29 May 2004 Events in Iraq

15.32 Kufa. CLASHES IN KUFA, DOZENS OF MILITIAMEN KILLED AND NINE CIVILIANS WOUNDED. [Making the people you liberated die for your occupation--Nur]

14.44 Rome. ITALY: FUNERAL OF MURDERED ITALIAN MERCENARY QUATTROCCHI; MAYOR OF GENOA REFUSES TO ATTEND FUNERAL. [The right wing says he died for Italy, the left wing says he died for a fistful of dollars--Nur.]

10.58 Baghdad. SCIRI SAYS SADR'S MEN ARE BAATHISTS AND TERRORISTS Qassem al Hashimi, leader of SCIRI, says Sadr's militia is full of ex-Ba'athists [Wow. Outrageous lie--Nur]

10.43 Teheran. 2,500 VOLUNTEERS READY TO DIE FOR IRAQ AND JERUSALEM. 2,500 sign up for suicide missions says newspaper Al Sharq [This has got to be disinformation--Nur].

10.14 Baghdad. MORTAR HITS CPA HEADQUARTERS IN BAGHDAD. Four wounded, one seriously.

10.05 Washington IRAQ: GUANTANAMO `EXPERTS' SPENT 90 DAYS IN ABU GHRAIB. A team of experts in interrogation methods from Guantanamo were ordered to Iraq in fall 1993 to train military intelligence members in Abu Ghraib.

09.37 Washington. IRAQ: USA; WHITE HOUSE SUPPORTS ALLAWI FOR PREMIER.

09.01 Kirkuk. GENERAL AND FAMILY MASSACRED. General Saber Mohammed Saber killed along with his family.

09.00 Kufa. CLASHES IN KUFA.

28 May 2004 Events in Iraq.

18.50 Washington. BUSH "TRANSFER OF FULL SOVEREIGNTY". After a meeting Danish Premier Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Bush says there will be transfer of full sovranty on 30 June. Bush also had a phone conversation with Vladimir Putin, saying We agreed to work together for the good of the Iraqi people an their new government. [LIES, all lies--Nur]

17.36 Baghdad. IRAQ: BRAHIMI SAY `YES' TO ALLAWI AS PREMIER. UN Special Representative to Iraq Lakhdar Brahimi has welcomed the choice of Allawi as premier

17.07 Washington. POWELL IS OPTIMISTIC ON NEW UN RESOLUTION. Colin Powell says talkes have been "constructive" to bring the international community on board for Iraq's future.

16.56 Baghdad. JEEP GOES OUT OF CONTROL, 3 DUTCH SOLDIERS HURT. Jeep fired upon by insurgents.

16.54 Washington. USA DENIES DEAL ON ALLAWI NOMINATION. US denies that the selection of Iyad Allawi was the result of a compromise.

14.40 Baghdad. PRIME MINISTER NAMED. Iyad Allawi, the Shi'ite founder of the political party, Iraqi National Accord, was named prime minister after a compromise was reached with the 25 members of the IGC. Allawi is thought to have close ties to the CIA

14.19 Kufa. 4 DEAD AND 13 WOUNDED IN CLASHES WITH US TROOPS.

13.49 Baquba. CLASHES NEAR BAQUBA, CIVILIAN KILLED. US patrol attacked with RPGs near Bohroz, 5km south of Baquba. The attack occurred as worshipers were existing a mosque.

13.30 Kirkuk. US TROOPS KILL IRAQI TEENAGER BY MISTAKE. Youth was driving a car near Kirkuk when incident occurred.

12.42 Najaf. SHI'A MODERATE ATTACKED IN NAJAF. Unknown assailants open fire on Sheik Saddredin al-Kubbanji as he leaves mosque.

12.34 Baghdad. 600 RELEASED FROM ABU GHRAIB. As gates opened, gunmen in crowd fired upon sentries in anger over prisoner abuses.

11.50 Kufa. AL SADR SKIPS SERMON IN KUFA. Moqtada al Sadr did not deliver the weekly sermon in Kufa.

11.36 Moscow. RUSSIA DISAPPOINTED BY THE 80 TECHNICIANS WHO CHOSE TO REMAIN IN IRAQ. FM Ivanov says he's disappointed that all contractors did not leave.

10.28 Baghdad. KIDNAPPED NBC NEWS TEAM RELEASED. Correspondent Ned Colt, cameraman Maurice Roper, sound man Robert Colvill and freelance reporter Ashraf Al Taie were kidnapped on Tuesday.

10.03 Kufa. CLASHES IN KUFA BETWEEN SADR MILITIA AND US TROOPS.

10.02 Tokyo. JAPANESE AMBUSHED, TOKYO CONFIRMS DEATHS. Japanese government confirms that hospital spokesman in Mahmudiya, 30 km south of Baghdad has reported deaths of Shinsuke Hashida, 61 years old, and his nephew Kotaro Ogawa 33.

08.49 Warsaw. POLAND DENIES INVOLVEMENT OF ITS TROOPS IN PRISONER TORTURE. Polish military officials say troops not involved in Abu Ghraib abuses.

08.40 Mahmudiya. DOCTORS CONFIRM JAPANESE DEATHS. 2 Japanese, their chauffeur and a translator were killed when car explodes after crashing.

00.40 Paris. FRANCE FAVORS DELAY IN UN RESOLUTION. France requests postponement of discussions of new UN resolution until after the G8 Summit in Sea Island, Georgia (USA)

00.30 Baghdad. Hussain Shahristani says guilty US servicemen in Abu Ghraib torture scandal should be tried in an Iraqi court

27 May 2004 Events in Iraq

17.03 Baghdad. SHAHRISTANI WILL NOT HEAD UP NEW GOVERNMENT. Nuclear physicist Hussein Shahristani declines to head transition government. "Pressing personal matters do not permit me to participate in this government; it is not in the national interest to discuss these matters at this time." [That's a loaded statement...I wonder what that means?--Nur]

16.52 Moscow. EVACUATION AIRCRAFT ARRIVES IN RUSSIA. Ilushyn 76 aircraft lands at Ramenskoiev Airport with 85 Russian and 5 Ukranian electrical power technicians on board. Interenergoservis employees Viaceslav Ovziannikov and Vikotr Dnkin (aged 36 and 56) were killed in a bombing yesterday. 150 technicians still remain in Iraq.

16.40 Najaf. USA CONFIRMS SUSPENSION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN NAJAF. Iraqi security chief Mowaffaq al-Rubaie confirms.

16.14 Najaf. SADR MILITIA ABANDONS FORWARD POSITIONS IN NAJAF. Ahmed Chalabi successfully mediates with Al Sadr.

16.07 New York ELEVEN CHARGES LEVIED AGAINST IMAM AL MASRI. Federal Court in New York brings charges.

16.02 New York. IMAM HAMZA AL MASRI CHARGED IN NY for attempt to form terrorist ring in Oregon. [Sounds far-fetched]

15.14 Baghdad. TORTURE, FIVE MORE AMERICANS CHARGED. Five more charged in Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse. Military Intelligence personnel, MPs and soldiers identified from prison photos.

