Deutsche Welle English Service News May 28th , 2002, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: The Ex-Evil Empire Joins the Fold Russia joined the military alliance created to wage war against it on Tuesday. NATO hopes the former evil empire's presence will justify the body's continued existence. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_562580_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pakistan Missile Tests Finished Pakistan on Tuesday ignored international pressure and fired a third and final ballistic missile in a series of tests that India has called "provocative". Pakistani state television said the missile test had taken place early Tuesday and read a statement from the country's military rulers that the missiles tests were now completed. Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh in response to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's nationally televised speech said India will stick to its policy of no first use of nuclear weapons. Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has yet to comment on Mr. Musharraf's speech during which he said Pakistan does not want war but rather peace in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. On Tuesday, military officials from both countries confirmed another night of cross-border clashes. Artillery, mortar and machine gun exchanges had taken place at numerous locations along the Line of Control. NATO and Russia Sign Historic Agreement NATO and Russia have created a new forum for security co-operation at a landmark ceremony outside Rome. The 20 world leaders on hand created the NATO-Russia Council, a body which will give Russia an equal voice in NATO matters including regional emergencies, arms control and sea-rescue operations. NATO Secretary General George Robertson hailed the pact as one that joins nations from "Vancouver to Vladivostok." Bush Meets with Pontiff in Vatican U.S. President George W. Bush met Pope John Paul at the Vatican Tuesday. The audience with the pontiff lasted 20 minutes and the Pope, whose health has been failing, appeared to be in relatively good condition. Before the meeting Mr. Bush said he planned to discuss the paedophilia crisis that has shaken the U.S. Catholic Church. The stop at the Vatican was Mr. Bush's last stop on his trip to Europe before flying back to the United States. Israeli Forces Arrest Senior Palestinian Militant in Jenin Israeli forces entered the West Bank city of Jenin Tuesday and arrested several people, including a senior Palestinian militant. One Palestinian was reported to have been killed in an exchange of fire with Israeli troops during the incursion, which comes a day after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed an 18-month-old girl and her grandmother at a cafe in Israel. The suicide bombing was the fifth such attack in Israel in little more than a week. U.S. officials are meanwhile saying the administration is debating whether to set a negotiating timetable for a Middle East peace settlement. Maoist Guerrillas Suffer Heavy Losses in Overnight Battle in Nepal A Nepali defence official is reporting that at least 100 Maoist guerrillas were killed in an overnight battle with the country's security forces. The official said the guerrillas attempted to attack a military camp in Rukum district in the west of the Himalayan kingdom in waves of hundreds of fighters. Five soldiers were killed and 22 others were wounded. More than 2,000 people have been killed in fighting in the country in the past six months. Coalition Forces Bomb Iraqi Air Defence Installations Coalition forces say that they have bombed Iraqi air defence installations after planes enforcing the northern no-fly zone took on hostile fire. The U.S. European Command Center in Stuttgart said the incident occurred near the Saddam Dam near Ninava. This comes a day after Baghdad said its forces shot down an unmanned surveillance plane. The Pentagon has since conceded that the drone did crash but has denied that it was shot down by Iraq. U.S. Treasury Secretary Visits AIDS Support Organisation in Uganda U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Niell, who is on a trip to Uganda, has said that poor African nations need all of the help they can get. O'Neill, together with the Irish rock singer Bono, visited an HIV/AIDS support organisation in the country and was told by doctors at the centre that it could not accept more foreign assistance because of so-called currency fears. There are fears in Uganda that an influx of U.S. aid dollars in the African country could drive up the value of the Ugandan shilling, which in turn would make Ugandan products more costly in foreign markets. The U.S. treasury secretary said it was "unbelievable" the clinic could accept NO MORE MONEY when its needs were so great. U.S. Sends Food Aid to Southern Africa The United Nations World Food Programme has said the United States has sent a shipment of 33,000 tonnes of food aid to help feed the millions of people in southern Africa. The WFP, the world's largest food aid agency, said the U.S. chartered vessel "Liberty Glory" had docked at Dar es Salaam over the weekend and offloaded most of the food onto trucks and rail wagons destined for Malawi and Zambia. The ship planned to continue its journey to Maputo to deliver the remaining 9,890 tonnes of food to Mozambicans. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. You can even listen to all programmes as audio-on-demand. Serbian News Network - SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.antic.org/
