JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Senate gives strong endorsement to Rice
Condoleezza Rice won strong but not unanimous endorsement as secretary of state from a Senate panel Wednesday, assuring skeptical Democrats she welcomed debate about the nation's foreign policy course and wouldn't sugarcoat advice to President Bush.

Bush says he feels weight of history
In a city brimming with pageantry under fortress-like security, President Bush said Wednesday he felt the weight of history for his second inauguration. He paused to reflect on treasured historical documents, including George Washington's handwritten, first inaugural address.

5 car bombs rock Baghdad before elections
Insurgents unleashed a wave of car bombings across the capital Wednesday, killing about a dozen people, despite stepped-up U.S. and Iraqi measures to protect this month's elections. North of Baghdad, insurgents killed a British security officer and kidnapped a Japanese engineer, officials said.

Israel agrees to put off Gaza invasion
The top Palestinian security official Wednesday ordered troops deployed along the Gaza-Israel frontier in an attempt to curb attacks from the Arab enclave, and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon reversed course again, approving a "security meeting" that for the time being headed off a possible large-scale Israeli invasion to curb the surging violence.

Indonesia raises tsunami death toll by 70k
Indonesia's Health Ministry declared Wednesday that more than 70,000 people previously listed as missing are dead, significantly raising its estimate for the death toll from last month's tsunami.


The U.S. News: Iraq News
Iraqi people should judge election legitimacy: Russian FM
"If elections take place, the Iraqi people, not international observers or groups, must determine the legitimacy of the elections," Foreign Minister Sergei [in Xinhua] The US News: Iraq News

Blair, British Public Condemn Abuse of Prisoners in Iraq
LONDON (AP) - Confronted by shocking images of British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday the military would not tolerate such behavior and insisted that most t... [in Tampa Bay Online] The US News: Iraq News

Iraqi-Born U.S. Citizen Pleads Guilty to Acting as Illegal Agent of Saddam Hussein's Government
WASHINGTON (AP) - An Iraqi-born American businessman accused of skimming money from the United Nations oil-for-food program has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of Saddam Hussein's government.... [in Tampa Bay Online] The US News: Iraq News

Car Bomb Targets Aussie Embassy in Iraq
A car bomb exploded near the Australian Embassy in central Baghdad on Wednesday, killing two people and wounding four, police and witnesses said. A second car bomb exploded about a half hour later at ... [in Yahoo] The US News: Iraq News


Ananova: War In Iraq
UK security guard killed in ambush
A British security worker was killed in an ambush carried out by insurgents in Iraq. Ananova: War In Iraq


Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Blair, Britons Condemn Prisoner Abuse
Confronted by shocking images of British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday the military would not tolerate such behavior and insisted that the majority of troops there behaved honorably. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Marines, Iraqis Work to Safeguard Vote
The sound of boots clattering up helicopter ramps at dawn kicked off a series of raids Wednesday by U.S. Marines, who are using everything from concrete barriers to no-parking signs to help secure Iraq's elections in 10 days. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Man Pleads Guilty to Oil-For-Food Charges
An Iraqi-born American businessman accused of skimming money from the United Nations oil-for-food program has pleaded guilty to being an illegal agent of Saddam Hussein's government. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Rice survives...Bush says thank you...Car bombings rattle Baghdad
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror

Gunmen abduct Japanese engineer in central Iraq
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror

Unclaimed Homeland Security grants to cities and states top 4.5 billion
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror

U.S. Marine, Iraqi commandoes work to safeguard vote in the triangle of death
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror

Senate panel approves Rice...Inaugural events...Securing Iraq's elections
Katu.com: Iraq & Terror

Five car bombs rock Baghdad before elections
A wave of car bombings shook the Iraqi capital Wednesday, killing at least 12 people as rebels stepped up their offensive to block the Jan. 30 national election. Other attacks were reported north and south of the capital, but the U.N. election chief said only a sustained onslaught could stop the ballot. Kansas.com: Iraq


Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
British, Iraqi security workers killed
Gunmen kidnapped a Japanese engineer in a highway ambush in central Iraq on Wednesday, police said. A British security worker and an Iraqi colleague were killed in an attack in the same area, the U.S. military said. Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq

Israel agrees to Mideast security talks
Israeli and Palestinian leaders pledged Wednesday to hold security talks on a joint effort toward halting surging violence, officials said, heading off the possibility of a large-scale Israeli invasion to stop rocket and mortar fire in Gaza. Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq


Weather
Weather information from The Weather Channel

Iraq
Al Azamiyah
Al Basrah
Al Hillah
Al Karkh
Al Kazimiyah
Al Kut
An Nasiriyah
Baghdad
Baqubah
Mosul
Najaf
Nineveh
Tall Kayf

Afghanistan
Bost/Laskar
Ghurian
Herat
Kabul
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From Fox News
FBI Alerts Boston to Four Possible Terror Suspects
70G More Dead in Indonesia- Tsunami Summit Mulls Alerts
Security Talks in Mideast
Car Bombs Rock Iraq- U.S. Pullout Timetable Disputed
Dems to Hold Up Rice


From the Department of Defense:
Rebuilding Projects Have Security Payoff
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 — There have been security payoffs due to the reconstruction money being spent in Iraq, U.S. reconstruction officials said here today. Sadr City is a case in point, said Ambassador Bill Taylor, director of the Iraq Reconstruction Management Office. Story

Opinion Poll Finds Iraqis Favor Elections
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 — As coalition and Iraqi forces continue to kill and capture insurgents bent on disrupting or preventing Iraq's national assembly election, a new poll shows Iraqis overwhelmingly believe it's important for them to cast their ballots Jan. 30. Story

Fighting Jointly Now Norm for U.S. Military
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 — Servicemembers joining the military today are not joining just the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marine Corps - they are joining a truly joint force. The American military has reached unprecedented levels of joint operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom, military officials here said. Story

ON THE GROUND
'Checkmate' Launched to Disrupt Insurgency
FORWARD OPERATING BASE KALSU, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 — Operation Checkmate kicked off with a pre-dawn raid near Jabella as Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines rounded up 15 suspected insurgents south of Baghdad today, beginning a fresh offensive aimed at disrupting insurgent activity ahead of national elections later this month. Story

Carpentry, Ingenuity Improve Deployment
LOGISTICS SUPPORT AREA ANACONDA, BALAD, Iraq, Jan. 19, 2005 — U.S. soldiers are finding new ways to improve their standard of living in Iraq, and their pioneering ingenuity is most evident at Taqaddum. Story

IN IRAQ
Al Asad Welcomes Marine Hornets to Iraq
'Commandos' Tally One Million Completed Calls
Cavalry Troops Remember Martin Luther King
Stryker Brigade Proves Itself in Ninewa

IN AFGHANISTAN
Battalion Steps Up Raids in Afghanistan
Firefight Proves Beneficial for Marines
Airmen Arrive for Duty in Afghanistan

IN KUWAIT
Kuwait-Based Soldiers Help with Tsunami Relief
Army Reserve Chief Visits Troops, Hears Concerns

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
From Beans to Bullets, Contracting Makes It Happen

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
Forces Detain Insurgents
Iraqis Killed in Patrol Breach
Bombings Kill U.S. Soldier, Iraqis
Effort Goal: Clean Water to Fallujah
Fallujah Residents Return Home
Police Station Renovations Begin
Iraq Daily Update
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IRAQ ELECTIONS
Iraq Scholar Discusses Elections
Elections Adhere to Regulations
Iraqis Hold Political Debate
Governor Optimistic About Security
Troops Arrive to Bolster Security
Fact Sheet: Iraqi Elections
Fact Sheet: Timeline
Fact Sheet: Transitional Admin Law
Fact Sheet: Candidate List Regulations

IN AFGHANISTAN
Missing Aircraft Search Continues
Combined Effort Builds School
More Weapons Caches Turn Up
Enduring Freedom Marks 3 Years
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Ridge: War Tests Will, Fortitude
Report: Terrorists Will Adapt, Thrive
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Defense Dept. Announces Rotation
National Guard, Reserve Update