Baghdad - Authorities in Iraq's restive Diyala province imposed on Tuesday a total curfew as part of preparations for a major military operation to root out insurgents from the al-Qaeda terrorist network, according to security sources.

A curfew was enforced in the early hours on Tuesday due to the launch of a military operation by Iraqi and US forces to track down fighters, especially those belonging to al-Qaeda, a media official from the ground troops in Diyala told the Voices of Iraq news agency.

No further details were immediately available.

Baghdad - An Iraqi government delegation will hold talks with the International Olympic Committee in Switzerland on the weekend in order to send athletes to the Beijing Olympics after all.

The Aswat al-Iraq news agency reported on Saturday that government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh heads the delegation to meet with the IOC at its headquarters in Lausanne.

Baghdad

Baghdad - Iraqi refugees living in Jordan denounced Friday a move by Germany to postpone until September efforts to look into their case for asylum in the European Union.

The German push came at an EU Interior Ministers meeting Thursday in Brussels in which it was agreed to delay any decision on increasing Iraqi refugee intake until September.

The move aroused anger of many refugees who fled violence in Iraq.

"Germany has the right to refuse to take us in but it cannot ask other countries to deny the humanity of welcoming refugees," said one refugee.

Baghdad - A group representing Iraqi athletes will file a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over its decision to uphold its ban on Iraqi at the Beijing Games, an Iraqi sports official said on Friday.