Thread: Archive Latest News - Think Tank - 16/08/07 - 03/11/07

Iraqi Embassy protest over union busting

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 U.S. labor leaders rallying outside the Iraqi Embassy in Washington pressed the prime minister to uphold workers' rights as oil workers are targeted in Basra.

Iraq's Oil Ministry has called the oil unions illegal and barred its departments and companies from any dealings with them.

Dozens rallied in front of the embassy Thursday as a letter from AFL-CIO President John Sweeney to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki was presented to the embassy, demanding the government recognize the rights of workers.

"It is crucial that workers in Iraq have these basic rights recognized," said AFL-CIO International Department Director Barbara Shailor. The unions have demanded improved working conditions for months, as well as a voice in negotiations over an oil law they fear, if passed, would give foreign and private companies too much access to Iraq's oil.

With the third-largest oil reserves in the world and oil exports that fund nearly all the federal budget, Iraqis view their oil sector with pride.

But Iraq's government hasn't changed a Saddam Hussein-era law banning public sector workers from organizing.

"It's actually decades of tyranny that we are fighting against," said Shawna Bader-Blau, senior program officer for the Middle East at the Solidarity Center.

The constitution calls for a labor law, which has not been debated in Parliament yet. Meanwhile, the Bush administration is pushing the government to approve an oil law, among other legislation.

"That should be our benchmark, to bring international human rights and labor rights to Iraqi workers," said Denise Lombard of USLAW. She said Iraqi workers protested in the oil capital of Basra Thursday as well.

The oil unions went on strike in June. The government sent the security forces to surround them and issued arrest warrants for its leaders. No one was arrested, but the warrants still stand. Government and union officials negotiated an agreement, which may expire soon if no action is taken.

The Iraqi ambassador is in Iraq, and no one at the embassy was authorized to make a statement.

When asked about the oil minister's anti-union stance during an interview Tuesday, Ghaleb El-Anbaki, a top political officer at the embassy, said, "Till now, the democratic institutions are not fully fledged and functioning properly. Some of them are still in the process of trial and error."

Iraqi Embassy protest over union busting : World

Gates contributes $5M to Iraq scholar fund

SEATTLE, Aug. 16 The Seattle-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is putting $5 million toward a program that grants fellowships to academics facing persecution in Iraq.

The initiative, which would help Iraqi scholars continue their work at institutions in other countries, marks a departure for the Gates' charity, which had focused on projects concerning health and development, the Financial Times reported Thursday.

The U.S. Congress has also approved $5 million for the program, which is the brainchild of the Scholar Rescue Fund, an organization founded in 2002 by a team that includes several Wall Street titans.

Officers at the fund began concentrating on Iraq this year after the number of scholars seeking aid jumped to as many as 40 a week after averaging three or four a month before autumn 2006, the newspaper said.

Bill and Melinda Gates support the project because "the protection of part of Iraq's intellectual capital ... will be essential for Iraq's future development," a spokeswoman for the foundation told the Financial Times.

Gates contributes $5M to Iraq scholar fund : US World

Venue for U.S. report on Iraq debated

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 The mode of delivery of next month's U.S. military and political briefing on Iraq is being debated by the Bush administration and Congress.

Under legislation funding the war effort, the briefings were mandated to be given by Sept. 15. U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker would brief lawmakers in a closed session before the release of the report, and then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates would provide the only public testimony, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The legislation says Petraeus and Crocker "will be made available to testify in open and closed sessions before relevant congressional committees" before the delivery of the report.

An aide to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., told The Post, "we are in talks with the administration and ... Senator Levin wants an open hearing" with Petraeus.

Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, told reporters in Crawford, Texas, that the Bush administration has no plans to substitute Rice and Gates. He said that the report given the president would include information from the cabinet members as well as Petraeus and Crocker, who will testify to Congress in both open and closed sessions.

Venue for U.S. report on Iraq debated : World

Iraqi government allocates 950 million ID to families of Shangal bombings casualties’

The Iraqi government decided to offer 950 million ID as aids to the families of the Shangal bombings casualties’ in which hundreds were lost their lives and were wounded .today August the 16th, to implement that decision Dr. Braham Salih, Deputy Iraqi PM, visited the area and distributed an amount of 2 million ID over relatives of each of the casualties families’. Deputy Iraqi PM, in addition to distributing the financial aid toured the scenes of the terrorist attacks.

On the other hand health officials from Duhok emergency ho****al said that currently 104 wounded are been treated, including 40 women and children.

PUKmedia :: English - Iraqi government allocates 950 million ID to families of Shangal bombings casualties’

President Talabani Receives a Congratulation Cable from the Brazilian President

PUKmedia 2007-08-16 17:59:03
President Talabani Received a Congratulation Cable from the Brazilian President on occasion of the Iraqi wining of the Asian cup, the following is the full text of the message:
Mr. President, on behalf of myself and my Brazilian people I am honored to express warmest congratulations to your Excellency on occasion of the success which the Iraqi national team achieved during the Asian 2007 cup.

This success is a unique model for the expertise and capability of the Iraqi people when unified in their national interests.

I am also glad that the Brazilian civilian coach Jorfan fierra participated in this great Iraqi victory and his helping in gathering this faithful and talented team.

Louis Anasio Lola Da Silva
President of the Federal Brazilian Republic

PUKmedia :: English - President Talabani Receives a Congratulation Cable from the Brazilian President

Iranian Bombardment is Continuous

On late Thursday, August the 16th, the Iranian artillery on going bombardment of the border villages of Kurdistan region in Pishder area, targeted several areas including kandol, Ganaw and its surrounding mountains.The shelling resulted in destruction of the villagers’ houses, setting fire in large areas of pasture , the local civilians evacuated the area, and KRG officials send several rescue teams for helping the casualties, PUKmedia correspondent said in the area.

