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Deutsche Welle English Service News 01. 03. 2003, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Iraqi Complies with U.N. by Destroying Missiles Iraq began destroying its ballistic missiles on Saturday. Germany and France still see room for a peaceful solution, while Britain, Spain and the U.S. are sceptical. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http: ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At least 16 killed after train derails At least 16 people have been killed and more than 150 injured in Taiwan following a train derailment. Adding to the chaos, a helicopter crash-landed while airlifting two dead bodies and eight injured passengers to hospitals. The four-carriage train with around 170 passengers on board derailed while crossing a bridge. A preliminary investigation showed that brake failure could have caused the accident. Iraq begins destroying banned missiles Iraq has started to destroy its banned al-Samoud missiles in a move hailed as a significant step towards disarmament. The process to destroy the weapons was in line with a deadline set by arms inspectors. Baghdad has said that it had about 100 such missiles, 50 of which had been delivered to the army. Despite the latest disarmament developments, the U.S. has dismissed the moves as more "propaganda" and deception on the part of the Iraqi leadership. UAE proposes exile for Saddam Hussein and top aides The United Arab Emirates has proposed exile for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his top aides in a bid to avert war. It was the first time such a suggestion has been made by an Arab state. An exile plan was unveiled to Arab leaders meeting on the Iraq crisis at the Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh. In the first reaction to the UAE proposal, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said it was not a fully fledged initiative, but an idea that would be discussed comprehensively. Meanwhile, the Arab leaders from 22 nations have agreed on a compromise draft communiqu� which rejects war on Iraq and calls on Iraq's neighbours to refrain from participating in any military action. Demonstrations in Turkey ahead of vote on US troop deployment Thousands of Turks have taken to the streets of Ankara to demostrate against a possible war on Iraq. The protests came just as the Turkish parliament gathered to vote on and likely approve the deployment of US troops in the country. Public opinion in Turkey, however, is strongly opposed to a war. Earlier this week, the Turkish cabinet agreed to a US request to station over 60,000 troops near the border to Iraq. In return, Ankara is set to receive a multi-billion dollar economic aid package from Washington. At least nine dead as Russian parachute jumpers' plane crashes At least nine people were killed after a plane carrying 23 amateur parachutists crashed into a field near the Russian town of Tver. Four people were unaccounted for. Russia's emergencies ministry said the Czech-built Let L-410 aircraft went down after losing both its tail rudder and a wing. Some of the plane's occupants had enough time to jump to safety before the crash. Three wanted Palestinians arrested in Hebron, explosive device found in Gaza Three wanted Palestinians have been arrested by Israeli troops in and around the West Bank town of Hebron. Two wanted Palestinians were arrested in Hebron, and a third was picked up in a village just outside of the city. Sources did not say what they were wanted for. Meanwhile, in the southern Gaza Strip, troops discovered a heavy explosive device on a fence. It was the fourth such device weighing more than 100 kilograms discovered in the Gaza Strip in the last two weeks. A bomb of the same size destroyed an Israeli tank in the northern Beit Lahia area, killing four soldiers. More than 50 Zimbabwe opposition members arrested Police in the Zimbabwean capital Harare have briefly detained more than 50 members of the main opposition party who were canvassing ahead of a by-election. The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) said that those arrested were carrying out home visits in the suburb of Kuwadzana, where a by-election is to be held at the end of the month. The campaigners were later released without charge, a statement from the MDC said. They were ordered to move out of the suburb and to stop campaigning. German president in India German President Johannes Rau has begun a five-day official visit to India. His tour will take him through several different cities including New Delhi where he is to meet Indian president Abdul Kalam. Rau is on a mission to promote democracy and the rule of law. His trip also aims at building stronger business and economic ties between Germany and India. EU hails WHO anti-tobacco treaty The European Union has welcomed an anti-tobacco treaty adopted by the World Heatlh Organisation. The agreement reached after 2 1/2 years of negotiations commits countries to ban all forms of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, provided that a nation's constitution allows such a ban. The EU has already decided to implement a ban on tobacco advertising for major sporting events such as Formula One racing from 2005. EU health commissioner David Byrne said the WHO agreement would help to reverse the trend of a rising death toll due to smoking. Smoking currently claims around 5 million lives a year. Strikes begin in wage dispute German railway workers demanding higher wages have begun the first of a series of threatened strikes. Workers of two rail unions went on strike in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's largest state and an industrial hub. Several local services were cancelled and inter-city express connections were delayed. The unions, who want pay hikes of five percent over 12 months, say failure to reach a deal could lead to Germany's first nation-wide rail strike since World War II. Further talks are scheduled for next week. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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