Deutsche Welle English Service News March 6th 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Sgrena Suggests She May Have Been US Target The Italian journalist wounded by US troops shortly after the end of her month-long kidnap ordeal fanned a growing diplomatic rift between Rome and Washington by suggesting US soldiers deliberately tried to kill her. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1510095,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD's ""Click Back"" monthly review quiz for March is waiting for you and will test your knowledge of stories we've written. If you answer all questions correctly, you can also win a great prize. To play, please go to: http://www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Syria vows swift Lebanon pullout Lebanon's defense minister has said that Syria will start pulling back its forces in Lebanon to the Bekaa Valley on Monday. The move is to follow a meeting between leaders from both countries in Damascus to work out details of the withdrawal, including timing. Under intense global pressure, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced plans on Saturday for a complete pullout of troops from Lebanon. Meanwhile, Lebanon's Islamic resistance group Hizbollah has called for a mass demonstration in central Beirut on Tuesday in support of Syria and against "foreign intervention". Sgrena disputes US account of shooting Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena has suggested that US troops deliberately tried to kill her shortly after she was freed by her Iraqi kidnappers. US troops opened fire on Sgrena's car as it travelled on Baghdad's airport road. An Italian intelligence agent, Nicola Calipari, died in the incident as he shielded Sgrena from the gunshots. Writing in Italy's communist newspaper Il Manifesto, Sgrena said her kidnappers had warned that the US did not want her to be released. The US military, who said troops fired on the speeding car after it ignored signals to stop, has opened a full investigation. Calipari's body arrived in Rome on Saturday night, and a state funeral is planned for Monday. Iraq's new parliament to meet in 10 days Iraq's new parliament is to hold its first session on March 16. Iraqi officials said the the assembly would gather on what will be the 17th anniversary of the chemical bombing of Kurds in northern Iraq by forces of former dictator Saddam Hussein. The national assembly's first task will be to elect a speaker and vote on a presidential council, which in turn will choose a prime minister. Protests in Taiwan against China law Thousands of protesters have marched in southern Taiwan in protest of China's proposed anti-secession law. Many in Taiwan fear the law could provide Beijing with a legal basis for attacking the island. The march was organised by the pro-independence Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) and attracted about 15,000 people. China's foreign minister has dismissed concerns of a military conflict with Taiwan. Speaking to reporters on the second day of China's National People's Conference, Li Zhaoxing said that the proposed anti-secession law was simply meant to keep Taiwan's bid for independence in check. Fire on oil tanker extinguished A fire on board an oil tanker off the coast of southern Norway has been extinguished. The ship burned for more than 24 hours, causing fears of a fuel spill or explosion. The tanker was not transporting oil, but had over 700 tonnes of fuel for its own consumption. A coast guard spokesman said there were no fuel spills. The vessel was travelling from England to Germany when the fire broke out in the engine room. The crew was evacuated to safety on Saturday. Moldova votes for new parliament Voting is underway in a general election in the former Soviet Republic of Moldova. The ruling communist party, led by President Vladimir Voronin, is widely expected to remain in power. The communists previously sought closer ties with Russia but they are now promising to move the country closer to the European mainstream. This is the fifth election in Moldova since the country won independence from Moscow in 1991. Germany's Fischer caught in visa row German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer is coming under renewed pressure over allegations related to relaxed visa rules that allowed thousands of people to enter the country illegally. Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper reported on Sunday that Fischer had witnessed during a visit to Kiev in June 2000 how the German embassy there was overwhelmed by people seeking travel visas. The opposition accuses Fischer of failing to reveal all he knows about the scandal. It also claims the illegal immigration fostered organised crime and prostitution in Germany. Fischer has acknowledged making mistakes but has refused to resign. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- It’s time to place your Bundesliga bets at DW-WORLD again. Bet, score and win is the name of the game. Compete with soccer fans around the world by predicting who will be up or down, how many goals and how tops the table. Return for each match day and participate in the game individually or as a team with friends and colleagues. Prove your skill at picking the winners, and if you bet correctly, you’ll be awarded with great prizes each time the Bundesliga plays. 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