PUKmedia :: English - Iranian Bombardment is Continuous

Mr. Azad Jundiani Received the US Regional Coordinator in Kurdistan Region

Mr. Azad Jundiani head of PUK central media office, received on Wednesday, August the 15th Mr. James Billy, the US Regional Coordinator in Kurdistan Region, accompanied by Jennifer Mergi economic and political attaché in Sulaimani, Mario Crivo, the media attaché.
During a meeting, attended by several members of PUK central media office, director of KURD sat channel, Mr. James Billy expressed his happiness and surprise towards the progress of Medias in Kurdistan region and a large number of media channels, considering it a vital indication to democracy and freedom of speech in Kurdistan region.

Mr. Azad Jundiani in addition to expressing his happiness for their visit presented a summary on the history of Kurdish media, its stages which since the struggle in the mountains until today could have its impact on the Kurdish movement and developing the Kurdish society. He particularly spoke on the policy of PUK media channels ,its multiple duties, pointing out that the Media policy of PUK are mainly sketched on laying impacts on the Kurdish society ,aiming at deepening democracy principals, human rights, civilizing the community ,and thus PUK are supporting Free medias as well in Kurdistan region.

Then members of PUK central media office, director of KURD sat channel in responding several questions of the host delegation, shed more light on the affairs of the media channels in Kurdistan Region.

PUKmedia :: English - Mr. Azad Jundiani Received the US Regional Coordinator in Kurdistan Region

Maliki announces Shia-Kurd tieup
By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

Baghdad, Aug. 16: The Iraqi Prime Minister and President on Thursday announced a new alliance of moderate Shias and Kurds, saying Sunni moderates refused to join but the door remained open to them. Prime Minister Noori al-Maliki said the agreement was the first step to unblock political stagnation that has gripped his Shia-led government since it first took power in May 2006. Pressure has been mounting against Mr Al-Maliki who has been criticised for having a Shia bias and failing to stop the sectarian violence, which persists in Iraq de****e the presence of tens of thousands of extra US troops. Emergency workers and grieving relatives in northern Iraq pressed ahead with salvage efforts two days after a quadruple suicide truck bombing in the village of Qahataniya bear the Syrian border. The attacks targeted Yazidis, a small Kurdish-speaking sect that has been targeted by Muslim extremists who consider its members to be blasphemers. Dakhil Qassim, the mayor of the nearby Sinjar town, said reports by other local officials that the casualty toll had risen to 500 killed and more than 375 wounded were true. "The numbers of victims reported missing by relatives and the figures we have for bodies received by ho****als are relatively close, but we will keep on searching at sites," he said. Zayan Othman, health minister for Iraq’s nearby autonomous Kurdish region, said on Wednesday that 250 bodies had been pulled from the rubble and some 350 people were injured, but he could not immediately be reached for an update on Thursday. The figures could not be independently checked because the area was under curfew and casualties had been taken to numerous ho****als.

A car bomb also struck a parking garage in a central commercial district in Baghdad on Thursday, killing at least nine people and wounding 17, the police said. Smoke poured out of the seven-story concrete building and food and merchandise stalls below were left charred after the blast, which struck during morning rush hour near the busy Rusafi square.

The announcement of the political accord after three days of intense negotiations in the capital was disappointing because it did not include Iraq’s Sunni vice-president Tariq al-Hashemi and his moderate Iraqi Islamic Party. President Jalal Talabani and Mr Al-Maliki were flanked by the leader of the northern autonomous Kurdish region, Massoud Barzani, and Shia vice-president Adel Abdul-Mahdi at a news conference. The four men signed a three-page agreement that they said ensures them a majority in the 275-member Parliament that would allow movement of critical US-demanded legislation. (AP)

The Asian Age - Enjoy the difference

Oil official was abducted in 'sophisticated' raid

Baghdad: Iraq's oil minister yesterday said that his deputy was kidnapped along with four senior officials in a "sophisticated" operation on Tuesday.

"Two days ago a large armed group with an estimated 100 gunmen ... forcibly broke into the oil marketing company and kidnapped deputy minister Abdul Jabbar Al Wagga and four other ministry employees," Hussain Al Shahristani said.

Al Wagga, a Shiite, was snatched with four senior employees when the gunmen, wearing Iraqi security forces uniforms, stormed into the state oil marketing organisation's building on Tuesday.

Al Shahristani said the men were carrying "sophisticated" weapons. They drove government vehicles and spoke in English as they convinced guards to let them enter in what he described as a serious breach of security committed by "enemies of Iraq."

He said security forces had some indication of where the kidnapped men might be held.

"The rescue operations are continuing day and night," Al Shahristani said.

Gulfnews: Oil official was abducted in 'sophisticated' raid

Starting this new thread focussing mainly on latest news is a good initiative and promptly done.

I assume it must be a result as quick response to the disappearance of the "other" thread I can't make out the title of it but most of you probably know which one I'm referring to.

It was the one that I came back some 15 minutes ago with a PM from our Super MOD - OSW reporting its abrupt disappearance while deleting a spam post and may have hit the "eject" button instead as well.....

I hope the culprit with that spam post was known or read by some of you to recall and PM to Mike or me direct.... we shall blame it on that poster for this!!!

I shall try source it and return if successful....

YB.