---------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Germany's Military Missions The parliament in Berlin pledged 3,900 soldiers to Operation Enduring Freedom. Where are they now? To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1781_A_433089_1_A,00.html ----------------------------- Boost Aid Urges IMF's Koehler IMF head Horst K�hler has urged rich countries to do more to help poorer nations at the World Economic Forum in New York. Microsoft's Bill Gates argued for more investments in impoverished health sectors and said his foundation was donating 50 million dollars towards HIV and AIDS prevention. U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill defended Washington's reluctance to substantially increase its foreign development aid, asserting that it was more productive to help poor countries better manage the aid they now received. Outside the forum, thousands of protesters demonstrated against globalization, war and what they said was corporate greed. There were some scuffles with police. Israel Explores Ceasefire with Palestinians The Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has held talks with leading Palestinian representatives on ways to end the Middle East conflict. The Reuters news agency reported on Sunday that on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in New York both sides had discussed a four-point-plan that could lead to a ceasefire and a peaceful coexistence between two independent states. In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said it was possible for further talks to be conducted with Palestinian leaders. In a newspaper interview, Palestinian President Yasser Arafat again condemned attacks against Israeli civilians. On Saturday, a militant Palestinian group suspended its membership in the PLO after its leader was arrested by the Palestinian authorities. Technology Gap Could Strain Transatlantic Ties The 38th Munich security conference ended on Sunday after two days of consultations on international anti-terror measures and NATO issues. Clear differences emerged between the United States, Russia and Western Europe. NATO Secretary- General George Robertson urged Washington to share more of its technology to help European partners modernize their armed forces. Gaps in capability would widen, he said, if "unnecessary restrictions" on technology transfers were not lifted. On Saturday, former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen warned that the USA might consult its NATO allies less over future anti-terrorism missions, if Europe slipped further behind. This coincided with reports that President Bush plans a 10-percent hike in defense spending. Near the Munich hotel venue, several thousand anti-military protestors defied a ban on assembly. There were no clashes with police, but some 850 demonstrators were temporarily detained. Zimbabwe Postpones Media Restrictions Following biting criticism from the European Union, the United States and the Commonwealth, Zimbabwe has postponed implementing a new and highly restrictive media law. Information Minister Jonathan Moyo said in a newspaper interview that there was no reason to apply the law before the upcoming presidential election in March. Moyo denied that President Robert Mugabe wanted to impose massive restrictions on the media to prevent his defeat in the national poll. Ethnic Clashes in Lagos Nigeria's biggest city Lagos has been jolted by ethnic clashes resulting in at least 10 deaths, just one week after the mysterious detonation of a munitions depot at an army barracks. Local media said the fighting was between members of the ethnic Hausa and Yoruba communities. The cause was not yet apparent. Lagos State officials said the armoury fire toll now exceeded 1,000 dead, mostly victims who drowned in canals or were trampled in a stampede. The local Red Cross said it had had little choice but to shut two depots after the army had demanded that soldiers too be given aid. Outside the barracks 5,000 civilians had been left homeless by the disaster. Inside the damaged barracks are some 15,000 soldiers and relatives. Municipal Elections in Cambodia Cambodians went to the polls on Sunday in their first local elections since the Khmer Rouge was ousted from power. Opposition parties are seeking rural footholds to challenge Prime Minister Hun Sen ahead of national elections next year. Up to five million voters cast ballots for leaders in more than 1,600 prefects. Hun Sen's party, the CCP, had previously appointed local leaders. Violence marred the run-up, with at least 15 political activists reported killed, mainly of the rival parties, Funcinpec and the SRP of opposition figure Sam Rainsy. Among the 70,000 prefect candidates, 16 percent are women, a novelty in male-dominated Cambodia, and the result of a campaign by the Women's Affairs Ministry. 20,000 local and foreign observers monitored voting procedures. Quake Jolts Western Turkey An earthquake measuring six on the Richter scale jolted Turkey's western province of Afyon on Sunday. Reports says as many as 30 people were killed and at least 110 others injured. Cabinet ministers said 70 houses and buildings had collapsed in the towns of Sultandagi, Cay and Bolvadin. Crisis teams have arrived in the region, several hundred kilometers southwest of Ankara. Telephone lines are also down. Turkey is criss-crossed by fault lines. Two major earthquakes struck Turkey's northwest in 1999, killing 18,000 people. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- 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. Serbian News Network - SNN [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.antic.org/
