Thread: Iraq/Dinar News Until 5/31/2007 7:15 PM CST..

Sadoun Street receives facelift in Baghdad
Monday, 28 May 2007
By Maj. Sean Ryan
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division


Local Iraqi artists created murals on concrete security barriers on Sadoun Street near the Abu Nuwas Market in eastern Baghdad. Under Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon, also known as the Baghdad security plan, the Abu Nuwas Market is going to be re-opened for public use which will mean more customers for Sadoun Street, as well. More than 140 artists were employed for this project. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Sean Ryan.FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY — Sadoun Street in Baghdad was an important commercial district with many “chambers,” or street vendors peddling their goods daily on both sides of the bustling streets. Sadly, the narrow lanes that key lodgings like the Palestine and Baghdad hotels call home became targets of car bombs in recent years.

Abu Nuwas once provided the waterfront property with fish markets, cafes and shops that catered to locals and visitors from all facets of life. Only a stone’s throw from the historic Abu Nuwas Market, the two parallel streets became synonymous with good times. In addition to the numerous chambers, Sadoun Street was a boulevard lined with watch shops, kebab restaurants and theaters.

To help quell the rash of car bombs, temporary concrete barriers were emplaced for the safety of the Iraqi people by Coalition Forces on Sadoun Street. The high concrete blocks run approximately half a mile and separate traffic on both sides.

The residents in the neighborhood accepted the safety facets of the barriers, but decided to make it look a little more like home if the barriers were there to stay.

Today, the t-wall barriers that stand over 10 feet tall and five feet wide are unmistakable, as the concrete has been formed to replicate an artist canvas. The beautiful murals depict the daily lives of Iraqis with multiple water scenes like fishing in the waters, herding livestock, an array of animals and ships at sea.

Some of the scenes take up to seven barriers and are so vivid, it’s difficult to grasp the surface is concrete at first glance.

Commissioned by the Baghdad Municipalities, 140 men were pulled from local areas, and employed to paint the barriers. Mainly in their late teens and early 20’s, the men were hired in hopes of expanding their art knowledge, painting skills as well as giving the economy a boost.

One local store owner said the barriers are already bringing more customers into his small restaurant that had been decimated since the violence started.

“With the bombs going off and then concrete walls separating the street, no one could walk or cross the street before,” the restaurant owner said. He said he was barely making it, but now people are stopping to look at the walls and getting a bite to eat in the process.

Another local business owner of a carpenter shop between Sadoun and Abu Nuwas streets said he hasn’t really worked since the barriers went up. He said in the previous eight years before the barriers, he had always been busy.

He said he’s very happy the walls were painted and people stop and look.

Also, he said the clean-up on adjacent Abu Nuwas Street should help the entire neighborhood come back to prominence like the old days.

Under Operation Fardh Al-Qanoon, also known as the Baghdad Security Plan, the Abu Nuwas Market is going to be re-opened for public use. This should mean more customers for Sadoun Street merchants, as well.

The rebuilding of Abu Nuwas Street has already begun as repairs on sidewalks, parking renovations, street cleaning, trash removal and overall beautification has started. In addition, barrier removal plans are being conducted by the 1st Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, currently operating as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

Maj. Anthony Judge, the executive officer for 1-504th PIR, who is spearheading the barrier project said opening the market will help stimulate the economy by providing Iraqis with jobs.

Due to this barrier removal, some businesses are able to view the Tigris River for the first time since 2004 and plan on reestablishing their businesses and lives. Judge said the process of returning to normalcy is the goal of the revitalization projects, adding that it is something the Iraqi people dearly need to see and taste again.

