January, 2006

• 12 January

  Israel agrees in principle to Jerusalem vote

  OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel on Monday agreed to allow Arabs in East Jerusalem to vote in this month’s parliamentary election, as Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said the polls would take place on January 25 as scheduled. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz announced that Israel had agreed in principle to allow …

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• 12 January

  Police search for kidnapped American journalist

  BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi police were searching Monday for an American journalist who was kidnapped over the weekend when gunmen ambushed her car and killed her translator in one of Baghdad’s most dangerous neighbourhoods. Jill Carroll, a freelancer for The Christian Science Monitor, was kidnapped Saturday in Baghdad’s predominantly Sunni …

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• 12 January

  Ministry attacks kill 29 Iraqis

  BAGHDAD (AP) — Two suicide bombers disguised as senior police officers killed 29 people Monday after infiltrating one of Baghdad’s most heavily fortified areas, but died before getting near the US ambassador, senior Iraqi officials and

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• 9 January

  US tries to exploit rift among Iraqi insurgents — report

  WASHINGTON (AFP) — The United States has stepped-up contacts with some Iraqi insurgent groups in a bid to exploit tensions between home-grown rebels and foreign militant groups such as Al Qaeda, The New York Times reported on Saturday.

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• 9 January

  Morocco to solve city crowding with new towns

  RABAT — The first of more than a dozen new towns designed to relieve overcrowding in Moroccan cities and empty the country’s slums will be ready for inhabitants this year, Housing Minister Ahmed Taoufiq Hejira told Reuters.

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• 9 January

  Abbas 1 year on — security chaos, political uncertainty

  RAMALLAH — One year after his election, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas faces an increasingly uncertain future with the demise of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and a spiralling security crisis.

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• 9 January

  UN nuke seals to be broken by Monday — Iran

  TEHRAN (AP) — Iran announced on Sunday that inspectors from the UN nuclear watchdog agency were in the country and preparing to remove seals from nuclear research facilities no later than Monday, allowing Tehran to move forward with its vow to resume nuclear fuel research.

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• 9 January

  Sharon’s empty house in Jerusalem symbol of defiance

  OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — When Prime Minister Ariel Sharon stunned the world by handing Gaza back to the Palestinians last year his critics feared this was the prelude to many more concessions.

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• 9 January

  Syrian leader makes surprise visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt

  JEDDAH (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad made surprise journeys to Saudi Arabia and Egypt Sunday, seeking support from Arab leaders as he faces an unprecedented challenge from a defecting ex-vice president and alleged Syrian involvement in the assassination of a former Lebanese leader.

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• 9 January

  12 die in Iraq US copter crash

  BAGHDAD (AP) — A US army Black Hawk helicopter crashed and killed all 12 Americans believed to be aboard, while five Marines died in weekend attacks. The mounting death toll, about two-hundred Iraqis were killed

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