February, 2009

• 4 February

  Iraq must focus on reconstruction upkeep, U.S. says

  BAGHDAD  – Iraq must ensure it can maintain costly public works and avoid errors that marred past reconstruction efforts backed by billions of dollars of U.S. aid, the senior U.S. military engineer in the country says. The U.S. military has placed new emphasis on making sure that Iraqi officials, from …

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• 4 February

  U.S. to emphasize security goals in Afghanistan

  WASHINGTON  – The Obama administration is likely to emphasize security goals in Afghanistan by approving extra troop deployments even before the White House completes its review of Afghan strategy, U.S. officials said on Tuesday. The emphasis on military operations reflects a shift in U.S. thinking that places greater priority on …

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• 4 February

  U.N. chief in Afghanistan for security talks

  KABUL (Reuters) – United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was in Afghanistan on Wednesday for talks with President Hamid Karzai and NATO military leaders, the U.N. said. Ban’s unannounced visit comes a day after the U.N. said more than 2,100 civilians were killed in Afghanistan in 2008, 40 percent more …

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• 4 February

  Taliban kidnap 29 Pakistani police and soldiers

  MINGORA, Pakistan  – Pakistani Taliban kidnapped 29 paramilitary soldiers and policemen Wednesday, police said, as the militants intensified their campaign against government forces. Security has deteriorated sharply in northwestern areas along the Afghan border as well as the Swat valley, where troops are struggling to stem spreading Taliban influence. In …

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• 4 February

  Envoy: IAEA Chief to Report on Iran Soon

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran’s residing representative at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Ali Asqar Soltanieh Wednesday said that the agency’s Director General Mohammed ElBaradei will release his report on Iranian nuclear program within the next one or two weeks. “The Agency’s director general will likely release his report on Iran’s …

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• 4 February

  Iran, S. Arabia Stockpiling Cheap Fuel

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Cheap refined petroleum stored in Asia has prompted Iran and Saudi Arabia to purchase and stockpile millions of barrels of gas oil. Iran is storing around 2 million barrels of gas oil on ships, as cheap prices encourage the country to stockpile the fuel even though a mild …

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• 4 February

  Joint Committee Called for Fate of Iranian Diplomats

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki requested Lebanese officials on Tuesday to form a joint committee to probe into the fate of the four Iranian diplomats kidnapped in Lebanon in 1982. In a message to his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Sallukh handed over by Iran’s Ambassador in Beirut Mohammad Reza …

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• 4 February

  Iran Underlines Peaceful Mission of Satellite

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran underlined that its first home-made satellite ‘Omid’ (Hope) which was launched on Tuesday has no military purposes. Speaking to reporter during a weekly press conference here in Tehran on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hassan Qashqavi brushed aside some countries’ concerns regarding Iran’s new scientific achievement. He …

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• 4 February

  Intellectuals View Iran’s Revolution as Major Event in World History

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Islamic Revolution of Iran, in view of Pakistani intellectuals, was as a major event in the world history. “I believe that it (Islamic Revolution) is one of the unique examples in the history,” Mazhar Abbas a senior journalist in Islamabad told the Islamic republic news agency on Tuesday, …

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• 4 February

  Supreme Leader Lauds Launch of Iranian Satellite

  TEHRAN (FNA)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei lauded Iran’s latest achievement in launching the home-grown ‘Omid’ satellite on Tuesday. In his response to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s letter, Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated the Iranian scientists and managers’ efforts that led to the successful launch of the …

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