Deutsche Welle English Service News 22.03.2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Germany Welcomes Annan's Call for Action Kofi Annan's ambitious reform plans for the United Nations have met with a largely positive response in Europe. Germany feels it's inched closer to reaching its goal of a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1526178,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- In light of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in 2005, DW-WORLD has put together a special site marking the occasion. Our coverage looks at the effect of World War II on countries around the world and includes interviews with scholars as well as picture galleries. To view the site, please go to http://www.dw-world.de/english ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Minnesota student kills 10 At least eight people have been killed in the US state of Minnesota following a school shooting. The FBI reported that a student opened fire at a high school on the Red Lake Indian Reservation, killing a security guard, a teacher and five students, before turning the gun on himself. At least 15 other students were wounded. Media reports said the student had also killed his grandparents before going to the school with three guns. The motive for the killings remains unclear. Judge rules against more tube-feeding A federal judge in the US state of Florida has rejected a request to reattach the feeding tube of the severely brain-damaged woman, Terri Schiavo. Schiavo has been in a vegetative state for 15 years, kept alive through artificial means. At the request of her husband, doctors removed her feeding tube last week in order to let her die. But the US Congress intervened following that decision, passing on the case to a federal court. Schiavo's parents, who are battling to keep her alive, are likely to appeal the latest ruling. Arab leaders hold summit in Algeria Arab leaders have gathered for a two-day summit in the Algerian capital Algiers to discuss a 17-point agenda, including a Middle East peace plan. Sources close to the summit said leaders will present a plan which offers Israel the chance to normalise ties with the Arab countries in exchange for a total pullout from land it conquered in 1967. Fourteen Arab heads of state or rulers out of the 22-member Arab League are expected to attend the summit which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the pan-Arab organisation. Unknown group claims Qatar bombing An unknown Islamist group has claimed responsibility for the weekend suicide bombing in Qatar and vowed to hit churches and Western military bases in the region. On Saturday, a Briton was killed and several others injured when a bomb went off outside a theatre near the capital, Doha. Authorities blamed the bombing -- the first in the Gulf Arab state -- on an Egyptian man. In an Internet statement posted on Tuesday, the group calling itself the Army of the Levant, warned the US, Britain and Italy in particular of more attacks. An independent confirmation of the authenticity of the statement was not possible. Meanwhile, investigators continue to hunt for clues of any al Qaeda involvement in the attack. Israel completes handover of Tulkarem Israel has completed the handover of the West Bank town of Tulkarem to Palestinian control. The Israeli army opened the main checkpoint outside the town on Tuesday, allowing traffic to flow freely to the rest of the West Bank for the first time in three years. Following the low-key ceremony, Palestinian police were deployed in the town of 50,000 people. The transfer came just days after Palestinians regained control of another West Bank town, Jericho, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won a deal with militants to extend a de facto truce. Israel has said it will also hand over the towns of Ramallah, Bethlehem and Qalqilya. North Korea may return to nuclear talks North Korea has told China it would return to international talks about its nuclear activities if certain conditions are met. One of them is that Japan no longer take part, Prime Minister Pak Pong Ju said on a visit to Beijing. He alleged that Japan toes Washington's line on the issue. The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, urged the Chinese on her recent visit to Beijing to use their influence on North Korea to bring it back to the negotiating table. ECB warns against EU fiscal reform European Union leaders will gather in Brussels later on Tuesday for a two-day summit aimed at creating more jobs and growth in the bloc's struggling economy. The European Central Bank has warned, however, that changes to relax the EU's budgetary rules could destabilise the euro. European finance ministers agreed late on Sunday to water down the EU's Stability and Growth Pact, allowing governments to increase debt and breach the three percent deficit limit under certain conditions. A controversial directive meant to create more flexibility in Europe's service sector will also be discussed. EU may delay lifting China arms ban China has urged the European Union to push ahead with plans to lift a 15-year-old embargo on arms sales to the country. The 25-member bloc is expected to delay lifting the embargo amid opposition from the United States and concern over Beijing's passage of an anti-secession law authorizing the use of military force against Taiwan. Meanwhile, the US Congress has threatened retaliation against the EU if members lift the embargo. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman told a news conference in Brussels on Tuesday that the EU ban amounted to political discrimination. EU leaders are expected to discuss the arms embargo at their two-day summit. Kyrgyz leader rules out emergency Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev has ruled out imposing a state of emergency amid opposition-led unrest sparked by a disputed parliamentary election. Akayev told the newly-elected parliament that opposition-led demonstrations were aimed at provoking the authorities to use force. Protestors have taken control of the two southern towns of Osh and Jalal-Abad and demanded that the President step down. The opposition has staged week-long protests over the March 13 runoff parliamentary election in which it was routed. German troops staying in Kosovo The German defence minister has said German troops will stay in Kosovo until the south Serbian province has a permanent status. Germany has more than 3,000 troops there. The minister, Peter Struck, urged President Ibrahim Rugova on a visit to Pristina to quickly find a diplomatic solution for Kosovo, whose problems should not be fought out at the soldiers' expense. Rugova appealed again for the independence of the Serbian province, 90% of whose population are of Albanian extraction. A year ago 19 people were killed and more than 900 injured in ethnic clashes. Germany backs UN reform proposals Germany welcomes UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's reform proposals for the world body. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer told reporters in Geneva that they were crucial for peace and stability in the 21st century. Germany is seeking a permanent seat on the UN Security Council under the reforms. Fischer said Germany also welcomed the proposal to revamp the UN's human rights agency. Later, in a speech to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Fischer called on Russia to investigate violations committed by its security forces in Chechnya. He also voiced concern at "torture and the death penalty" in Iran and at prolonged detentions and executions in China. 78 journalists killed last year The International Press Institute reports 78 journalists killed last year, one of the worst years in its records. Twenty-three died in Iraq, which the Vienna-based organisation calls the deadliest place in the world to practise journalism. It says inadeqate investigations after the deaths of journalists and the war against terrorism amount to a growing threat to freedom of the press. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoy our "World News" newsletter? 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