14.34 London. UK REINFORCEMENTS TO DEPART FOR IRAQ BEFORE 30 JUNE.

14.04 London. 370 FRESH BRITISH TROOPS TO BE SENT TO IRAQ. British troop deployment now 8,900 men.

13.55 Najaf. PEACE TALKS CONTINUE. Kufa still controlled by militia.

13.20 Riyadh. AL QAEDA CALLS FOR GUERRILLA WAR IN SAUDI ARABIA. Abdulaziz al Muqrin details operations to be undertaken to destabilize kingdom.

13.05 Najaf. USA SUSPENDS OFFENSIVE.

12.42 Teheran. KHAMENEI DECLARES NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING FOR DAMAGE TO SACRED SHRINES. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declares official day of mourning for damage to holy places in Najaf and Karbala. "The sanctity of our holy shrines was ignored yet again as the occupiers inflict more damage."

12.15 Najaf. PRO-SADR STREET DEMONSTRATIONS. "We are ready to die".

11.35 London. 800 TROOPS TO DEPART FOR IRAQ.

11.20 Najaf. SADR MILITIA SUSPENDS WITHDRAWAL FROM NAJAF. Sadr spokesman Qais al Khazali says pullback suspended until USA confirms its part of the deal.

08.27 Najaf. TRUCE IN CITY: THE 4 POINTS. 1. End to military operations, return of control of public buildings to local authorities, departure of out-of-town militiamen, general pardon; 2. Permit police to carry out normal law and order duties; 3. Withdrawal of US forces, with the exception of a small contingent to protect the local governor; 4. Open talks with Beit Al Scii (Shi'a religious organization) on the future of the Sadr militia, Moqtada Sadr will not be arrested.

08.20 Najaf. SADR MILITIA VOWS TO PULL OUT OF NAJAF BY NOON.

07.51 London. RADICAL IMAM ARRESTED

07.50 Capetown. AL-QAEDA PLOT FOILED. South Africans say they foiled plot on April 14 meant to disrupt elections [Sounds self-aggrandizing].

07.20 Najaf. TRUCE CONFIRMED.

07.00 Ramadi. THREE US SOLDIERS KILLED IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE.

06.50 Washington. TORTURE, PENTAGON ADMITS 2,000 PAGES MISSING FROM REPORT SENT TO THE SENATE.

06.30 Najaf. SADR ACCEPTS TRUCE DEAL FOR HOLY CITIES.

26 May 2004 Events in Iraq

20.19 Baquba. CITY COUNCIL MEMBER KILLED NEAR CITY.

18.56 Baghdad. CPA SHOULD ABANDON FORMER PRESIDENTIAL PALACE. IGC President Ghazi al Yauar gave a press conference today calling upon the Americans to move out of the Presidential Palace. We shall not accept continuing use by the Americans of the place and we believe that the Americans do not wish to occupy it permanently.

18.53 Washington. HUMAN RIGHTS: WHITE HOUSE REJECTS AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S 2004 REPORT ON PRISONER ABUSE. White House rejects accusations of abuse carried out in the name of the War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo.

18.27 Washington. USA, 20 SERVICEWOMEN KILLED IN IRAQ. 20 women have died in the name of Operation Iraqi Freedom, starting with Lori Piestewa and ending with Leslie Jackson, 18 of Richmond VA, killed last Thursday. 162 women have been wounded of which 99 too gravely to return to service.

18.00 Balad. THREE IRAQIS KILLED BY CARBOMB. Car bomb in Balad Ruz, 75 km northeast of Baghdad which exploded as the convoy of Col. Ali Ismail passed nearly.

17.50 New York. NEW YORK TIMES ISSUES APOLOGY FOR WMD REPORTING. NYT apologies for its series of inaccurate articles on Iraq's alleged WMD.

17.45 Najaf. DOZENS DIE IN NAJAF AND SADR CITY. US airstrikes, tanks and helicopters kill dozens in Najaf and Sadr City.

17.30 Moscow. RUSSIAN COMPANY WITH MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT LEAVES IRAQ Interenergoservis evacuated all 300 employees after 2 employees killed outside the al-Dawra power station.

17.00 Berlin. SCHROEDER, UN DRAFT IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

16.32 Washington. WHITE HOUSE, USA UNDER IMMINENT TERRORIST THREAT

16.20 Baghdad. CPA DENIES THAT SHAHRISTANI WILL BE NAMED NEW PREMIER. Hussain Shahristani will not be named the new Premier of Iraq.

14.45 Baghdad. NEW COMMANDANT FOR ABU GHRAIB UNIT. Gen. William Tarpeluk is the new commandant of the 800th MP Brigade

14.40 Baghdad. AL YAWAR, NEW GOVERNMENT TO BE NAMED NEXT WEEK. IGC Interim President Ghazi Mashal Ajil al-Yawar says new government to be named next week.

13.30 London. BLAIR: I AM IN ABSOLUTE AGREEMENT WITH THE USA on the total transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis". [Well, someone will have to backpedal--Nur]

13.04 London. BLAIR: TROOPS IN IRAQ TO REMAIN UNDER US COMMAND

12.49 Najaf. RELATIVE OF AL SADR ARRESTED. Ryad al-Nouri, Sadr's right-hand man and cousin, is arrested.

12.20 Baghdad. BRAHIMI: "FUTURE GOVERNMENT LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTABLE TO UN".

12.15 Balad. BOMBING NORTHEAST OF BAGHDAD, 3 CIVILIANS KILLED, 18 WOUNDED in Balad Ruz

11.39 Najaf. CLASHES IN HOLY CITY, 9 IRAQIS KILLED, 33 WOUNDED.

11.07 Rome. SPEAKER OF ITALIAN CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES CALLS FOR COMPLETE IRAQI SOVEREIGNTY.

10.48 Doha. AL JAZEERA, EXPLOSION IN BAGHDAD.

10.00 Baghdad. 6 RUSSIAN TECHNICIANS WOUNDED. Bus taking workers to power station bombed.

09.32 Baghdad. MOSCOW ORGANIZES EVACUATION OF TECHNICIANS IN IRAQ.

09.06 Baghdad. TWO RUSSIANS KILLED, FIVE WOUNDED.

09.02 Rome. ITALIAN DEFENSE MINISTER IN NASSIRIYA.

08.35 Najaf. US HELICOPTERS AND TANKS DEPLOYED TO NAJAF CEMETERY.

07.00 Baghdad. AUSTRALIA TO KEEP EMBASSY OPEN.

06.30 Rome. ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FRATTINI SAYS NEW IRAQI GOVT WILL HAVE VETO POWER OVER MILITARY OPERATIONS.

03.30 New York. KOFI ANNAN: BRAHIMI WILL ANNOUNCE NEW GOVT ON MONDAY

03.00 Baghdad. ADNAN PACHACHI TO BE NEW PRESIDENT OF IRAQ.

02.18 Baghdad. AL ZARQAWI BOUNTY RAISED FROM 10 TO 25 MILLION DOLLARS BY USA

01.01 Baghdad. SHARISTANI TO BE NEW IRAQI PREMIER.

25 May 2004 Events in Iraq

16.49 Najaf. DEATH TOLL MOUNTS IN FIGHTING. Seven killed and 45 wounded when mortar shell explodes inside mosque of Imam Ali.

