Deutsche Welle English Service News February 21st 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Bush in Europe to Mend Ties US President George W. Bush arrived in Brussels for the start of a European visit aimed at rejuvenating relations after a “passing disagreement” over Iraq and launching a new era of transatlantic unity. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1495621,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you coming to Germany soon? DW-WORLD has just the thing for you: Ever 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bush - US needs "strong Europe" US President George W. Bush, in a keynote speech in Brussels at the start of his five-day tour of Europe, has said the United States needs a "strong Europe" to promote global peace. Referring to past transatlantic differences over the US.-led invasion of Iraq, Bush said the Middle East should emulate Europe in becoming a peaceful unified region. He added that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. Pressure on Iran was still in the "early stages of diplomacy", he added. Bush also called for an end to Syria's troop presence in Lebanon and said an Israeli-Palestinian thaw was "within reach". On Russia, Bush said Europe and the United States should insist on democratic reforms. Earlier, host Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, who was a strong critic of the US war against Iraq, said it was time to end transatlantic tensions. More protests in Beirut The Lebanese parliament has agreed to a debate on last week's assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri as pressure mounts for an end to Syria's interference in Lebanon. A rally called in Beirut by Lebanon's opposition has drawn thousands of Lebanese. They chanted "Syria out" and demanded the resignation of Lebanon's pro-Syrian government. It, and Syria, have both denied any involvement in the bombing that killed Hariri. In the Syrian capital Damascus 60 Syrian intellectuals have urged Syria to pull its 14,000 troops out of Lebanon. The United Nations says it will send a commission this week to Lebanon to probe Hariri's death. Israel frees 500 Palestinian prisoners Five hundred Palestinian prisoners have been bussed back to the West Bank and Gaza Strip from Israel, in what Israel has called a "gesture of good will." The 500 are the first of 900 to be freed over coming weeks as part of a cease-fire agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The latest prisoner release comes a day after Israel's cabinet approved a plan to withdraw settlers from the Gaza Strip, and endorsed another route for the controversial barrier which loops deep into the West Bank. Indonesian journalists freed in Iraq Iraqi militants have freed two Indonesian journalists taken hostage last week. According to Sunni Muslim authorities, the journalists were freed in Ramadi, a rebel hotspot west of Baghdad. A previously unknown Islamist group, the Army of Islamic Warriors, had claimed responsibility for last week's abduction. Meanwhile, a journalist working for the Iraqi television station Iraqia has been kidnapped with her daughter in the northern city of Mosul. The station's director said that Raiida al-Wazan, the only woman news presenter for Nineveh province regional television, was seized while travelling to work. There had been no word from the abductors. Schroeders SPD in regional cliffhanger Germany's governing Social Democrats have suffered a setback in a regional election in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein where opposition conservatives won the largest number of seats. The Christian Democrats failed, however, to secure a clear majority. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeders Social Democrats (SPD) could stay in power with the help of a party representing the state's Danish- speaking minority. Analysts say high unemployment contributed to the SPD's worst election results in the state for more than 45 years. Afghanistan bottom of world rankings A United Nations report on Afghanistan says serious social and educational problems remain three years after the ousting of the Taliban by US-led forces. The UN development aid survey found that Afghans still have the world's worst rates of literacy, life expectancy and child mortality. Although three million children are back at school, among Afghans older than 15 only one third can read and write. One in five children die before their fifth birthday. And, on average Afghans live only 44 years, 20 years less their neighbours in other Central Asian nations. Since the Taliban's overthrow, Afghanistan's economy has grown by 25 percent - fuelled by opium production - but little of that income has trickled down to a largely impoverished population. The report says if grievances are left unresolved Afghanistan could "tumble back into chaos". Novartis invests in generics For 5.6 billion euros the Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis has bought up two more firms, the German firm Hexal and a major stake in the US company Eon Labs. Novartis said the two makers of cheaper non-branded "generic" medicines would be absorbed by Sandoz, a subsidiary of Novartis. The concern says it expects sizeable growth in the world generics market as authorities try to rein in costs. Generics are used poor countries, noteably for treating HIV/AIDS. Australia-ASEAN trade zone planned Australia has begun talks to establish a free trade zone with the 10 nations of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, within the next two years. The proposal would include New Zealand. At talks in Melbourne, Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile said the 12 nations together would eliminate their trade barriers for goods, services and investments "progressively". Vaile said Australia was excited about expanding its trade with ASEAN's 545 million people. New Zealand and Australia already have their own free trade zone. American writer commits suicide The prominent American writer Hunter S. Thompson appears to have committed suicide in his Colorado home. Police said Thompson had fatally shot himself. Thompson's son, Juan, released a statement confirming his father's death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The 67-year-old writer is most well-known for his book 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,' about drug-fuelled weekend in Las Vegas. Thompson's style of writing became known as "gonzo journalism," in which the writer engages himself and his personal views in the story. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. So join the fun, it’s only a click away. http://www.dw-world.de/english/kickofftip ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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