 | | | | | | | Newsletter | 21.01.2009, 17:15 UTC | | | Newsline | | | World news: international | | | | | | | | | News | | | | | Current Article | | | | Obama vows to seek durable Mideast peace in Abbas call
In his first full day at the White House, US President Barack Obama has promised to work toward achieving a "durable peace" in the Middle East. In his first telephone call to a foreign leader since taking the oath of office, Obama reiterated that he and his administration will work in full partnership with the Palestinian leader to achieve peace in the region. Earlier Obama requested a four-month suspension of military trials at the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A judge has agreed to halt proceedings in 21 cases, including five prisoners accused of plotting the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States. |  | | German minister says US responsible for freed Guantanamo detainees
German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schäuble has said that the United States is responsible for the fate of detainees released from the US prison camp at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. In an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau Schäuble said that if the detainees come from countries whose human rights record makes it impossible for them to be sent back there, then they will have to remain in the United States. The Christian Democrat politician said he did not see why European Union countries should provide sanctuary to people who are perceived as too dangerous for the United States. Schäuble indirectly criticized German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD), who has said Germany would consider granting asylum to released Guantanamo inmates. | | | Israel completes Gaza troop withdrawal
Israeli troops have completed their withdrawal from the Gaza Strip after a three week military campaign against the Islamist Hamas movement. An Israeli military spokesman said the last soldiers had left the enclave on Wednesday morning. He added that the forces had deployed around the Gaza Strip to meet any eventuality. The Israeli troop withdrawal was initiated after Israel and Hamas separately declared ceasefires on Sunday. Its completion coincided with Barack Obama succeeding George W. Bush as President of the United States. More than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, including 10 soldiers were killed during Israel's military campaign to stop Hamas rocket attacks. | | | Kosovo launches new security force
Kosovo has launched a new security force made up of 2,500 civilians and paramilitaries, despite protests from neighbouring Serbia. The NATO-trained FSK force will carry light weapons and include members from all ethnic groups. The FSK replaces the Kosovar Protection Force which had been made up mainly of former members of the separatist Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK). Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said the creation of the security force was totally unacceptable and a threat to peace and stability in the entire region. Kosovo declared its independence from Belgrade last year. | | | Russian gas deliveries arrive in Europe
A growing number of European countries have started receiving Russian gas again. Gas operators in Eastern and Central Europe said the supply situation should be normalised by the end of the day. European gas supplies were disrupted for two weeks, with some countries hit worse than others, while Russia halted all deliveries via Ukraine due to a row over payments. Exports resumed after Moscow and Kiev signed a 10-year contract that will allow Ukraine a 20 percent discount on the market price for gas until the end of the year. | | | Hypo Real to get new €12 billion in guarantees
The German government is set to inject another 12 billion euros into struggling property lender Hypo Real Estate, bringing total public guarantees to 42 billion euros. The Munich-based bank, the biggest German victim of the global financial crisis, said it would use the extra funds to refinance debts that have to be paid by June. In October, the bank received 50 billion euros in separate liquidity from the government to initially avert its insolvency. Berlin has set up a banking sector rescue package that will provide up to 80 billion euros in cash injections and 400 billion in loan guarantees to prevent a collapse of the financial sector. | | | Dutch court orders prosecution of "anti-Islam" politician
An Amsterdam court has ruled that the right-wing politician Geert Wilders is to be prosecuted for inciting hatred and discrimination against Muslims. Last year, Dutch prosecutors refrained from launching a case against the Freedom Party leader, saying his statements were hurtful to Muslims but not criminal. Wilders had on several occasions referred to Islam as a "backward culture" and the Koran as a "fascist book". He warned of the spread of radical Islam and the alleged "Islamization" of the Netherlands in Fitna, a 16-minute political film released on the internet last March. | | | Ericsson to cut 5,000 jobs amid drop in profits
Swedish telecommunications equipment maker Ericsson says it is slashing 5,000 jobs to cut costs. The announcement came as the company posted a 31 percent drop in fourth-quarter profits, partly due to restructuring expenses. Ericsson's earnings were down more than 514 million euros compared to the same quarter in 2007. However, sales rose 23 percent from a year earlier. Ericsson says it needs to cut costs as the global financial climate continues to pressure the mobile network market.
| | | Ex-KGB Russian oligarch buys British newspaper
A Russian billionaire businessman has bought a controlling share in London's Evening Standard newspaper. The former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev will acquire more than 75 percent in one of Britain's oldest newspapers for a nominal sum. The Evening Standard has suffered sliding sales due to increased competition from free newspapers. Lord Jonathan Rothermere, chairman of parent company Daily Mail and General Trust, said he was conviced that Lebedev would continue to invest in the Evening Standard. | | | | | |  | | |  Up-to-date news at DW-WORLD.DE | | | | | | |  | | | Note
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