News, 16.03.2005, 17:00 Uhr UTC Deutsche Welle English Service News 16. 03. 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD values your opinion: We look forward to hearing from you about stories we write and regularly post your letters in our reader response section. Check them out at: http://www.dw-world.de/english or write us an e-mail yourself: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained As Germany tries to find its way out of the stubborn quagmire of high unemployment, many of those affected are more concerned with slinging the mud of blame than they are with changing the course of their own fates. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1520121,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Iraqi assembly convenes in stalemate United States President George W. Bush has welcomed the inauguration of the new Iraqi parliament. The 275-member national assembly met in Baghdad for a swearing-in ceremony overshadowed by a series of bomb blasts. Speaking in Washington, Bush played down the assembly's failure to a elect either its three-man presidential council or a speaker. Negotiations on power-sharing are still continuing between Iraq's two largest political groupings, the Shi'ite United Iraqi Alliance and the Kurdish bloc. In the absence of any agreement, no date has been set for the assembly's next meeting. Oil price record as OPEC raises quota The Organisation of Petrol Exporting Countries, OPEC, has announced it is raising its crude oil production ceiling from 27 to 27.5 million barrels per day. The move comes in response to record highs in oil prices and rapidly increasing global demand. Saudi Arabia had previously threatened to raise output unilaterally if OPEC failed to reach an agreement. OPEC ministers now say they expect oil to stabilise at $40 to $50 per barrel, a significant increase on earlier forecasts and almost double pre-Iraq war levels. In response to the OPEC announcement, oil prices have hit a new record high of $56 per barrel. Wolfowitz to head World Bank United States President George W. Bush is to nominate his Deputy Secretary of Defense, Paul Wolfowitz, as the next head of the World bank. The World Bank funds development projects throughout the world, and its leader is traditionally picked by the US. American Treasury Secretary John Snow recently surprised observers by suggesting that Irish rock singer and third world debt relief activist Bono would suit the position. Wolfowitz, a leading US neo-conservative, was one of the primary architects of the war in Iraq. EU to delay Croatia entry talks In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers have agreed to delay EU accession talks with Croatia. Talks had been planned to begin on Thursday, but will now be postponed indefinitely in response to Croatia's failure to extradite a key war crimes suspect. The United Nations' war crimes tribunal in the Hague is demanding the handover of former general Ante Gotovina. Gotovina is accused of ordering the deaths of 150 ethnic Serbs and the expulsion of 150,000 others when Croatia recaptured the Krajina region in 1995. He is regarded as a war hero by many Croatians. Police crack global paedophilia ring Over 500 people in 12 countries have been arrested on susected involvement in a global internet child pornography network. The arrests follow a 3-month investigation spanning European and Latin American countries in which police monitored Spanish-language internet chat rooms and websites. Over 20,000 items, including videos, photographs, computer files and video cameras have been siezed. UN withdraws after West Darfur threats In Sudan, the United Nations has withdrawn all international staff in West Darfur after Arab militias there said they would target foreigners and UN convoys in the area. All aid agencies in West Darfur have also pulled back to the state capital. The Janjaweed militia issued the threats after the governor of West Darfur demanded they return government vehicles. Khartoum nonetheless denies all links to the Janjaweed, calling them outlaws. Meanwhile, a Darfur rebel group claims government and Janjaweed forces are attacking its West Darfur stronghold. Israeli troops begin to leave Jericho After several weeks of delay, Israel has handed control of the West Bank town of Jericho back to Palestinian security forces. Under an agreement between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and incoming Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, four more West Bank towns are due to be returned to Palestinian control in the coming weeks. While the move is seen as strengthening Abbas in his negotiations with Palestinian militant groups, disagreements have emerged during the second day of talks between Palestinian factions in Cairo. Militant groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad want a ceasefire to depend on Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners and insist on a timeline for Israel's withdrawal from Palestinian territories. Syrian intelligence units quit Beirut In Lebanon, Syrian military intelligence units have pulled out of Beirut. According to local sources, the security agents have now redeployed closer to the Syrian border. The move is part of a wider military pull-back, and follows Damascus' pledge to fulfill the United Nations' demands for Syria to withdraw from Lebanon. Meanwhile, the political stalemate in Beirut continues, with the anti-Syrian opposition refusing to join the government. Opposition politicians are demanding an international investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Syrian agents are widely suspected of involvement in Hariri's death. South Korea sells power to North Korea South Korea has begun delivering electricity to North Korea despite an ongoing nuclear crisis on the peninsula. According to a South Korean electricity company, 15 000 watts per hour is being sold to an industrial complex in the border region which is operated by both countries. It is the first time that South Korea has sold power to its communist neighbour since Korea was divided 57 years ago. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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? 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