Deutsche Welle
English Service News
June 19th 2004, 16:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Völler Hopes to Navigate Potential Latvian Pitfall
Germany face Latvia in Porto on Saturday with the Group of Death
balanced on a knife edge. Should Germany come a cropper, the Euro
2004 adventure would surely be over.
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internet address below:
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,8053_A_1240941_1_A,00.html
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Al Qaeda leader in Saudi Arabia killed
Saudi TV has shown pictures of what it says is the body of an al
Qaeda leader killed by security forces in Riyadh. Officials said
Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin and three other militants were killed in a
shootout shortly after the remains of a US hostage were found. Al
Muqrin was believed to have been behind the kidnapping and beheading
of US contractor Paul Johnson who was abducted a week ago. Abdul
Aziz al-Muqrin was the purported leader of al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia.
A statement linked to al Qaeda claimed that he had not been killed.
In a video posted on the Internet earlier in the week, al-Muqrin was
seen holding an assault rifle demanding that the Saudi government
free al-Qaeda prisoners in exchange for Johnson's release.
Bush says beheading strengthens US resolve
The beheading of US contractor Paul Johnson has been condemned by US
officials. President George W. Bush told reporters in Fort Lewis,
Washington that Johnson's killing would only serve to strengthen
American resolve in the international war on terror. Bush's comments
came before Saudi security forces claimed to have killed the
suspected mastermind behind Johnson's murder. Meanwhile, US
Secretary of State Colin Powell told a US radio station that he
hoped Americans working in Saudi Arabia would remain there despite
the recent attacks on foreigners. Powell said if Americans and other
Westerners left the country the terrorists would have won.
Indian, Pakistani officials in nuclear talks
Representatives of India and Pakistan have begun talks in New Delhi
on reducing the risk of a nuclear confrontation in the region. The
delegations are being headed by senior officials with the two
countries' foreign ministries. They were expected to focus on
confidence-building measures, as well as ways of reducing the risk
of a nuclear warhead being fired by accident. The two countries
first tested nuclear weapons in 1998. Since then, Pakistan and India
have twice teetered on the verge of war over Kashmir.
At least 22 dead in Fallujah missile strike
The US military says that an airstrike in the Iraqi city of Fallujah
was aimed at a safehouse used by fighters belonging to the al Qaeda
terror network. Local witnesses and hospital officials said at least
20 people were killed in the attack. A US military spokesman said
the targeted house was home to fighters loyal to Abu Mussab
al-Zarqawi, who is believed to have links to al Qaeda. The US
military says he's behind many of the bombing attacks in Iraq. US
Marines pulled back from Fallujah two months ago after three weeks
of fighting, which started after four American contractors were
killed and their bodies mutilated.
European leaders agree on EU constitution
European Union leaders have reached agreement on the wording of the
bloc's first constitution. This comes after two days of tough
negotiations in Brussels. Under the deal, any new EU measure will
need the support of at least 55 percent of member states and 65
percent of the bloc's population to come into force. German
Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed satisfaction at the agreement.
The constitution has to be ratified by national parliaments or
public referenda in the EU's 25 member states. It could come into
effect as soon as 2007. EU leaders failed to resolve the contentious
issue of who should replace Romano Prodi as president of the
European Commission.
Iran to announce uranium enrichment decision
Iran's top nuclear official says his country is to reconsider its
decision to suspend uranium enrichment activities. Speaking to
reporters in Tehran, Hasan Rohani said a decision would be announced
in the next few days. This comes a day after the International
Atomic Energy Agency adopted a resolution calling on Tehran to do
more to co-operate in an inquiry into its nuclear activities. The
United States has accused Iran of developing nuclear weapons. Iran
says its nuclear programme is strictly for peaceful purposes.
30,000 DRC refugees in Burundi
Officials in Burundi say that more than 30,000 Congolese refugees
have fled the fighting in Democratic Republic of Congo and crossed
into neighbouring Burundi since early June. The refugees have been
trying to escape fighting between rebel troops and government forces
in the eastern Congolese town of Bukavu. Officials said many of
those arriving were of ethnic Tutsi origin.
UEFA look into new spitting claim
Europe's footballing body UEFA says it's investigating a possible
spitting incident during Thursday's game between England and
Switzerland at the Euro 2004 in Portugal. A UEFA spokesman said a
videotape was being examined showing an incident between England's
Steven Gerrard and the Swiss player Alexander Frei. He has said that
he swore at Gerrard but denied that he spat at him. It comes after a
spitting incident involving Italy's Francesco Totti on Monday. Totti
has been banned for three games after being found guilty of spitting
at a Danish player.
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