16.35 Washingtn. POWELL: "WE WILL ACCELERATE TRAINING OF IRAQI ARMY".

16.20 Washington. BUSH: "THE US HAS THE SAME GOALS AS FRANCE". Bush says he agrees with Chirac [Menteur!]

15.30 Paris. CHIRAC: "TRANSFER OF POWER MUST BE GENUINE". The current draft is a point of departure: more work needed.

15.20 Moscow. U.N. RESOLUTION, RUSSIA INSISTS ON POSTPONEMENT UNTIL AFTER 30 JUNE Russian Foreign Minister Serghei Lavrov says he will not discuss UN involvement until after transition.

15.13 Baghdad. SPANISH INTELLIGENCE STAFF LEAVES IRAQ The Centro Nacional de Inteligencia (Cni) has also evacuated Iraq.

14.20 Baghdad. MORTAR FIRE HITS POLICE STATION, ONE US SOLDIER DIES.

14.00 Baghdad. KIMMIT, NAJAF SHRINE DAMAGE NOT OUR FAULT. Damage to the Mosque of Imam Ali in Najaf not fault of USA.

13.20 London. BLAIR, NEW GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE VETO POWER OVER MILITARY OPERATIONS. [You've gone off script, Tony]

13.00 Washington. BUSH STUMBLES THREE TIMES IN TRYING TO PRONOUNCE `ABU GHRAIB'. Says "abugah-rayp", then "abu-garon" and finally, "abu-garah".

12.50 Berlin. GERMANY: US DRAFT A GOOD STARTING POINT German FM Joschka Fischer. "It's truly a good starting point for reaching an accord but it needs much more work."

12.48 Teheran. IRAN, KHARRAZI DENIES SUPPORTING SADR. Iranian FM Kamal Kharrazi denies that Iran supports Sadr following talks with Polish FM Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz.

12.34 London. IRAQI DEFENSE MINISTER: FOREIGN TROOPS MUST LEAVE IN A MATTER OF MONTHS, NOT YEARS. Declaration of Iraqi Defense Minister Ali Allawi in joint press conference with Geoff Hoon.

11.49 Najaf. MOQTADA SADR VISITS DAMAGED MOSQUE. Says mosque hit by US and that 10 people were wounded, none seriously.

11.31 Baghdad. 5 WOUNDED IN HOTEL CAR BOMBING IN BAGHDAD. 5 wounded in bombing of the Karma Hotel. 11 year-old child not expected to survive.

11.09 Arbil. KURDS THREATEN CIVIL WAR IF NEW IRAQI GOVERNMENT IS ISLAMIC.

10.57 Wellington. NEW ZEALANDER THOUGHT KIDNAPPED WAS HELD BY USA. A New Zealand tourist thought missing was held and interrogated for three months by US. Andreas Schafer, 26, went missing in March. US denied holding Schaefer to New Zealand Foreign Ministry.

10.20 Najaf. STREET DEMONSTRATIONS PROTEST DAMAGE TO MOSQUE.

9.43 Najaf. MOSQUE OF ALI HIT BY MORTAR FIRE. 10 wounded in explosion, tension in the city extremely high.

09.37 Kirkuk. POLITICAL LEADER ASSASSINATED. Leader of minority Turkmen party killed.

08.52 Najaf. CLASHES NEAR MAUSOLEUM. Fighting continues in holy city.

08.21 Baghdad. HOTEL KARMA BOMBED IN BAGHDAD. Child is mortally wounded.

08.10 Washington GENERAL KARPINSKI RELIEVED OF COMMAND.

08.06 Kufa. FIVE DEAD AND 18 WOUNDED IN KUFA FIGHTING.

07.50 Washington. GENERAL SANCHEZ TO BE REPLACED

07.40 Baghdad. CAR BOMB NEAR AUSTRALIAN EMBASSY

06.23 Baghdad. US SOLDIER KILLED- US soldier killed at base northwest of Baghdad.

24 May 2004 Events in Iraq

19.53 Nassiriya. PROVINCIAL CPA HEADQUARTERS MOVES INTO BASE WHITE HORSE. HQ moves inside the fort (Italian military base).

19.10 Rome. USA-UK DRAFT UN RESOLUTION FOR IRAQ IS A GOOD POINT OF DEPARTURE says Italian Foreign Minister.

18.56 Brussels. BELGIUM EXCLUDES SENDING TROOPS Belgian Defense Minister André Flahaut says no troops until control is given over to the UN.

18.50 Kirkuk. EXPLOSION DAMAGES PIPELINE TO TURKEY Kirkuk to Ceyhan pipeline sabotaged.

18.39 Washington. BUSH: NO FIXED DATE TO WITHDRAW TROOPS.

18.20 Amara. BRITISH PATROL ATTACKED IN AMARA, 3 CIVILIANS WOUNDED. Grenade thrown a vehicle.

17.04 Washington. IRAQ: UN DRAFT: LIMITED SOVEREIGNTY OVER PETROLEUM. US says there's risk of corruption. [Whaa?]

16.36 Berlin. GERMANY SAYS UN DRAFT PROMISES TROOP WITHDRAWAL IN JUNE 2005. Gunter Pleuger, German Ambassador to the UN not happy.

16.17 New York. UN UK-US PRESENT RESOLUTION in desperate attempt to avoid wipe-out

15.42 London. BLAIR SPOKESMAN: NEW PHASE WITH UN COOPERATION ASAP [Tony, is that your conscience or your poll numbers?]

14.17 Baghdad. BRITISH KILLED BY RPG IN BAGHDAD. RPG launched at vehicle

13.43 Baghdad. OCCUPATION. 5,500 KILLED in the Baghdad area since start of occupation

13.18 Baghdad. 1,000 INSURGENTS KILLED SINCE 1 APRIL 2004.

12.35 Baghdad. 4 DIE IN SUICIDE CAR BOMBING near CPA headquarters

12.00 Baghdad. EXPLOSION OUTSIDE GREEN ZONE Car bomb explodes 500 meters from checkpoint.

11.50 Mosul. FOUR MOVIE THEATRES BOMBED.

11.50 Baghdad. NIGHTTIME BATTLES IN SADR CITY, 18 IRAQIS KILLED.

11.15 Baghdad. ITALIAN HOSTAGES: SUNNI ULEMA SAYS RELEASE DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY WERE ARMED WHEN CAUGHT.

11.05 Baghdad. THREE DEAD IN EXPLOSION. All civilians, including one child.

10.10 Manchester. MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF SCIENTIST. Guardian reports scientist killed while interrogated by US

07.35 Falljuah. US SOLDIER KILLED NEAR CITY, SEVERAL OTHER WOUNDED

07.30 Baghdad. VIDEO SHOWS WEDDING PARTY ATTACKED BY THE US. Attack in Mogr el-Deeb shows broken musical instruments, dishes, decorations and survivors.

23 May 2004 Events in Iraq

18.57 Cairo. ARAB LEAGUE: WE WILL NOT SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ. Secretary General Amr Moussa said today that "The sending of Arab troops to Iraq is subordinate to certain conditions, the first of which is the withdrawal of US troops."

17.17 Fallujah. TWO US SOLDIERS KILLED IN FALLUJA AMBUSH. Car bomb rammed into convoy, insurgents open fire from behind palm trees.

