Deutsche Welle English Service News 08. 03. 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
The World's Biggest IT Fair Comes to Town CeBIT, the trade fair that delivers the latest in technological innovation to an increasingly hungry public, opens this week in Hanover. After a number of lean years, exhibitors are gradually returning in numbers. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1510772,00.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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Chechen rebel Maskhadov killed Officials in Russia say Chechen rebel leader Aslan Maskhadov has been killed by Russian special forces. Maskhadov was reportedly hiding in a bunker under a building in a Chechen village when he was killed. Maskhadov had claimed responsibility for numerous attacks against Russian forces in the region. Russia blamed him for involvement in the Beslan school hostage massacre last September and a mass hostage-taking at a Moscow theatre in 2002. Mass pro-Syria rally in Beirut Hundreds of thousands of pro-Syrian demonstrators have gathered in the Lebanese capital Beirut for a massive rally called by the Islamic militant group Hizbollah. Protestors are voicing their opposition to the pullout of Syrian troops and to what Hizbollah has called "western interference" in Lebanon. The demonstrations come a day after Syrian and Lebanese leaders agreed to the first stage of a withdrawal of troops to the eastern Bekka valley. Correspondents in Lebanon reported that Syrian troops have already begun vacating a mountainous ridge east of Beirut. International pressure on Syria to stop its political and military domination of its neighbour was triggered by the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri three weeks ago, which many blame on Damascus. Italy doubts US explanation Italy has openly challenged the US military's explanation for the death of an Italian intelligence agent in Iraq last Friday. Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini told Italy's parliament that the United States should "identify and punish" US personnel who shot dead Nicola Calipari. The agent was bringing a freed Italian hostage to safety when US forces opened fire on their car. The US military claims the car was speeding and did not obey signals to stop at a checkpoint. Kosovo PM resigns to face UN court Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has confirmed that he is being charged with war crimes by the UN tribunal and announced his resignation to face trial. The 36-year-old leader said he would report on Wednesday to the court in The Hague. The United Nations, NATO and the European Union welcomed Haradinaj's decision to go voluntarily and urged calm in the majority Albanian province. NATO sent extra troops to Kosovo in case of renewed ethnic unrest after his indictment. Details of the charges have not been made public, but the UN court has been investigating Haradinaj over his role in the 1998-99 guerrilla war against Serb forces. Madrid hosts anti-terror conference An international conference on terrorism is underway in the Spanish capital Madrid. The symposium brings together leaders and terrorism experts for talks focusing both on terrorism and democracy's role in combating it. It is to be followed on Friday with commemorations marking the one-year anniversary of the Madrid train bombing, which killed 191 people and injured nearly 2,000. Just hours before the conference began, Spanish police announced the arrest of a man suspected of involvement in the bombing. Spanish authorities have identified many of the train bombing suspects as belonging to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, a shadowy armed group sympathetic to international jihad. Taiwan rejects China's new law China has unveiled a law authorising an attack if Taiwan moves toward formal independence. Taiwan denounced the legislation as a "blank check to invade" the self-governed island. The proposed anti-secession law was read out for the first time at China's annual meeting of parliament. The law does not specify exactly what actions might invite a Chinese attack. The vice chairman of China's parliament, Wang Zhaoguo, said China still wanted "peaceful reunification" under the premise of "one country two systems." He added, however, that "non-peaceful" means could be used to stop secession as a last resort. Beijing claims Taiwan, which split from China since 1949, as part of its territory. Ukraine's Yushchenko visits Germany Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has reiterated his country's goal of forging closer ties with the European Union. He spoke following a meeting with German President Horst Koehler in Berlin. It is Yushchenko's first official visit to Germany since last year's "Orange Revolution," which forced out the pro-Russian regime and brought him to power. He is due to hold talks with Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer later on Tuesday. On Wednesday Yuschenko will meet Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and address the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag. Iran and EU resume crucial nuclear talks Iran and the European Union have resumed key talks on Iran's controversial nuclear policy. Negotiators from Britain, France and Germany, as well as Iran, are meeting in the Swiss city of Geneva for the confidence talks, which are due to last three days. The new round of meetings comes amid Iran's continued rejection of a demand to permanently abandon uranium enrichment. This fuel process can assist in the functioning of nuclear power stations, but it also produces material for nuclear weapons. The US accuses Iran of trying to covertly develop nuclear weapons. Tehran insists that its programme is purely meant to meet civilian energy needs. Activists arrrested in Nepal In Nepal, at least 50 political activists have been arrested at the largest anti-monarchy protest since King Gyanendra dissolved the government and seized power last month. At least eight former ministers were among those taken. The arrests took place in the capital Kathmandu and the south eastern Dhanusha district where riot police used tear gas and batons to break up the protests. Women were at the front of the rallies to coincide with International Women's Day. Dissent against the king has been banned since last month. King Gyanendra said his power grab was prompted by the government's failure to contain a Maoist insurgency in the tiny Himalayan kingdom. Beslan mothers protest against terrorism Mothers of those killed in last year's Beslan school siege have called on women worldwide to fight terrorism during a demonstration on International Women's Day in southern Russia. Around 400 people, including 70 Beslan mothers, demonstrated in Vladikavkaz, the capital of the North Ossetia region, near the town of Beslan. They accuse the local government of inaction during the standoff with Chechen rebels at the school in Beslan, during which more than 340 people died, half of them children. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoy our "World News" newsletter? Why not also subscribe to "Daily Bulletin", DW-WORLD's latest daily digest of the day's top German and European stories, delivered to you around 18:30 UTC. 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