Deutsche Welle English Service News 24th february 2004, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Deadline on U.S.-EU Trade Dispute Ticking Down The U.S. has seven days to roll back its export tax break system before Brussels slaps $200 million of sanctions on American goods. Officials are playing down fears of a damaging transatlantic trade row. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1431_A_1122226_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Earthquake strikes northeast Morocco, at least 300 dead A powerful earthquake struck northern Morocco overnight, killing at least 300 people and injuring hundreds more. The quake, which measured around 6.5 on the Richter scale, caused severe damage in rural areas near the coastal city of Al-Hoceima, where thousands of people live in mud structures unable to withstand a major natural disaster. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has expressed his condolences to the Moroccan people and promised to send aid to the stricken region. Separately, the German Red Cross said it had provided a mobile clinic and two water treatment units. Russia's Putin fires Prime Minister and his cabinet In an unexpected move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov and his cabinet, saying he would appoint a fresh team that would form a new policy after next month's presidential election. Putin made his announcement on state television, and named Viktor Khristenko as acting prime minister. Putin had long expressed impatience with Kasyanov, who is associated with the former administration of Boris Yeltsin, and there had been some speculation that Kasyanov was on his way out. More condemnation for Israel's security barrier at Hague court The hearing on the legality of Israel's West Bank security barrier entered its second day at the International Court of Justice in the Hague Tuesday. Seven mostly Arab and Muslim states testified at the court. Jordan's UN Ambassador, Prince Zeid Ra'ed Al-Hussein said the barrier represents nothing but a land grab on the part of Israel. Israel however, which has chosen to boycott the hearings, continues to argue that it needs the barrier to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers. The United States and European Union have also shunned the hearings despite criticising the barrier's route. Al-Qaeda firebrand threatens new attacks on US, taunts Bush Osama bin Laden's right-hand man urged US President George W. Bush to step up security and threatened new attacks on the United States in a recording attributed to him by Al-Jazeera television station. The speaker was identified as Ayman al-Zawahiri, a top al Qaeda leader. Another tape also believed to be from Zawahiri emerged earlier on the rival al-Arabiya television channel, and condemned a French law banning Muslim headscarves in schools. The authenticity of both recordings could not be immediately verified, but they apparently sounded like previous messages from the Egyptian fugitive. Zawahiri is believed to be hiding with Osama bin Laden somewhere near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Pakistan detains at least 20 in fresh hunt for al-Qaida, Taliban near Afghan border Pakistani forces have detained at least 20 people, as they swept through villages in a remote border region where Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida militants are believed to be hiding. It was not clear if any senior Taliban or al-Qaida fugitives were among the detained. The government had set February 20th as the deadline for tribal elders to hand over al-Qaida fugitives and their supporters. Officials say about 58 suspects have been turned over so far, though another 38 are still being sought. Pakistan's government has limited authority in the tribal lands, but has been expanding its role under U.S. pressure to crack down on terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001. Haiti peace plan deadline extended 24 hours as crisis deepens Haiti's opposition leaders have agreed to wait 24 hours before they decide whether they accept an internationally-brokered peace plan to end the country's increasingly violent political crisis. The delay was requested on Monday by US Secretary of State Colin Powell when he telephoned opposition leaders just as they were poised to dismiss the plan amid demands for the resignation of President Jean Bertrand Aristide. Armed rebels now holding the country's second largest city of Cap Haitien are threatening to storm the capital Port-au-Prince if Aristide does not resign. Meanwhile, 50 United States marines arrived in Port-au-Prince to secure the US embassy. At least 70 people have been killed in Haiti's nearly three-week-old insurgency. Ugandan president blames rebel attack on army mistakes Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni has blamed last weekend's devastating rebel attack in the north of the country on what he called mistakes by the army. Museveni spoke during a visit to the area where local officials say more than 200 people were brutally killed at a refugee camp. Museveni said the army should never have allowed the attack to occur and recalled the region's commander to army headquarters for further training. Rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army have been blamed for Saturday's attack at Barlonyo camp. The camp, which was home to some 5,000 people, was guarded by some 30 members of a local defense unit, who were outgunned and quickly overpowered. President Bush calls for constitutional admendment against gay marriages U.S. President George W. Bush has endorsed a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages. Speaking Tuesday at the White House, he said such an amendent would prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever. Schroeder and Erdogan open power station Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has wound up his trip to Turkey by opening a German-built coal-fired power station jointly with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Eighty Greenpeace protestors also turned up at the plant at Iskenderun in southern Turkey, saying it would contribute to atmospheric pollution. The station's German constructors, however, say its filter system and coal utilisation make it the most modern in Turkey. It will cater for seven percent of Turkey's power consumption. Schroeder was due to travel on to the Mediterranean island of Malta. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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