Deutsche Welle English Service News 16. 03. 2004, 17:00 UTC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The East is Calling! On May 1st the EU expands to include 10 new members. Join DW-WORLD on a cultural and political journey across thousands of kilometers by participating in our online quiz. You'll come out a winner -- whether it's picking up a prize or expanding your mind. http://dw-world.de/go-east ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Today's highlight on DW-WORLD:
Security Dominates Franco-German Talks In the wake of the Madrid bombings, Germany's Gerhard Schröder and France's Jacques Chirac have vowed to increase anti-terror measures and pledged to stamp out the root causes - including poverty and underdevelopment. To read this article on the DW-WORLD website, just click on the internet address below: http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1433_A_1144696_1_A,00.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Police have identified 6 Moroccans as Madrid suspects Spanish police say they have detained an Algerian man who allegedly made threats about a massacre in Madrid, two months before it happened. They said they picked the man up in the Basque city of San Sebastian on Saturday and were trying to determine whether he had advance knowledge of last Thursday's attack in the Spanish capital. Police said they were also searching for five Moroccan Muslim militants who may have helped plant the bombs on the four commuter trains. The five are part of group of eight main Moroccan suspects. One, who is already under arrest, is reported to have been linked to a bombing that killed 45 people in Casablanca last May. US, Britain may consider new UN resolution on Iraq The United States and Britain have raised the possibility of supporting a new United Nations resolution on Iraq, if that would convince Spain to leave its troops there. Speaking to reporters during a trip to Finland, British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon said London supported the idea, and was keen to speak to Spanish officials about it. Earlier, a spokesman for the US State Department said a new UN resolution on Iraq was a possibility. Spain's prime-minister-elect, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, said on Monday that he would withdraw 1,300 Spanish troops from Iraq, unless the United Nations took over control of foreign forces there by the end of June. German, Dutchman killed in Iraq A German civilian has been killed in a drive-by shooting south of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. One of 5 others killed in an attack on two civilian vehicles near Karbala was a Dutch citizen. The other four victims were Iraqis. The two Europeans had been working on a water supply project near the city of Mussajab. On Monday, three American missionaries were killed in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Two others were wounded in that drive-by shooting. France, Germany want EU constitution deal by year end France and Germany want the European Union to adopt its new draft constitution by the end of this year. This, according to French President Jacques Chirac. Speaking during a visit to Paris by German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Chirac said the final text should be as close as possible to that of the the draft that Spain and Poland have held up, because it would reduce their voting rights. Chancellor Schroeder said there was still a chance a deal could be struck by the end of the Irish EU presidency on June 30th. The two leaders also discussed ways of combating terrorism, in light of last Thursday's bomb attacks in Madrid. Pakistani soldiers clash with tribesmen At least seven people have been killed in gun battles between Pakistani forces and tribal fighters near the country's border with Afghanistan. The clashes are part of a government offensive against members of the al Qaeda terror network and the Taleban, who are believed to taken refuge in the area. A military spokesman said four soldiers and at least three tribal fighters had been killed. The country's president, Pervez Musharraf, vowed on Monday to rid the area of suspected terrorists. For the first time he acknowledged that as many as 600 foreigners were likely sheltering in the region. Yemeni militant killed in Riyadh said to be Al-Qaeda leader for Gulf Saudi Arabian security forces say they have shot dead a high-ranking member of the Al Quaida terror organisation. He's named as Khaled Ali bin Haj, a Yemeni citizen, who is said to have been in charge of operations in Saudi Arabia itself and the rest of the Gulf. The Saudi government says he was No 3 on its most wanted list. It says another extremist was killed in the shootout in Riyadh. Al Haaj is said to have been a bodyguard of Osama bin Laden, the Al Quaida leader. The Americans also link him to the bombings of Riyadh residential areas last May which killed 26 people. Sharon rules out negotiations with Palestinians Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has convened a special security cabinet meeting to decide on a response to Sunday's double suicide bombing that killed 10 Israeli's. According to witnesses several Israeli tanks had moved into Gaza City from the south early Tuesday. Two Palestinian police officers were wounded by Israeli gunfire. Earlier Sharon won support from the Parliament for a plan to end negotiations with the Palestinians. Addressing parliament, Sharon said the suicide attack reinforces the understanding that there is no Palestinian leader with the courage and ability to tackle terrorism. Palestinian cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat called the statement unfortunate, adding that it was a very grave development which would not add anything to the efforts to revive the peace process. 26 detainees released from Guantanamo The US military says it has released 23 Afghan and three Pakistani citizens who were being held at the US base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. More than 600 detainees remain in custody. Officials said they were flown back to Afghanistan and Pakistan aboard US aircraft. The Pentagon said the 23 were no longer deemed a threat and no longer had any intelligence value. The releases come less than a week after five Britons were turned over to British authorities. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 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