Deutsche Welle English Service News March 5th 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Schroeder Wraps Up Big Business Gulf Tour German Chancellor Schroeder ended his week-long visit to the Persian Gulf region Saturday on a robust economic note as he oversaw the signing of a series of lucrative projects worth several million euros. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1509572,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD's "Click Back" monthly review quiz for March is waiting for you and will test your knowledge of stories we've written. If you answer all questions correctly, you can also win a great prize. To play, please go to: http://www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- US promises to probe Iraq shooting The United States has promised to investigate why US soldiers opened fire on a convoy carrying a freed Italian journalist. Her body guard was killed in the incident. US President George W. Bush called Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to express his regrets over the shooting which occurred at a US military checkpoint. The Italian convoy was bringing journalist Giuliana Sgrena to safety after her release from Iraqi captors. The US military said the Italian convoy had ignored signals to slow down and stop at the checkpoint. The Italian journalist, meanwhile, has arrived back in Italy. Syria pressured to withdraw troops Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has decided at short notice to address his country's parliament this Saturday. Sources in Syria say Assad is poised to announce a major troop redeployment in neighbouring Lebanon. But it was unclear how far the redeployment would go. This comes amid growing international pressure on Damascus to pull its 14,000 troops out of Lebanon, following last month's assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Death toll of US soldiers in Iraq rises Four US soldiers have been killed in action in Iraq's restive western Al-Anbar province. A US military statement said another soldier was killed in a vehicle accident further north. The latest deaths bring the number of US servicemen killed in attacks or accidents in Iraq to 1,499, according to Pentagon figures. Increased Afghan heroin production According to a US State Department report, Afghanistan's heroin production represents an enormous threat to world stability. The report, which was made public Friday, warned that the country is on the verge of becoming a narcotics state. The report shows that the area devoted to poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has tripled in a matter of two years. German chancellor in Abu Dhabi German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is in Abu Dhabi on the last leg of his tour of Gulf countries. Schroeder has agreed to strengthen Germany's participation in rebuilding Iraq and training Iraqi soldiers in the United Arab Emirates. The German chancellor has also agreed to deliver 32 Fuchs armoured vehicles to the UAE's military. Following a visit to a university for women and a speech to business leaders, Schroeder is expected to sign a number of economic agreements throughout the course of the day. Court favours family in Nazi claim case A German court has ruled that the owners of one of Germany's largest department store chains before World War Two are entitled to compensation for property they were forced to sell under the Nazis in the 1930s. In one of the largest Jewish Holocaust claims that remains unsettled, heirs to the Wertheim family are seeking millions of euros in damages from German retailer KarstadtQuelle, which now owns part of the disputed real estate. KarstadtQuelle, which gained control of the Wertheim brand in the early 1950s, said it would appeal. The site in question at Berlin's Potzdamer Platz was once home to offices of the Wertheim store chain but the Nazis took it over in 1933 as part of their policy to seize Jewish business interests. Future of Opel plants secured Thousands of jobs have been saved at the German carmaker Opel, after the General Motor's subsidiary was awarded a contract to build the next generation of GM mid-sized cars in Europe. The competition for the new contract had pitted Opel against another General Motors subsidiary, Saab in Sweden. The company said in a statement that it had determined that making the cars at the plant at Ruesselsheim, near Frankfurt, would be millions of euros more cost-effective than at the Swedish factory. Opel workers have made big concessions to keep their jobs, including a wage freeze until 2010 and more flexible working hours. In return, management pledged not to implement redundancies or shut down any factories until 2010. Islamic militant arrrested in Pakistan Pakistani police are investigating an Islamic militant linked to the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. Mohammad Sohail was captured in the southern city of Karachi after a police shootout. Five other militants were said to have escaped. Daniel Pearl was kidnapped three years ago while researching a story on Islamic militants. He was later killed and his murder videotaped. Chinese premier opens congress The annual session of China's National People's Congress has opened in Beijing. Some 3,000 delegates from around the country have gathered at the Great Hall of the People to hear Premier Wen Jiabao's opening address. Speaking on the issue of China's economy, he said the economy should grow rapidly, but not be allowed to overheat. Delegates at the session are expected to pass a law aimed at curbing any bid by Taiwan for formal independence. New Portugese cabinet named Portugal's incoming prime minister Jose Socrates has announced his new cabinet, less than two weeks after his Socialist Party won an early general election. Economist Luis Campos e Cunha, a market-friendly academic, will be the new finance minister. Diogo Freitas do Amaral will be the country's next foreign minister. The new government will be sworn in on March 12. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD values your opinion: We look forward to hearing from you about stories we write and regularly post your letters in our reader response section. Check them out at: http://www.dw-world.de/english or write us an e-mail yourself: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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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