UNESCO-led experts say US troops, contractors in Iraq did considerable damage to Babylon

September 22nd, 2009 PARIS - Bulgarian diplomat Irina Bokova was late Tuesday elected as the first-ever woman Unesco director-general, diplomatic sources said. The 57-year-old Bokova received 31 votes from the 58-member Unesco Executive Board.

September 22nd, 2009 US soldier charged with murder in Iraq base deathBAGHDAD — A U.S. soldier has been charged with murder in the slaying of a civilian contractor on an American base in Iraq, the military said Tuesday.

August 28th, 2009 US general: In a year, only 50,000 troops in IraqSHUAIBA PORT, Kuwait — The U.S. Army chief of staff says he expects the number of American troops in Iraq to go down to around 50,000 by this time next year.

July 12th, 2009 Cruise ship spills oil in Norwegian fjordOSLO — Norwegian police say a large amount of oil has leaked from a cruise ship in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Geiranger fjord. Police spokesman Magne Toennoey says authorities have managed to contain the oil in one spot to prevent it from spreading and will try to pump it out of the water.

July 10th, 2009 PARIS - Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal met UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura and impressed upon him India's keenness for establishing the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Peace Education and Sustainable Development. During the meeting in Paris on Thursday, Sibal said this proposed Category-I UNESCO institute should be a symbol of rich heritage and values of peace and diversity that India stands for.

July 9th, 2009 UNESCO: US seriously damaged historic BabylonBAGHDAD — U.S. troops and contractors in Iraq inflicted serious damage on Babylon, driving heavy machinery over sacred paths, bulldozing hilltops and digging trenches through one of the world's greatest archaeological sites, experts for UNESCO said Thursday.

July 9th, 2009 UNESCO: Invasion seriously harmed historic BabylonBAGHDAD — Iraq's U.S.-led invaders inflicted serious damage on Babylon, driving heavy machinery over sacred paths, bulldozing hilltops and digging trenches through one of the world's greatest archaeological sites, experts for UNESCO said Thursday. "The use of Babylon as a military base was a grave encroachment on this internationally known archaeological site," said a report which the U.N.

July 9th, 2009 UNESCO: US damaged historic Iraqi site of BabylonPARIS — U.S. troops and contractors inflicted considerable damage on the historic Iraqi site of Babylon, driving heavy machinery over sacred paths, bulldozing hilltops and digging trenches through one of the world' most important archaeological sites, experts for UNESCO said Thursday.

July 2nd, 2009 White House: VP Biden has traveled to IraqWASHINGTON — The White House says Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq. He's there to visit U.S.

June 26th, 2009 UNESCO names 2 new world heritage sitesMADRID — UNESCO has added Italy's Dolomite mountains and the Wadden Sea along the coasts of Germany and the Netherlands to its list of World Heritage Sites. The U.N. agency announced the decision at a meeting of its World Heritage Committee in Seville in southern Spain.

June 11th, 2009 Iraqi official: 3 of 5 US contractors freedBAGHDAD — Three American contractors detained during an investigation into the slaying of another American have been released on bond, but two others remain in custody on drug charges, Iraqi officials said Thursday. Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh had said an investigative judge had ordered all five released due to insufficient evidence.

June 11th, 2009 US: 1 of 5 US contractors detained in Iraq freedBAGHDAD — One of five American contractors detained during an investigation into the slaying of another American has been released on bond after a week in Iraqi custody, the U.S. Embassy said Thursday.

June 10th, 2009 Wife says US contractor in Iraq to be releasedBAGHDAD — The wife of one of five U.S. contractors detained in Iraq says her husband should be released soon.

June 9th, 2009 UNITED NATIONS - Nine candidates are in the fray for the top job at the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), officials said. Current UNESCO director-general Koichiro Matsuura will end his term in November.

June 8th, 2009 Iraq says 4 US contractors detained, not 5BAGHDAD — The Iraqi government spokesman says four Americans, not five, have been detained in an investigation into the killing last month of a U.S. contractor in the Green Zone.