Deutsche Welle
English Service News
2nd November , 2001, 16:00 UTC
American B-52 bombers have continued to pound Taliban front lines in
Afghanistan, paving the way for a ground offensive by opposition
Northern Alliance. An opposition commander said U.S. planes had
unleashed their second day of carpet-bombing on frontline positions.
On Thursday, Washington ruled out a military pause for the Muslim
holy month of Ramadan, which starts in mid-November. In the
meantime, the U.S. remained on high alert amid warnings of new
terrorist attacks. Security in California has been increased around
several bridges, including San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge
for fear of a rush-hour attack.
Mail containing spores of the anthrax bacteria has reportedly been
found in Pakistan. A Pakistan newspaper editor said an envelope
containing a white powder was hand-delivered to the paper's offices
last week. Tests on the envelope came out positive for the
bacteria. The latest anthrax incident is the first confirmed case of
its kind outside the United States, where four people have died from
the inhaled form. Meanwhile, an official close to the investigation
said there had been two previous cases of anthrax in Pakistan, but
authorities had not wanted to spark panic. Government sources said
it was to early to say if the latest incidents were in any way
related to the U.S. cases.
The proposed settlement in the antitrust case against Microsoft Corp.
is to end questionable conduct by the software giant, according to
U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Speaking at a news conference,
Ashcroft said the agreement would end Microsoft's "unlawful conduct"
and bring relief to the marketplace while ensuring more choices for
consumers and their computer needs. Earlier on Friday, the Justice
Department and Microsoft presented to a federal district court judge
the settlement which would give computer manufacturers more
flexibility and share the inner workings of its operating system with
other software companies. Sources close to the case expressed
optimism that the agreement would be approved by the parties
involved.
The leader of the pro-British Ulter Unionist Party, David Trimble,
has failed to be re-elected as First Minister of Northern Ireland's
power-sharing government. A leading member of the Catholic-backed
Irish Republican Army's political ally Sinn Fein said the result was
"disappointing" and called on Britain to hold fresh elections to the
power-sharing assembly to shore up the landmark Good Friday peace
accord. Trimble won votes from pro-Irish Catholic parties, but many
Protestant politicians failed to support him, indicating deep
divisions among Protestant parties about the peace agreement.
Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and Palestinian President
Yasser Arafat have arrived in Spain for their first meeting since
they reaffirmed a ceasefire in September. Peres, however, tried to
down play the significance of any meeting with Arafat, saying the two
were in Spain to attend an economic conference as well. Israeli
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave Peres permission to meet Arafat at
the conference. Sharon has previously refused to allow any kind of
formal negotiations with Arafat because he feels the Palestinian
leader has not done enough to halt violence and rein in Palestinian
militants. Meanwhile, in the southern Gaza Strip today, Israeli
tanks and bulldozers thrust 400 metres into Palestinian-ruled
territory, levelling the area and uprooting trees, according
witnesses and security sources.
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has wound up his trip to China by
visiting the construction site in Shanghai where Transrapid, a German
innovative magnetic rail system, will link the city and its airport.
The first test run is planned for 2003. Schroeder and China's Prime
Minister Zhu Rongji also inspected building work on a research center
for the concern Bayer. During Schroeder's visit to China, business
contracts worth more than 10 billion euro were signed between German
firms and their Chinese partners. Stopping over in Moscow, Schroeder
will brief Russian President Vladimir Putin on his talks last week in
Pakistan and India that centred on the US-Afghan situation.
Argentina's President Fernando de la Rua has proposed a restructuring
of the country's massive public debt aimed at cutting four billion
dollars in interest payments, coupled with consumer incentives.
His economics minister Domingo Cavallo warned of no more aid from
foreign lending agencies. Instead, Argentina's 132 billion dollars in
debt would be swapped. Lower-interest government bonds would be
issued. Saying Argentina needed growth, De la Rua unveiled plans to
spur consumer spending and avert tax evasion. These include cuts in
worker pension contributions, lower tax on credit-card purchases, and
increased welfare benefits for children and the elderly. It marks a
reverse on rigid savings last July that sparked general strikes.
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