Halliburton announced April 9 all of the commitments of its subsidiary working in Iran have been completed and it no longer has operations in the country. In January 2005, the company announced it would not accept new contracts in Iran but would complete its existing projects there. Halliburton maintains its operations in Iran, handled through a Dubai office, were legal because they were isolated from the US operations and management. (Kuwait Times, April 10)

The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) is meeting in Doha, Qatar, to discuss the possibility of forming a body that would represent gas producers and exporters in the global market, with some leaders calling for a cartel that would function as the gas equivalent of OPEC.

Ethiopia admitted for the first time April 10 that it detained 41 suspected terrorists from 17 countries. The statement comes a week after the Associated Press reported that terror suspects had been transferred from Kenya to Somalia and then to secret facilities in Ethiopia. Ethiopian officials at the time denied any suspects were in custody. Human rights groups call the detentions a violation of international law. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has not been granted access to the detainees despite having sought meetings for the last month. A Canadian, Bashir Makhtal, is believed to be among those held. The Canadian government has officially asked Ethiopia for consular access to the former Toronto resident.

Chad's government reports a rebel convoy of "more than 200 vehicles with armed elements" attacked from Sudanese territory April 9, resulting in heavy fighting that has left "many" dead. (AlJazeera, April 9) Recent violence in eastern Chad has killed hundreds of civilians and thousands displaced. According to an April 10 news release from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees: "More than 9,000 Chadians from 31 villages have now arrived at the new Habile site for internally displaced people (IDPs), joining another 9,000 who had fled earlier attacks in the region." (UNHCR, April 10)

From Newsday, April 8:

Two hit-and-runs in two different boroughs
A pedestrian in Manhattan and a motorcyclist in Brooklyn were each critically hurt after hit-and-run drivers struck them Saturday, police said.

An Ethiopian judge dismissed charges of attempted genocide and treason against 111 people arrested after 2005 election protests. Among those cleared were journalists and publishers. Amnesty International called the charges "absurd," and adopted the accused as "prisoners of conscience." The accused maintained the trial was political and all but two refused to co-operate. They had been in custody for 15 months, and one is a female journalist who gave birth in prison. Several opposition leaders remain in custody, accused of trying to violently overthrow the government.

When Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo was freed from Taliban captivity last month in exchange for prisoners, it made global headlines—if only as an opportunity to portray the Italians as weak-willed. The Afghan journalist he was abducted with was sold down the river. His beheading now barely rates a notice in the global media. From the Committee to Protect Journalists, April 9:

We certianly hope that the expressions of Shi'ite-Sunni solidarity in this story are not exaggerated—or insincere. From AP, April 10 via Turkey's Zaman:

Tens of thousands draped themselves in Iraqi flags and marched through the streets of two Shiite holy cities Monday to mark the fourth anniversary of Baghdad's fall.