Arabic News Weekly Edition for Iraq, 1/24/2005
Weekly Edition, Iraq - Week of January 24, 2005
- Iraqis abroad cast their votes
Ballot centers were opened in Asia, Europe, and North America to receive some 280,000 Iraqi eligible voters who are casting their votes in the first legislative elections since the fall of the government of the Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Iraq, Politics, 1/29/2005 - Extreme violence escorts the Iraqi elections
While the Independent Higher Commission For The Iraqi Elections, which supervises the Iraqi elections inside Iraq, started to distribute the ballot boxes, seven members of the Iraqi police were killed and other 4 injured including two civilians in two separate attacks Iraq, Politics, 1/29/2005 - Independent Oil-for-Food panel interviews UN Secretary-General
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan was interviewed this week by members of the Independent Inquiry Committee (IIC) he commissioned to examine allegations of corruption surrounding the now-defunct Oil-for-Food programme for Iraq. Iraq-UN, Politics, 1/29/2005 - American copter crashes, five US soldiers killed
The American army said that one of its helicopters crashed in southern west Baghdad on Friday. No information came immediately on the victims. Iraq, Military, 1/29/2005 - Iraqis killed in various parts of Iraq, bombardment of ballot centers
Gunmen have escalated the pace of their attacks in various parts of Iraq just 72 hours from the date of the elections and launched a series of attacks that resulted in several killings and injured in the lines of the Iraqis and the American forces while more ballot centers were bombarded. Iraq, Military, 1/28/2005 - Turkish fears over the demographic structure change of Karkouk
The Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan considered that the elections due to be held in Iraq by the end of this month will not be fully democratic. Iraq-Turkey, Politics, 1/28/2005 - Voting for the Iraqi elections starts in Australia Iraq-Australia, Politics, 1/28/2005
- Lebanese embassy in Baghdad seeks to release Kidnapped Citizens Iraq-Lebanon, Politics, 1/28/2005
- Curfew in Iraq to maintain security for the elections
The Iraqi minister of the interior Falah al-Naqib said that as from tomorrow Friday, curfew will be introduced from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. for three days in order to ensure the security of the elections. Iraq, Politics, 1/27/2005 - More Iraqis killed, injured
In Beiji to the north of Baghdad, 11 schools directors abstained from opening their schools to be used as election centers of fears to be blown up by gunmen. Iraq, Politics, 1/27/2005 - 31 American soldiers killed in a plane crash, clashes in Iraq
Some 38 American soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash and clashes in various parts of Iraq on Wednesday, just four days before the legislative elections. Iraq-USA, Military, 1/27/2005 - Bank of Lebanon denies receiving illegal Iraqi money
The governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon, Rida Salameh, put an end to rumors which talked on transferring $ 300 million in cash from Iraq to Lebanon illegally, stressing that there are no illegal sums in the Lebanese banks. Lebanon-Iraq, Politics, 1/26/2005 - Measures to ensure security of the elections
News reports said that two American soldiers were injured in a bomb explosion that targeted their vehicle in the downtown of Tikrit. Ten election centers in various parts of Salah Eddine governorate were attacked by explosives and mortars alleged by al-Qaida Organization In Mesopotamia led by the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Iraq, Politics, 1/26/2005 - Six American soldiers killed in Baghdad
Attacks and explosions continued in the past hours in various parts of Iraq, the last of which was the killing of 11 Iraqi policemen at least in violent clashes with gunmen to the east of Baghdad. Iraq, Military, 1/26/2005 - American hostage in Iraq appeals for release; Chinese released Iraq, Local, 1/26/2005
- Accusations for Baghdad and Washington of torturing the Iraqis
Human Rights Watch has accused the Iraqi government of routine torture for prisoners accusing what it called "International observers in Iraq" of neglecting this matter. Iraq-USA, Politics, 1/25/2005 - Concerns over the Iraqi elections
Concerning the elections to be held on January 30th, the interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi vowed on Monday to keep the doors open for parties which announced intention to boycott the elections. Iraq, Politics, 1/25/2005 - New security measures introduced in Najaf
Part of the preparations for the elections on January 30 and as a precaution of the escalation of attacks, the commander of Najaf police, Ghaleb al-Jazaeri, announced banning any persons, not a resident of Najaf city, to stay in it the day of casting votes. He explained that the security plans for the city divides it to four security Zones. Iraq, Politics, 1/25/2005 - Two aides for Zarqawi detained in Baghdad
The Interim Iraqi government said that it had detained two aides for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who were behind planning for several operations, especially the attack against the UN headquarters in Baghdad. Iraq, Politics, 1/25/2005 - Heated debates between Chalabi, Shalan
Concerning the heated debates between the Iraqi defense minister Hazim Shalan and the chairman of the Iraqi National Congress group, Ahmad Chalabi, the latter said that the defense minister (Shalan) took millions of dollars outside Iraqi illegally. Iraq, Politics, 1/24/2005 - Poor participation of Iraqis in the Diaspora in the elections
The spokesman for the Iraqi Islamic party on Saturday announced that his party and the commission will not taking part in the local councils elections and confirming continued boycott of the legislative elections which will be held the same day. Iraq, Politics, 1/24/2005 - Tape recording for Zarqawi announces war on the elections
In a voice tape, the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatened to launch a fierce war against the elections in Iraq, describing the elections as a conspiracy from the side of the US, as he alleged. Iraq, Politics, 1/24/2005 - Intensive attacks in Iraq, leading figure killed
al-Qaida organization in Mesopotamia led by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi claimed responsibility in a statement on the Internet of killing Salem Jafar al-Minani, the leading figure in the national reconciliation party which is led by the Interim Iraqi prime minister Eyad Allawi. Iraq, Politics, 1/24/2005 - Continued fighting in Iraq, new kidnappings
A statement for the coalition forces in Iraq said that these forces detained since the fifth of January some 249 suspects in Musil city, to the north of Baghdad, over carrying out hostile activities. Iraq, Military, 1/24/2005