International
Iraq closes border with Syria -------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, December 8, 2005 (Baghdad):
The Iraqi government imposed emergency legislation in two predominantly Sunni Muslim provinces for 30 days and closed the borders with Syria until further notice.
The laws took effect on December 2 in the western province of Anbar and the northern province of Ninevah.
Among the restrictions were a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (local time) curfew and a ban on carrying weapons within five kilometers of the Syrian border.
The statement, issued by Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, the general commander of the armed forces, said the border with Syria will be closed "until further notice" except for commercial vehicles "licensed by the Iraqi government." (AP) --------------------------------------------------------