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IRAQI NEWS, 16 APRIL 05
·         Finalization of government to take another week - Al-Ja'fari
·         Curfew reimposed in Al-Ramadi
·         Iraqi soldiers found dead in west
·         Parties accuse Iran of interference
·         Al-Iraqiyah TV broadcasts more "confessions"
·         Senior security official escapes assassination attempt
·         MPs to debate assembly's "internal charter" - speaker
IRAQI PRESS HEADLINES, 16 APRIL 2005
·         Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper, Saudi-owned]
·         Al-Bayan [Baghdad, general political daily newspaper published by the Islamic Al-Da'wah Party]
·         Al-Mu'tamar [Baghdad, comprehensive daily newspaper published by the Iraqi National Congress]
·         Al-Mada [Baghdad, political daily newspaper published by Al-Mada Corporation for Media, Culture and Art]
IRAQI PRESS QUOTES, 16 APRIL 2005
·         ``For Security Reasons; Iraqi Football Team Move Its Training to the North''- Al-Sharq Al-Awsat
·         ``Terrorist leaders intend to shake public confidence in the security forces''- Al-Bayan
·         ``A healthy exercise in transparency''- Al-Dustur
IRAQI BROADCAST MEDIA, 16 APRIL 05
·         Al-Sharqiyah TV news 16 April 05
·         Al-Iraqiyah TV news 16 Apr 05

IRAQI NEWS, 16 April 05
Finalization of government to take another week - Al-Ja'fari
Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Ja'fari said in statements published on Saturday (16 April 05) that the announcement of the new government line-up would take one more week, owing to continued differences over the distribution of the ministerial portfolios, Baghdad Al-Sharqiyah TV reported.
In statements published today, Al-Ja'fari said that the government formation, which was supposed to be presented to the Iraqi National Assembly on Sunday [17 April], will be announced within a week. "Al-Ja'fari added: The main reason for this delay is our insistence that the new government comprise as many political segments as possible, including our brother Sunni Arabs," the TV reported. "He denied that US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld set any conditions for the formation of the new Iraqi government. He also affirmed that the religious authority His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Al-Sayyid Ali al-Sistani did not interfere in the selection of the government ministers, noting that the general, honest, and transparent directions given by Al-Sistani are important for the success of the political process and strengthening the government." The TV went on to speak of "conflicting reports on nominees for the ministerial portfolios, at a time when the Higher Council for National Dialogue and the Iraqi National Front stressed the need for giving the Sunni Arabs 10 ministries, including two sovereign portfolios, like the United Iraqi Alliance [UIA]. It was also announced that the UIA will be given 17 ministries, while the Kurds will be given nine ministries." (Al-Sharqiyah TV 16 Apr 05)
Curfew reimposed in Al-Ramadi
US forces have reimposed a curfew on Al-Ramadi in Al-Anbar governorate in the west of Iraq until further notice, Al-Sharqiyah TV reported on 16 April. Its correspondent there said the curfew runs from 1600 [1300 gmt] until 0600 hours [0300 gmt]. (Al-Sharqiyah TV, 16 Apr 05)
Iraqi soldiers found dead in west
Al-Sharqiyah TV's correspondent in Al-Qa'im, near the border with Syria, reported that the bodies of two Iraqi solders were found near their car at the eastern entrance to the city. The bodies, in military uniform, had been thrown to the side of the road, the TV said. (Al-Sharqiyah TV, 16 Apr 05)