16.45 Fallujah. US DELIVERS LIST OF 25 SUSPECTS TO FALLUJA OFFICIALS. A list of 25 suspects in the 31 March contractor lynching is presented to Falluja officials by Col. John Tolan.

14.40 Kufa. 32 MILITANTS KILLED IN KUFA.

13.50 Nassiriya. ITALIAN SOLDIERS ATTACKED BECAUSE THEY ARE WAGING WAR. The Italian NGO Emergency calls for withdrawal of Italian troops from Iraq.

12.35 Washington. RUMSFELD OUTLAWS CAMERA PHONES IN IRAQ. DoD bans camera phones. [We shall not get caught in the act.]

10.50 Baghdad. ULEMA COMMITTEE MEMBER WOUNDED. A member of the Sunni Ulema Committee was gravely wounded while exiting a mosque in Baghdad.

09.50 Najaf. VIOLENT CLASHES IN HOLY CITY. 14 dead, 31 wounded.

09.25 Kufa. US TROOPS KILL 20 PEOPLE. 54 are wounded.

06.50 Basrah. WOMEN KILLED IN BASRAH, 2 DEAD IN BAQUBA. A 60 year old woman was killed and two women and 2 children wounded by mortar fire in Basrah. Meanwhile one policeman and one student were killed in Baquba.

02.30 London. FOREIGN OFFICE MEMORANDUM CRITICIZES USA. Memo leaked to Sunday Times (UK)

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22 May 2004 Events in Iraq

18.20 Baghdad. SADR CITY, USA OFFERS CASH FOR WEAPONS. US has forked out $1.3 million (a trifle) so far for 4000 kalashnikovs, 9000 mortar rounds, 260 rpgs and 2000 grenades.

17.35 Baghdad. MORTAR FIRE HITS DOWNTOWN. Seven mortar rounds hit downtown Baghdad, woulding 2 coalition soldiers and 1 Iraqi.

17.09 Washington. USA DENIES WITHDRAWING FROM KARBALA.

16.20 Najaf. SADR MILITIA PREPARED TO EVACUATE NAJAF IF USA WITHDRAWS. "We are prepared to end our armed presence if the Occupation forces leave" says a Sadr spokesman to journalist Qais al-Khazali.

16.15 Baghdad. GROUP CLAIMS REPONSIBILITY FOR ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF VICE-MINISTER. A group lead by Abu Musad al Zarqawi has claimed reponsibility for an attack on the convoy of Shi'a General Abdel Jabar Youssef al-Shikli.

15.30 Najaf. CLASHES BETWEEN USA AND SADR FORCES. Four Iraqis dead and seven wounded. US tanks attacked with mortars and grenaded. One home destroyed.

13.15 Baghdad. EXPLOSIONS IN CAPITAL. Explosions heard within Green Zone.

12.20 Rome. MARTINO, STATE FUNERAL FOR QUATTROCCHI Italan Defense Minister Antonio Martino wants a state funeral for dead paramilitary contractor.

11.30 Karbala. COLATION AND SADR MILITIA WITHDRAW FROM KARBALA. Sadr spokesman Ali al-Kazali says agreement to be initialed in the afternoon.

09.30 Baghdad. IRAQ VICEMINISTER OF THE INTERIOR IN STABLE CONDITION Abdul-Jabbar Youssef suffered a head wound in the explosion of a car bomb in front of his residence. He is in Al-Kindi hospital. 6 others were wounded. Surrounding cars and homes damaged

08.05 Mahmoudiyah. US SOLDIER KILLED, THREE WOUNDED SOUTH OF BAGHDAD. Suicide car bomber rams vehicle into convoy in al-Mahmoudiyah, 30 km south of Baghdad.

21 May 2004 Events in Iraq

23.12 Washington. PENTAGON OPENS INQUEST INTO ADDITONAL 8 HOMICIDES OF PRISONERS UNDER INTERROGATION

22.35 Rome. FORENSIC SAMPLES OF CORPSE OF FABRIZIO QUATTROCCHI ARRIVE IN ITALY. DNA tests of tissue samples ordered to confirm identity of executed Italian contractor. [They used a sealed diplomatic pouch to prevent tampering.]

22.30 Washington. TORTURE. Worst abuses took place the night of november 2003 during escalation of attacks on US troops. [A likely story]

20.30 The Hague. TORTURE, CARLA DEL PONTE RECOMMENDS TRIALS OF US SOLDIERS IN USA. Hague prosecutor says US should prosecute soldiers in USA to demonstrate to the world that it can do the right thing.

19.20 The Hague. HOLLAND REINFORCES CONTINGENT. 6 Apache helicopters dispatched to Iraq to support its 1,300 troops

18.45 Kufa. CLOSE COLLABORATOR OF AL SADR ARRESTED DI AL SADR Mohammad Tabtabaï Hakim arrested has he exits mosque.

18.20 Kirkuk US RAID IN KIRKUK, 15 AL-SADR SUPPORTERS ARRESTED

17.42 Rome. GIANFRANCO FINI, ITALIANS FOREIGN MINISTER ACCUSES LEFT OF `ARMCHAIR PACIFISM'. [Have you protested lately?]

17.40 Baghdad. 454 PRISONERS RELEASED FROM ABU GHRAIB.

17.15 Baghdad. TWO ARRESTED FOR BERG EXECUTION.

16.50 Baghdad. TWO EXPLOSIONS IN CAPITAL. Two powerful explosions reported in downtown Baghdad

16.30 Rome. BERLUSCONI SAYS UN RESOLUTION BY 20 JUNE. New UN Security Council resolution expected soon, but no details offered. [The 12th of Never Resolution]

16.15 Rome. BERLUSCONI ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NOVEMBER. [There are powerful hallucinatory mushrooms on Sardegna]

16.05 Najaf. MOSQUE HIT BY RPG [but whose?]

16.04 Najaf. 1 DEAD AND 13 WOUNDED.

15.59 Baghdad. POWERFUL EXPLOSION IN CAPITAL. Column of smoke sighted.

15.43 Baghdad. TORTURE, TRANSLATOR ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ABUSE OF PRISONERS. Civilian contractor employed by Titan company of California cited in Taguba report

15.30 Baghdad. 2 SUSPECTS RELEASED IN BERG EXECUTION.

15.14 Kirkuk. DOZENS OF SADR SYMPATHIZERS ROUNDED UP IN KIRKUK But Abdulfatah al-Mousawi escapes arrest.

15.12 Karbala. 2 THOUSAND DEMONSTRATE AGAINST MUQTADA SADR.

15.11 Madrid. LAST SPANISH TROOPS LEAVE IRAQ

15.05 Ramadi BOMB KILLS US SOLDIER AND 2 IRAQIS in al-Anbar province

15.00 Baghdad. SPANISH JOURNALIST RELEASED. Fran Sevilla released.

14.50 Baghdad. TORTURE, RED CROSS REPORTS TO BE DELIVERED TO GENERAL MILLER PERSONALLY. Red Cross reports on prisoner mistreatment must be handed directly to General Miller.

