Deutsche Welle
English Service News , 2001, 16:00 UTC
Rioting and Looting in Argentina Amid Economic Crisis
Across Argentina, rioting and looting has left at least 16 people
dead. The government has declared a state of emergency to contain
the latest unrest driven by a staggering economy and $132 billion of
public debt. Police estimated that about 20,000 people have taken
part in looting over the past two days. Many were reportedly shot
by storekeepers who were defending their shops. Meanwhile,
Argentine Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo has quit government along
with the rest of the cabinet. A government source said President
Fernando De la Rua had accepted Cavallo's resignation, but it was
not clear how many of the other ministers would go. It also
remained unclear who might take over as economic minister. The IMF
has so far refused to release a $1.3 billion loan payment to
Argentina, saying the Latin American country has failed to balance
its budget.
The Hunt for Bin Laden Is On
As the hunt for Osama bin Laden widened, U.S. agents interrogated
captured al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan in an attempt to gather as
many clues possible regarding the Saudi-born fugutive's
whereabouts. Pakistani secret service agents have also detained a
senior security official of the Taliban, in their first such seizure
since the overthrow of the hardline Islamic movement. Pakistani
troops and police have also been searching mountainsides in the hope
of recapturing about 20 of bin Laden's Arab fighters, who seized
weapons from their Pakistani guards on Wednesday and escaped after a
battle which left 15 dead. Meanwhile on the diplomatic front, donor
countries were meeting in Brussels to discuss supplying massive aid
not only to stave off famine in Afghanistan but also to rebuild the
country in the years to come. The U.N. Security Council prepared to
vote on a resolution authorising a British-led multinational force
to protect the interim administration as soon as possible.
German Defense Minister Makes Another Blunder
German Defence Minister Rudolf Scharping faces renewed calls for his
resignation. Already under fire this year over charges of misuse of
German military aircraft, Scharping's behaviour was put once more
into question after reports emerged that he said the United States
was likely to strike next at Somalia. The Financial Times
Deutschland daily reported today that Scharping was the senior
German official quoted in the paper as saying it was just a matter
of "when" the U.S. would strike. U.S. Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld dismissed Scharping's prediction about striking Somalia by
saying that the German defence minister was simply wrong.
Scharping's latest blunder has prompted fresh doubts in the German
parliament where members have already called on Chancellor Gerhard
Schroeder to dismiss him. The calls have reportedly been rejected.
Israeli Pullouts Raise Glimmer of Hope in Mideast
Israeli troops have withdrawn from parts of two Palestinian-ruled
cities as Palestinian President Yasser Arafat continued to crack
down on militants despite clashes between his police and Hamas
supporters. Seven people were wounded earlier today in a gun battle
between Hamas militants and Palestinian security forces who tried to
arrest one of the Islamic movement's leaders in the Gaza Strip.
In what the Israeli army called a "tactical re-arrangement",
its tanks moved back from areas of Nablus and Ramallah to
positions just outside the cities, but they remained about 300 meters
from the Palestinian leader's headquarters in Ramallah.
The partial withdrawals, following a resumption of security
talks between Israel and the Palestinians on Wednesday, were a
rare sign of progress after Arafat arrested some militants and
closed their offices under international pressure.
Finnish Ferry Is Towed to Land
A ferry which ran aground early Thursday in the Baltic was being
towed to land. The Finnish coast guard reported that none of the
800 some passengers and crew on board were injured in the accident
and the vessel was not in danger of sinking. The Viking Line ship
Isabella was en route to Stockholm when it ran aground. The cause
of the accident was not yet known but officials said the ship hit
rocks shortly after one a.m. Thursday as it approached the Aland
Islands in strong winds, low visibility and snowfall.
Srpska Informativna Mreza
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