January 25, 2010
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: Following is a summary of news reports posted until 04:00 p.m. Baghdad local time Monday – Jan. 25:
* Politics:
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Monday stressed his country’s desire to boost its relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members, according to a presidential statement.
BAGHDAD - The parliamentary human rights commission on Monday announced the formation of a committee to investigate human rights violations in Iraqi prisons.
BAGHDAD - Ali Hassan al-Majeed, known as Chemical Ali, will be executed within the coming few days, an official spokesperson for the Iraqi government said on Monday.
BAGHDAD - Iraqi Parliament approved on Monday a law that organizes the presence and activities on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Iraq.
* Security:
KIRKUK - Two cops have been killed by unknown gunmen in Kirkuk City, a local security source said on Monday.
SALAH AL-DIN - Iraqi army and police forces have been surrounding the provincial building in Salah al-Din for two days.
WASSIT - Security forces in Wassit defused on Monday a bomb that was planted in front of a local politician’s house in southern Kut.
KARBALA - Five al-Qaeda-in-Iraq (AQI) operatives were arrested in Karbala before targeting Shiite pilgrims converging on the city to celebrate the Arbaeen festival, a local media director said on Monday.
BAGHDAD - Confessions of 15 elements of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) Organization were televised on Monday.
ANBAR - Twenty-one detainees were released in Anbar after they had been cleared of all wrongdoing, a local security source said on Monday.
BAGHDAD - Two blasts have hit two separate places in downtown Baghdad, eyewitness said on Monday.
* Economy:
BAGHDAD - Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Rafie al-Issawi has stressed his government’s aspirations for an expanding role by Turkish companies in Iraq’s building process.
BAGHDAD - The minister of municipalities in Iraq’s Kurdistan has met with representatives of a Swiss-Russian company to discuss the implementation of several projects in the region, an official statement said on Monday.
BAGHDAD - An Iraqi lawmaker from the Fadila Party has ruled out a parliamentary passage of the 2010 federal budget during today’s session, the last in the current legislative term.
* Variety:
BEIRUT - Bodies of 23 passengers who were aboard an Ethiopian plane which crashed into the Mediterranean Sea off Beirut have been recovered, while the destiny of the only Iraqi passenger remains unknown.
BASRA - The Basra-Istanbul airway will be opened early next month, the deputy head of Basra’s investment commission said on Monday.
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