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Deutsche Welle English Service News April 29th, 2001, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Gun Control: Pulling the Noose Tighter In the aftermath of one of the world's bloodiest school rampages, German politicians have vowed to re-evaluate the country's gun laws. Whether tighter legislation would have prevented anything is in doubt. 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_508926_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Israeli Forces Raid Hebron as Efforts Continue to End Siege in Ramallah Israeli forces launched an incursion into the West Bank city of Hebron earlier on Monday, killing nine people. The Israeli army said it was conducting house-to-house searches for suspects and weapons following a deadly attack last Saturday on Israelis at a nearby Jewish settlement. The latest military action in Hebron came as diplomatic efforts were being made to end the siege at Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah. Palestinian officials said they would meet with U.S. and British experts to discuss the practical details of a proposal made by U.S. President George W. Bush that would restore Arafat's freedom of movement and remove Israeli forces from Ramallah. On another front, the Israeli cabinet was still resisting an authorized U.N. mission to probe the destruction in the Jenin refugee camp, despite international pressure. Israel says the composition of the team is too one-sided. 15 Palestinians Leave Church of Nativity About 15 Palestinians have left from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where a stand-off between Israeli forces and Palestinians locked inside nears its fourth week. Observers at the scene believed the group who left the church would probably be detained by the Israelis for questioning. Some 200 other people remained inside the besieged shrine, where conditions were said to be worsening. Schroeder Plans to Address Violence on TV In the wake of a highschool shooting in Germany which left 17 dead, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is planning to meet with television station directors this week to discuss putting limits on violent TV programs. The goal of the talks would be to get broadcasters to voluntarily control their output of violent programs. Schroeder also said he planned to work together with the country's leaders to noticably tighten gun-control legislation. Since last Friday's shooting, Germans are demanding protection from gunmen as well as tighter school security and bans on violent computer and video games. Indonesia military seeks martial law in Moluccas Indonesia's military said on Monday it wants martial law imposed on the Moluccan islands after at least 12 people were killed in weekend attacks. The killings came after several days of unrest in Ambon city, the capital of the Moluccas islands and scene of religious clashes that have claimed thousands of lives in the last three years. Indonesia has suffered from a series of religious, ethnic and separatist conflicts since President Suharto resigned in 1998. More than 85 percent of Indonesia's 210 million people are Muslim, but Christians comprise half the population in some eastern areas, such as the Moluccas. Britain Says, Captured Fighters to be Turned over to Afghanistan British forces in Afghanistan have reached a deal with the interim government there to hand over any captured Taliban or al Qaeda fighters. The Royal Marines also said they would grant prisoner-of-war status to any captured enemy. The agreement is in contrast to a U.S. decision to treat prisoners as "unlawful combatants" without rights under the Geneva Convention. British military sources said they had received assurances from the Afghan interim administration that the prisoners would not be mistreated once handed over. Madagascar Court Declares a New President Madagascar's High Constitutional Court has reported that a recount of disputed December elections indicated that the challenger, Marc Ravalomanana, actually beat President Didier Ratsiraka with 51.46 percent of the vote. But President Ratsiraka said the court was biased and he would disregard the latest verdict, prompting warnings from analysts that the crisis on the Indian Ocean island was far from over. Up to 60 people have been killed in violence between the two camps since the disputed poll. Monday's court ruling dismissed official results announced in January and declared Ravalomanana president of the Republic for the next five years. Ratsiraka was due to comment on the situation later today. Mali Presidential Election Count Begins Counting has begun in Mali's presidential poll which was called to choose a successor to Alpha Oumar Konare. The constitution forces Konare to step down after 10 years in power. As vote counting started on Sunday evening, observers and officials said they expected none of the 24 candidates to get the needed 50 percent of votes, meaning a runoff would take place on May 12th. Final results are expected later in the week. Observers said that, apart from a few hitches, the election was free and fair. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9617B Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
