Deutsche Welle English Service News March 9th, 2001, 16:00 UTC
----------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: The Bitter Taste of Zimbabwe Elections Zimbabwe elects its president on Saturday This weekend Zimbabwe goes to the polls to vote on a new president. According to the director of the EU committee on election monitoring, the current campaign situation violates international democratic standards. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1434_A_469913_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------- Battle Slowed by Blizzard The U.S. military in Afghanistan has denied that its battle with remnant al Qaeda fighters in the eastern Arma mountains has reached a stalemate, blaming instead blizzard conditions. On Friday U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld conceded that fighting might go on for another seven to ten days. The military estimates that 200 al Qaeda fighters remain in the Shahi Kot valley area facing a U.S.-led coalition of 3,000, including Afghan recruits and unspecified units from nations like Britain, France and Germany. In the capital Kabul, meanwhile, a French munitions expert with the ISAF force has been injured, reportedly by the accidental explosion of a mortar fuse. The bodies of three Danish and two German ISAF troops killed on Wednesday in a presumed accident are being flown today to Germany. European and USA to Appeal to Sharon The European Union and the United States have agreed to make a joint appeal to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to halt military action against the Palestinians, the Dutch Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. A spokesman for the ministry said the EU and the United States could present Sharon with the initiative urging an immediate ceasefire and return to the negotiating table as early as Sunday morning. The move comes after Friday's clashes, in which 35 Palestinians and six Israelis died, the highest toll on a single day in 17 months of conflict. The EU has confirmed it is consulting with Washington about the escalation of violence between Israel and Palestinians. On Thursday, the United States made a surprise decision to send its Middle East envoy, Anthony Zinni, back to the region to restart US peacemaking efforts. India Rejects Pakistan Talks Offer India's Home Minister Krishna Advani on Saturday turned down an invitation from Pakistan for talks, saying dialogue can only take place when Islamabad shows an interest in ending what he called "cross-border terrorism." Advani also reiterated India's demand that Pakistan hand over 20 men accused of terrorist and criminal acts in India. Pakistan has made several attempts to enter into talks with Indian leaders over the past seven months, all of which have been rejected. The two nations have been involved in a tense military stand-off since an attack on India's parliament last December that New Delhi blames on Pakistan-based Kashmiri rebels. More than 33,000 people have died since 1989 when Muslim rebels seeking either independence or union with Pakistan launched a revolt in India's Jammu and Kashmir state. Zimbabwe's Controversial Election Begins Zimbabwe's presidential election has begun with long queues after weeks of campaign intimidation as the veteran Robert Mugabe faces a strong challenge by MDC opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Some 5.6 million out of Zimbabwe's increasingly impoverished 13 million population are listed as voters, but under rules that disenfranchise thousands who have dual citizenship. The poll runs until Sunday. State radio said the ballot had been "well" prepared. Absent are EU observers. Overnight, the USA accused Mugabe of running a "blatant" campaign of "intimidation and manipulation". Police detained 12 white farmers overnight while the MDC claimed that 30 of its monitors were assaulted by ZANU-PF militants at Shamva, northeast of Harare. Mugabe forecast what he called a "resounding victory". Mont Blanc Tunnel Reopened One of Europe's key routes through the Alps, the Montblanc Tunnel, closed since 1999 when a fire killed 39 motorists, was reopened today. Initially, only cars will be allowed to use the tunnel. Trucks will not be permitted until after a two-week proving phase for 300 million euros worth of safety renovations, including extra fire escape rooms and emergency vehicles. Even then, trucks will only be allowed to travel in one direction. Critics still question the tunnel's single tube, saying a second one should be bored. Hundreds of residents and environmentalists have protested at both ends of the tunnel, demanding that heavy vehicle traffic be banned. Overnight, unknown assailants detonated an explosive in a carpark, damaging a vehicle belonging to the tunnel's operating company. No-one was hurt. Funds Scandal May Widen - "Spiegel" "Spiegel" magazine claims that the funds scandal focused on the Cologne branch of the governing Social Democrats may also also extend to several Cologne SPD members in Germany's federal parliament. Two city SPD officials resigned early this week on disclosures that at least 261,000 euros donated by a refuse company was concealed. It was segmented - contrary to electoral law - into small amounts, with matching receipts issued to fictious donors. Overshadowing this scandal is a prosecutors' probe into multi-million-euro transactions during construction of a large city rubbish incinerator in the '90s. Hubble Telescope Repaired The astronauts of the US space shuttle 'Columbia' have finished their repairs to the Hubble Space Telescope, leaving it ten times as powerful as it was before. Five spacewalks were needed to carry out the upgrades and replace defective parts. The 'Columbia' is due to return to earth on Tuesday. Paralymic Gold Triple for Germany At the Paralympics in Salt Lake City, Germany has won three golds, with wins in the blind 7.5 kilometre ski events for Wilhelm Brem and Verena Bentele, and Thomas Oelsner in standing mens' biathlon. Norway's Raghnhild Myklebust won the women's sit-ski biathlon. The men's event was won by Rodulf Weber of Switzerland, with perfect shooting. In sled hockey, Sweden beat Estonia 4-1, and the USA defeated Japan 3-nil. And, in field hockey, Australia and Germany today contest the final at the world championships in Malaysia. --------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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