Parties accuse Iran of interference
Representatives of 11 Iraqi political and social parties and currents accused the Iranian government on Saturday (16 April) of interfering in Iraq's domestic affairs and being behind the acts of violence in the country, Al-Sharqiyah TV reported. A statement read by Nur-al-Din al-Musawi, secretary-general of the Iraqi National Front, at a conference held at Palestine Hotel that day said that extremism and dictatorship in Iran were two barriers to the achievement of democracy and stability in Iraq. (Al-Sharqiyah TV, 16 Apr 05)
Al-Iraqiyah TV broadcasts more "confessions"
Al-Iraqiyah TV broadcast the latest in its series of confessions by Iraqi terror suspects on 16 April, in which a suspect from Al-Latifiyah said he belonged to the Ansar al-Sunnah Army. He recalled how he was recruited by a member of the group and sworn to remain loyal to it. He described in detail the killing of police using guns and automatic rifles. After the killing, members of the group went into hiding for a few days. He recalled the kidnapping of a member of the National Guard. He was killed after being questioned, he said. He also recalled the kidnapping and killing of three Iraqi interpreters. A member of the group was in charge of gathering intelligence on people to be executed, such as interpreters who are perceived as collaborators, he noted. (Al-Iraqiyah TV, Baghdad, in Arabic 16 Apr 05)
Senior security official escapes assassination attempt
A high-ranking Iraqi security officer has escaped unhurt from an assassination attempt in western Baghdad, Iraqi Al-Sharqiyah TV reported on 16 April. Maj-Gen Muntazar Jasim al-Samarra'i, who is in charge of special forces for the security adviser at the Interior Ministry, said that unidentified individuals travelling in two cars attacked him in the Al-Khadra neighbourhood while he was heading to the ministry. (Al-Sharqiyah TV 16 Apr 05)
MPs to debate assembly's "internal charter" - speaker
Hachim al-Hasani, speaker of the Iraqi National Assembly, has said that the focus of the assembly's next session on 17 April will be its internal charter, Iraqi newspaper Al-Ufuq reported on 14 April. Al-Hasani told the paper that MPs would also be discussing a ban on the use of the terms Shi'i, Sunni and Christian in the constitution currently being drafted. (Al-Ufuq 14 Apr 05)

IRAQI PRESS HEADLINES, 16 APRIL 2005
Al-Sharq al-Awsat [Baghdad edition of London-based independent daily newspaper, Saudi-owned]
·         Iraqi PM-designate denies Al-Sistani interfering in cabinet formation, tells Al-Sharq al-Awsat will announce cabinet in a week, dismisses idea of anything having been imposed on him by Rumsfeld
·         Six killed in attacks north of capital, two US soldiers killed in Al-Anbar, suicide car bomber injures five in Baghdad, armed factions publish obituary for top Al-Zarqawi aide [agencies quoted]
·         Iraqi minister of state for civil society affairs lashes out at self-seeking individuals using phoney institutions as means of profiteering
·         Putting corruption rate at 70 per cent, head of integrity commission says 470 corruption cases filed, naming Housing and Labour Ministries as most heavily implicated
·         Huge fire consumes Al-Shawrjah, Baghdad's oldest and most important public market, dating back to Abbasid era
·         One dead, twelve injured in row involving Iraqi detainees in US-run detention facility in southern Iraq [AFP quoted]
Al-Bayan [Baghdad, general political daily newspaper published by the Islamic Al-Da'wah Party]

·         PM-designate Ibrahim al-Ja'fari congratulated by US secretary of state Zoellick stresses Iraq's future does not depend on US [agencies quoted]
·         Al-Hasani: We will purge security apparatus of corrupt elements, will not heed external interference [agencies quoted]
·         Education minister: Coordinated effort to create proper atmosphere for administering exams
·         Finance Ministry forming special committees to oversee new appointments
·         Iraqi forces taking initiative in combating terrorism [agencies quoted]
·         Kofi Annan: US, Britain partly to blame for aberrations in oil-for-food programme [agencies quoted]
·         Iraqi candidate for UNIDO chairmanship [agencies quoted]
·         Social security entitlements to be paid every two months, instead of every three Iraqi Seaport
·         Company officially to take charge of Umm Qasr, Khur al-Zubair ports [agencies quoted]


Al-Mu'tamar [Baghdad, comprehensive daily newspaper published by the Iraqi National Congress]
·         1bn dollars [in goods] eaten up by fire in Al-Shawrjah Traders affected say they have lost much, worried about possible looting of what is left
·         Allawi seeking to oversee constitution-writing committee [CNN quoted]
·         Defender of war criminals [Ramsey Clark] says Saddam's rights violated [AFP quoted]
·         Basra International Airport due to open next month Construction and Housing Minister urges Arab, foreign companies to invest in Iraq
·         Al-Nahdah newspaper workers sue Al-Pachachi, Al-Hafiz, setting up dialogue-promotion centre [agencies quoted]
Al-Mada [Baghdad, political daily newspaper published by Al-Mada Corporation for Media, Culture and Art]
·         Receiving Fakhri Karim, Mas'ud Barzani underscores support for democratic process, consolidation of national unity
·         Car bomb detonated near US military base in Tikrit
·         Twenty-two suspects apprehended, arms caches seized in Ba'qubah
·         Unrelenting series of car bombings, one of them wounding five in Al-Mansur district
·         Izz-al-Din al-Muhammadi to be installed as head of Independent Higher Commission for Elections
·         Pakistani hostage appeals to Musharraf for help to end captivity [AFP quoted]

