May, 2006

• 11 May

  Putin responds to US criticism with calls for stronger Russian military, economy

  MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin’s state of the nation address on Wednesday focused on domestic problems such as how to reverse a population decline, but he also took swipes at the United States in his first reaction to US Vice President Dick Cheney’s lambasting.

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• 11 May

  Israeli company halts gasoline supplies to Palestinians, deepening crises

  NABLUS (AP) — Palestinian gas stations began shutting down and motorists lined up at pumps after an Israeli fuel company cut off deliveries Wednesday, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip that has followed Hamas’ rise to power.

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• 11 May

  Dispute over top jobs delays Iraqi unity gov’t

  BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Wrangling over the oil ministry portfolio and other top jobs held up on Wednesday the formation of a unity government the United States hopes can end rampant bloodshed and allow it to start withdrawing troops from Iraq.

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• 9 May

  France must apologise for ‘genocidal’ rule — Algeria

  ALGIERS (Reuters) — President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has repeated a demand that France apologise to Algeria for “genocidal” colonial rule, saying this was the only way to turn a chronically ill relationship into true friendship.

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• 9 May

  UN aid chief retreats from troubled Sudan

  KALMA CAMP, Sudan (Reuters) — UN humanitarian chief Jan Egeland and aid workers beat a hasty retreat from a refugee camp in Darfur on Monday after a demonstration spun out of control and an aid worker was attacked.

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• 9 May

  Tehran plays trump card against Washington push

  CAIRO — Iran’s president threw a deft trump card into his standoff with the West on Monday when he dispatched a letter to US President George W. Bush proposing “new solutions” to the crisis — a diplomatic overture that vastly complicates US hopes for UN Security Council sanctions to punish …

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• 9 May

  Maliki eyes deal on unity government as bombs kill 10

  BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Iraq’s political parties inched closer to sealing a deal on a unity government as Prime Minister-designate Nuri Maliki sketched out the sectarian balance among parliamentary blocs, officials said on Monday.

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• 9 May

  Khatib joins Quartet meeting

  FOREIGN MINISTER Abdul Ilah Khatib left Monday for New York to join a meeting today of the Quartet of diplomatic powers seeking Middle East peace and hoping to revive its stalled efforts and unify its approach to the  new Palestinian leadership.

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• 9 May

  Palestinians see no way out

  World Bank warns economic crisis much more alarming as 3 killed in Hamas-Fateh fighting GAZA CITY — With Hamas and the West locked in a standoff, the Palestinians are hurtling towards an abyss of poverty and chaos, and there seems to be no way to pull back.

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• 8 May

  Decision on pipeline in 90 days, says Iran: Aziz, Ahmadinejad meet in Baku

  BAKU (Azerbaijan), May 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday held in-depth discussions with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad covering the gas pipeline project, Iran’s nuclear issue, situation in the region and bilateral matters.

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