Deutsche Welle English Service News 04.10.2002, 16:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD: Signs of US-German Unity on Reunification Day Tensions between the United States and Germany over Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's firm anti-war stance on Iraq eased on Thursday when President Bush congratulated Germany on the 12th anniversary of unification. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1430_A_648874_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. terrorism investigation moves to arrest six U.S federal law enforcement officials said on Friday, that as part of a terrorism investigation, the FBI was arresting six U.S. citizens accused of signing up to fight against the United States after the Sept. 11, 2001, hijacked plane attacks. They said four of the individuals were in Portland, Oregon, one was in Detroit and one was overseas. The arrests were scheduled to be announced by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft at a news conference at the Justice Department, the officials said. Blix to meet American officials in Washington Hans Blix, the head of the United Nations weapons inspection team, is preparing for talks with senior American officials in Washington after acknowledging that there is no prospect of an early return of his inspectors to Iraq. Mr Blix says there are loose ends to tie, before any return of inspectors.It is expected that Mr Blix will be told that America will continue to insist that the weapons inspectors wait for a new Security Council resolution before setting foot in Iraq. There are signs that the Bush Administration and Britain are exploring the idea of using a French compromise plan to get their way. This would involve a first resolution strengthening the mandate of the arms inspectors and a second resolution authorising force only if the inspectors were blocked. Meanwhile Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for the quick return of weapons inspectors, after the Russian foreign ministry earlier said Moscow rejected the need for any new UN Security Council resolutions. Germany warns of dangers of war on Iraq Germany said on Friday it remained at odds with the United States on how to deal with Iraq, and warned there would be far-reaching political and economic consequences if a strike was launched on Baghdad.German defence Minister, Peter Struck told reporters, that there are, as before, differing opinions between Germany and the United States. He added he believed war would have great political consequences, world-wide economic repercussions and cost many lives. Mr Struck said he hoped to meet U.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld within two months. He arrived on Friday for a European Union defence ministers' meeting in Greece. Pakistan and India test fire missiles Pakistan has successfully test-fired a new surface-to-surface missile. The medium-range Shaheen-1 missile, is capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads. Shortly afterwards, India test fired its surface-to-air, Akash, missile. An Indian defence ministry official described the test as "routine and successful". Friday's tests come amid a resurgence in tensions between the South Asian arch-rivals over a spate of killings blamed on Pakistani-based militants during elections in Indian administered Kashmir. U.S. special envoy holds talks in North Korea The US and North Korea held talks on Friday that could lead to a shift in President George W Bush's hard-line stance towards the secretive state. James Kelly, an assistant secretary of state, met with the North's second most senior leader, Kim Yong-nam, Pyongyang's official news agency said.It was not clear if Mr Kelly, making the highest level visit to North Korea in two years, would meet the country's leader, Kim Jong-il. Pressure increased on Ivory Coast rebels West African mediators have increased pressure on Ivory Coast's rebels and government officials to sign a ceasefire on Friday to end a 16-day revolt.The rebels agreed to a truce after the mediators visited their stronghold Bouake on Thursday but neither the dissidents nor the government were happy with the draft text of the truce.A meeting with Ivory Coast's defence and foreign ministers in the country's commercial centre Abidjan was suspended on Friday to give the government time to study the text. Meanwhile rebels in Bouake told reporters they objected to demands they lay down arms after signing the deal, adding that a column of loyalists was heading to attack their stronghold. Several killed and houses destroyed in central Nigeria This week in renewed hostilities between two communities in central Nigeria's Plateau State,several people were killed and many houses w destroyed,police said Friday. Violence erupted on Tuesday when the people of Kanam accused their Langtang neighbours of stealing their cows, a state police spokesman said, adding that the police had quelled the fighting.The past year has witnessed violent unrest in Plateau State which has left hundreds of people dead and houses and properties destroyed. 10 nations to join EU 2004 The European Commission next week will recommend that 10 ex-Soviet and Mediterranean countries join the 15-nation EU in 2004, an official said on Friday. The European Union's executive arm will next Wednesday recommend the entry of Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, the EU source said. In its final appraisal reports on the candidate countries before a EU summit in December, the commission would also urge the 10 hopefuls to continue their reform programs, to be acceptable for EU membership in two years. However Turkey's long-running bid to join the world's biggest trading bloc looks set to stay on the backburner, partly out of human rights concerns. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For more information please turn to our internet website at http://dw-world.de/english 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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