Nur al-Cubicle

A blog on the current crises in the Middle East and news accounts unpublished by the US press. Daily timeline of events in Iraq as collected from stories and dispatches in the French and Italian media: Le Monde (Paris), Il Corriere della Sera (Milan), La Repubblica (Rome), L'Orient-Le Jour (Beirut) and occasionally from El Mundo (Madrid).

Monday, May 02, 2005

2 May 2005 Events in Iraq (and nearby)

Ramallah. Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised the Palestian Authority the assistance it needs to rebuild, fight terrorism and shore up its economy. Putin promised helicopters to the PA as he called for the release of all Palestinian political prisoners. Mr. Putin also reissued an invitation to an international Mideast peace conference in Moscow.

Nablus. Six Israeli settlers from Har Brakha in the northern Occupied Territories were arrested for throwing stones at passing Palestinian vehicles.

Jerusalem. Emprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti says the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza is the consequence of the intifadah, and not due to negotiators in an interview in the Corriere della Sera. Barghouti says he supports Mahmood Abbas.

Baghdad. An aide to the governor of the Southern city of Kut was killed by a gunman in Sadr City while visiting relatives.

Madaen. Six more bodies were found in this town south of Baghdad, where Shiite hostages were said to have been killed last month, an Interior Ministry official said.

Baghdad. A 6-year-old child was killed by a roadside bomb in the Dura district.

Bucharest. Romanian President Traian Basescu says he has proof that the Romanian hostages are still alive.

Tarmiya. Bomb aimed at national guard patrol wounded one policeman and two civilians north of the capital.

Basrah. A British soldier was killed in combat in southern Iraq.

Baghdad. Insurgent gunmen killed five Iraqi police officers at the Nahrawan checkpoint in southeast Baghdad.

Khalis. Police officer shot dead by armed gunmen.

23:50 Washington. President George W. Bush unexpectedly invited French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier to a meeting in the Oval Office to discuss Lebanon, Iran and the Middle East Peace Process. Bush said the visit was cordial.

21:02 Kuwait City. The Kuwaiti Parliament was unable to pass a law granting women the right to vote and to run for office due to abstentions by conservatives. Another vote will be attempted Tuesday, says Deputy Speaker Mishari al Andjari. Out of 60 MPs, 29 voted yes and 29 abstained.

20:13 Washington. Condoleezza Rice reaffirms the US commitment to the EU in its efforts to convince Iran to renounce its nuclear ambitions after a meeting with Michel Barnier, French Ambassador to the US.

20:07 Rome. Vice Premier Gianfranco Fini and Presidential Undersecretary Gianni Letta have presented the report on the fatal Calipari shooting by the Italian investigation team to US Ambassador Mel Sembler.

20:06 Baghdad. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani will participate in the meeting between the Arab League and the countries of South America on May 10 and 11 in Brasilia. The conference was organized by Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to promote South-to-South trade and banking.

18:18 Baghdad. 38 dead in two days in bombings. Three carbombs detonated today in Baghdad. The first occurred in the Huriya district of north Baghdad as the convoy of Gen Felehih Rashid passeby by. The general and his bodyguards were wounded. The second was in the Karrada quarter, a business district in south Baghdad. Six pedestrians and 12 others were wounded. The blast caused a fire in a 5-story condominium. The third exploded in the Zayuna district of east Baghdad, killing two police and wounding 10 others.

14:51 London. Ex-BBC director says Blair weakens democracy. Ex-BBC General Director Greg Dyke, forced to resign by Downing Street, says he is joining the Liberal Democrats. Dyke says Blair has weakend Britain's democracy.

14:38 Rome. Italy and the USA attempt to mend differences over the death of SISMI Major-General Nicola Calipari as the Italian investigation team delivered its report to the Italian goverment. Former President Cossiga says the intelligence service, SISMI, will likely be blamed in the affair.

14:09 Damascus. Syrian President Bashir al-Assad signed into law two pieces of legislation which provide for banking secrecy and controls on money-laundering. Washington had accused the BCS (Syrian Commercial Bank) of money-laundering funds for the purposes of terrorism.

13:46 Baghdad. Wave of arrests: 84 detained. US troops and Iraqi forces arrested 84 persons connection with the recent wave of carbombings. They claim at least 40 Islamic extremists are now held in custody.

12:02 Baghdad. Third carbomb kills 8 and wounds 30. Among the wounded is General Felehih Rashid, commander of a special-ops team of the Ministry of Interior.

11:05 Baghdad. Australia deploys emergency team. Australia will deploy a hostage negotiation team composed of federal police, Defence Ministry officials and diplomats to work towards the release of Douglas Wood, kidnapped by the 'Shura dei Mujaheddin'. Woods, however, is a resident of the State of California.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

11:05 Baghdad. Australia deploys emergency team. Australia will deploy a hostage negotiation team composed of federal police, Defence Ministry officials and diplomats to work towards the release of Douglas Wood, kidnapped by the 'Shura dei Mujaheddin'. Woods, however, is a resident of the State of California.

OK so anybody got any guesses on how many of those Aussies are likely to get creamed by a roadblock when they're on their way home?

Also as he's a Californa resident will it be done a Californian national guard unit or will they leave it to New Yorkers like the last time?

11:28 AM  
Blogger Nur-al-Cubicle said...

If they are all blonde, maybe they will be okay.

12:25 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Golly gee willerkins Nur!!! Don't say that! Some eyeraki might buy some peroxide an' then where would we be????

(Posted in other thread also)

12:53 PM  

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