HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
Deutsche Welle English Service News April 5th, 2001, 16:00 UTC --------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Pay for Play The Kirch media empire's looming insolvency has endangered the country's soccer leagues, and Chancellor Gerhard Schröder wants the taxpayer to help out. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1431_A_491324_1_A,00.html --------------------------------------------------------------------- Germany Welcomes U.S. Initiatives in Middle East The German government on Friday welcomed fresh efforts by Washington to intervene in the Middle East conflict. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said after a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Washington's initiative was an important signal of hope for de-escalating Israeli-Palestinian violence. U.S. President George W. Bush said Mr. Powell would travel to the region shortly. Mr. Fischer said the German government with its EU partners would do whatever it could to help the peace process. The German government's position was also echoed by the main opposition which said it stood fully behind the respective UN resolutions on the conflict. Israeli Troops Extend Military Offensive to Hebron Israeli troops and tanks are continuing their military offensive in the West Bank. Actions have been extended to Hebron, the last major West Bank town besides Jericho under Israeli occupation. Witnesses said troops met light resistance when dozens of Israeli tanks and armored personnel carriers backed by helicopter gunships entered the city. At least 14 Palestinians were reportedly killed in fierce fighting with Israeli troops in the towns of Nablus and Jenin. Explosions and heavy machinegun fire were also heard near the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, where around 200 Palestinians, some of them armed, have been holed up for three days. Lebanon Arrests Palestinians for Rocket Attacks Lebanese government sources have said that a group of Palestinians blamed for launching rockets at Israeli targets have been arrested. Israel had accused Syrian-backed Hizbollah guerrillas of firing the missiles at the Golan Heights, but the Lebanese information minister stated that the Palestinians were responsible. Repatriation of Afghan Refugees Moving Swiftly Efforts by the United Nations to repatriate Afghan refugees who fled the former Taliban regime to Pakistan have been moving quickly, a spokesman for the UNHCR in Geneva said on Friday. Since March 1st, more than 184,000 people have returned to Afghanistan. According to UN figures, there are still some two million Afghan refugees officially registered in Pakistan. Pearl Murder Trial in Karachi Has Adjourned The murder trial of Islamic militant Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh in Pakistan adjourned shortly after it began today. Sheikh and three suspected accomplices faced charges for the murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl in the city of Karachi, but proceedings were delayed for one week after the defence asked to see key evidence. The court also issued arrest warrants for seven other alleged accomplices. The U.S. government has also indicted Sheikh for hostage-taking and requested his extradition, but Pakistan said it wanted to conduct its own trial first. Sheikh could face the death penalty in either country if found guilty. Ten People Killed in Fresh Kashmir Violence Ten people died in fresh separatist violence in Indian Kashmir on Friday. Police said those killed included seven militants and a leading member of Kashmir's ruling National Conference Party. Shops, schools and businesses were closed in many towns in response to a strike called by Moslem rebels protesting India's new anti-terrorism law. South and North Korea Restart Dialogue North and South Korea have reached a basic agreement to allow family reunions again. Seoul's Ministry for Unification also said economic discussions would be restarted. This progress was reached in negotiations between South Korea's presidential adviser Lim Dong Won and North Korean dictator Kim Jon Il in Pyongyang. However, no date for the new round of talks was set. Government Bailout for Soccer Clubs Has Opposition Fuming The looming financial collapse of the KirchMedia group in Germany and subsequent loss of revenues for professional soccer has put the German government in a difficult position. Promises by Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to provide loan guarantees to help stabilize the financial situation of smaller soccer clubs has drawn fierce criticism from the opposition, business and industry, as well as from members of Mr. Schroeder's own Social Democratic Party. Bavaria's premier and opposition chancellor-candidate Edmund Stoiber rejected using taxpayer's money to finance the salaries of millionaire soccer players. The German Chambers of Industry and Commerce and Federal Labor Minister Walter Riester vehemently oppose the move for similar reasons. The KirchMedia group has until Monday to find a financial backer or file for bankruptcy. Thousands Throng to Queen Mum Funeral Procession Thousands of people lined up for a glimpse of the Queen Mother's coffin in London on Friday, now lying in state in Westminster Hall, following an elaborate funeral procession along the banks of the River Thames from Windsor Castle. Earlier, a crowd of 250,000 lined the procession route to see the horse-drawn carriage and coffin, flanked by 1,600 troops in red military jackets and bearskin hats. In utter silence, all paid their respects to Britain's favorite Royal and wartime symbol of defiance. --------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: [email protected] 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 ==^================================================================
