Deutsche Welle
English Service News
March 28th 2005, 17:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
OSCE Fears Fresh Unrest in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan's political situation appeared less chaotic on Monday
after the old parliament handed over to the disputed new one, but
Europe's top security body fears the move could cause a new escalation
of violence.
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internet address below:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1532253,00.html
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Knesset rejects pullout referendum
The Israeli parliament has voted down a move to hold a referendum on
the government's Gaza pullout plan by a vote of 72-39. The vote has
been seen as the last obstacle in the way of a troop pullout.
Isreali Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is now expected to fly to the
United States in April to present the details of his pullout
strategy to US President George W. Bush.
Kyrgyzstan parliament names new PM
Kyrgyzstan's new parliament has confirmed acting president Kurmanbek
Bakiyev as the country's new prime minister. Observers in the former
Soviet republic described the political situation in the country as
chaotic Monday with rival legislatures meeting on different floors
of the same parliament building. Protesters last Thursday stormed
the presidential building and forced President Askar Akayev to flee
the country. He has since taken refuge in Russia.
Syria pulls troops out of Lebanon
A senior Lebanese security source said Monday that around
2,000 Syrian troops have pulled out of eastern Lebanon over the past
week. The source said the pullout has involved small units in the
eastern Bekaa Valley. A Syrian-Lebanese military committee is due to
meet next week to set a timeline for withdrawing the remaining
forces. United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said he
expects Syria to complete the pull out before Lebanese general
elections in May.
Seven Iraqi's die in suicide car bomb
In Iraq at least seven people have died and several more wounded
when a car bomb exploded near a crowd of Shi'ite Muslim pilgrims.
Police said a suicide car bomber blew up his vehicle south of
Baghdad on the road to Kerbala - a Shi'ite holy city. Pilgrims are
heading to Kerbala this week to mark Arbain the end of an annual
mourning ceremony.
More Baghdad violence
Gunmen shot dead a police chief in Baghdad on Monday. Colonel
Abdul Karim Fahid, the chief of the Balat al-Shuhada police station
in Dura, was gunned down along with his driver in the Baghdad
neighbourhood. Elsewhere, a policeman and a municipal cleaner were
killed when a patrol hit a roadside bomb planted in a garbage dump
in the Al-Amil neighbourhood of southwestern Baghdad. Officials
fear more violence on Tuesday when the Iraqi parliament convenes its
second session.
Bird flu virus outbreak in North Korea
South Korea has offered help to communist North Korea to contain an
outbreak of the bird flu virus. A South Korean government offical
said Seoul was willing to help if they received a request from the
North. North Korea on Sunday confirmed that two to three chicken
farms in Pyongyang were contaminated with bird flu and that hundreds
of thousands of poultry had been culled. The World Health
Organisation said they had been contacted about the outbreak and
would coordinate work on counter-measures. It was not yet clear
whether the strain of virus was the one which jumps from birds to
humans and which has killed 49 people in Asia since 2003.
Sick Pope skips Easter Monday blessing
Pope John Paul II failed to appear at his window Easter Monday but
there was no indication that the Pontiff's health had worsened. The
traditional event marking the end of Holy Week celebrations had been
on a calendar of Papal events but had not been confirmed after the
Pope left hospital two weeks ago following surgery to relieve
breathing problems. It was the first time in his 27-year papacy that
the Pope did not preside at any Easter season activities.
Monaco's Prince Rainier fights for his life
Special Easter prayers were held in Monaco as ailing Prince Rainier
continued fighting for his life. The 81-year-old was said to be
conscious, and his heart, lung and kidney functions have stabilised
following days of decline. The royal palace, however, said the
health prospects of Europe's longest-reigning ruler remained a cause
for concern. Prince Rainier, who has governed the world's
second-smallest independent state for more than half a century,
remains connected to a respirator.
Hooligans bring 'shame' on Germany
Germany's interior minister Otto Schily has condemned German
hooligans who rioted after a match in Slovenia on the weekend.
Schily said the hooligans have brought shame on Germany and did not
represent the majority of peaceful football fans. Five Germans and
20 Slovenian hooligans have been charged for causing over 12 000
euros damage during a brawl in Celje's city centre. Germany's
national coach Juergen Klinsmann apologised for the hooliganism after
the game between the two countries on Saturday. German leaders have
stressed that police will crack down on hooligans during the 2006
World Cup in Germany.
ISS spacewalk a success
Two astronauts finished their spacewalk outside the International
Space Station ahead of schedule Monday. They installed equipment to
enable the first European cargo craft to dock at the station next
year. The astronauts also launched an experimental satellite for
gathering information on earthquakes, floods and fires.
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