Deutsche Welle English Service News February 7th 2004, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The East is Calling! On May 1st the EU expands to include 10 new members. Join DW-WORLD on a cultural and political journey across thousands of kilometers by participating in our online quiz. You'll come out a winner -- whether it's picking up a prize or expanding your mind. http://dw-world.de/go-east ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Fischer Calls for New Roadmap for Mideast Peace At an international security meeting in Munich, Germany calls for the creation of a new U.S. and European peace plan for the Middle East as Donald Rumsfeld again explains Washington's justification for the Iraq war. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_1107745_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Rumsfeld unapologetic on Iraq war At the 40th annual Munich security conference US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has repeated his conviction that the Iraq war was justified. He added that he was sure that it had made the world a safer place. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, speaking before Rumsfeld, said that Germany was still not convinced of the validity of the war. He also voiced scepticism about a US proposal for NATO to take assume a military role there. NATO's new secretary-general however insisted the alliance should not rule out military involvement in Iraq. Fischer also called for Europe and the United States to join together in a broad effort to bring peace and stability to the Middle East. Islamic Jihad militant dies after Israeli air strike A strike by Israeli helicopters has blown up a car in the middle of Gaza City. According to local sources two people died in the attack. One of the victims who was travelling in the car was identified as Aziz Mahmoud al-Shami who was a senior member of the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad and a relative of its leader Abdullah Shami who later said that the killing would be swiftly avenged. A passerby who was also killed in the attack was said to be a 12-year-old boy. Nine more people were injured. Iran's leader says elections will go ahead Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has asserted that elections planned for February 20th will take place. This is in spite of extended protests by Iran's reformist politicians. The Guardian Council, 12 men comprising clerics and Islamic lawyers barred more than 2,000 mainly reformist candidates from taking part in the election. The reformist-run Interior Ministry twice called for the election to be postponed until its fairness could be guaranteed but hard-liners seemed to have won the day. More than 120 liberal MPs have resigned over the bitter political row, ending a 26-day parliamentary sit-in on Thursday. Iran's largest reformist party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front, has said it will boycott the vote. UN team arrives in Iraq A UN team to study the feasibility of early elections in Iraq has arrived in Baghdad. UN secretary-general Kofi Annan said that he hoped the team would help resolve the impasse over the transitional political process leading to the establishment of a provisional government for Iraq. Annan's announcement gave no details about the team for security reasons. All UN international staff were ordered to leave Iraq in October following two bombings at UN headquarters in Iraq, including one that killed top UN envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello and 21 other people. Meanwhile the President of the Iraq Governing Council welcomed the team but stated that the Council would not be bound by the recommendations of the UN. Muenterfering named as Schroeder's chioce for leadership of Germany's SPD German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who on Friday announced his intention to resign as chairman of his Social Democratic Party, has indicated that a cabinet reshuffle would soon take place. The SPD's general secretary Olaf Scholz also announced his resignation. An unpopular series of reforms has led to Schroeder rethinking his position. His favoured successor Franz Muentering said he believed traditional SPD social justice policies would survive. Opposition Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel said Schroeder's government was obviously nearing its end. Pledges for Liberia's reconstruction At a UN-hosted conference in New York, rich nations have pledged a record 410 million euros to begin rebuilding Liberia after 14 years of war. The lead donors will be the European Union, the United States and the World Bank. The money is for infrastructure projects, ranging from clearing the harbour in Liberia's capital Monrovia, to providing sanitation, transport and telephones. Liberia's 14-year conflict ended in August when ex-president Charles Taylor went into exile in Nigeria. Gyude Bryant, who heads Liberia's transitional power-sharing government, attended the New York conference. He said the money would be spent honestly and be accounted for. Another quake in Papua Indonesia's eastern province of Papua has been hit by another strong quake after Friday's jolt which killed 25 people in the isolated town of Nabire. Local police said there was no fresh damage. Indonesia's seismic agency said the latest quake measured 6.2 on the Richter scale, significantly less that readings given by U.S. and French agencies. Residents of Nabire had already been forced to camp outside damaged homes. Police said nearly 200 people were hurt by Friday's quake. It also cut communications and spilt oil at a depot. Medics said they were short of medicines and anaesthetics. Dominican baby girl dies after surgery to remove a second head A two month-old girl who received surgery in the Dominican Republic for the removal of a second partly developed head has died. Initial reports said that the girl called Rebecca was stable after the complicated 10 hour surgery but latest reports say that she has failed to survive. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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