ISW News Roundup - April 14, 2009

Iraq

Times Online UK - Iraq's struggle to get railway back on track after neglect and war, by Deborah Haynes

Reuters - Murky origins of Iraq attacks stir foreboding, by Mohammed Abbas

Washington Post - Sunni Insurgents Claim Blast That Killed 5 U.S. Troops, by Ernesto Londono

Reuters - Iraq promises jobs to Sunni militias

BBC - Iraq Kurdish force 'beyond law'

New York Times - Iraqi General Filing Suit to Close Newspaper and TV Channel Over Alleged Misquotes, by Rod Nordland and Sam Dagher

Associated Press - Iraqi parliament opens session without speaker, by Qassim Abdul-Zahra

Afghanistan

Christian Science Monitor - Lessons from Iraq? US creates local militias to fight Taliban, by Anand Gopal

Associated Press - Afghan Taliban kill young woman, man for eloping, by Amir Shah

New York Times - Civilians Died in Airstrike by NATO, Afghan Says, by Richard A. Oppel Jr. and Abdul Waheed Wafa

Reuters - Afghanistan fears Swat deal may harm its security

Department of Defense - Twelve Militants Killed, Suicide Bomber Thwarted in Afghanistan

Reuters - UK plays on Afghan history hold lessons for today, by Mike Collett-White

Reuters - Iran offers to train Afghan police in drugs fight, by Hashem Kalantari and Fredrick Dahl

Pakistan

Long War Journal - Pakistan signs sharia bill into law, by Bill Roggio

BBC - Doubts remain as Sharia bill signed, by M. Ilyas Khan

New York Times - Militants Unite in Pakistan's Populous Heart, by Sabrina Tavernise, Richard A. Oppel Jr., and Eric Schmitt

Associated Press - Pakistani cleric: Swat deal gives Taliban immunity, by Zarar Khan

Reuters - Pakistan seen getting close to $4 bln aid target, by Kamran Haider

Region

Iran

Associated Press - Iran says US journalist tried behind closed doors, by Ali Akbar Dareini

Reuters - U.S. may drop key condition for Iran nuclear talks: report

Israel

Reuters - Israeli troops arrest Syrian in Golan: army

Associated Press - Police: Explosives stashed in West Bank mosque

Associated Press - US to give Lebanon military unmanned aircraft

Somalia/Piracy

Christian Science Monitor - Will pirates join forces with Islamist militias in Somalia? by Scott Baldauf

Times Online UK - Mortars fired at US politician in Somalia after pirate warning, by Rob Crilly and James Bone

Associated Press - Undeterred Somali pirates hijack 4 more ships, by Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Pauline Jelinek

Reuters - TV show to track U.S. Navy's battles with pirates

North Korea

Associated Press - N. Korea says it will restart its nuclear reactor, by Hyung-Jin Kim