Deutsche Welle
English Service News
13. 12. 2005, 17:00 UTC
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Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
WTO-Konferenz: Schwarz malen gehört dazu
Viel wäre schon erreicht, wenn die WTO-Ministerkonferenz in
Hongkong nicht scheitert. Denn die internen Differenzen sowie
die Interessengegensätze zwischen den Industriestaaten und den
Entwicklungsländern sind groß.
To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the
internet address below:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1814403,00.html
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Food aid darkens start of WTO talks
Six days of world trade talks have begun in Hong Kong amid clashes
between police and protesters. As World Trade Organization members
from over 150 countries held their opening ceremony, two policemen
were slightly injured along with seven protesters. Disagreement over
agriculture remains the main stumbling block for the talks.
Developing countries want richer nations such as the US and European
Union member states to cut both subsidies for their farmers and
tariffs on imported foods. Critics have singled out the EU for
refusing to make further concessions, but EU officials say that
without concessions from other countries they can not go no further.
CIA could have abducted people
A Council of Europe investigator says that allegations that the CIA
abducted and illegally transported terror suspects across European
borders are credible. Swiss senator Dick Marty has submitted a
report on the claims, made in the media, to a meeting of the human
rights committee of the Council of Europe. Marty criticised the US
for refusing to confirm or deny the allegations. The US government
and its intelligence agencies say that all their operations are
conducted within the law.
German panel not told about el Masri
Germany's parliamentary committee for foreign affairs says it was
not informed about the CIA abduction of a German citizen until 14
months later. Khaled el Masri was kidnapped by the CIA in early 2004
and flown to Afghanistan for interrogation. Volker Neumann the
committees's outgoing chairman said the German government had told
the panel about el Masri in February of this year. The committee,
made up of new members, is to take up its investigation on
Wednesday.
Tookie Williams executed in US
In the United States, Stanley Tookie Williams has been executed by
lethal injection at California's San Quentin State Prison. The
former leader of the notorious Crips gang was convicted of killing
four people 1979, although he had always denied the murders.
Last-minute appeals to spare his life were rejected by the US
Supreme Court and by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The
case set off a nationwide debate over the possibility of redemption
on death row, with Williams' supporters arguing that he had made
amends by writing children's books about the dangers of gang life.
The books earned him several Nobel peace prize nominations.
Sydney police to get new powers
More than 450 Australian police have been deployed in Sydney to
prevent a third night of race riots. So far the streets have
remained peaceful. On Thursday, the parliament of the state of New
South Wales is to be called into an emergency session to give police
special powers. Among them are seizing vehicles, locking down
neighbourhoods, and stopping alcohol consumption. The violence
started on Sunday, when thousands of young white men attacked people
of Arabic and Mediterranean background on a beach - apparently in
revenge for a recent attack on two lifeguards. The fighting then
spread to other parts of the city. The violence continued on Monday
night, despite calls for calm and ethnic tolerance by Prime Minister
John Howard and other senior figures.
Murdoch found guilty of Falconio murder
Australian mechanic Bradley Murdoch has been found guilty of
murdering British backpacker Peter Falconio. The jury at the court
in Darwin, Australia, also convicted him of abducting and assaulting
Falconio's girlfriend Joanne Lees. The court was told during the
trial that 47-year-old Murdoch flagged down Falconio and Lees,
claming smoke was coming from the back of their van, as they drove
along a highway in Australia's Northern Territory in July 2001. The
prosecution said that when Falconio went to the rear of the van,
Murdoch shot him, but his body was never found. Lees told the court
Murdoch then put a gun to her head and bound her wrists, but she
escaped into bushes. Murdoch was sentenced to life imprisonment with
the minimum term to be set at a later date.
Australian terror suspect wins legal case
London's High Court has ruled in favour of David Hicks, an
Australian being held in Guantanamo Bay, granting him the right to
UK citizenship. This could pave the way for Hick's release from the
prison in Cuba where's he been held for more than three years as a
terror suspect. He's due to face charges of fighting alongside
Taliban groups in Afghanistan at a US military trial. Hicks' lawyers
have said they will argue that he should be released as has been the
case with the other British Guantanamo inmates.
A leading Iraqi Sunni politician killed
A leading Sunni Arab politician has been shot dead in Iraq, two days
before the country's general election. Mizhar al-Dulaimi, head of
the Free Progressive Iraqi Party, was killed while campaigning in
Ramadi. Dulaimi had appeared on television the previous night urging
Iraqis to take part in the elections. Iraqis living abroad have
already begun casting their votes. Expatriates have until Thursday
to vote in polling stations in 15 countries. Many Sunni Arabs are
standing in the poll after largely boycotting the last election for
an interim assembly.
Germany relax bird flu restrictions
Germany has announced it will relax its regulations against bird
flu. The Agriculture Ministry is permitting poultry to be kept in
open air starting Saturday. Since mid-October, domestic birds had
been confined to their pens, after the disease spread to Eastern
Europe. But bird flu has not moved substantially westwards. Despite
the fact that breeders may now let birds out of their pens, most of
them will not see daylight on Saturday; they first have to be slowly
accustomed to winter temperatures.
German investor confidence skyrockets
Investor confidence in Germany has risen to its highest level in two
years. The economic research institute ZEW said that its confidence
indicator went up by around 50 percent this month -- even though it
was expected to remain stable. The reasons were the improving global
economy, increased corporate spending, and softening of the euro.
Economy Minister Michael Glos said the results confirmed that the
German economy is recovering.
New Jersey building collapses
In the United States an apartment building in a residential area of
New Jersey has collapsed, sparking fears of multiple injuries. A
cloud of smoke visible from neighbouring Manhattan is billowing from
the building in Bergenfield. A number of neighbouring buildings
appear to be on fire as well. Emergency services have rushed to the
scene. No details are available, but initial reports suggest that a
gas explosion may have ripped through the building.
Fire crews hopeful of putting out fire
In Britain firefighters are said to be in the final stages of
tackling the huge blaze at a fuel depot northwest of London. They've
managed to extinguish the fires in all but three of the 20 burning
storage tanks at the Buncefield depot in Hertfordshire. A senior
police officer said all the fires should be extinguished by the end
of the day. Several powerful explosions early on Sunday started the
blaze sending dark smoke billowing across southeast England and
heading towards France. In total 43 people were injured, two of them
seriously. Schools and motorways in the vicinity have been closed
and the public has been advised to stay indoors as much as possible.
It's believed to be the largest fire of its kind in Europe since
1945.
EU agrees on new rules for chemicals
European Union governments have agreed on a new set of registration
rules for chemicals. The agreement would affect some 30,000
chemicals in Europe and would attempt to provide a fair balance
between consumer concerns and industry interests. The aim is to make
sure consumers don't come into contact with dangerous substances.
M&S wins landmark tax rebate case
In a landmark tax rebate case, the EU's top court has ruled in
favour of British retailer Marks & Spencer granting it the right to
deduct foreign losses worth around 50 million dollars from its
domestic tax bill. The European Court of Justice said the company
would be able to claim back the losses it incurred in France because
it has closed its operations there. Experts say the case could
trigger others and tax authorities in Europe could face claims for
billions of euros from other multinational companies.
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