Middle East, Iraq on agenda of the Foreign Ministers

(صوت العراق) - 28-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 28-05-2007

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Middle East, Iraq on agenda of the foreign ministers of Europe and Asia

Brussels (May 28) and the agency (Lucky) Italian News - The Foreign Ministers of the EU Member States and the Asia meeting (forum of Asia and Europe) Day in Hamburg (Germany), during which the issue of discussing stability in Iraq and the situation in the Middle East in addition to a broad spectrum of vital issues such as energy and change climate and dialogue between cultures. The European Commissioner in charge of Foreign Affairs and Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, in a statement quoted by the occasion of these meetings, which will continue today and tomorrow, and held on average once every two years, "UNHCR faith put new mechanism for dialogue," Her "that the European Commission intends to put the establishment of a new mechanism for dialogue between the 46 countries participating in the meetings, allowing us to search in the framework of multilateral agreements."

Waldner adds that such a mechanism show greater commitment of the participants to deepen regional cooperation with Asia, especially with regard to global challenges such as the environment and economic and financial cooperation, social policy and cultural dialogue, " "where the parties involved exchange of experience and dialogue in an atmosphere of openness and mutual understanding in the interest of the parties." The German Foreign Minister, whose country currently chairs the current session of the European Union Frank Steinmeyer, he stressed the need for cooperation of ASEM "to manage the consequences of globalization." It is noteworthy that the new states such as India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Bulgaria and Romania were involved in the meetings today and tomorrow, which makes the peoples of the participating States constitute 60% of all the world's peoples.

(Wga/Aki)

(Wga / Aki)

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

Jordan buttresses Iraq Red Cross Society

Monday, May 28, 2007 08:52 GMT

Jordanian king Abdullah II affirmed during his meeting with the chairman of the Iraqi Red Crescent Society Saeed Haqi that Jordan will keep on helping Iraq in its efforts to achieve security, restore stability. According to Petra, Jordan News agency, King Abdullah affirmed keenness to provide support for the Iraqi Red Crescent to improve its abilities and skills to be able to perform its duties to the fullest in cooperation and coordination with the Jordanian Red Crescent and the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization.






In addition, Haqi pointed out that this institution is one of the largest humanitarian organizations operating all over Iraq, in which about one hundred thousand have volunteered to work for.
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© 2007 Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite Network

Abdel Mehdi: Iraq should break its isolation

Monday, May 28, 2007 07:44 GMT

The second economic forum opened in Tehran in the presence of Arab officials and representatives of world organizations in order to discuss economic and security issues in the region. Iraq’s Vice President Adel Abdel Mehdi, a participant in the forum, stressed the necessity of breaking the isolation of Iraq through establishing relations to make progress in the country. He emphasized the importance of participating in forums that would benefit the country. Abdel Mehdi said that Iraq’s isolation is what led the country to be expelled from international relations, saying that Iraq should understand the external world and work to prove its economy and serve its own interests. He underlined as well the important role of neighboring countries in improving the economic and security situation in the country.






Abdel Mehdi encouraged to hold more forums to discuss hot issues, saying that the forums are kind of an open dialogue between the countries which leads to open new horizons into the future and help achieve further progress.
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© 2007 Alsumaria Iraqi Satellite Network

Iraqi Finance Ministry employee fired in eviction
By Edward Wong Published: May 28, 2007


The Iraqi Finance Ministry said that it had fired a ministry employee who tried in March to evict a Sunni Arab widow and her family from their home in a mostly Shiite neighborhood of western Baghdad.

The woman refused to move and was shot and killed the day after she was visited by two Shiite men identifying themselves as Finance Ministry guards.

The ministry said in a written statement given to The New York Times that the employee had tried to evict the widow, Suaada Saadoun, 49, without getting official permission. The ministry did not identify the employee, but Saadoun's relatives and neighbors said after her death on March 28 that the ministry official pushing for the eviction was named Ali Jezairi.

The statement said the finance minister, Bayan Jabr, a conservative Shiite, had ordered an investigation after reading about the case in an article published in The Times on March 30 and the International Herald Tribune on March 31. The article documented Saadoun's efforts to avoid being evicted from her home and her subsequent killing.

The statement by the Finance Ministry represented the first time an Iraqi government body had announced that it was punishing someone for attempting an illegal eviction. But the ministry did not address the killing of Saadoun.

