February, 2008

• 13 February

  Iran to Help Zimbabwe Beat off Sanctions

  TEHRAN (FNA) – Iran will help Zimbabwe defeat western sanctions by assisting President Robert Mugabe’s government in setting up a farm equipment manufacturing plant, refurbish an oil refinery and expand a power plant, Tehran’s envoy to Harare said on Monday.

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• 12 February

  Gates, Truth and Afghanistan

  By the Bush administration’s standards, Defense Secretary Robert Gates was remarkably candid last week: acknowledging that popular opposition in Europe to the Iraq war was making it harder to persuade European governments to send more troops or take more risks to salvage Afghanistan.

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• 12 February

  Pakistani envoy to Afghanistan missing

  Kabul: Tariq Azizuddin, Pakistan’s ambassador to Afghanistan, has been reported missing, senior Afghan officials confirmed on Monday amid speculation that he had been kidnapped. 

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• 12 February

  US dismisses Taliban assertion of ‘defeat’ in Afghanistan

  WASHINGTON (AFP) — Washington has dismissed an assertion by fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar that the United States has been “defeated” in Afghanistan.

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• 12 February

  President Ahmadinejad Addresses Ralliers on Revolution Anniversary

  TEHRAN (FNA) – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stressed Iran’s firm nuclear stance and continued move towards progress during his address to millions of ralliers who congregated at Tehran’s Azadi Square to stage strong support for the Islamic Republic and commemorate 1979 Islamic Revolution.

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• 11 February

  EU to launch Kosovo mission before independence

  BRUSSELS – The European Union is set to complete authorization of a big supervisory mission in Kosovo this week, just before the territory is expected to declare independence from Serbia, diplomats and EU officials said.

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• 11 February

  OSCE may stay in Kosovo with narrower mandate

  WASHINGTON – Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva said on Monday he was optimistic Europe’s main election watchdog will be able to stay in Kosovo, perhaps with a narrower mandate, if the region declares independence.

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• 11 February

  Russia sees Iraqi oil deal revival in debt write-off

  MOSCOW – Russia agreed on Monday to write off most of Iraq’s $12.9 billion debt in a deal that opens up Iraq for $4 billion in investment from Russian firms, including oil major LUKOIL.

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• 11 February

  Car bombs kill 11 in Baghdad: Iraqi police

  BAGHDAD – Two car bombs exploded in southern Baghdad on Monday, killing 11 people during a visit to the city by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Iraqi police said.

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• 11 February

  Slow exodus threatens Kosovo’s mountain Gorani

  BROD, Serbia – The man introduced himself as the village historian, reaching into his jacket and producing a notebook scrawled with figures for Kosovo’s Gorani population.

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