Deutsche Welle English Service News 16.10.2002, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Chancellor Schr�der Announces Germany's new cabinet After two weeks of negotiations, Germany's two ruling parties, the Social Democrats and Greens, have signed a new coalition agreement, outlining their plans for the next four years. The cabinet faces great challenges in the weeks and months ahead. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://kleist.dwelle.de/english/current_affairs/currentaffairs1.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Indonesia formally detains two over blast Two Indonesian men were formally detained on Wednesday as suspects in connection with the weekend Bali bombing attack that killed more than 180 people, the national police spokesman said. But no group has claimed responsibility for Saturday's explosion in Bali, which killed mostly foreign tourists. Indonesia for the first time said it had evidence linking Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network to the explosions. U.S. investigators in Bali said that traces of military C4 explosive, found at the scene of the Bali explosion most likely came from Afghanistan. Howard orders intelligence review over Bali bombing Elsewhere in the region, Thailand has increased security at its beach resorts amid fears bombers could strike again. And the Philippines called for a regional coalition against the extremist Islamic Jemaah Islamiah. The group, which has links to al Qaeda, is a prime suspect behind the blasts. Australia said it would press for Jemaah Islamiah to be put on the U.N. list of terrorist organisations. Australians account for the largest single group of victims, with 33 confirmed dead and 140 missing. In another development Prime Minister John Howard has all but admitted that Australia had received US intelligence reports listing tourist sites in Bali as a potential terrorist target prior to last weekend's deadly bombing there. Lebanon inaugurates water project despite Israeli warnings Lebanese President Emile chaired Wednesday the inauguration of a water pumping station project near the border with Israel whose prime minister, Ariel Sharon, warned last month might be cause for war. The inauguration was attended by numerous Lebanese political and religious officials as well as representatives from the United Nations, the European Union, France, Britain and Russia. The U.S.A., Israel's main ally boycotted the ceremony. The project is intended to provide drinking water to border villages, but Israel charges that pumping water from the Wazzani River will divert water from its main reservoir, the Sea of Galilee, into which its waters eventually flow. EU gives Chechnya 20.5 million euros winter aid The European Commission said on Wednesday it had allocated a little over 20 million euros to supply food, tents and medicines over the winter to people displaced by the war in Chechnya, many of them forced to seek refuge in neighbouring republics. The Chechnya conflict, which has dragged on since 1999, has made almost 200,000 people homeless. In April, the EU harshly criticised Russia saying authorities in Chechnya have frequently obstructed relief efforts. US Army set to join Washington sniper hunt The Washington sniper hunt intensified Wednesday with the military set to help the efforts to catch the serial killer and ease mounting public alarm after nine people have been killed. Although the US military is banned by law from domestic law enforcement, the Army is to provide aircraft with sensitive surveillance equipment that could track the sniper even if he opens fire under cover of darkness. This he did did with his latest victim on Monday.Almost 2,000 police from the states of Virginia and Maryland as well as the city of Washington and federal agents are already hunting for the sniper who has killed each victim, seemingly chosen at random, with a single shot. ninth victim. Media reports said at least one witnesses saw the killer shoot his ninth victim for the first time. Serbian parliament considers changing election law The Serbian parliament will meet on Friday to consider changing a minimum-turnout law that annulled this week's presidential election and plunged Yugoslavia's dominant republic into political uncertainty. Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica won two thirds of the vote to beat liberal economist Miroljub Labus in Sunday's second-round runoff. But the vote was declared invalid because only about 45 percent of registered voters took part.Mr. Kostunica is seeking the Serbian presidency, because his present federal job is to disappear in its present form once a new union between Serbia and little Montenegro takes effect to replace Yugoslavia. I won't step down, says anniversary Pope by Bruno Bartoloni During mass at Saint Peter's Square, in the Vatican, today ailing 82-year-old Pope John Paul II marked his 24th anniversary as pontiff with a solemn vow to stay in office until he dies, despite increasing concerns over his hectic work schedule and fragile health. The pope has been besieged with health problems, in particular Parkinson's disease, and has had six operations during his pontificate. The fifth longest-serving pope ever, he has made about 100 trips abroad, visiting 129 countries and travelling over a million kilometers and met 1,430 political leaders. Russian space launch blows up A Russian rocket has exploded in mid-air seconds after blasting off, killing one man and injuring eight. The Soyuz rocket was launching a satellite when it blew up just after lift-off and crashed into a nearby forest. The satellite had been scheduled to make a 15-day voyage around Earth carrying scientific experiments for the European Space Agency, the United States, Canada, Indonesia and Japan. A space agency spokesman said engine malfunction may have been responsible for the crash. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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