Sectarian displacement has become widespread across Iraq, with Shiite and Sunni militias trying to rid neighborhoods in Baghdad and other cities of members of the rival sect.

This reporter met Saadoun on March 27 when Kurdish soldiers whom he was accompanying answered a distress call from her. She said in the call that two men were threatening her with eviction. The Kurds drove to her home in the Ali Salah neighborhood, where they helped U.S. soldiers detain the two Shiite men.

The men told the soldiers they were Finance Ministry guards and presented papers that they said showed that Saadoun's home belonged to the ministry. An interpreter for the U.S. soldiers said the papers dealt with homes in another neighborhood.

One of the two men, Zuhair Naama, was carrying a pistol. The Americans arrested Naama and his colleague, Abbas Radhi.

The next morning, Saadoun, a mother of seven, was shot and killed while walking to a market. After Saadoun's killing, her family and other tenants moved out of the house.

U.S. commanders said in March that Shiite militias had driven dozens of Sunni Arab families from the neighborhood in 2006 and that gunmen were now trying to evict the remaining families.

Months earlier, someone tossed a grenade into Saadoun's backyard, and she had been visited at least one other time by the two Shiite men.

In its statement, the Finance Ministry said the employee overseeing the eviction had been working with two relatives. Those relatives are presumably Naama and Radhi.

The ministry said it owned the home and had leased it to the employee, who then apparently decided it was his right to try to evict Saadoun.

The Finance Ministry said the fired employee "has no military rank or any kind of protection from any party." That phrase is intended to distance the case from the Shiite party that runs the ministry, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council.

Iraqi government to review draft capital market bill



MENAFN - 28/05/2007 [-] Text [+]





(MENAFN) A representative of the General Institution of the Iraqi Securities Market said that during discussions the entity has re-elected a former official of the organization as Chairman of the Trustees Board and that the country's draft capital market bill is expected to be finalized through these measures, Iraq Directory reported.

He further stated that the issuance of Iraq's market bill the will stimulate stock market investment activity and will in return meet the needs of several Iraqi investors.

It is noteworthy that the most significant achievements of the establishment include opening up to investors, obtaining modern head offices, achievement of preparations for electronic trading, and permitting non-Iraqis to join the organization.

Iran seeks to develop joint oil fields with Iraq



MENAFN - 27/05/2007 [-] Text [+]





(MENAFN) The Managing Director of the state-owned National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) said that Iran is seeking to develop previously untapped oil fields shared with neighboring Iraq, a move that will benefit the two countries, Gulf News reported.

He pointed out that the two countries, which have been strengthening ties since the US-led invasion in 2003, had already held two rounds of discussion on developing the fields. He added that the joint investment will bring various advantages to both countries.

Iraq has already invited Iranian firms to bid for contracts to build at least four oil refineries in the country, Iraq's Oil Ministry said this month. Iraq needs to attract investment from foreign firms to develop fields and boost output.

Dhi Qar : training more than 110 trainees at the center CST

(صوت العراق) - 28-05-2007

(Voice of Iraq) - 28-05-2007

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Dhi Qar : training more than 110 trainees at the center CST multiple tasks

Nasiriyah News Network / Marwa called Musawi :

Draft smart groupings is one of the projects of the United Nations, which seeks to introduce many segments of society in the sessions generate benefit to the individual from the city of Nasiriyah, especially rural areas

...

, Which was chosen for the introduction of modern technology in these areas and the need for individual knowledge of the sons of those areas to another Matusal modern science and to learn more about this program smart ...(News Network Nasiriyah) Question Hamid Hussein navigational technology center director multiple tasks in Mr. Dakhil him to do this interview.

