January, 2009

• 11 January

  Iran to Pay for Indian Tea in Euro

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has decided to pay India in euros instead of US dollars for the tea it imports from this country, Tea Board of India chief Basudeb Banerjee said after returning from a three-day visit to Iran. India exports 11-12 million kg of tea to Iran every year at …

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• 10 January

  Heating Back To Normal In Serbia

  After several days of outages due to the Russia-Ukraine gas dispute, heating in Serbian households was back to normal on Friday thanks to gas imports from Hungary and Germany. Dusan Bajatovic, general manager of Srbijagas, told Balkan Insight that between four and five tons of natural gas should arrive daily …

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• 10 January

  Albania Floats Idea Of Balkan Schengen

  Kosovo and Albania said they will soon sign an agreement creating a ‘mini-Schengen’ zone allowing free movement across their borders, a deal that could lead to a wider no-border zone in the region. Travel between Albania and Kosovo is currently possible by showing one’s passport or driver’s license. “The agreement …

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• 10 January

  Macedonia Parties Agree March 22 Election

  The leaders of Macedonia’s four main political parties agreed on March 22 as the date for holding presidential and local elections, seen as a test for the country’s democratic credentials. Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, leader of the ruling centre right VMRO DPMNE party, told local media that parliament speaker Trajko …

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• 10 January

  Israel and Hamas defy ceasefire calls

  GAZA (Reuters) – Israeli aircraft, tanks and ships pounded the Gaza Strip for a 15th day Saturday and militants from Hamas fired rockets back at Israel, both sides defying international efforts to put a stop to the conflict. In the latest exchange of fire, eight Palestinians were killed by an …

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• 10 January

  Israel rebuffs U.N. resolution, pursues Gaza war

  GAZA (Reuters) – Israel rejected a U.N. resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip on Friday and warplanes and tanks pounded the Palestinian enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert dismissed Thursday’s binding Security Council resolution demanding an “immediate and durable” ceasefire in the two-week-old war as “unworkable.” …

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• 10 January

  Gaza boy recounts house of death

  GAZA (Reuters) – “Abu Salah died, his wife died. Abu Tawfiq died, his son died, his wife also died. Mohammed Ibrahim died, and his mother died. Ishaq died and Nasar died. The wife of Nael Samouni died. Many people died. “There were maybe more than 25 people killed,” said Ahmed …

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• 10 January

  West Bank protests over Gaza muted by helplessness

  RAMALLAH (Reuters) – Palestinians in the occupied West Bank protested on Friday against Israel’s full-scale offensive against Gaza, but the demonstrations were divided, short, and relatively muted. The death toll in the two-week onslaught, now 783, has stunned West Bank Palestinians, eclipsing an internal quarrel between those ready to recognize …

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• 10 January

  EU seeks to clear gas deal with Russia

  MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – The European Union will hold talks with Russia on Saturday to finalize a gas monitoring deal to allow the resumption of gas supplies to Europe via Ukraine, which have been cut off for days over a pricing row. Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, representing the EU presidency, …

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• 10 January

  Biden in Afghanistan to meet leaders

  KABUL (Reuters) – U.S. Vice President-elect Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday to meet political and military leaders in the war-torn country, which will become a top foreign policy priority of the new administration. One of the first decisions U.S. President-elect Barack Obama is expected to make is to …

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