Deutsche Welle English Service News November 10th 2005, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
German Intelligence Agency Spied on Journalists The head of Germany's foreign intelligence service has promised to investigate allegations that members of his agency illegally spied on journalists. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1772654,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Last chance to play! DW-WORLD's ""Click Back"" monthly review quiz for November 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- At least 57 dead in Jordan hotel blasts The terrorist group al-Qaeda in Iraq, led by Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, has claimed responsibility for the bomb attacks in the Jordanian capital, Amman that killed at least 57 people and injured more than 100 others. The claim was made in a statement posted on a Web site, but its authenticity has not yet been verified. Jordanian police said the near simultaneous explosions at three hotels frequented by westerners were caused by suicide bombers. Police said most of those killed were Jordanian nationals. UNSC condemns Amman attacks The United Nations Security Council has condemned Wednesday's deadly attacks in the Jordanian capital, Amman. Following a meeting at UN headquarters in New York, the Security Council issued a statement calling for the perpetrators of the attacks to be quickly brought to justice. Germany is among the many countries that have condemned the bombings. Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said in a statement that there was nothing that could justify such terrorist attacks on innocent people. He also expressed Germany's condolences to the victims and their families. Suicide blasts kill 30 in Baghdad At least 30 people have been killed and 20 others injured in a suicide bomb attack on a restaurant in central Baghdad. Officials said the bomber detonated his explosives shortly after entering the restaurant, which is frequented by Baghdad police. Elsewhere, at least six people were killed and a dozen others wounded in a suicide car bombing outside of an Iraqi army recruitment centre in Tikrit. Chirac says France must learn from riots French President Jacques Chirac says France needs to reflect on the lessons that are to be drawn from two weeks of nightly rioting and respond quickly to the problems at the root of the violence. Speaking to reporters following a meeting with visiting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Zapatero in Paris, Chirac also said the government must do more to ensure all citizens receive equal treatment. Riots around France eased off for the third straight night following the adoption of emergency powers that allowed local officials to impose night curfews on youths. However, nearly 500 cars were set ablaze in various cities on Wednesday night. SPD, CDU in final phase of coalition talks Here in Germany, senior members of the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats have gathered in Berlin for what's meant to be the final phase of negotiations on forming a grand coalition government. Representatives of both sides have said they expect long and spirited discussion on a number of points on which they have so far failed to agree. But, they have agreed to try to bring Germany's budget deficit back under three percent of its gross domestic product by 2007. To do so, the new government will have to plug a budgetary hole worth about 35 billion euros. Germany has breached the deficit ceiling set out in the European Stability and Growth Pact for the past few years. Both sides are hoping to wrap up discussions on this and other financial issues by Friday. Liberia to get first female president With nearly 90 percent of the vote counted in Liberia's presidential run-off election, former World Bank economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf looks set to become Africa's first elected female leader. The National Election Commission said that Johnson-Sirleaf had just under 60 percent of the vote. Her opponent, former soccer star George Weah, has filed a complaint of election fraud with the commission. The head of the United Nations Mission in Liberia has described the vote as peaceful and transparent. European court uphold headscarf ban The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has upheld Turkey's ban on women wearing head scarves in universities. The court ruled that the ban does not violate the religious freedoms guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. The decision marked the end of a long legal battle by a medical student barred from attending Istanbul University because her headscarf violated the dress code. Despite the ruling, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said the headscarf ban was undemocratic. Gul, a member of the conservative Islamist Justice and Development Party, said he was confident the ban would eventually be lifted. Blair says terrorist threat serious British Prime Minister Tony Blair has accused lawmakers of failing to take the threat of terrorism seriously, a day after they inflicted his first major parliamentary defeat by voting down an anti-terrorism bill. The bill would have allowed police to hold terror suspects without charge for 90 days. Nearly 50 rebel members of Blair's Labour Party voted against the bill. However, MPs passed an amendment to double the length of time police can hold suspects without charge to 28 days. Observers see the vote as a major blow to Blair's authority. Chinese president arrives in Germany Chinese President Hu Jintao has arrived in Berlin for the start of his four-day visit to Germany. President Hu was greeted upon his arrival by German President Horst Koehler. Later in the day he's to meet with a group of German business executives. On Friday he has meetings scheduled with both outgoing Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and Chancellor-designate Angela Merkel. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Week in Germany: The best from German culture, business and politics in a convenient weekly wrap-up. 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