Nasiriyah News Network-Are you that keen reader Karim on your draft?
The development objective of the project was to build local and national capacity for employment generation and poverty alleviation in Iraq, have been made to build on recent technological. The direct object the establishment of two actors groupings smart selected poor rural areas, and therefore the introduction of modern technologies, are built and well proven, in the processing of agricultural produce, foodstuffs and water treatment, waste and construction materials, information technology and telecommunications. The project includes elements seeking to disseminate best practices and achieve productivity gains have been made by modern technology at the community level in Iraq, in addition to the gains to be achieved and reflected in the promotion of institutions and the creation of employment opportunities, thereby reducing the poverty rate.
Nasiriyah News Network-Mahe Nchatackm major through your draft this?
The establishment of two groupings smart in two of Iraq suffer from poverty, unable to provide the range of services based on technology to the community. Each facility and includes the multi-purpose center, and food products manufacturing unit. Activities include major project to conduct detailed planning of the project and engineering studies, the establishment of two groupings smart in two of Iraq suffer from poverty to open direct implementation of the institutions and generate employment opportunities and take measures to enhance the performance of local institutions mandated facilities and project evaluation, and delivery and implementation of the diffusion of technology and best practices in order to disseminate gains within the country to the extent possible.
Nasiriyah News Network-Mahi briefly your leanings through this project?
Traffic heading towards alleviating the harsh conditions faced by a large proportion of the rural population and the Iraqi living conditions and working according to a long-term investment and limited-General, in addition to local development policies and the inappropriate activities of the combined institutions and employment generation.
Project aims smart groupings in Iraq acquire technological inputs and dissemination of selected taking into account the local conditions of social, economic and environmental. Which will translate into benefits directly and indirectly of the targeted communities. Thus, the definition of community input in the modern technological facilities to address agricultural and food products, to enhance the quality of the product and its marketing. The training secure support services institutions secured by the project would help to generate employment opportunities and the establishment of institutions with the reward of social and economic gains.
Nasiriyah News Network-Are there benefits from behind the establishment of this project and what does?
The project will seek to achieve a set of fundamentals on the basis of which to do this project, capacity-building at the community level and the central government through the implementation of employment generation and creation of institutions to build on well-tested technologies in the agricultural and food products and its subsidiaries had; The introduction of technologies such as treatment of process water and waste, in areas where the construction of the project, with direct interests in the future and generating employment and modernizing institutions and skills that will be applied in the activities and services associated with this technology; The building in the community to penetrate the information and communications technology and used it in broad areas, , including vocational training, practical and selected services; providing materials to the community for vocational training and support services institutions that would facilitate the establishment of small and micro enterprises, including those dealing with specialized agricultural and food products and disseminate best practices in employment generation and creation of institutions in a wide range of Iraqi respects, in view of the nature of the project and specific features in its design.
Nasiriyah News Network-What segments of the beneficiaries of this project?
The draft groupings smart targeting, in particular, poor communities in Iraq, and focuses on the population most affected. However, the whole community will benefit through services and schemes and the activities being carried out within the project. It is estimated that the number of direct beneficiaries in 3000 while estimated that the overall number of beneficiaries in any local community 25000. and securing access to modern technologies and knowledge associated such as treatment of agricultural products and food and desalinated water treatment and waste treatment systems and water heating on renewable energy, such as the use of septic water heating on solar energy and other .. And a wide range of services based on the technology will facilitate the project into community members to lucrative posts and the establishment of institutions and promotion. The workers, business owners and community organizations and local authorities in selected areas able to take advantage of modern communication technology and access to opportunities and improved working practices and a set of model.
Nasiriyah News Network-What institutions and ministries that contributed to the establishment of this project?
Engaged by the Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation and the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works in the formulation of the project. The Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works, played an effective role in the selection of sites has contributed close to securing assistance in ensuring responses actors local partners particularly concerned ministries. Junction will the Ministry of Planning to help coordinate efforts at the national level to ensure that continuity best practices through future activities which seek to community development. This would be in addition to universities and vocational training institutions in the two provinces selected engaged in the implementation and dissemination of best practices, thereby improving their ability to participate in community development. The project also will be implemented through cooperation with other authorities concerned "the diffusion of technology," in particular the ministries of agriculture, industry, science and technology in addition to the municipality and the municipal council in Mr. Dakhil.
Is there a role for the United Nations organizations in this project and the nature of this role?
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization : The organization of the training cadre draft address agricultural and food products, dairy production.
ILO : Organization participates in the training of trainers using the organization's program on "never developed business sector", with a focus on institutions and employment generation schemes.
The Organization ESCWA administrative role between organizations participating in the project and specialized smart rallies in a number of areas such as the United Nations Human Settlements Program and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the International Labor Organization, and will therefore ESCWA executive agency of the project. Will these three organizations roles allocated to them to achieve specific inputs, which include certain activities.
The United Nations Human Settlements : help to encourage the use of materials developed in construction and water treatment and reuse. Leading to organize workshop facilities and work programs for the identification and testing of materials and collected for testing and enforcement, in collaboration with the local university.
Is there inflate project for the segments of society in the province, Mahe?
The project, Through providing modern technological means of communication, research and processing of agricultural produce, foodstuffs and water treatment and Thlinha and waste treatment and water heating systems on the use of renewable energy to heat the water tanks on solar energy and other and through its training and insurance services and organizing workshops, would facilitate access to and use of modern technology to the local community associations and individuals and institutions.
Nasiriyah News Network-Mahe stages through which the project?
Joint agricultural and food processing : the financing of Dhi Qar and site rehabilitation unit for the treatment of food products, has been the construction of a major production, in addition to the restoration of the old building and to contain the lab machines and industrial facilities him. The Organization of ESCWA train a cadre project, which will cost management and production. and the processing machinery and equipment necessary for the purpose of installation at the project site.
- What is the status of multi-technology functions?
Cooperation with the Municipality of Mr. Dakhil, the Municipal Council which were renovated Hall Center for containment devices and the classroom, and the World Center ESCWA processing equipment and software, furniture, as well as appropriate training of trainers to command center. The inauguration of the Center for Technology in the multi-task June 25, 2006, and began training sessions and divided the working hours according to the need of trainees and still continues in the training center has been so far trained more than 110 trainees, personnel departments and researchers for opportunities to work and the various levels of education from high school students and university graduates. In addition to workshops for staff. And a special session of the female attendants women at the site.
Nasiriyah News Network-What training programs offered to participants.

