Deutsche Welle English Service News 23.10.2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
EU Leaders to Avoid Tough Topics at Summit European Union leaders will broach the "challenges of globalization" at an informal summit this week -- while strenuously avoiding awkward topics which have dragged the bloc to the brink of all-out crisis. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1749550,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DW-WORLD is looking for the best Weblog. Our International Weblog Awards are in full swing and now it's time for you to cast your vote. Choose your favorite from more than 100 finalists and win an iPod Shuffle with a bit of luck. DW's "The BOBs -- The Best of The Blogs" is sponsored by Maritim Hotel Bonn. Fore more, go to http://www.thebobs.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- No survivors in Nigerian plane crash Latest reports from Nigeria indicate that there were no survivors in the crash of a plane carrying 114 people. Red Cross members and a local radio station reported that the wreckage of the Boeing 737 had been discovered about 40 Km west of Lagos. Earlier reports said that over half of those on board had survived. A local official said there was confusion at the crash scene. There was no immediate word on the cause of the crash or if flight-data recorders had been located at the scene. The aircraft, operated by Nigeria's privately owned Bellview Airlines, was en route to the capital Abuja. A number of high-ranking Nigerian officials and senior members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) were believed to be among those onboard. Lebanon arrests suspect in Hariri case Lebanese police have arrested an Islamic fundamentalist in connection with a UN probe into the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Mahmoud Abdel-Al, a member of the pro-Syrian Al-Ahbash Sunni Muslim group, was detained in Beirut early Saturday. His arrest is the first since the publication of a UN report on Hariri's slaying in a Beirut car bombing last February. The report alleged Abdel-Al called pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud minutes before the blast and shortly after contacted one of four Lebanese pro-Syrian generals who have since been arrested in the probe. British police arrest bomb suspect British police have said they have arrested a man who reportedly said he was asked to join the group of suicide bombers who attacked London in July. London's Metropolitan Police said anti-terrorist officers arrested a 27-year-old man in the Dewsbury area of West Yorkshire late Saturday. A police spokesman said the man was arrested on the suspicion of the "commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism". He said the arrest was in connection with the investigation into the July 7 bombings that killed 52 commuters and four suicide attackers. Police targeted in Iraqi insurgent attacks Insurgents in Iraq have used bomb attacks and a drive-by shooting to kill at least 12 people and wound dozens more. A suicide car bomb in central Baghdad hit two police vehicles, killing two officers and two civilians. In south Baghdad, a roadside bomb wounded two Iraqis. A number of bombs targeted US convoys meanwhile, leaving at least two civilians dead and 13 others wounded. A US military spokesman added that two soldiers had been injured. In Tikrit, a roadside bomb killed a policeman and his four children riding with him in his car. In Baqouba, a police lieutenant was killed in a drive-by shooting. Poland votes in presidential runoff Voters in Poland are choosing a new president in a runoff between pro-market lawmaker Donald Tusk and Warsaw's socially conservative mayor Lech Kaczynski. Tusk, who favours a flat tax and has pledged to drive Poland's economy forward, has seen his lead dwindle against Kaczynski, who gained from promises to safeguard the social safety net amid high unemployment. The race has also focused on personalities, with the mild-mannered Tusk saying he wants to play a unifying role, while the more aggressive Kaczynski has talked about standing up to Russia and Germany and purging former communists from positions of influence. Hurricane Wilma lashes Mexico At least six people have died as Hurricane Wilma continues to pound Mexico's Caribbean coastline. Tens of thousands of people, many of them foreign tourists, have been riding out the storm in crowded shelters. Weather officials say Wilma has weakened to a Category 2 hurricane, but it's expected to pick up strength as it heads toward the US state of Florida. Meanwhile, a record 22nd tropical storm, Alpha, has formed off the island of Hispanola, shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. India offers aid to Pakistan victims India has offered to set up aid camps for Pakistani earthquake victims on its side of the disputed Kashmir border. This comes after Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf called for Kashmiris to be allowed to cross the cease-fire line to help each other recover from the disaster. Pakistan said more discussions were needed on the proposal, but it appeared to signal growing cooperation between the nuclear-armed rivals. Meanwhile, the United Nations has appealed for countries to give more aid, warning of another wave of deaths unless relief arrives for the millions of homeless before the harsh Himalayan winter hits. Close to 80,000 people are thought to have died in the October 8 quake, mostly in northwestern Pakistan. Earthquake rattles eastern Afghanistan An earthquake has hit eastern Afghanistan near the border with Pakistan. At least five people were killed and six others hurt. Initial reports also said some houses were destroyed in the quake, which struck Paktika province. Officials said army rescue teams were on their way to the remote mountainous area. Another quake struck adjacent Zabul province on Friday, killing at least three people. Uneasy calm returns after riots in Britain British police are calling for calm in the city of Birmingham after a night of riots sparked by rumours that a teenager had been raped. One man was fatally stabbed and 20 other people were injured in Saturday's unrest, which followed a public meeting to discuss the alleged sex attack. The rioting was linked to rumours that a 14-year-old Afro-Caribbean girl had been sexually assaulted by a gang of men of South Asian origin. Police say no investigation into the incident has been launched because no official complaint was made. Police in Azerbaijan break up rally Police in Azerbaijan have used force to break up an opposition rally in the capital Baku on Sunday, two weeks ahead of parliamentary elections in the ex-Soviet republic. More than 50 riot police armed with shields and truncheons dispersed 200 to 300 supporters of the Azadliq opposition bloc who had gathered in a Baku park chanting slogans in favour of freedom and free elections. At least 15 people including a parliamentary candidate were arrested. The government accuses the opposition of trying to foment revolution, while the opposition says the authorities plan to rig the results of the polls. Sweden confirms case of bird flu Chinese authorities have stepped up efforts to combat bird flu in Beijing as Britain called for a European Union ban on imports of wild birds after discovering that a South American parrot died from avian influenza while in quarantine. Earlier Sweden confirmed at least one case of bird flu in ducks found dead west of the capital, Stockholm. The H5N1 strain of bird flu has devastated poultry stocks across Asia and killed 61 people in the last two years. The strain has recently been found in birds in Russia, Turkey and Romania. Germany has ordered all domestic poultry to be kept indoors, in an effort to prevent the spread of the avian flu virus. Turkish author wins German book prize Turkish author Ohran Pamuk has been awarded the German book trade's prestigious peace prize. The outspoken author of novels including "Snow" and "My Name is Red" said in his acceptance speech that political engagement was a natural part of being a novelist. The head of the association of German booksellers, said Pamuk had managed to build a bridge between the east and the west, as he handed him the prize on the sidelines of the Frankfurt book fair. Pamuk on Sunday reiterated his support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union, saying it was essential for peace in the region and an understanding between cultures. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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/
