Deutsche Welle English Service News October 31st 2005, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Müntefering to Step Down as SPD Leader Franz Müntefering has surprisingly announced that he will not run for re-election as leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) in November after losing a key power struggle Monday. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1761409,00.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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Huge manhunt in India for attackers A massive search is underway in New Delhi to find the perpetrator's of last weekend's coordinated explosions. Police officials said hundreds of security personnel along with forensics experts had been brought into New Delhi to help speed up investigations. Security throughout the city was also stepped up in the wake of the attacks. On Saturday, at least 59 people were killed when three blasts tore through a bus and two crowded markets. Militants calling themselves the Front for Islamic Uprising claimed responsibility for the attacks. Resolution demands Syrian cooperation The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution against Syria. The resolution demands that Damascus fully cooperate with the UN investigation into the murder of Lebanon's former prime minister Rafik al-Hariri. The resolution also calls for Syria to detain suspected nationals and impose restrictions such as travel bans on all individuals considered suspects in Hariri's killing. Germany's SPD in leadership turmoil The chairman of Germany's Social Democrats Franz Muentefering has tendered his resignation, plunging the SPD into a leadership crisis ahead of more grand coalition talks with the conservatives. Muentefering was outvoted 23-14 within the party's executive committee over who should become SPD general secretary. He had wanted Kajo Wasserhoevel, who led the SPD's Bundestag election campaign. But, the committee nominated Andrea Nahles of the party's left wing. Muentefering said he would not stand for re-election as chairman at the SPD's conference in mid-November but he would finish coalition talks with conservative chancellor-designate Angela Merkel. Two likely candidates for chairman are the regional state premiers Matthias Platzeck and Kurt Beck. Amid the turmoil a fourth round of coalition have begun, focused on how to trim 35 billion euros from the federal budget so that Germany can meet euro zone deficit criteria by 2007. Bush nominates conservative judge US President George W. Bush has nominated a conservative appeals court judge to the Supreme Court. If approved, Samuel Alito would replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Bush acted quickly to find a replacement nominee for the Supreme court appointment after another nominee withdrew last week. Harriet Miers withdrew from consideration after her credentials were questioned by conservatives within Bush's own Republican Party. Gaza may turn into prison camp Israeli forces have killed three Palestinian militants in a West Bank raid. This came just hours after the group Islamic Jihad agreed to halt rocket fire from the Gaza Strip in exchange for an Israeli pledge to stop launching air strikes on the territory. A week of violence has badly damaged a truce that has lasted for almost nine months. It has also dimmed hopes that last month's Israeli withdrawal from Gaza would help revive the Middle East peace process. Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa said on Monday that the Gaza Strip could turn into a prison camp unless "real" control of the area is handed over to the Palestinians. Ivory Coast leader pledges to stay on There have been more clashes between demonstrators and security forces in the west African nation, Ivory Coast. The protesters want President Laurent Gbagbo to resign. His term expired at midnight on Sunday, but he says the United Nations has authorised him to stay in power for at least a year to help organise new elections. He blamed anti-government rebels holding the north of the country for the fact that the elections originally scheduled for Sunday had been postponed. Romania has 2 new cases of bird flu The World Health Organization has said it would stress to Vietnam the importance of following strict guidelines on suspected bird flu cases. This followed news that two victims with similar symptoms were buried without being tested. Vietnam's Deputy Health Minister called for more international assistance to fight bird flu at a meeting of health officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Meanwhile Romania announced Monday it had detected two new cases of bird flu in the southeast of the country. Europe is already on maximum alert for the further spread of the H5N1 strain, which has also been detected in Croatia, Russia and Turkey. New date for European Venus probe launch Russia's space officials have set November 9 as the new date for the launch of a European probe intended to explore Venus. A problem with a Russian booster rocket delayed the launch of the probe which was initially scheduled for Oct. 26th from the Russian Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Despite the delay, the Federal Space Agency said Monday that the launch would fit into the one-month window during which the celestial motion of the planets makes a voyage to Venus the most fuel-efficient. Spain's future queen gives birth to girl Spain's future queen, Princess Letizia, has given birth to her first child. The baby, a girl named Leonor, was born early Monday morning. The birth of a girl lends urgency to proposals by Spain's Socialist government to reform the constitution to give male and female members of the royal family equal rights in succeeding to the throne. Leonor is second in line to the Spanish throne after Felipe and is the seventh grandchild of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Week in Germany: The best from German culture, business and politics in a convenient weekly wrap-up. Read and subscribe at www.germany.info/twig ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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