13.40 Baghdad. RED CROSS WORKING TOWARDS RELEASE OF ITALIAN HOSTAGES Society also evacuates wounded children from Falluja for medical treatment in Italy

13.25 Baquba. IRAQI DEFENSE FORCES ATTACKED IN BAQUBA, 4 DEAD.

13.21 Nassiriya. CARABINIERI ARREST 7 IRAQIS SUSPECTED IN ROCKET ATTACK ON CAMP TALLIL.

11.50 Kufa. SADR: CONTINUE THE STRUGGLE. "Let not my death end your struggle. If you continue, Allah will guarantee victory. Those who fight in the Mahdi Army are forces for righteousness and resistance. They are soldiers against injustice."

11.00 Najaf. CLASHES BETWEEN USA AND MILITIAMEN. Combat in Revolution Square and in the municipal cemetery [Fitting, no?]

09.30 Najaf. 1 DEAD, 6 WOUNDED

09.20 Karbala. 8 CIVILIANS AND AL JAZEERA REPORTER KILLED. Rachid Hamid Wali - shot in the head by a sniper.

09.05 Washington. TORTURE: NEW PHOTOS AND VIDEO AT WASHINGTON POST WEBSITE.

20 May 2004 Events in Iraq

22.30 Najaf. EXPLOSIONS AND GUNFIRE REPORTED.

19.21 Baghdad. PACHACHI: ITALIAN TROOPS SHOULD STAY IN IRAQ AFTER 30 JUNE. [Pachachi may be tapped for President].

19.10 Baghdad. HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION: 15 CHILDREN AMONG THE DEAD. Of the 43 people killed by strafing at the wedding celebration, 15 were children and 10 were women.

17.25 Baghdad. GENERAL KIMMITT SAYS US MILITARY WILL INVESTIGATE the wedding party incident.

16.43 Washington. USA WANTS MORE TROOPS IN IRAQ TO PROTECT UN POLLWORKERS.

16.28 Baghdad. CHALABI CUTS ALL TIES TO COALITION

16.10 Baghdad. GENERAL MILLER: A FEW BAD APPLES RESPONSIBLE FOR ABU GHRAIB ABUSES.

15.05 Nassiriya. TALLIL BASE HIT BY KATIUSCIA ROCKETS [Just wait until Chelabi starts funding the resistance]

12.53 Samarra. US SOLDIER KILLED BY BOMB.

12.20 Rome. FUNERAL OF MATTEO VANZAN, FIRST ITALIAN BATTLE CASUALTY SINCE 1944 Thousands throng church.

12.00 Mosul 1 DEAD, 4 WOUNDED IN EXPLOSION.

11.25 Baghdad. CHELABI'S HEADQUARTERS RAIDED.

10.27 Najaf. FIVE IRAQIS KILLED IN NAJAF, 13 WOUNDED.

10.10 Baghdad. US SOLDIER KILLED BY GRENADE IN DOWNTOWN BAGHDAD

10.05 Baghdad. RED CROSS DENOUNCES EXCESSIVE VIOLENCE BY US OCCUPIERS

09.28 Basrah. SPANISH CONVOY ATTACKED NEAR KUWAIT BORDER during pullout operation.

09.02 Nassiriya. RPG AIMED AT ITALIAN BASE IN NASSIRIYA.

08.25 Karbala 9 DEAD IN CLASH, including women and children

03.24 Baghdad. MAJORITY OF IRAQIS WANT OCCUPIERS OUT

02.28 Washington. NEW ABUSE PHOTOS featuring Sabrina Harmon, Charles Graner and the corpse of Manadel al-Jamadi.

19 May 2004 Events in Iraq

18.40 Paris. CANAL PLUS REPORTS JOURNALISTS AND CAMERAMEN HELD BY US FORCES: French TV network Canal+ says one of its reporting teams is being held incommunicado.

18.26 Washington. BUSH ANNOUNCES NEW IRAQ GOVERNMENT IN 2 WEEKS

18.10 Baghdad. SANCHEZ: EXPECT MORE COURT MARTIALS

17.46 Baghdad. FLAMES SPOTTED IN GREEN ZONE.

17.25 Baghdad. US SOLDIER KILLED IN MIQDADIYA when his patrol was attacked.

16.42 Karbala. DEATHTOLL RISES

15.46 Mosul. BRITON KILLED. Andrew Harris, from Cardiff, shot while driving between Mosul and Arbil.

15.42 Baghdad. GENERAL SANCHEZ: "WE WILL INVESTIGATE ALL RANKS in Abu Ghraib scandal

15.39 Washington. NEW PHOTOS OF PRISONER ABUSE. A 4th CD emerges.

15.35 Washington. CENTCOM : ABIZAID SAW TORTURE REPORT ONLY IN MAY

14.30 Baghdad. SIVITS GETS 1-YEAR SENTENCE

13.32 London. BLAIR DUSTED WITH POWDER DURING COMMONS SESSION. Protesters in the Gallery throw harmless violet powder on Tony Blair; Commons evacuated.

12.07 Karbala Death toll rises to 5 in Karbala

11.35 Baghdad. COURTS-MARTIAL POSTPONED until 21 June.

11.20 Baghdad TORTURE, Sivits found guilty.

10.35 Mosul. POLICEMAN KILLED. Bomb misses Abdullah Fahd Shomari, mayor of Baaj.

10.00 Karbala AIR RAID ON HOLY CITY. 4 Dead, 9 wounded.

07.16 Baghdad. SALIM ASSASSINATION Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the organization Jamaat al-Tawhid claim credit for Salim carbombing.

07.10 Karbala. COMBAT. 2 Iraqi civilians dead and 3 others gravely wounded as US patrols street adjacent to mosque.

18 May 2004 Events in Iraq

13.47 Rome. TORTURE: BERLUSCONI DEMANDS EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENT. Berlusconi will ask Bush for Rumsfeld's resignation over Abu Ghraib scandal.

13.14 Najaf AYATOLLAH SISTANI DEMANDS DEPARTURE OF MILITANTS AND US TROOPS. Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani has demanded that Sadr militants and US troops evacuate Najaf and Kerbala.

13.06 Baghdad. ITALIAN HOSTAGES STILL ALIVE.

12.40 Baghdad. POWERFUL EXPLOSION IN CAPITAL. A powerful explosion rocked Baghdad after the funeral of IGC President Ezzedine Salim. Buildings shook throughout the city.

12.25 Mosul. 2 US CIVILIANS KILLED while traveling in their car.

12.10 Najaf RENEWED COMBAT IN CITY. Police station attacked.

11.00 London. STRAW: "SITUATION MORE DIFFICULT THAN IMAGINED. Jack Straw says unforeseen difficulties have arisen during Iraq occupation.

