Deutsche Welle
English Service News
21. 06. 2005, 17:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Blair Under Fire as EU Presidency Looms
Days before Britain takes over the EU presidency, German Chancellor
Schröder has lashed out at the UK's version of Europe and
Prime Minister Tony Blair's entrenched stance on his
country's EU rebate.
To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the
internet address below:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1624076,00.html
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Beirut bomb kills politician
An anti-Syrian politician has been killed by a bomb placed under his
car in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Police said George Hawi, the
former leader of the Lebanese Communist Party, died instantly, but
his driver was injured. The attack comes just two days after
Lebanon's main opposition alliance won an eight-seat majority in
parliament. Lebanese officials blamed the explosion on supporters of
the pro-Syrian regime.
Sharon, Abbas meet in Jerusalem
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in Jerusalem for
talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. It's the first
meeting between an Israeli prime minister and a Palestinian
president in Jerusalem, which is at the heart of the Middle East
conflict. Prior to the talks, Israeli officials said Sharon would
press Abbas to do more to restrain militant groups. Israel's planned
August pullout from the Gaza Strip was also expected to be high on
the agenda. Meanwhile, Israeli security forces have arrested about
50 suspected Palestinian militants across the West Bank. The arrests
followed a series of attacks by the Islamic Jihad militant group.
President discusses possible early vote
German President Horst Koehler has held a series of meetings with
leaders of the political parties represented in the Bundestag to
discuss the possibility of calling an early election. No details of
the talks have been released. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said
he plans to instruct members of his Social Democrats to abstain in a
vote of confidence in the Bundestag on July 1. A vote of no
confidence would clear the way for fresh polls. Following the vote,
it would be up to President Koehler to decide whether to call an
election a year ahead of schedule. It's not clear whether calling an
election on the basis of an orchestrated vote of no confidence would
be constitutional.
Freed 9/11 suspect returns to Morocco
A Moroccan who was acquitted by a German court of playing a role in
the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, has left Germany for
Morocco. Abdelghani Mzoudi was acquitted last year of connection to
the 9/11 attacks and of belonging to a terrorist organisation. But
the court in Hamburg specifically refused to rule him innocent,
saying it was forced to acquit him because of lack of credible
evidence. He was the second person in the world to face trial over
the attacks. The first, Moroccan student Mounir El Motassadeq, is
being re-tried in Germany after his original guilty verdict was
overturned.
US Democrats block Bolton vote for UN
Democrats in the US have again blocked the controversial nomination
of John Bolton as the new US ambassador to the United Nations.
Republicans failed to gain the 60 votes needed to end the stall
tactics. Democrats are concerned about the hard-liner's suitability
for the position. They are demanding the release of classified
documents that reveal more about allegations that Bolton misused
intelligence and bullied analysts to conform to his views. Bolton is
currently the top US diplomat for arms control. President George W.
Bush has left open the possibility of bypassing the Senate and
appointing Bolton on his own.
Anti-whaling states pressure Japan
The International Whaling Commission has voted to uphold a ban on
commercial whaling, in place since 1986. The move deals a setback to
Japan and its allies who favor a resumption. Japan, meanwhile, has
announced plans to double the number of whales it kills to 1,300 for
its scientific whaling program. Critics say Japan is exploiting a
loophole in the ban on commercial hunting in the name of research.
Animal rights groups and scientists say that killing the whales for
specific research purposes is not necessary.
UK police arrest man over Iraq attacks
British police have arrested a man in connection with suicide
bombings against coalition forces in Iraq. Police said around 30
officers raided a house in the Moss Side area of Manchester in
northern England. A police spokesperson said they suspect a suicide
bomber had lived at the address before travelling to Iraq.
Authorities emphasised that the arrest was unconnected with any
threat to Britain.
Bush says he supports a strong EU
US President George W. Bush says he supports a strong European
Union. Bush made the statement in a press conference at the White
House following a meeting with European Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Luxembourg
Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker. Luxembourg currently holds the
EU's rotating presidency. Barroso said President Bush appeared to
show "sympathy" for the crisis-hit European Union. The EU failed
last week in Brussels to agree on a long-term budget and its
constitution. Earlier in Berlin, German Foreign Minister Joschka
Fischer blamed the crisis on lack of solidarity and national
"egotism".
Cardinal Sin dies in the Philippines
Roman Catholic Cardinal Jaime Sin, a driving force in two of the
Philippine's popular revolts, has died after a long illness.
Officials said the 76-year old died in hospital from an infection
from a longstanding kidney ailment. Sin burst onto the international
stage in 1986 when he rallied a million people to form human
barricades to protect a band of army rebels who broke away from
then-dictator Ferdinand Marcos. That led to the "people power"
revolution which ousted Marcos over alleged corruption and human
rights violations.
UN to probe Zimbabwe crackdown
The United Nations is to send a special envoy to Zimbabwe to
investigate a government crackdown on squatter settlements that aid
workers say has left more than 200,000 people homeless. A UN
spokesperson said President Robert Mugabe had agreed to the visit by
Kenyan-based UN-Habitat. Mugabe previously defended Operation Drive
Out Rubbish as part of a crackdown on the black market. But the
opposition says the blitz is intended to punish urban voters who
rejected Mugabe in March polls. The United States and the European
Union have condemned the operation.
Fishing row between Japan and Taiwan
A Taiwanese warship has returned after being dispatched to disputed
fishing grounds with Japan in a move that's expected to spark a
diplomatic row. Two top Taiwanese politicians were abroad the naval
frigate headed towards a group of islands disputed by Taiwan, Japan
and China. Along with having lots of fish, the islands are also
suspected of having large oil deposits. A military spokesperson
described the move as an inspection tour. Officials from Japan and
Taiwan have held 14 rounds of talk on the islands since 1996 but
have made little progress. About 50 fishing boats from Taiwan sailed
to the waters this month in a protest to challenge Tokyo's claim.
Japan sent helicopters to monitor the event but avoided a conflict
by not sending patrol boats.
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