JuneauEmpire.com: Associated Press
Mideast leaders to announce cease-fire
With their flags whipping in the wind, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas met face-to-face at a Mideast summit Tuesday to announce an end to four years of violence and offer goodwill gestures they hope will start a new era of peace talks.

Mortar barrage kills up to 14 in Iraq
Insurgents targeted Iraqis signing up for the country's security forces for a second straight day Tuesday, killing up to 14 people in a mortar attack on an army recruitment center in Baghdad, officials said.

Rice resumes European tour in Rome
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday she is optimistic about the chances for Israel and the Palestinians to reach accommodation, in part because of a new thirst for peace throughout the Middle East, but cautioned that "there is still a long road ahead."

Bush budget may force debate in Congress
President Bush says he has produced a "lean" $2.57 trillion spending plan that would promote his key goals of fighting terrorism and protecting the homeland while seeking to weed out ineffective government programs. But critics are complaining about the president's priorities and charging that the budget is more notable for what has been left out.

Ananova: War In Iraq
Plea to Straw over Cuba detainee
Lawyers for a British resident imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay have renewed calls for Foreign Secretary Jack Straw to secure his release. Ananova: War In Iraq


Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Mortar Barrage Kills Up to 14 in Iraq
Insurgents targeted Iraqis signing up for the country's security forces for a second straight day Tuesday, killing up to 14 people in a mortar attack on an army recruitment center in Baghdad, officials said. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Group Claims Execution of Italy Journalist
A Web posting in the name of a militant group in Iraq claimed Tuesday to have executed an Italian female journalist, but there was no way to determine the report's credibility. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Suicide Blast Near Army Center Kills 21
A suicide bomber killed at least 21people and injured 27 outside an Iraqi army recruitment centerin Baghdad on Tuesday in the deadliest insurgent attack sincelast month's historic election, the U.S. army said. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq

Pain and Loss of Beheading Lingers for Son
Shihab Khaled Anwar cannot bear to think of his father, beheaded in Iraq for allegedly being an informant for Americans. Yahoo! News: War with Iraq


The US News: Iraq News
Iraq to resume north oil
Iraq expects to restart its northern oil export pipeline in five or six days, after a seven week stoppage due to sabotage, according to oil officials. The line is now operational and oil storage tanks... [in AME Info] The US News: Iraq News

Baghdad blast toll rises to 14
A BLAST near an Iraqi army recruitment centre in western Baghdad killed at least 14 people and wounded at least 11 today, hospital officials said. There was no immediate confirmation of the cause o... [in The Daily Telegraph] The US News: Iraq News

Turkish PM Says Iraq Belongs To All Iraqi People
NEW DELHI - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said early on Sunday that Iraq belonged to all Iraqi people. Answering questions [in Turkish Press] The US News: Iraq News

Shiites hold Iraq poll lead as Italian journalist kidnapped
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's main Shiite coalition maintained a hefty but reduced lead Friday in the latest count of votes in the country's historic election, as an [in INQ7 Interactive] The US News: Iraq News

Blast at Iraqi army recruiting center kills up to 14
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) A blast shook an Iraqi army recruiting center in Baghdad on Tuesday, and police and hospital officials said up to 14 people were killed. [in Boston Globe] The US News: Iraq News

Iraqis smack down liberal fears, vote for future
on ballots that were already marked for them by their friendly neighborhood dictator Saddam, but in this free election some 60 percent of Iraqis turned out to [in Daily Vanguard] The US News: Iraq News

Iraqis capture insurgent paymaster
Arab was captured December 20 in Beiji, north of the capital, after elements of the Iraqi national guard and other security forces acted on a tip from Iraqis. [in Namibian] The US News: Iraq News

Kurds placing second in Iraqi vote
BAGHDAD, Iraq — A Kurdish ticket pulled into second place ahead of U.S.-backed Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's candidates in Iraq's national election after votes were released yesterday from the Ku... [in The Seattle Times] The US News: Iraq News


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
Qandahar


From Fox News
Sharon, Abbas Declare End to Violence
Abbas, Sharon attend summit in Sharm el-Sheik, Egypt.
But Hamas not making any commitments yet; Abbas to visit Sharon's ranch

Sharon Visit Rankles Egyptians
Rice to Europe: Look Ahead
Chertoff Vote Likely Today
French at Gitmo Going Home
Snow Slows Afghan Recovery
Web Site: Italian Journalist Executed
Diplomat: Egyptian Hostages Freed in Iraq
Bomb Attacks Kill More Than 30 in Iraq
Extremists Hunt Barbers in Iraq
Rumsfeld Says Iraq Needs Time


