Deutsche Welle
English Service News
09. 09. 2005, 17:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Can Katrina Help Mend Transatlantic Ties?
One small positive aspect of all the devastation wrought by Hurricane
Katrina might be an improvement in transatlantic ties strained by the
war in Iraq, experts say.
To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the
internet address below:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1705563,00.html
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September 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
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Risk of disease in New Orleans rising
Police and soldiers in the flooded US city of New Orleans are
continuing to search for residents who are refusing to leave their
homes, despite a government evacuation order. Authorities ordered
them to leave after high levels of harmful bacteria were measured in
the flood water. They say the risk of outbreaks of disease is
increasing by the day. Emergency workers have also begun recovering
thousands of corpses, many of which have been floating in the flood
water. US President George W. Bush, meanwhile, has signed off on
almost 52 billion dollars in aid. This comes in addition to 10
billion dollars approved earlier. The Bush administration has been
facing sharp criticism over its handling of the catastrophe.
Powell slams slow Katrina response
Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has criticised the slow
response of the authorities on all levels in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina. In an interview with the US ABC network, Powell said he
couldn't understand why more preparations had not been made. Powell
said there had been a lot of failures on local, state and federal
level. A new opinion poll says that two-thirds of Americans think
President George W. Bush could have done more in the aftermath of
the disaster.
NATO ships, planes to carry Katrina aid
NATO nations have approved plans to use alliance ships and aircraft
to rush European aid to US regions hit by Hurricane Katrina.
Military experts from the 26 allies prepared the plans in an
emergency meeting overnight, after the United States on Thursday
requested extra assistance from NATO. The alliance is to send at
least two transport ships from its elite NATO Response Force with a
capacity to hold around 600 large trucks. NATO will also use
converted jetliners to fly in emergency aid.
Reports say Mubarak wins poll
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak appears to have won the country's
first contested presidential election. Several state owned
newspapers have published preliminary results that gave Mubarak more
than 80 percent of the votes cast. Official results aren't expected
to be released until Saturday. The papers reported that turnout was
low, with as little as 19 per cent of voters casting their ballots
in some districts. Egypt's election commission has turned down a
call by second-place finisher Ayman Nour of the Ghad Party for the
election to be repeated due to voting irregularities.
UN needs more time for Hariri probe
A German investigator leading the United Nations probe into the
assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri has
asked for 40 more days to finish the inquiry. Detlev Mehlis asked
for the extra time during a meeting with UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan. The UN Security Council initially gave Mehlis and his
50-member team until September 15 to wrap up its work. But it had
signaled from the start that it would extend the inquiry's deadline
for as long as three more months if the time was needed. Many have
blamed Hariri's killing on Syria, the main power-broker in Lebanon
in the post-war period. Damascus has denied any involvement in the
assassination, which eventually led to the pullout of Syrian troops
from Lebanon.
EU boosts funds for Belarus broadcasts
The European Commission says it will increase funding for radio and
television broadcasts to Belarus promoting democracy, media freedom
and human rights. The broadcasts to the former Soviet state will be
in Russian and Belarussian, and the EU's executive arm said it had
earmarked 2 million euros for the project over a period of two years
starting in 2006. The EU last month awarded a separate contract to
Germany's Deutsche Welle Radio to begin broadcasting a 15-minute
programme five days a week into Belarus. EU Commission spokeswoman
Emma Udwin said the broadcasts will aim to bring an independent
voice to Belarus, where the media is strictly controlled by the
state.
Yuschenko urges support for new PM
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has urged lawmakers to back
his new prime minister. Yury Yekhanurov must still be confirmed by
parliament where pro-Yushchenko forces do not have a stable
majority. The former premier, Yulia Tymoshenko, and her cabinet were
fired by Yuschenko on Thursday to stem government infighting and
allegations of corruption. The crisis follows months of tension
between Yushchenko and Tymoshenko over Ukraine's economic direction.
France's Chirac leaves hospital
French President Jacques Chirac has left hospital after a week of
treatment for a blood vessel problem that had affected his vision.
The 72-year-old Chirac told reporters outside the military hospital
in Paris that he was in very good form. However his aides have said
that he will not attend next week's UN summit in New York after
doctors advised him to recuperate.
EU Commission tackles German deficit
The EU Commission is to relaunch its budget deficit procedure
against Germany in November. It's widely expected that the German
deficit will exceed the three-percent deficit threshold of GDP which
means sanctions could be imposed. The decision was made at a meeting
of EU finance ministers in the English city of Manchester. They're
discussing the hike in oil prices and the potential consequences for
the EU.
German vote result could be delayed
The death of a candidate in Germany's upcoming federal election
could delay the result. Instead of voting with the rest of the
country on September 18, one district in the eastern city of Dresden
will have to wait. Under German election law, the district will have
to hold a separate vote with the name of a new candidate for the
far-right NPD on the ballot. It must be held within six weeks of the
federal vote. Officials say with opinion polls predicting a close
finish, the 220 thousand voters in Dresden who are to cast their
ballots later could wind up deciding the outcome.
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Germans will head to the polls to elect a new parliament on Sept. 18.
Chancellor Gerhard Schröder is fighting an uphill battle to remain in
office while his conservative challenger, Angela Merkel, has her eyes
set on the chancellery. Get all the information about Germany's 2005
election at DW-WORLD. To find out more, go to
http://www.dw-world.de/election05
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