April, 2006

• 18 April

  Sophisticated centrifuge?

  TEHRAN — Iran’s president has thrown a new wrinkle into the nuclear debate by claiming his country is testing a more sophisticated type of centrifuge for enriching uranium — a device that could be used to more speedily create fuel for either power plants or for atomic weapons.

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• 18 April

  Siniora heads to US seeking Bush backing

  BEIRUT (AP) — Prime Minister Fuad Siniora headed to Washington on Monday for a meeting with US President George W. Bush where he was expected to seek American political and economic support for Lebanon’s efforts to extend its authority over all Lebanese territory and revive the war-shattered economy.

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• 18 April

  House sale on Mount of Olives leaves trail of blood

  OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — As far as the Abu Hawa family is concerned, the sale of two floors of their home on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives was perfectly legitimate.

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• 18 April

  Dead Sea ‘dying’

  EIN GEDI, Israel — The Dead Sea is dying, with the world’s saltiest water body threatened by a lack of freshwater and an increasingly tense political situation, environmentalists have warned.

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• 18 April

  Northern Iraq city’s fragile ethnic mix perseveres

  KIRKUK — Armed men fill the corridors of power in Kirkuk’s government building as police, soldiers and bodyguards trade fierce looks outside the offices of council members. What the squabbling politicians and their retainers are not doing in this building, however, is shooting at each other, giving hope for the …

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• 17 April

  Iran seen reinforcing nuke sites, warns US

  VIENNA (Reuters) — Iran has expanded its uranium conversion facilities in Isfahan and reinforced its Natanz underground uranium enrichment plant, a US think tank said, amid growing concern over possible US military action.

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• 17 April

  Haniyeh calls for unity amid tension

  Iran announces $50m aidGAZA CITY (AP) — The Hamas-led Palestinian government on Sunday renewed calls for a “national unity” coalition with rival factions in a bid to stave off rising tensions between the groups that have severely weakened the new Islamic leadership.

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• 17 April

  No magic formula for peace

  BAGHDAD — US leaders are pushing Iraqis hard to resolve the deadlock over a new prime minister and form a unity government. But getting that done will offer no guarantee of a quick end to the country’s violence.

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• 17 April

  Iraqi gov’t talks snarl

  BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraq’s Shiite leaders, divided over their choice for the next prime minister, cancelled a much-awaited parliament session on Sunday as rebel attacks across the country left at least 31 people dead.

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• 13 April

  2 Palestinians die in Israeli air strike

  TWO FIGHTERS OF Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades were killed Wednesday in an Israeli air strike along the Gaza Strip border with Israel, Palestinian security sources and witnesses said. They said an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at a group of Palestinians near the Kissufim crossing between the central Gaza Strip …

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