DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE Newsletter English Service News 20.12.06, 17:00 Uhr UTC
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 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=1hmgzeIfcha79I0&req=l%3D1hmgzdIfcha79I0 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Norway to Seal Off Toxic Nazi Submarine Norway plans to cover a sunken German WWII submarine in a giant sarcophagus to stop dangerous mercury leaking from the wreck. Mercury has been seeping from the U-boat for more than 60 years. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmgzeIfcha79I1&req=l%3D1hmgzdIfcha79I1 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Bush mulls US troop increase in Iraq US President George W. Bush says he is considering a short-term increase in US troops in Iraq to help quell violence in the country. Bush made the comments at a year-end news conference at the White House. The US leader reiterated that he was dissatisfied with the pace of progress in Iraq and warned Americans of another tough year ahead. But Bush refused to talk in detail about a review of US strategy in Iraq currently underway within his administration. Bush is expected to announce a new Iraq strategy in January. Gates reserves judgement on Iraq troop numbers Two days after being sworn in as the new US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates met with top military commanders in Baghdad. Gates said he was reserving judgement on increasing US troop levels to stem sectarian violence. The visit by the former CIA director follows a Pentagon report that said violence in Iraq was at an all-time high. The report said the number of attacks have soared over the past three months to their highest levels yet, averaging more than 900 a week. Gates said the Bush administration believes a bigger US army is needed to meet the demands of an unstable world. US senators talk to Syrian president Two influential US senators, including former presidential candidate John Kerry, have met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The US embassy said Kerry and Chris Dodd, who are both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held talks with Assad covering "the full range of topics relating to US-Syria relations and regional issues". The two senators also met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, but declined to talk to reporters. The senators' visit to Damascus comes despite criticism in Washington of such missions. Two dead despite Palestinian ceasefire Al-Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri has appeared in a new video to speak out against elections in the Palestinian territories. The deputy to Osama Bin Laden said in the video, aired on al-Jazeera television, that only jihad, or holy war, would "liberate Palestine". Meanwhile rival Palestinian security forces have begun withdrawing from parts of Gaza City and freeing hostages under a new ceasefire deal, brokered by Egypt. But two members of the Fatah faction were killed in renewed fighting with Hamas militants despite the fresh ceasefire agreement. Palestine Radio reported that at least six other people were injured. Hamas and Fatah had agreed to pull all militants from the streets and to free those who were abducted in recent days. Blair urges action against extremism in Iran British Prime Minister Tony Blair has urged moderate Muslim states to form an "alliance of moderation" to challenge Iran's influence. He called on the world to "wake up" to the struggle between the forces of moderation and extremism. Blair, on the last day of his Middle East tour, said Iran was openly supporting terrorism in Iraq, undermining the Lebanese government and blocking Israeli-Palestinian peace. Iran has never recognised Israel and last year President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for Israel to be "wiped off the map". Blair, who will leave office next year and whose popularity has been eroded by the Iraq war, rejected suggestions American or British action in the Middle East was fuelling terrorism. Inquest opened into death of UK prostitutes In Britain a coroner has formally opened inquests into the deaths of four prostitutes as police continue to question two men suspected of killing them and one other woman. Police have arrested a second man in connection with the murders. It is unclear whether the man is a primary suspect or an accomplice. The second man arrested apparently lived near the red light district where the prostitutes worked. Magistrates in Ipswich also granted the police another day to question a 37-year-old supermarket worker before they have to charge or release him. Italy - police arrest 90 in mafia drug ring Police in southern Italy have broken up a mafia drug ring, arresting 90 suspects. A total of 102 warrants were issued, including eight for women, in a sweep in the port city of Bari. Property and bank accounts worth some 25 million euros were seized in the operation, involving some 800 police. Arrests were also made in Italy's north. The suspects face charges of association with the mafia, illegal arms possession and drug trafficking. Libya stands firm on death sentences Libya says it will not bow to foreign pressure over the death sentence handed down to five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor. They were sentenced in Tripoli for allegedly infecting hundreds of Libyan children with HIV. The sentences have provoked widespread international condemnation. Throughout their imprisonment over the last seven years the five Bulgarian Nurses and one Palestinian doctor have insisted they are innocent. The judges ignored evidence that the HIV epidemic - which affected some 267 children at the hospital - started before they arrived in 1998. British scientists say poor hygene conditions were to blame. Holocaust denier freed on parole British Holocaust denier David Irving will be released from prison after an Austrian appeals court ruled that the remainder of his three-year sentence is to be lifted. Revisionist historian Irving, who was convicted in February for denying the Holocaust, will be freed on parole. Irving has been in prison since his 2005 arrest by Austrian police on charges dating back to 1989 when he denied the Holocaust in lectures given in Austria. Among other things, Irving denied the existence of gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp and the persecution of Jews under the Nazi regime. In Austria denying the Holocaust is punishable with up to 10 years jail. Airlines flying EU routes to trade carbon Airlines flying within the European Union will have to trade their carbon emissions from 2011. Under the Kyoto protocol on Climate Change, carbon trading is meant to offset high greenhouse gas emissions in industry. All airlines, based in the EU or elsewhere, will have to trade emissions from 2012 for all flights to and from European airports. European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said he would limit the industry's first year in the scheme to intra-EU flights only. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 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=1hmgzeIfcha79I2&req=l%3D1hmgzdIfcha79I2 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' For more information please turn to our internet website at http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=1hmgzeIfcha79I3&req=l%3D1hmgzdIfcha79I3 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. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' You can cancel our newsletter at: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/public/unsubscribe.jsp?gid=90003210&uid=927954 405&mid=90068090&sig=FPOGEGNKEBPAEKHA Copyright Deutsche Welle 2006