10.05 London. UK to send 3,000 additional troops. Royal Marines and armored infantry to be deployed

09.55 Baghdad. IRAQI SHI'A SUPPORTED BY IRAN ASK TROOPS TO STAY Abu Aref of SCIRI says foreign troops must stay in Iraq

09.40 Rome. DC-130 RETURNS TO ITALY with body of Matteo Vanzan, first Italian battle casualty since 1944.

09.05 Basrah. PIPELINE REPAIRED.

08.45 Nassiriyah. QUIET PREVAILS OVERNIGHT

07.55 Karbala. VIOLENT COMBAT IN KARBALA AT DAWN.

07.15 Najaf. NIGHTTIME BATTLES. Battle between Mahdi Army and Iraqi police in Revolution of 1920 Square.

07.10 Ramadi. 2 US SOLDIERS KILLED IN AL ANBAR PROVINCE.

16 May 2004 Events in Iraq

21.02 Nassiriya. ITALIAN SOLDIER GRAVELY WOUNDED following firefight.

20.50 Nassiriya. ITALY'S BASE LIBECCIO EVACUATED.

19.35 Washington. POWELL: "WE WILL STAY IN IRAQ FOR A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME".

18.46 Nassiriya. SITUATON TENSE AS MILITANTS OCCUPY ROOFTOP OF CPA OFFICES

18.20 Nassiriya. 28 CIVILIANS WOUNDED

18.15 Karbala. US TANKS ADVANCE TO SACRED SHRINES. US tanks outside Imam Abbas and Imam Hussein shrines [in attempt to provoke Iran?]

18.14 Baghdad. 3 IRAQIS KILLED.

18.06 Najaf. DELEGATION FROM FALLUJA MEETS MOQTADA SADR IN NAJAF.

17.54 Nassiriya. 3 ITALIANS WOUNDED IN MORTAR ATTACK

17.25 Doha. AL JAZEERA SHOWS TAPE OF RUSSIAN HOSTAGES

17.20 Karbala. AL SADR SUPPPORTERS DISPERSE CROWD

16.20 Baghdad. 2 IRAQI EMPLOYEES OF CPA KILLED IN BAGHDAD

15.32 Nassiriya. Italian CONVOY ATTACKED

15.30 Baghdad. US SOLDIER KILLED BY ROADSIDE BOMB

13.39 Nassiriya. ITALIANS BATTLE MILITANTS

13.33 Nassiriya. MARKET BOMBING

12.51 Baghdad. EXPLOSION IN GREEN ZONE

12.43 Amara. BRITISH TROOPS IN HAND TO HAND COMBAT.

12.00 Teheran. KHAMENEI DENOUNCES CPA FOR BATTLES IN SHI'A AREAS

10.14 Nassiriya. 4 ITALIAN TROOPS WOUNDED

09.41 Nassiriya. MILITANTS OCCUPY HOSPITAL, FIRE ON CPA BUILDING

13 May 2004 Events in Iraq

Thu May 13th, 2004 at 10:20:13 EST
15.16 Baghdad. RUMSFELD IN ABU GRAHIB. [Boys, keep up the good work...I've brought the Pentagon lawyers along...they'll tell you what to say if you're nabbed for abuse.--Nur]

14.55 Mosul. TWO TURKS KILLED IN MOSUL. Suayip Kaplanli, the Turkish translator for construction contractor Yuksel (which is rebuilding Mosul airport) was killed along with his chauffeur.

14.11 Geneva. RED CROSS CRITICIZES USA FOR GUANTANAMO CONDITIONS.

14.05 Rome. ITALY TO VOTE ON WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ ON 20 MAY

14.03 Karbala CLASHES. Abrahams tank destroyed by militia

14.02 Nassiriya. 2 ITALIAN SOLDIERS READY TO TESTIFY on abuses in Nassiriya prison. [These were abuses of Sunni at the hands of Shia.]

13.55 Paris. CHIRAC AND SCHROEDER EXPRESS HORROR AND INDIGNATION.

13.40 Rome. ZAPATERO: "I'M NOT GIVING ADVICE". Zapatero in Rome for talks

13.26 Rome. ITALIAN OPPOSITION: RUMSFELD MUST GO.

13.13 Paris. SITUATION IN IRAQ HOPELESS. Chirac warns of spillover of violence throughout the region. Total loss of direction on part of "Occupying Power"

13.02 Rome. ITALIAN VICE PREMIER FINI (FASCIST PARTY). Spanish withdrawal from Iraq the biggest success of terrorism since 9-11

12.57 Madrid. SPAIN DENIES ANY INVOLVEMENT IN PRISON TORTURE.

12.52 Rome. BERLUSCONI: IRAQI ELECTIONS TO TAKE PLACE IN JANUARY

12.08 Rome. BERLUSCONI WILL ASK BUSH FOR `EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENTS' FOR PRISON ABUSE [He will ask for Rumsfeld's resignation in Abu Ghraib scandal.]

11.23 Karbala. COMBAT NEARS SACRED SHRINES.

10.39 Baghdad. RUMSFELD, IN SURPRISE VISIT TO BAGHDAD.

09.37 Philadelphia. REMAINS OF NICK BERG ARRIVE IN USA

08.28 Najaf. 2 DEAD IN CLASHES IN NAJAF.

12 May 2004 Events in Iraq

14.45 Baghdad. GENERAL KARPINSKI: "AT ABU GHRAIB I WAS OVERRULED". Gen. Janis Karpinski objected to transfer of authority to DoD Intelligence but was reversed by her superiors.

14.00 Najaf. CLERGY PROPOSE TRUCE as reported by Mohammad Moussaoui, Organization for Islamic Action.

13.35 Karbala SADR: "I WILL DISSOLVE MY MILITIA IF ORDERED BY SHI'A HIERARCHY". He's also ready to die a martyr.

13.20 London. TORTURE, BRITISH SOLIDER REPORTS OFFICERS WINKED AT ABUSE while troops made trophy digital recordings and photos around the clock.

13.15 London BLAIR: "TORTURE PICTURES ARE FABRICATED" SAYS Tony Blair to the House of Commons.

12.28 Suleimaniya. 30 ARRESTS IN NORTHERN IRAQ. Ansar al-Islam members arrested in Suleimaniya (Kurdistan)

11.30 Nassiriyah. ITALIAN CARABINIERI CALL CENTER FLOODED WITH CALLS CONCERNING PRISONER ABUSE. Italian Carabiniere deployed to Iraq phoned in reports of prisoner abuse by British troops and Iraqi police.

11.04 Mosul. 4 PHILIPPINOS KILLED in mortar attack on US base in northern Iraq.

11.01 Washington US SENATE TO VIEW MORE ABU GHRAIB PHOTOS IN SECRET SESSION.

10.52 Doha. ARAB TV SHOWS BERG EXECUTION.

10.37 Baghdad. LYNNDIE ENGLAND: "I WAS ONLY OBEYING ORDERS".

09.04 Karbala. US FORCES KILL 25 IRAQIS

07.54 Karbala. PITCHED BATTLE 200 METERS FROM SHRINE. Fighting nears Imam Hussein shrine.

11 May 2004 Events in Iraq

14.15 Baghdad. ABU GHRAIB, PRISONER FAINTS FOLLOWING RAPE. An Iraqi prisoner has told her lawyer that she was raped in Abu Ghraib prison. Story in Los Angeles Times.

13.45 Washington. TORTURE, SEX ACTS AND SEXUAL HUMILIATION. In the photos displayed yesterday at the Pentagon from Abu Ghraib, prisoner shown masturbating, another is sodomized with broomhandle.

