DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE Newsletter English Service News 28.12.06, 18:00 Uhr UTC
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Need a good laugh? Then check out DW-WORLD.DE'S From the Fringe Special, which regularly brings you quirky stories from and about Germany. To find out more, go to http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu5nxIfcha79I0&req=l%3Devu5nwIfcha79I0 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Germany At EU Helm Seeks to Revive Mideast Quartet Germany is well-positioned to restart a Middle East peace process when it takes over the EU presidency Jan. 1. The recent violence in the Gaza Strip has Berlin concerned the fragile ceasefire could collapse. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu5nxIfcha79I1&req=l%3Devu5nwIfcha79I1 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Government troops roll into capital The Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has said his troops won't stay long-term in Somalia's capital Mogadishu. Ethiopian troops have taken over the capital, after Islamist forces retreated earlier Thursday. Meles says while his soldiers will pull out in the next few days or weeks, their aim is to restore stability to the lawless city. Relief workers in Mogadishu say much of the Islamist movement has split into clan-based militia groups run by the same warlords that ruled the capital before the Islamists took over in June. Somalia refugees die in boat capsize Two boats carrying people fleeing Somalia have capsized off Yemen, killing 17 people. About 140 people are still missing. Many of the survivors have said they were fleeing the violence that has recently flared in Somalia's south and Mogadishu. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees says one of the boats capsized after passengers became agitated, while the other boat overturned as it was being pursued by Yemeni coastguard boats and a helicopter. Russian plane makes emergency landing A Aeroflot airliner on its way from Moscow to Geneva has made an emergency landing in Prague after a drunken passenger threatened to blow up the plane. Passengers managed to overcame the man, a Russian national, and he is now in police custody. Czech police called the incident an attempted hijacking but Russian media quoted officials as saying the man was drunk. An Aeroflot official said it a case of "hooliganism". Concern over Gazprom stance Germany's economy minister has expressed concern about the gas price dispute between Belarus and Russia's state-run gas monopoly Gazprom. Economy Minister Michael Glos has urged both sides to reach a deal as quickly as possible. Gazprom has threatened to cut supply to Belarus on January 1 if Belarus doesn't agree to a proposed steep price hike. The German government has assured consumers there's no threat to gas supplies here because relatively little of Germany's gas transits through Belarus. Karzai criticizes Pakistan's mine plans The Afghan president Hamid Karzai has said his government is strongly against a plan by Pakistan to mine and fence its border with Afghanistan. Karzai told reporters at a press conference that it would mean "the separation of tribes and families" and wouldn't prevent terrorism. Karzai said Afghanistan had suffered enough from mines within its borders. The United Nations in Afghanistan echoed the concern. Pakistan announced on Tuesday that it has decided to reinforce its 2,500 km long border with Afghanistan with fences and mines amid claims that al-Qaeda and Taliban militants freely infiltrate Afghanistan from Pakistani territory. Bangladesh police clash wth protesters Dozens of people have been injured as supporters of former dictator Hossain Mohammad Ershad battled with police in northern Bangladesh. The army was called in to help curb the violence, which erupted during a day-long strike in Ershad's home town of Rangpur and nearby districts a day after authorities rejected Ershad's application to contest next month's elections. Police fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters, who were throwing stones and sticks. On Tuesday, Bangladesh's Supreme Court upheld a two-year jail term against Ershad over corruption charges. Flood sweep away thousands of homes in Aceh Indonesian officials have said that some 13,000 homes had been washed away in the flash floods that hit Aceh province on Sumatra island. Nearly 200 people are still missing in the province as authorities deployed boats and helicopters to deliver aid to the some 365,000 people displaced there. Although the flood waters in Aceh are receding, neighboring Malaysia is currently braced for more torrential rain and wind. The country's Meteorological Department warned of a "monsoon surge" that could bring several hours of severe rain and winds of 60 kilometers an hour to its southern states. Muslim pilgrimage starts peacefully The Saudi Arabian government says this year's hajj pilgrimage is proceeding according to plan. Around two million Muslims are in the town of Mecca to begin five days of rituals to cleanse themselves of sin. This year's hajj comes amid tensions between the two main sects of Islam - Shi'ites and Sunnis, but Saudi authorities have warned they will crack down on any attempt to undermine security during the event. Thousands of Saudi security forces have been deployed along the pilgrimage route, and dozens of field hospitals and clinics have been set up in the area. Last year's hajj was marred by a deadly stampede in which 364 people were killed, and in 2004 more than 250 people were trampled to death. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Need a good laugh? Then check out DW-WORLD.DE'S From the Fringe Special, which regularly brings you quirky stories from and about Germany. To find out more, go to http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu5nxIfcha79I2&req=l%3Devu5nwIfcha79I2 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' For more information please turn to our internet website at http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu5nxIfcha79I3&req=l%3Devu5nwIfcha79I3 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. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' You can cancel our newsletter at: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/public/unsubscribe.jsp?gid=90003210&uid=927954 405&mid=900001581&sig=DNBJLCNMCGDIIKLF Copyright Deutsche Welle 2006 Serbian News Network - SNN [email protected] http://www.antic.org/
