DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE Newsletter English Service News 04.03.07, 17:00 Uhr UTC
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Take a survey for a chance to win an iPod. Click on the link at www.dw-world.de/english. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Estonians Vote to Further Break From Their Past Estonians streamed to polling stations Sunday to cast traditional paper-ballot votes in the EU newcomer's parliamentary election, the first in the world to have allowed voting by Internet. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evulyuIfcha79I0&req=l%3DevulytIfcha79I0 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' Sixteen killed in eastern Afghanistan US military officials in Afghanistan have said that 16 Afghan civilians have been killed and more than 20 others injured after what they described as a "complex" Taliban ambush. Officials said that US troops had returned fire in defence after the convoy they were travelling in was attacked by a suicide car-bomber and hit by militant gunfire in the eastern city of Jalalabad. Thousands of locals have reportedly protested the killing of the civilians. Meanwhile two British soldiers have been reported killed in fighting in southern Afghanistan. US soldiers conduct searches in Sadr City Hundreds of US soldiers have entered the Shi'ite stronghold of Sadr City in Baghdad. This is the first major push into the area since an American-led security sweep began last month around the Iraqi capital. US military officials said the troops met no resistance while conducting house-to-house searches in the district, which is firmly in the hands of the Mahdi Army militia led by radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. Meanwhile Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki says he intends to reshuffle his cabinet within the next two weeks and also warned that ministers who had ties with militants would be prosecuted. China boosts military spending China is planning to increase military spending by almost 18 percent this year. A spokesman for the National People's Congress made the announcement at a press conference in Beijing. Jiang Enzhu said that although the increase was significant, military spending remained stable in terms of its percentage of total government expenditures. It also follows similarly high increases in recent years. The announcement came a day after China voiced its opposition to US plans to sell 450 air and ground missiles to Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province. Estonians vote to elect new parliament Voters in Estonia are going to the polls to elect a new parliament. Opinion polls suggest they will return to power the coalition made up of Prime Minister Andrus Ansip's centre-right Reform Party and the left-leaning Centre Party. The election commission said voter turnout by midday had been at just over 30 percent. Preliminary results are expected by midnight. This election has gained particular attention because it has been the first time that voters anywhere have been able to cast their ballots online. About 30,000 people of the one million eligible voted from a home or office computer during three days of advance polling earlier in the week. Iran, Saudi Arabia to fight sectarian strife Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah have agreed to work together to prevent Muslim sectarian violence in Iraq from spreading to other countries in the region. Following their meeting in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the two leaders also expressed support for Iraq's government, as well as that country's unity and independence. Ahmadinejad said he supported Saudi efforts to calm the situation in Lebanon, where the current political crisis has raised fears of a renewed civil conflict. This was Ahmadinejad's first official visit to Saudi Arabia. Iran women arrested at rally Authorities in Iran have arrested more than 30 women activists who had gathered outside a Tehran court to support fellow women's rights campaigners. Five women are on trial for organising a protest last year against laws they say discriminate against women. The authorities charged them with endangering national security and taking part in an illegal rally. Search continues for missing British tourists The search continues for five British nationals kidnapped in Ethiopia. Local police said the tourists were kidnapped along with 13 Ethiopian drivers and interpreters in the remote Afar region to the north-east of the capital Addis Ababa. Staff members of the British embassy are among those abducted. A team of British Foreign Office officials has been sent to Addis Ababa to help secure their release. A group of French tourists who were also feared to have been abducted have now turned up safe. There have also been reports that five of the 13 kidnapped Ethiopians have been picked up by security forces near the country's border with Eritrea. Eritrea has denied Ethiopian claims that it was behind the kidnappings. Kuwaiti cabinet resigns The government of Kuwait has resigned, just eight months after taking office. Parliamentarians said the move was aimed at preventing a planned no-confidence vote against a senior minister. This came after the government failed to secure enough support in parliament to avoid Health Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah al-Sabah being voted out of office in a session scheduled for Monday. Members of the opposition have accused the minister of mismanagement and incompetence. President Köhler to visit South America German President Horst Köhler is on his way to Paraguay where he is to kick off his first official visit to South America. The president's 12-day trip will also take him to Brazil and Columbia. His visit to Paraguay will be the first ever by a German president. Köhler is expected to use the trip to discuss social and economic issues. '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' We want to hear from you! Send your thoughts and comments on any DW-WORLD.DE article to [EMAIL PROTECTED] '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' For more information please turn to our internet website at http://newsletter.dw-world.de/re?l=evulyuIfcha79I1&req=l%3DevulytIfcha79I1 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. 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