13.15 Baghdad. AL DOURI. Izzat Ibrahim Al Douri,'King of Clubs' arrested.

12.45 Rome. ITALIAN PRESIDENT: "TORTURE INTOLERABLE FOR A DEMOCRACY". Carlo Azeglio Ciampi denounces Abu Ghraib torture during visit of Tunisian President Ben Ali.

12.35 Atlanta. CNN, 54% OF AMERICANS SAY WAR IS MISTAKE.

12.15 New York. UNICEF DENOUNCES MISTREATMENT OF CHILDREN IN PRISON IN IRAQ. UNICEF spokesman Damien Personnaz reports abuses occurred last week.

10.30 Najaf. SADR MILITIANMEN DISRUPT DEMONSTRATION.

10.10 Najaf. SADR PROMISED POSTPONEMENT OF TRIAL OF MILITIA DISBANDED. Adnan al-Zorfi, Governor of Najaf guarantees safety.

09.45 Baghdad. AMERICAN FOUND DEAD

09.00 Rutba. CIVILIAN CONVOY ATTACKED. A civilian convoy of 21 trucks from Jordan attacked en route to Baghdad. Thought to be a Kellogg, Brown & Root convoy

08.50 Baghdad. RUSSIAN KILLED, TWO KIDNAPPED IN BAGHDAD. They were employees of Interenergoservices, an electrical power contractor.

08.45 Kufa. 13 SADR MILITANTS KILLED IN KUFA. Town located near Kufa

08.40 Samawa. DUTCH SOLDIER DIES IN SAMAWA.

08.40 Samarra. US SOLDIER KILLED IN SAMARRA by roadside bomb.

08.30 Kirkuk. 4 DEAD IN MARKET BOMBING. 25 WOUNDED.

10 May 2004 Events in Iraq

16.55 Baghdad. GENERAL MILLER: "WE WILL CUT THE NUMBER OF ABU GHRAIB PRISONERS IN HALF. To happen within 45 days.

16.50 London. TORTURE, HOON: "AUTHENTICITY OF TORTURE PHOTOS IN DOUBT".

16.30 Baghdad. BAGHDAD POWER STATION IN FLAMES. Power station in SW Baghdad supplying the Amiriya and Yarmuk neighborhoods.

16.15 Baghdad. TORTURE, KIMMIT: "WE WILL INVESTIGATE ABUSES THROUGHOUT IRAQ".

16.00 Baghdad. 35 SHIITE MILITANTS KILLED in nighttime battles.

14.00 Baghdad. AL SADR: "FIGHT THE ENEMY WHEREVER HE IS". "We have entered into the second stage of resistance. Our patience is exhausted.

13.50 London. TORTURE, BLAIR: "NO OBJECTION TO PUBLISHING RED CROSS REPORT".

12.56 Fallujah. RESIDENTS FIRE INTO THE AIR. Disaster narrowly avoided as Marines thought they were fired upon.

12.39 Washington. BUSH, WE WILL WIN. Unlike '91, we won't cut and run. [Um, remember Osama?]

12.15 Basrah. OIL EXPORTS CUT IN HALF. Pipeline bombed on Faw Peninsula.

12.12 Kufa. NEW CLASHES IN KUFA, 12 IRAQIS KILLED.

12.10 Baghdad. EXPLOSION AT BAGHDAD HOTEL, BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE CONFIRMS CITIZENS WOUNDED.

11.53 Doha. AL JAZEERA, VIDEO DEATH THREATS TO BRITISH. The El Taf Martyrs Brigade threatens death and kidnapping of British troops.

11.19 Paris. FRANCE EXCLUDES SENDING TROOPS TO IRAQ. Michel Barnier says France will participate in reconstruction but will not send troops even if part of UN or NATO deployment.

11.16 Doha. AL JAZEERA, VIDEO THREATS TO FOREIGN WORKERS. An unknown Basrah group warns foreign workers not to walk the streets of the city.

10.52 Baghdad. SADR CITY, 16 IRAQIS DEAD.

10.18 Baquba. IRAQ: BAQUBA GOVERNOR ESCAPES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT. Governor of Diyala Province survives roadside bombing, 3 escorts wounded.

09.47 Doha. AL-JAZEERA, AL SADR MILITIA WITHDRAWS FROM NASSIRIYA.

09.46 Baghdad. AERIAL BOMBING OF AL SADR HEADQUARTERS. A single-story building flattened by US airstrike in Sadr City.

08.41 Fallujah. CONVOY OF 10 MARINES ENTERS FALLUJAH.

08.19 Kirkuk. NEW ZEALANDER AND SOUTH AFRICAN KILLED IN KIRKUK.

07.54 Fallujah. EXPLOSIONS SHAKE CITY. Explosions in southwest Falluja.

9 May 2004 Events in Iraq

15.52 Kufa. NINE IRAQIS DEAD IN CLASHES.

15.45 Baghdad. 19 IRAQIS DEAD.

15.30 Hilla. POLISH SOLDIER KILLED.

15.10 Baghdad. LYNNDIE SELECTS LEGAL COUNSEL. One of America's most noted defenders in the military justice system gets Lynndie's case, George Rashadd.

14.45 Baghdad. COURT MARTIAL OF JEREMY SIVITIS TO BE OPEN TO PUBLIC.

13.45 Basrah. FOUR IRAQIS DEAD.

13.15 Baghdad FOUR IRAQIS DIE DEFUSING BOMB.

12.15 Najaf. NEW GOVERNOR OF NAJAF TO MEDIATE CONFLICT. Adnan al-Zorfi seeks end to conflict

11.45 London. THREE BRISTISH SOLDIERS CHARGED WITH SEXUAL ABUSE OF PRISONERS.

11:30 Baghdad. SHI'A AND AMERICANS BATTLE IN SADR CITY.

11.15 Basrah. ROADSIDE BOMB WOUNDS THREE BRITISH.

10.43 Baghdad. 7 IRAQIS KILLED IN BAGHDAD MARKET BOMBING.

8 May 2005 Events in Iraq

17:06 Ramadi. TRIBAL LEADERS DEMAND LIBERATION OF ABU GHRAIB PRISONERS. Tribal leaders of Al-Anbar Province demand that Paul Bremer liberate the prisoners.

16:45 Nassiriya. ITALIAN CARABINIERI ARREST ONE PERSON

16:00 Karbala. SHI'ITES OF KARBALA DECIDE TO RESIST USA Hamza al-Taai confirms US attack underway. They want to destroy us, but God willing, they will not be successful. We will defend Karabala with our lives.

14:36 Karbala. CENTER OF HOLY CITY SURROUNDED.

13:38 Karbala. POLISH SOLDIER IN KARBALA DIES IN ROAD ACCIDENT, NOT COMBAT. Soldier dies in headon collision with truck.

13:15 Rome. ITALIAN VICE PREMIER FINI: ITALY NOT AWARE OF TORTURE.

11:40 Baghdad. VIOLENT EXPLOSION IN CAPITAL. In vicinity of Green Zone.

11:01 Basrah. 3 IRAQIS DEAD, 3 BRITISH SOLDIERS WOUNDED. Another 4 civilians wounded in shootout between British troops and locals.

09:51 Baquba. IRAQIS KILLED IN BOMBING NORTH OF BAGHDAD. A bomb targeting police official Muayyad Ayid killed 3 Iraqi and injured 4 in Habhab, near Baquba.

