Deutsche Welle English Service News 21. 03. 2005, 17:00 UTC ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you coming to Germany soon? DW-WORLD has just the thing for you: Every Monday, we compile a list of the top five events that are going on this week -- from exhibitions to concerts to festivals and markets. Check out "Germany's Top Five" at www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Annan calls for major changes to UN United Nations General Secretary Kofi Annan has called for wide-ranging reforms of the world body. Addressing the UN's General Assembly in New York, Annan called for an expanded Security Council, set rules for when nations could go to war, strengthened human rights and increased development. He said his proposals were a comprehensive strategy, and should be accepted as a whole. Annan wants the changes to be agreed at a summit of world leaders in September, which will mark the UN's 60th anniversary. Bush bid to save brain-damaged woman US President George W. Bush has signed a controversial new bill designed to force doctors to keep a severely brain-damaged woman alive. The bill sends the case of 41-year-old Terri Schiavo to a federal court. Schiavo has been fed through a tube in her stomach since a heart attack caused brain damage 15 years ago. Her feeding tube was removed by order of a Florida state court late last week. But the federal court is expected to order the replacement of the feeding tube. Schiavo's tube has been removed and replaced twice before in the ongoing legal battle. The case has sparked an emotional national debate in the United States about a person's right to die. Israel plans 3,500 new settlements Israel has announced it plans to build thousands of new homes in the occupied West Bank. News sources said the Israeli government had given the go-ahead for the construction of 3,500 new homes near the West Bank Jewish settlement, Male Adumin, linking it with Arab East Jerusalem. The expansion appears to flout the so-called peace "road map" which sought to freeze building new homes on land meant to be given back to the Palestinians for a future state. Tulkarem transfer delayed In a separate development, the planned handover of security control of the West Bank town of Tulkarem on Monday may be delayed after talks deadlocked late Sunday. There have been disagreements in the transfer details and more talks are expected to be held before Israel transfers control to the Palestinians. Last week, the Palestinians assumed security control of Jericho after several days of delays. Germany to support Paul Wolfowitz Germany has promised the United States that it will not block the nomination of Paul Wolfowitz as the next head of the World Bank. In an interview with the broadcaster N-TV, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said he told US President George W. Bush in a telephone conversation that the nomination "would not fail because of Germany. EU finance ministers are expected to discuss the controversial nomination of the US deputy defense secretary on Tuesday. Barroso welcomes EU pact changes European Commission head Jose Manuel Barroso has welcomed changes to Europe's Stability and Growth pact, saying it restores credibility. EU finance ministers agreed to a deal late Sunday to relax the EU's budget rules, giving governments more leeway when their deficits surge thereby avoiding punishments. The deal came after Germany won a key demand for special treatment for its huge unification costs. Germany and France have breached the pact's three percent deficit limit for three years running, damaging its integrity. EU leaders are expected to endorse the changes this week. Kyrgyzstan head orders poll review Kyrgyzstan President Askar Akayev has ordered an investigation of some parliamentary results amid growing protests over election fraud. His office said a review would be held in districts of the former Soviet state where the poll results had sparked "a strong public reaction". The announcement comes as opposition protesters seized control of government offices in two towns, including the country's second biggest city, Osh. The opposition won only seven of a possible 75 seats. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe that monitored the elections, said the vote was not fair. Namibia's new president sworn in Namibia's new President Hifikepunye Pohamba has been sworn in. The inauguration ceremony took place before a cheering crowd of 20,000 people in the capital Windhoek. The 69-year old Pohamba won landslide victory in the presidential election last November with his SWAPO party also sweeping to victory in parliamentary elections. He is the country's second head of state since independence from South Africa in 1990. The former Lands Minister has said he wants to make the redistribution of land from white farmers to blacks a priority. More opposition arrests in Nepal In Nepal, four more journalists have been detained as a crackdown on the press continues. King Gyanendra seized power last month, imposing emergency rule and sharply curtailing press freedom. On Sunday, Nepalese security forces arrested 150 opposition supporters in four separate locations in the Himalyan country. Eyewitnesses say those arrested had been handing out pamphlets criticising the king and calling for the return of a multi-party system. King Gyanendra imposed emergency rule in February in a bid to end the conflict with Moaists which has claimed the lives of over 11,000 people since 1996. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Join our latest forum: The EU intends to lift its 15-year arms embargo against China, much to the regret of the US which says resuming defense trade would upset the balance of power in the region. What do you think? Participate by going to http://www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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