Iraq

Saddam’s bed still ‘too scary’ for honeymooners

Saddam’s bed still ‘too scary’ for honeymoonersNew York, Apr 21: Iraq’s tourism industry is banking on Saddam Hussein''s “popularity” by offering the former dictator''s bedroom as the honeymoon suite for 150 pounds. However, the idea hasn’t sit well with longtime honeymoon planner Liliane Nash.

Nash, the president of Humbert Travel on Madison Ave, told New York Daily News: "In Iraq? Right now? Definitely not.”

"The first thing about honeymoons is you don''t want to be afraid. You want to make sure everything will be perfect.

Syrian prime minister to begin Iraq visit

SyriaBaghdad - Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Naji al-Otri is expected to begin a two-day visit to Iraq at the head of a ministerial delegation on Tuesday, an Iraqi government spokesman said.

Al-Otri will hold meetings with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, his two vice-presidents, and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki over the course of his visit, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters.

The 10 Syrian ministers accompanying him will also meet with their Iraqi counterparts, al-Dabbagh said.

Oil refinery fire darkens Iraqi skies

Oil refinery fire darkens Iraqi skiesTikrit, Iraq - Thick clouds of black smoke filled the skies as far south as Tikrit on Monday after a massive fire started near the Baiji oil refinery complex, one of Iraq's largest.

An official with the North Refineries Company, which operates the refinery at Baiji told the Kurdish AKA news agency that the fire began in an area used to burn waste from the industrial complex's five refineries.

The company official ruled out the possibility of sabotage, but said the refinery was operating at its capacity of 350,000 barrels of oil a day, or about a third of Iraq's total refinery capacity.

Iraqi lawmakers welcome end to parliamentary impasse

Iraqi lawmakers welcome end to parliamentary impasseBaghdad - Iraqi lawmakers welcomed on Monday the election of a new speaker of parliament, Iyad al-Samarrai, ending months of political impasse over the position.

Al-Sammarai, a member of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party, won election to the post with 153 of 232 votes cast on Sunday.

The assembly had been paralyzed since al-Samarrai's predecessor Mahmud al-Mashhadani resigned in December, thwarting important legislation including the country's new oil and gas law.

Witnesses: Suicide bomber kills five Iraqi city of Baquba

Witnesses: Suicide bomber kills five Iraqi city of Baquba Baquba, Iraq - A suicide bomber killed two US soldiers, an Iraqi interpreter, and two bystanders in the Iraqi city of Baquba on Tuesday, witnesses said.

Eleven people were also wounded when a man detonated explosives strapped to his body near the offices of the local government in Baquba, 60 kilometres north of Baghdad, witnesses told the German News Agency, dpa.

Iraqi parliament elects new speaker after months of wrangling

IraqBaghdad  - Iyad al-Samarraie was elected on Sunday as the new speaker of Iraqi parliament after months of wrangling among the country's Sunni parties to fill the position.

Al-Samarraie, an outspoken opponent of Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki from the Iraqi Islamic Party, gained 154 votes out of the 232 deputies present on Sunday, a lawmaker told the Voices of Iraq (VOI) news agency.

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