08:30 Amara. CLASHES IN AMARA. 3 killed and 10 wounded during clash with British troops.

08:00 Basrah. CLASHES IN BASRAH. Violent clashes between locals and British troops at dawn.

7 May 2004 Events in Iraq

16.20 Madrid. SPAIN CONDEMNS PRISONER ABUSE. Vice Premier Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega condemns prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib.

16.00 Rome. ITALIAN HOSTAGES HELD BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS.

15.30 Fallujah. PACIFIST CONVOY REACHES FALLUJA. A dozen trucks with water, blankets, food, clothing and portable cooking stoves were delivered to Imam Abdullah Al Jaanabi.

15.15 Washington. ASHCROFT SUGGESTS INDICTMENTS AGAINST CIVILIANS AND CIA OPERATIVES FOR ABUSES AT Abu Ghraib.

14.45 Geneva. UN HEADQUARTERS IN GENEVA REINFORCES SECURITY MEASURES. Osama offers 22 pounds of gold bullion as bounty on head of Kofi Annan.

14.20 New York. NEW TORTURE PHOTOS. New York Times in possession of macabre photos of 2 Iraqis killed by their US interrogators at Abu Ghraib.

14.10 Karbala. CLASHES IN KARBALA. Five civilians dead.

13.20 Mosul CARBOMB KILLS 4 IRAQI POLICEMEN.

13.00 Washington. NEW TORTURE REVELATIONS. Three US MPs come forward with fresh evidence of systematic torture at Abu Ghraib.

10.30 Nassiriya. MORTAR ATTACK ON NASSIRIYA HOSPITAL. 2 security guards and one civilian wounded in attack intended to hit CPA headquarters.

08.33 Latifiya. JOURNALIST DEAD, CAMERAMAN WOUNDED An Algerian journalist was killed and his Polish cameraman wounded in Latifiya, south of Baghdad.

6 May 2004 Events in Iraq

15.20 Najaf. BATTLE RAGES IN NAJAF between Moqtada Sadr supporters and US troops.

14.56 Najaf. US FORCES SURROUND NORTHWEST NAJAF. Gunbattles in nearby Kufa.

14.34 Nassiriya. ITALIAN CONTINGENT ATTACKED near village of Sukash Suyoohk, 20 km from Nassiriya.

14.17 Dubai. US HOSTAGE SHOWN ON AL ARABIYA.

13.21 Baghdad. 10 AL SADR SUPPORTERS AND 1 US SOLDIER KILLED IN SADR CITY .

13.00 Baghdad. AL QAEDA CLAIMS REPONSIBILITY for carbombing in Baghdad.

12.28 Baghdad. NIGHTTIME ATTACK IN BAGHDAD. Two US soldiers killed and two wounded.

11.39 Baghdad. SECOND EXPLOSION HITS CIVILIAN CONVOY. Convoy of foreign civilians hit in central Baghdad, no report of victims

11.04 Baghdad. SECOND EXPLOSION NEAR GREEN ZONE Dense column of smoke observed

10.17 Baghdad. CARBOMBING IN BAGHDAD, DEATH TOLL MOUNTS. 23 killed including 2 US soldiers

08.25 Nassiriya. CARABINIERI ATTACKED IN NASSIRIYA.

08.05 Kirkuk. AGRICULTURE MINISTRY EMPLOYEE KASSASSINATED

06.50 Baquba. TWO BOMBS DESTROY PUK HEADQUARTERS.

4 May 2004 Events in Iraq.

15.35 Fallujah. US TROOPS ABANDON POSITIONS NORTH OF FALLUJA General Mohammed Latif has taken control of the Golan quarter of Falluja, destroyed by US bombing.

14.55 Paris. FRENCH TV SHOWS US HELICOPTER CREW GUNNING CIVILIANS. Canal Plus in France is scheduled to broadcast a video taped by US military showing a helicopter crew killing unarmed civilians who appear to present no threat. The contractors say they stole the tape from US personnel on the base where they worked and were housed.

14.39 Kirkuk. FUEL CONVOY RUNS OVER MINE. A fuel convoy headed for Kirkuk airport hit a mine, wounding several. The ensuing conflagration engulfed a US armored vehicle escorting the convoy.

13.27 Rome. ITALIAN HOSTAGES, BERLUSCONI ORDERS MEDIA BLACKOUT.

12.30 Baghdad. CASUALTIES IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. 5 Iraqi insurgents killed, 4 American troops die in road accident north of Baghdad,.

12.12 Kufa. CLASH IN KUFA BETWEEN AL-SADR SUPPORTERS AND US TROOPS.

10.30 Baghdad. 280 PRISONERS RELEASED FROM ABU GHRAIB PRISON.

10.20 Baghdad. EXPLOSIONS HEARD NEAR ABU GHRAIB PRISON.

08.30 Baghdad. 4 IRAQI INSURGENTS KILLED by US artillery north of Baghdad

01.50 Washington. US TO MAINTAIN TROOP LEVELS IN IRAQ.

3 May 2004 Events in Iraq.

15.39 Baghdad. US SOLDIER KILLED BY SNIPER FIRE. One US soldier was killed and two wounded while guarding a weapons cache south of Baghdad.

15.25 Najaf. TWO DEAD IN NAJAF. Shi'ite guerrillas launch mortar attack on US base and exchange light artillery fire. Two Iraqis dead and 15 wounded.

13.30 Najaf. ITALIAN TV CREW KIDNAPPED but released shortly thereafer in Najaf.

13:00 Rome. BERLUSCONI: "WE MUST STAY UNTIL THE END". Italy must save Iraq from civil war. [Actually, Silvio, you don't]

12:15 Mosul. US TROOPS KILL 2 IRAQIS. US troops open fire on a pair of Iraqis planting a roadside bomb.

12:15 Sofia. BULGARIA REPATRIATES OBJECTORS. 20 Bulgarian troops sent home. They opposed their continuing presence in Karbala.

12:12 Kirkuk. SHI'A LEADER OF KIRKUK ARRESTED for suspected sabotage of oil pipeline.

12:08 Najaf. 10 MORTAR ROUNDS DIRECTED AGAINST US POSITION IN NAJAF.

11:50 Nassiriya. ITALIAN CONVOY ATTACKED. Convoy comes under fire in Suk Al-Shiyookh, 20 km south of Nassiriya.

11:20 Baghdad. IRAQI HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER QUITS. Abdel Bassat Turki presented his resignation in protest on 8 April but officially confirms departure this morning.

10:40 Washington. WRITTEN REPRIMAND SENT TO PRISONER ABUSERS. The 6 military officers under investigation for prisoner abuse receive a letter of reprimand.

10:24 Karbala. 72-hour truce called by Sadr militia

09:50 Mossul. NEW DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST FLAG. Continuing protests against new flag by Shi'a and Sunnis.

09:30 Fallujah. FALLUJAH BRIGADE to be commanded by Mohammed Latif, substituting Jassim Mohammed Saleh.

08:15 London. BRITISH SOLDIERS CONFIRM VERACITY OF TORTURE PICTURES

06.10 Baghdad. THE BLOODY MONTH OF MAY. 14 US soldiers killed in 24 hours.