Deutsche Welle
English Service News 10,02,2001, 16:00 UTC
Israeli army moves into Gaza Strip after Wednesday's attack
Israeli army bulldozers have razed about 60 buildings in the southern
Gaza Strip in response to a Palestinian raid, which killed four
Israeli soldiers and shattered a three-week lull in violence.
Wednesday's attack on an army post in southern Israel by a wing of
the militant Islamic movement Hamas dealt a new blow to U.S.-led
efforts to turn the lull in 15 months of bloodshed into a lasting
ceasefire. In Washington, U.S. officials said there was a compelling
case against senior Palestinian officials over an arms shipment which
Israel seized last week. But Gulf Arab commentators say that it is
most likely the Israel arranged the whole event to scuttle U.S
efforts to restart Middle East peacemaking. Meanwhile, the
Palestinian Authority has called for a full and open investigation of
the incident by an international group.
Snow keeps German peacekeepers in Turkey
For the first time in over 20 years, Germany officially has an
ambassador in Afghanistan. Rainer Eberle, presented his credentials
to Afghanistan's interim leader, Harmid Karzai. Meanwhile, the
arrival of the first German military unit in Kabul has been delayed
again. Weather conditions in Trabzon in Turkey have not improved,
forcing all military aircraft in region to remain on the ground. The
70 German and 30 Dutch troops have been waiting in Trabzon since
Monday afternoon.
UN force in Kabul now operational
The international peacekeeping force, which will eventually total
5,000 troops from 18 countries is now operational in the Afghan
capital, kabul Britain said on Thursday. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon
also confirmed that Britain would relinquish lead nation status of
the stabilisation force after three months and hinted that Turkey may
then take charge. The International Security Assistance Force or ISAF
will be at full strength by mid-February.
Busg warns Iran not to harbour al Qaeda
President Bush on Thursday Strongly urged Iran to become an active
member of the coalition against terrorism, saying he hoped Tehran was
not harboring members of the al Qaeda network who have fled
Afghanistan. He said Iran must not allow al Qaeda murderers to hide
in their country. If they did, he said and in any way, shape or form
try to destabilize the Afghan government, the U.S. coalition would
deal with the situation, in diplomatic ways, initially.U.S. officials
have become increasingly concerned that Iran influence border regions
of western Afghanistan and may be giving safe haven to some al Qaeda
fighters who fled the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan.
Zimbabwe passes controversial bills
The Zimbabwe parliament passed two controversial laws on Thursday
that the main opposition calls fascist rules, designed to stifle
dissent ahead of President Robert Mugabe's re-election bid in March.
The Public Order and Security Bill, which gives the government
sweeping powers to clamp down on the opposition, was passed by
acclamation and not by formal vote. Also passed was the General Laws
Amendment Bill, which will ban foreign journalists and independent
election monitors and forbid private organisations from organising or
funding voter awareness programmes. Meanwhile, the European Union
says that it may impose sanctions on Zimbabwe because of state
organised political violence and suppresseion of human rights.
Britain has said it will seek to have the country suspended from the
Commenwealth.
U.S. announces new nuclear strategy
The United States has announced a new nuclear strategy, proposing to
slash its nuclear arsenal over the next decade while developing
hi-tech conventional arms and a missile defense system. The strategy
is being matched by similar reductions in Russia. A senior Pentagon
official, outlining the plans, said the full cut would take place by
2012, with a reduction to 3,800 warheads by 2007. But outlining the
results of a classified Nuclear Policy Review sent to Congress on
Tuesday, the Pentagon also cautioned that many inactivated nuclear
warheads would be put into storage for redeployment in an emergency
instead of being destroyed.
Street battles flare again at Belfast school
Catholics and Protestants have fought on the streets of Belfast near
a school for young children that became a symbol last year of
sectarian hostility still dividing Northern Ireland. At least 14
police officers and four civilians were hurt in the clashes, which
involved 200-300 people. None was said to be seriously injured.
Serbian News Network - SNN
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