DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE Newsletter English Service News 15.01.07, 17:00 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=evu98fIfcha79I0&req=l%3Devu98eIfcha79I0 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Bavarian Constitutional Court Upholds Headscarf Ban The highest court in the southern German state of Bavaria decided on Monday that the state did not overstep its authority by banning Muslim teachers from wearing headscarves in the classroom. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu98fIfcha79I1&req=l%3Devu98eIfcha79I1 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' World reacts to Saddam aides' hanging World reaction to the execution of two of Saddam Hussein's aides in Iraq has been mixed. The US and Britain have said that "justice" had been done, while European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso condemned the executions. Iraq's neighbour Jordan said it hoped that the executions would not undermine the reconciliation process in Iraq. Saddam Hussein's half-brother and the chief of Iraq's Revolutionary Court were hanged earlier Monday, two weeks after the deposed Iraqi dictator's unruly execution. The head of Saddam's half-brother Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti was severed from his body during the hanging, but an Iraqi government official insisted that "no violations" had occurred. Rice to meet Olmert, Abbas in summit Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has agreed to attend a three-way summit with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas. The agreement came during a meeting between Rice and Olmert in Jerusalem. It's still not clear when and where the meeting will take place. But a US official travelling with Rice on her Middle East tour told reporters that the meeting would likely take place within a month. After her meeting with Olmert, Rice left Israel for Egypt. She will later travel to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait as well as Germany and Britain. Iran to install 3,000 atomic centrifuges Iran says it is pressing ahead with a plan to install 3,000 atomic centrifuges and achieve industrial-scale production of nuclear fuel. Analysts say this could also produce enough uranium for a bomb within a year. A government spokesman told reporters in Tehran that an official announcement would be made next month. He said the country's nuclear activities were being supervised by the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, the IAEA. The United States and other members of the international community fear Iran could be seeking to produce nuclear weapons. Tehran insists that its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only. Deadly clashes in Mogadishu Somali gunmen have battled government and Ethiopian troops in Mogadishu, leaving at least two people dead. It was the heaviest fighting seen in the capital since the ouster of hardline Islamists last month. Meanwhile, Somalia's interim government has ordered the Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera and Mogadishu radio stations Shabelle Radio, Radio HornAfrik and Voice of the Koran radio off the air. A government spokesman accused the broadcasters of instigating violence in Somalia. The move drew immediate criticism but authorities insisted that the step was not aimed at curtailing freedom of speech but at ensuring security. Nepal Maoists join parliament Former communist rebels have joined Nepal's interim Parliament after delegates unanimously backed a new interim constitution, making it possible for Maoists to enter parliament. The 83 Maoist rebels joined the 330-seat interim legislature, taking an oath of office that was broadcast live on national television. The move is one of a series of measures to bring the rebels into the fold after a peace deal last year. The rebels, who fought a 10-year war which cost 13,000 lives, as part of the interim government will help organise elections by June next year. East Asian leaders look to alternative fuels Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have signed an agreement to promote energy security and find alternatives to conventional fuels. The agreement rounds off a week of talks in the Philippine resort of Cebu, looking at issues as diverse as natural disasters, disease and terrorism. It also saw an improvement in relations between rivals China and Japan. The Cebu Declaration on East Asian Energy Security, lists a series of goals aimed at providing "reliable, adequate and affordable" energy supplies to a huge region from Australia to India. The document does not set any targets for capping greenhouse emissions, but will call for extra investment in eco-friendly fuels. Six face trial in London bomb plot Six men are facing trial in Britain on charges of planning to carry out suicide bombings on London's transport system in July 2005. The alleged attempted plot was foiled by British police, exactly two weeks after the major suicide attack on London's Underground and bus network in which more than 50 people died and some 700 others were injured. It is believed that the six men accused in Monday's trial were trying to stage an attack on a similar scale. No one was killed or injured in the alleged attempted bombings. The six suspects are all from London and predominantly of east African origin. The trial is expected to last up to four months. EU states back plan to share criminal data European Union interior and justice ministers have backed plans to give each other access to their police databases in order to combat terrorism, cross-border crime and illegal migration. At a meeting in the eastern German city of Dresden, officials from the bloc's 27 countries agreed on the need to set up a network of national crime records to improve data exchange. The rules would give all member states access to DNA and fingerprint data, as well as vehicle registries. The Dresden meeting is also due to discuss ways ways of stepping up co-operation to stem the flow of illegal migrants to the EU. Far right parties seek status in Strasbourg A group of far-right politicians is expected to be granted official status as the European Parliament reconvenes in Strasbourg. The addition of five far-right deputies means that they now have enough member to be granted status as a parliamentary group. The new right-wing politicians are among 35 Romanian and 18 Bulgarian deputies who have joined the parliament, after their countries became members of the EU on January 1. Among other things, official status would allow the new right-wing group to receive parliamentary funding. Gates stresses importance of NATO missions US defense secretary Robert Gates has visited NATO headquarters for the first time since taking over from Donald Rumsfeld last month. During talks with NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Gates stressed that Washington remained committed to the alliance's Afghan mission. He said plans to send 21,500 additional US troops to Iraq would not lead to reductions in America's contribution. The Defense secretatry also criticised Iran for doing, quote, "nothing constructive" in Iraq. Storm in Sweden kills three Severe storms have battered southern Sweden, killing at least three people, disrupting transport and leaving about 270,000 homes without electricity. The victims were all struck by falling trees. Rail services were suspended because trees had been blown onto tracks. Road and air traffic were also badly hit. Road traffic was suspended on the bridge connecting Sweden and Denmark. And ferry services from the Swedish mainland were cancelled. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 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=evu98fIfcha79I2&req=l%3Devu98eIfcha79I2 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' For more information please turn to our internet website at http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evu98fIfcha79I3&req=l%3Devu98eIfcha79I3 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=927954405&mid=900006207&sig=OHPOFHFFMLEEEPMO Copyright Deutsche Welle 2007