IRAQI PRESS QUOTES, 16 APRIL 2005
``For Security Reasons; Iraqi Football Team Move Its Training to the North''- Al-Sharq Al-Awsat

Al-Sharq al-Awsat [from commentary by Adnan Hussain]
It was very sensible of the Iraqi Football League to decide, for security reasons, to move its training camps to the northern region. To wait for security and normalcy to be restored to other parts of Iraq seems to have become as futile as to wait for Godot in Becket's famous play, particularly with our newly-empowered political elite so intent on scoring a new endurance record in procrastination over forming a new government.
``Terrorist leaders intend to shake public confidence in the security forces''- Al-Bayan
Al-Bayan [from editorial]
Despite the numerous crushing blows meted out to their various networks lately, terrorist leaders in Iraq seem to be trying desperately to mobilize remnants of their foreign jihadists for operations designed to create maximum psychological impact and shake public confidence in the protective abilities of the security forces. What is really saddening in this connection is that these last-ditchers can still find Iraqis who are willing to provide them with logistical help to the detriment of their own people and in violation of all principles of good citizenship.
``A healthy exercise in transparency''- Al-Dustur
Al-Dustur [from editorial]
Though rather late in coming, the recent publication of the text detailing the agreement concluded by the United Iraqi Alliance and the Kurdistan Coalition has been welcomed by observers as a healthy exercise in transparency that is very badly needed for the political development of present-day Iraq.

IRAQI BROADCAST MEDIA, 16 April 05
Al-Sharqiyah TV news 16 April 05
·         Two US soldiers killed, one Iraqi civilian injured when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded today close to a US military convoy on Baghdad international airport road. Video shows images of scene of blast, US forces at the scene, charred vehicle, another vehicle on fire, an eyewitness speaking to Al-Sharqiyah correspondent ...
·         A US Marine today died of the wounds he sustained when his military base near Tikrit came under attack yesterday; another US soldier was killed today in the Taji area in northern Baghdad ...
·         A suicide bomber driving a booby-trapped vehicle attacked a military convoy in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Casualties have not been ascertained yet ...
·         Iraqi prime minister-designate today stressed need for government line-up to represent national unity ...
·         US forces reimposed curfew today on Al-Ramadi until further notice ...
·         Bodies of two Iraqi soldiers found today near the vehicle they were driving in Al-Qa'im, Al-Shariqiyah correspondent reports ...
·         Seven, including three Iraqi policemen, killed today and five injured in explosion at a Ba'qubah restaurant ...
·         Senior Iraqi security chief survives assassination attempt west of Baghdad, after two gunmen attacked him yesterday ...
·         Turkish truck driver transporting supplies to a US military base in northern Iraq was killed today ...
·         Two Philippine nationals working with US forces injured when they came under fire in central Baghdad ...
·         Iraqi police arrested the imam and preacher of Al-Isra' Mosque in Baghdad today
·         University professors at annual conference today called for upgrading of educational institutions to be speeded up ...
·         US administration escalates campaign against UN after Kofi Annan said Washington and London overlooked violations of oil-for-food programme under Saddam ...
·         US senator attacks Bush's justification for launching war on Iraq ...
Al-Iraqiyah TV news 16 Apr 05
·         Member of National Assembly says cabinet to be announced this week. Video report covers comments by members of assembly on cabinet talks and surge in terrorism ...
·         Iraqi people hope new cabinet can improve living conditions. Video report looks at prospects for change ...
·         Report highlights Iraqis' grievances, security, poor living conditions ...
·         Recorded interview with Ammar Abd-al-Aziz al-Hakim, secretary-general of the Martyr of Al-Mihrab Foundation for Islamic Propagation. He speaks about the coalition talks, hopes Arab Sunnis will be included in cabinet, says ethnic and sectarian balance should be maintained ...
·         Suicide bombing kills civilian in Baghdad; seven killed in blast in Ba'qubah; soldier killed in Samarra ...
·         Gas pipeline blown up in Basra - video report ...
·         Iraqi army arrest terror suspects in Ba'qubah and Mosul - video report ...
·         Police recruits graduate in Mosul - video report ...
·         Iraqis call for indictment of people involved in oil-for-food scandal - video report
·         Academics urge fight against corruption - video report on Baghdad forum on anti-corruption
·         Academics discuss ways to improve education standards ...