Deutsche Welle English Service News October 11th 2004, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Schr�der's Kabul Visit Sparks Criticism German Chancellor Schr�der arrived in Kabul on Monday to, among other things, visit expected presidential election winner Hamid Karzai. But opposition candidates have accused him of favoritism. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1355927,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Are you mad about soccer and betting? DW-WORLD's new betting pool lets you match your wits against experts and soccer fans from around the world, game by game. You can play individually or as part of a team. You can test your ability to determine winners and losers, the up-and-coming and the has-beens as well as your general soccer expertise with friends and colleagues. Best of all: We'll be awarding fabulous prizes after each game. http://bundesligatip.dw-world.de/english.do ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Chancellor Schroeder visits Afghanistan German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has become the first international leader to visit Afghanistan, since that country's first presidential election, two days ago. The chancellor met with some of the almost 2,000 Bundeswehr troops who helped provide security for Saturday's vote. Schroeder thanked them for ensuring that the election came off without any serious security incidents. The chancellor also met with interim Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who thanked Schroeder for visiting, despite several violent incidents in the days leading up to the vote. Some of Karzai's opponents have cried foul over alleged voting irregularities. But the head of the OSCE monitoring team, Robert Barry, said calls for a fresh vote were unfounded. Final results are expected to be released in a few weeks. EU steps up sanctions against Burma European Union foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg have agreed to step up sanctions against Burma. This, after Burma's military government failed to meet its demands on human rights, including the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The EU has now widened a visa ban already in place against Burma's leadership, as well as banning investment in state-run enterprises. At the same time, EU foreign ministers agreed to end sanctions against Libya, including an 18-year-old arms embargo. Sanctions were imposed over Tripoli's alleged role in terrorism, including the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed 270 people. They were partially eased last year, paving the way for Tripoli to compensate victims' families. Shi'ite fighters start turning in weapons In Iraq, followers of radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have started handing in weapons in Baghdad's Sadr City district under a deal to end fighting with US and Iraqi forces. Al-Sadr's Mehdi Army agreed over the weekend to hand in medium and heavy weapons at three police stations. In return, the government has promised to release detained al-Sadr followers, provided they did not commit crimes. Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's interim government has committed more than 400 million euros to rebuild Sadr City after weeks of heavy fighting between US troops and al-Sadr's militia. Meanwhile a suicide car bomber has attacked a US military convoy in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Two civilians are reported dead, with a further 18 people injured. Date set for Gaza pull out debate Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has announced that he is to put his plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip to a parliamentary vote in two weeks. He told MPs that his controversial plan would be debated in parliament on October 25th. The announcement means MPs will give their verdict on his so-called disengagement plan just a day after a cabinet vote. The move is a considerable gamble by Sharon who lacks a majority in parliament. Sharon's plan, which is supported by Washington, will see Israel pull all its troops and the 8,000 Jewish settlers living in Gaza out of the territory next year. Mubarak in Italy for talks Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has arrived in Rome for a two-day visit to include meetings with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and other Italian leaders. The Middle East and Iraq are expected to top the agenda. Egypt has offered to host an international conference on Iraq next month. CDU ponders Turkey-EU petition Here in Germany, the opposition Christian Democratic Union is considering organising a petition opposing negotiations with Turkey on European Union membership. CDU leader Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin, that the party continued to favour granting Turkey a special status, rather than full membership. Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has said he will vote in favour of the EU opening membership talks at a summit meeting in two months' time. A report released by the European Commission last week said accession talks between the EU and Turkey should begin. But it also warned that there was no guarantee of a successful outcome. Nigerian fuel strike takes hold In Nigeria a four-day general strike has been called to protest against the high price of fuel. The strike call has been followed in the main cities of Abuja and Lagos but oil production has not been affected. In spite of Nigeria's oil wealth producing about 2.5 million barrels daily, many Nigerians live in poverty and see cheap fuel as the only benefit they receive. Fuel subsidies were removed last year, leading to large increases in the price of petrol. Response to the strike was mixed in the rest of the country, with only partial compliance in many cities in which taxis and private businesses were still operating. Nigeria is the world's seventh-biggest oil exporter and the fifth-biggest source of US oil imports. Philippines charges terrorists In the Philippines six Al-Qaeda-linked militants have been charged with the bombing of a ferry that left over 100 people dead. President Gloria Arroyo said the suspects were all members of Abu Sayyaf, an armed group based in the Muslim south of the country, and had been charged for the attack on the 'Superferry 14' in Manila Bay on February 27. The police said the attack killed 63 people and left 53 others missing and presumed dead. The combined toll of 116 made the ferry bombing the worst known terrorist attack in the Philippines. Economics Nobel Prize announced Norwegian-born Finn E. Kydland and Edward Prescott of the United States have won the 2004 Nobel economics prize. The pair share the award worth about 1.1 million euro for their work explaining how business cycles are driven by factors such as changes in economic policy and technology. "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve dies 'Superman' actor Christopher Reeve has died. According to his agent the 52 year-old suffered heart failure on Sunday during treatment for an infected pressure wound. In 1995 Reeve became paralysed from the neck down following a horse riding accident. In recent years Reeve became well known as an impassioned campaigner for the rights of the disabled and for stepped-up research into the treatment of spinal cord injuries. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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