DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE Newsletter English Service News 17.12.06, 17:00 Uhr UTC
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Tis the season! This year for the first time, DW-WORLD.DE is offering a holiday E-Card with season's greetings in many different languages. Spread holiday cheer around the world simply by copying and pasting the following link into the body of your personal Email: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmfw7Ifcha79I0&req=l%3D1hmfwmIfcha79I0 We at Deutsche Welle wish you and yours a very happy holiday season. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: EU Urges Peaceful End to Palestinian Violence The European Union urged Palestinians to refrain from violence after a call for early elections sparked fatal shootings in the territories, in comments by its foreign relations chiefs on Sunday. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmfw7Ifcha79I1&req=l%3D1hmfwmIfcha79I1 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Hamas-Fatah clashes escalate in Gaza Gunmen have fired two mortar bombs at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office in Gaza City, wounding at least five members of his personal guard. Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior Hamas leader, accused Abbas' forces of attempting a "military coup" in Gaza after they overran two ministries under the control of the Islamists. The spiralling unrest follows Abbas' call on Saturday for fresh presidential and parliamentary elections, a dramatic move that seeks to end nine months of political impasse under Hamas' Islamist-led government. A 19-year-old woman was caught in the corssfire and killed during battles between Hamas and gunmen from Abbas' Fatah faction. At least 15 other people were injured besides the presidential guards in various clashes, including a French journalist. Blair makes unannounced visit to Iraq British Prime Minister Tony Blair has paid a surprise visit to his Iraqi counterpart Nuri al-Maliki in Baghdad. Following their talks, Blair said British troops would stay in Iraq "until the job is done" and pledged full support for the country's weak government. From Baghdad, Blair travelled to the city of Basra in the south of Iraq, where most of the 7,000 British troops in the country are based. Just before Blair landed in Iraq, gunmen in police uniforms carried out a mass kidnapping at a Red Crescent office in Baghdad, seizing as many as 25 men and leaving women staff members behind. The Iraqi Red Crescent, a part of the International Red Cross movement, is the only Iraqi aid agency working in all of the country's 18 provinces. Ahmadinejad's allies struggle in poll Early results show that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's allies have failed to dominate elections for a powerful Iranian clerical body and local councils. Friday's twin elections were for the clerical Assembly of Experts and local councils, the first nationwide vote since Ahmadinejad took office in 2005. Although the vote will not directly impact policy, turnout of around 60 percent and Ahmadinejad's close identification with some candidates, particularly in Tehran, are suggesting a shift towards more moderate policies and away from the president's ultra-conservative line. Final results are not expected until Tuesday. Institutes cut ties with Iranian think-tank Nearly 40 European and US research institutes have said they will suspend contacts with a leading Iranian think-tank that helped organize last week's conference of Holocaust deniers in Iran. The institutes have agreed to suspend ongoing programs with the Iranian Institute for Political and International Studies. The December 11-12 conference in Tehran drew Holocaust deniers from around the world to debate whether the World War II genocide of Jews took place. US tells North Korea to "get serious" Top US envoy Christopher Hill has called on North Korea to "get serious" about ending its nuclear weapons programs. Hill was speaking upon arrival in the Chinese capital Beijing, as six party talks on North Korea's nuclear ambitions are set to resume after a year's delay. Hill said he was prepared to meet one-on-one with his North Korean counterpart Kim Kye-Gwan, who Saturday voiced pessimism over the talks and accused the United States of a "hostile policy." Negotiators are to discuss how to implement a September 2005 agreement, the only accord ever reached at the six-nation talks, where the North pledged to disarm in exchange for aid and security guarantees. France withdraws special forces in Afghanistan The French Defense Minister has said France will withdraw hundreds of special forces from Afghanistan. Michele Alliot-Marie made the announcement to reporters during her visit to the Afghan capital, Kabul. Some 200 French special forces are stationed in eastern Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. France has deployed a total of 2,000 troops to Afghanistan, with the remainder serving in the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force. The proposed French withdrawal comes when ISAF commanders have been calling for more troops to be deployed in the south of Afghanistan where the Taliban are most active. Fire kills 22 at a Pakistani wedding A fire at a wedding party in a central Pakistani town has killed 22 people. At least 35 wedding guests were also injured in the tragedy in Jhok Utra town, about 500 km southwest of the capital, Islamabad. Most of the victims were women and young girls who were singing wedding songs when an electric short circuit gutted a makeshift tent that had been erected outside the bride's house. German minister visits Aceh province German development minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul has promised additional help for tsunami victims in the Indonesian province of Aceh. During a visit with survivors near the provincial capital Banda Aceh, Wieczorek-Zeul promised that no one would be forgotten. The German minister laid a memorial wreath at a mass grave where tsunami victims are buried. More than 170,000 people are estimated to have died from the sea quake and resulting tsunami waves that struck the region two years ago. Wieczorek-Zeul has pledged an additional 20 million euros for reconstruction work in the province. Schalke move to the top of the Bundesliga In German Bundesliga soccer action on Saturday, Schalke got a late 1-0 win against Arminia Bielefeld to move to the top of the table. In other games, last year's champions Bayern Munich routed Mainz 4-0, Berlin fought to a 1-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Nuremberg beat Hanover 3-1, Aachen drew with Hamburg 3-3 and Cottbus drew with Stuttgart 0-0. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Need a good laugh? Then check out DW-WORLD.DE'S From the Fringe Special, which regularly brings you quirky stories from and about Germany. To find out more, go to http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmfw7Ifcha79I2&req=l%3D1hmfwmIfcha79I2 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' For more information please turn to our internet website at http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmfw7Ifcha79I3&req=l%3D1hmfwmIfcha79I3 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. 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