50,000 expatriate voters should
register as soon as possible. They should not wait, he said, for
Germany's Constitutional Court to rule on parliament's early
dissolution and the election's timing. Several small parties also
plan constitutional challenges. The early election means shortened
timeframes for completion of electoral roles and candidate lists.
Polanksi wins libel case
Film director Roman Polanski has won 72,000 euros in libel damages
from Vanity Fair magazine. The magazine had claimed in an article
that Polanski had made sexual advances to a woman in New York just
after the 1969 murder of his wife, Sharon Tate. The Polish-born
Polanski did not attend the trial in London for fear of extradition
to the United States, which he fled in 1978 while awaiting
sentencing for having sex with a 13-year-old girl.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We'd like to introduce you to our latest newsletter: "Germany Light"
give you a weekly look at Germany's cultural, peculiar and sometimes
odd happenings. To sign up for regular dose of fun and entertainment,
please go to our Newsletter section at
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1170241,00.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. News and background reports from the fields of current
affairs, culture, business and science. And of course the DW website
also has information about DW-RADIO and DW-TV programmes: topics,
broadcast times and frequencies.
You can even listen to all programmes as audio-on-demand.
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
- Visit your group "BalkanNews" on the web.
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