From the Department of Defense
Bush Sends Defense Budget to Congress
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2005 — President Bush's $419.3 billion fiscal 2006 defense budget request continues the work of transforming the military, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said today. Rumsfeld spoke during a news conference unveiling the Pentagon budget. Story

Afghans Not Ready for U.S. Troops to Leave
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2005 — Though U.S. and coalition troops have been in Afghanistan for nearly four years, the Afghan people do not see them as occupiers, according to the coalition's director of operations there. Story

Civil-Military Operations Make Strides in Afghanistan

Rumsfeld to Seek Larger NATO Role
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2005 — Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld will ask NATO defense ministers at an informal meeting this week in Nice, France, to take on a larger role in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior defense official said here today. Story

Budget Focus Includes Terror War, Troops
WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2005 — The president’s $419.3 billion defense budget request for fiscal 2006 reflects Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld’s four basic priorities: defeating global terrorism, restructuring the armed forces and global defense structure, developing and fielding advanced warfighting capabilities, and taking care of U.S. forces. Story

Pay Hike, Expanded Military Benefits Among Budget Proposals

ON THE GROUND
'America’s Battalion' Takes Fight to Enemy
KUNAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, Feb. 7, 2005 — “America’s Battalion,” 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, completed Operation Spurs this week as part of a combined Coalition and government of Afghanistan offensive against terrorist threats in Afghanistan during the winter months. Story

Marines Mark Reopening of Fallujah Schools
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PALIWODA, Iraq, Feb. 7, 2005 — Task Force Danger soldiers over the past year have helped the city council members of Balad build a solid infrastructure. Story

U.S. Troops Help Balad Council Organize, Plan
FALLUJAH, Iraq, Feb. 7, 2005 —U.S. Marines from the 4th Civil Affairs Group, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, marked the reopening of schools Feb. 5 in Fallujah by delivering school supplies to children, who returned to class for the first time since Operation Al Fajr was launched last November. Story

Troops See Election as Culmination of Effort
TAJI, Iraq, Feb. 6, 2005 — Soldiers from the Oregon based 2nd Battalion, 162nd Infantry, which is deployed with the 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad, reflected recently on how they felt about the Jan. 30 elections and the events that ensued. Story

IN IRAQ
11th Marine Expeditionary Unit Begins Return Home
Operation Big Dig Takes Bite Out of the Desert
Cleanup Effort Underway in Neighborhood
Arriving Medics Learn From Counterparts
Marine Commander Honors Iraqi Forces
New Friendship, Trust Being Built In Sulay

IN AFGHANISTAN
Marines Donate Truck to Afghan Police
Deployed Hawaii Troops Run Frigid Great Aloha
Guard Team Helps Repair Kabul Road
Fox Battery Demonstrates Capabilities

IN SOUTHWEST ASIA
Air Operations Reduce Risk for Convoy Drivers

FACE OF DEFENSE
Airman Joins Forces with Marines in Iraq
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany, Feb. 4, 2005 — Being one of four military working dog handlers at a Marine camp in Iraq can make any Air Force member stick out like a sore thumb. Staff Sgt. Cleophus Gallon, 52nd Security Forces Squadron military working dog handler, and his German shepherd partner, Alan, recently returned from a six-month deployment with the Marines. Story

Special Report -Iraqi Elections
'Finger in the Eye' of Extremists
Rumsfeld: World Must Stand by Iraq
Fact Sheet: Timeline
Fact Sheet: Transitional Admin Law
Fact Sheet: Candidate List Regulations

TOP NEWS
IN IRAQ
Iraqi Security Forces Update
There are a total of 136,065 Iraqi security forces trained and equipped, senior defense officials said Feb. 4, 2005. About 79,000 serve in the Ministry of Interior Forces — police, civil intervention, emergency response, border enforcement, highway patrol, dignitary protection. Another 57,000 serve in the Ministryof Defense Forces — Army, National Guard, Intervention Force, Special Operations, Air Force and Coastal Defense Force.

Iraqi Army Recruits Graduate
Iraqis Likely to Strike Balance
Rumsfeld Discusses Iraq
Iraqi Air Force Receives Helicopters
Security Forces Make Strides
Iraq Daily Update
Year in Review 2004 Fact Sheets (pdf)
Iraq Reconstruction
Maps
Weekly Progress Report (pdf)

IN AFGHANISTAN
Missing Aircraft Search Continues
Weapons Discovered in Afghanistan
Enduring Freedom Marks 3 Years
Afghanistan Daily Update
Maps

WAR ON TERRORISM
Bush Promises Tools to Fight Terror
Symposium Looks at Warfare
Waging and Winning the War on Terror
Terrorism Timeline
Terrorism Knowledge Base

MILITARY NEWS
Center Offers Hope for Amputees
National Guard, Reserve Update