Deutsche Welle English Service News August 8th 2005, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Iran Resumes Enrichment Activity Iranian technicians have taken the first steps to resume enrichment activity at its Isfahan facility. The German government has appealed to the mullahs in Tehran to consider carefully the EU's proposals. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1671703,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD's "Click Back" monthly review quiz for August 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Iran resumes uranium conversion Iran says it has resumed uranium conversion at its plant near the city of Isfahan. The European Union and the United States have previously warned that this step could lead to Iran being referred to the UN Security Council for possible sanctions. A crisis meeting of the UN's nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, is to be held on Tuesday to discuss the deadlock. The meeting follows Iran's rejection of an EU package of incentives to abandon work on the nuclear fuel cycle. Iran insists it only wants to generate electricity, but the US suspects it of running a nuclear weapons programme. Meanwhile, the Iranian government says it will replace its chief nuclear negotiator, Hassan Rohani, with the conservative Ali Larijani. The appointment is seen as a hardening of Iran's position. Japan PM dissolves lower house Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has dissolved parliament's lower house for an early election. The move comes after the upper chamber defeated bills to privatise the postal system. The reform of Japan Post had been the core of Koizumi's reform agenda. Koizumi says he wants a new election so the people can decide on his privatisation plans. He says that privatising Japan Post would stimulate the private sector and boost Japan's stagnant economy. Several members of his Liberal Democratic Party were among those to oppose the plans. Koizumi's junior coalition partner, New Komeito, has said September 11 is the likely election date. Discovery landing delayed NASA says unstable weather over Florida has delayed the return of the space shuttle Discovery by 24 hours. It had originally been due to touch down some hours ago. Tensions are high because of the loss of the shuttle Columbia in 2003 when its heat shield failed upon re-entry. NASA managers gave the green light for Discovery's landing after deciding that a blemish in its thermal blanket would not compromise safety. Discovery's commander Eileen Collins said she had no qualms about re-entry. If the weather blocks a landing for two days at Florida Discovery can aim for touch-down in California or New Mexico. London bombing suspects remanded Four men charged with conspiracy to murder in the failed July 21 London bombings remain in police custody pending trial. Three are suspected of having placed bombs on London's transport system. The fourth is facing charges related to an unexploded bomb found in a park two days after the attacks. The men will appear in court on November 14. Another suspect in the attacks arrested in Rome is awaiting extradition. The failed July 21 bombings occurred two weeks after 52 people were killed in suicide attacks on London's transport network. Russia Navy chief to be dismissed Moscow's defence ministry says the commander-in-chief of the Russian Navy will be dismissed. Defence officials said that Fleet Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov would be let go for health reasons. The ministry said the decision was made before the latest Russian submarine drama. Last week seven Russian seamen were trapped for three days deep in the Pacific after their submarine got caught in fishing nets. American, British and Japanese naval experts came to their rescue. Commander-in-chief Kuroyedov was in a military hospital at the time of the drama. Since Kuroyedov has headed the Navy, Russia has experienced several Navy disasters including the loss of the Kursk submarine five years ago with 118 crew members on board. Israeli cruise ships diverted to Cyprus Two cruise liners carrying more than 1,600 Israeli passengers have docked in Cyprus after being diverted from Turkey because of security fears. The two ships had been headed for the Turkish port of Alanya. On Friday, Israel's government had told four Israeli cruise liners headed for destinations in Turkey also to change course for Cyprus, citing a concrete security threat. Israel's counter-terrorism unit has meanwhile warned Israelis to avoid Turkey's southern coast between Alanya and Kemer. Turkey is one of the most popular holiday destinations for Israelis Netanyahu replaced by Olmert Israel's deputy premier Ehud Olmert has replace Benjamin Netanyahu as finance minister. Netanyahu resigned on Sunday over the planned Israeli pullout from Gaza, to which he is opposed. Olmert is a close ally of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who plans to begin the pullout late next week. Israeli newspapers said Netanyahu, a Sharon rival and former prime minister, may intend to challenge Sharon for the leadership of the ruling right-wing Likud party. Surveys show that a majority of Israelis still back the pullout. The government says 60 percent of the 1,700 designated settler families in Gaza and part of the West Bank have applied for compensation. Hopes fade for miners in China mine Chinese officials say there is little hope of saving 102 coal miners trapped by flood waters in a mine in Guangdong province. The miners are trapped about 480 metres underground. Hundreds of rescuers have been attempting to save the men, but they have reportedly been severely hampered as the waters continue to rise. Meanwhile, state media have reported an explosion at a second pit in the southwestern province of Guizhou, which has killed 14 people. China's mining industry is considered the most dangerous in the world, with 2,700 mining deaths reported in the first half of this year alone. Bird flu vaccine but quantity lacking US scientists claim to have successfully tested a vaccine against Southeast Asia's bird flu virus. Tests were conducted on 113 volunteers. But researchers say they don't yet have a way to mass produce enough vaccine in case of a pandemic. The head of the US Infectious Diseases said the vaccine had induced a strong immune response. In Asia the virus H5N1 has killed more than 50 people over the past two years. Most of the victims had contact with poultry. Experts fear though the virus could mutate and spread human-to-human, endangering millions. Strike in South African gold mines Some 80,000 workers in South Africa's gold mines have gone on strike for the first time in 18 years to demand higher wages. A further 10,000 are due to join the stoppage. This follows failed talks between four companies and the National Union of Mineworkers. Gold extraction contributes a sizeable eight percent to South Africa's gross domestic product. High income gaps remain in post-apartheid South Africa. Discontent led recently to stoppages by workers for cities, supermarkets and South Africa's airline. Former chief of "food for oil" resigns A UN-appointed panel probing the oil-for-food programme for Iraq is expected to accuse the former head of the aid scheme of receiving kickbacks. Benon Sevan has resigned from the United Nations over the expected charge. Sevan announced his decision in a letter that criticised UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan for what he called "sacrificing" him. Sevan has denied charges that he took money from a contractor that bought oil from Iraq under the now defunct programme. The scheme, which ran from 1996 to 2003, allowed Iraq under Saddam Hussein to sell oil in exchange for humanitarian goods it lacked owing to sanctions. The Iraqi government swindled millions of dollars from the programme. EU authorises GMO maize type The European Union has authorised imports of a genetically modified maize for use in animal feed. It is the third genetically modified product to win approval since the EU ended its unofficial biotech ban last year. The maize, known as MON 863, is engineered by US biotech giant Monsanto to resist the corn rootworm insect. The maize will however have to receive a second EU approval for use in food for human consumption before shipments can start. Officials say this might take another month. Green groups are angry about the approval, saying there are serious doubts about the maize's long-term safety. German actress Ilse Werner dies German actress and singer Ilse Werner has died at the age of 84. She was best known for the films she made during World War II, which included "The Swedish Nightingale" and "We're Making Music". After the war, Werner was briefly barred by the Allies from performing because to her alleged role in the Nazi propaganda machine. But she returned to screens in 1950. Werner was also renowned for her whistling talent, a skill she cultivated throughout her career. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD offers you a special service for the Bundesliga. Get all the action on your mobile device and you'll never miss out on important news. For more information, please visit http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,1595,8733,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. And of course the DW website also has information about DW-RADIO and DW-TV programmes: topics, broadcast times and frequencies. You can even listen to all programmes as audio-on-demand. Serbian News Network - SNN [email protected] http://www.antic.org/
