February, 2006

• 13 February

  Shiites tap Jaafari for PM

  BAGHDAD (AP) — Shiite lawmakers Sunday tapped incumbent Ibrahim Jaafari to be Iraq’s new prime minister, endorsing the physician and longtime exile for a second term by a single vote — thanks in large part to support by a radical anti-US faction.

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• 11 February

  Washington quietly backs Iran reformers

  WASHINGTON — Akbar Ganji has a term for the dangers of challenging Iran’s Islamic government: “Playing with death.” Ganji is perhaps Iran’s best known political prisoner. A veteran of hunger strikes and long bouts of solitary confinement, Ganji has been imprisoned since 2001 after writing that regime allies were responsible …

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• 11 February

  Islamists make strong showing in Kuwait gov’t

  KUWAIT CITY (AFP) — Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah on Thursday issued a decree approving a 16-member new Cabinet that includes three Islamists and saw the exit of two leading liberal ministers. Six ministers in the new government are members of the ruling Al Sabah family — …

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• 11 February

  Sudan, Chad sign peace deal

  TRIPOLI (AP) — The leaders of Sudan and Chad have signed a peace agreement to end increasing tension, pledging to deny refuge to each other’s rebel groups and to normalise diplomatic relations. The agreement, signed late Wednesday, was reached after a day of talks hosted by Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi. …

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• 11 February

  US sets up new Iraqi prison system

  WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The United States, which came under fire for abusing detainees in Iraq, has spent millions of dollars creating a new prison system there as part of a programme to revamp the criminal justice system from top to bottom. A Bush administration official, who asked not to be …

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• 11 February

  Israel plays down talk of rift with US

  OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli officials played down Thursday talk of a rift with the United States after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice rejected any unilateral moves to finalise the borders with the Palestinians. Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who is to lead the centrist Kadima Party into March 28 …

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• 11 February

  Million Shiites mark Ashura

  KARBALA (AFP) — More than a million Shiites, many beating their heads with knives, marked the mourning ceremony of Ashura Thursday amid heavy Iraqi security presence to prevent stampedes and attacks. Commemorations of Ashura, which remembers the slaying of the Prophet Mohammad’s grandson Imam Hussein in the southern Iraqi city …

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• 11 February

  Iraq searches for Al Qaeda hideouts

  KIRKUK (AFP) — Iraqi army units are searching for Al Qaeda members in a remote hilly area where they are believed to have fled after falling out of favour with tribal leaders in former strongholds. For the past two days, Iraqi army units, with US air support, have been moving …

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• 11 February

  US shield blunts Israeli military option on Iran

  OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Israel has long pursued a policy of preemptive attack as its preferred form of defence. But when it comes to tackling arch-foe Iran, that option may have been put on hold under a protective “umbrella” on offer from the United States.

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• 11 February

  Annan says Palestinian elections show voters want incorrupt governments

  UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary General Kofi Annan said Thursday that Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian elections should send a lesson to rulers and politicians in the Mideast and the world that voters want stable governments that are not corrupt and can serve their people. Annan said he didn’t view …

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