Baghdad blast kills Iraq leader
The blast was seen and heard over a large area
The head of Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council has been killed in a car bomb blast near the headquarters of the US-led coalition in Baghdad.
Ezzedine Salim was killed as he was waiting to enter the compound, Iraq's deputy foreign minister told Reuters; several other people also died.
A big column of smoke rose into the sky after the blast at about 0530 GMT.
There was also fresh fighting overnight in southern Iraq, as US and Italian forces battled with Shia militiamen.
Nine Iraqis were killed in Nasiriya during clashes with Italian troops, hospital officials said.
In the holy city of Karbala, where US troops are pitted against fighters loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, five Iraqis died.
The US is planning to move some of its forces from South Korea to Iraq, South Korean officials say.
South Korea's foreign ministry said the two governments were currently discussing the details of such a move.
The British press is meanwhile quoting UK government sources as saying British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush are speeding up plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and hand over security roles to the Iraqis.
The situation on the ground in southern Iraq remains volatile.
The overnight fighting in Karbala reportedly left more than 30 Iraqis injured as well as five dead.
Nine other Iraqis were killed and at least 10 injured in clashes with Italian troops in Nasiriya.
Italian defence officials said one of their soldiers has died from injuries sustained in fighting.
US military officials say an American soldier was killed and two injured in a gunbattle in a city south of Baghdad on Sunday.
They did not identify the city but said the soldiers were from the Task Force 1st Armoured Division which has been fighting forces loyal to Mr Sadr.
The latest violence follows a demonstration on Sunday when around 1,000 people took to the streets of Karbala to protest against the US-led occupation.
Dozens of people have been killed in clashes between the US-led coalition and Mr Sadr's fighters, known as the Mehdi Army, since last Friday.
Mr Sadr, who launched an uprising last month, is wanted by the US in connection with the assassination of a rival Shia cleric.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3720161.stm
-------------------------------------------
Looks like more troops are on the way too??
"The US is planning to move some of its forces from South Korea to Iraq, South Korean officials say."
The blast was seen and heard over a large area
The head of Iraq's US-appointed Governing Council has been killed in a car bomb blast near the headquarters of the US-led coalition in Baghdad.
Ezzedine Salim was killed as he was waiting to enter the compound, Iraq's deputy foreign minister told Reuters; several other people also died.
A big column of smoke rose into the sky after the blast at about 0530 GMT.
There was also fresh fighting overnight in southern Iraq, as US and Italian forces battled with Shia militiamen.
Nine Iraqis were killed in Nasiriya during clashes with Italian troops, hospital officials said.
In the holy city of Karbala, where US troops are pitted against fighters loyal to the radical Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, five Iraqis died.
The US is planning to move some of its forces from South Korea to Iraq, South Korean officials say.
South Korea's foreign ministry said the two governments were currently discussing the details of such a move.
The British press is meanwhile quoting UK government sources as saying British Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush are speeding up plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and hand over security roles to the Iraqis.
The situation on the ground in southern Iraq remains volatile.
The overnight fighting in Karbala reportedly left more than 30 Iraqis injured as well as five dead.
Nine other Iraqis were killed and at least 10 injured in clashes with Italian troops in Nasiriya.
Italian defence officials said one of their soldiers has died from injuries sustained in fighting.
US military officials say an American soldier was killed and two injured in a gunbattle in a city south of Baghdad on Sunday.
They did not identify the city but said the soldiers were from the Task Force 1st Armoured Division which has been fighting forces loyal to Mr Sadr.
The latest violence follows a demonstration on Sunday when around 1,000 people took to the streets of Karbala to protest against the US-led occupation.
Dozens of people have been killed in clashes between the US-led coalition and Mr Sadr's fighters, known as the Mehdi Army, since last Friday.
Mr Sadr, who launched an uprising last month, is wanted by the US in connection with the assassination of a rival Shia cleric.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3720161.stm
-------------------------------------------
Looks like more troops are on the way too??
"The US is planning to move some of its forces from South Korea to Iraq, South Korean officials say."