Power Point

The training courses on the basis of computer use, and the Windows MS Word and MS Excel and programs language learning language and the use of Power Point and Internet service and e-mail. Trainees also distributed booklets simplified help to the proper use of the above-mentioned programs. After the session, distributed certificates to the trainees on the basis of the evaluation results of the examination of the trainees.

Nasiriyah News Network-Is there a final word?
Thank you for this interview, which we can define a decent citizen of this program and by which we seek to provide modern technology has lacked the rural areas in the city. I reiterate my thanks to you for you time workers in Nasiriyah News Network

Translated version of http://www.sotaliraq.com/

WTO discusses Iraq's potential membership



MENAFN - 27/05/2007 [-] Text [+]





(MENAFN) The U.S. Ambassador to Iraq said that several conferences were held for Iraq to become a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) which is said to be one of the most significant actions for Iraq's incorporation into the international trading system, Khaleej Times reported.

He went on to say that WTO ambassadors from the European Union (EU), Japan and other countries posed questions for Iraqi officials inquiring about the country's progress in balancing its trading rules with global principles.

It is worth mentioning concentrated mainly on political support for the Iraqi government and that international trade officials iterated the current security and political situation in Iraq denotes that it is still too early to discuss any timetable for the country's accession.

China to speed up completion of $750m Iraqi power plant



MENAFN - 27/05/2007 [-] Text [+]





(MENAFN) A senior official at Iraq's Ministry of Electricity announced that a high-level delegation from the ministry is currently making the final validations to complete the construction in southern Baghdad at a swifter pace, Iraq Directory reported.

He went on to state that the total value of the new power facility is approximately $750 million and has and has a full generating capacity of 1320 megawatt. The power plant will be known as Al-Zubaydeh power station.

It is worth mentioning that Iraq's Ministry of Education is looking to set up around fifty generators in Baghdad and boost the country's electrical output by mid-June of this year in order to eliminate the rationing prices in the country.