Iraqi prime minister says US troops can leave 'anytime they want'

Al Maliki during a press conference in Baghdad on Saturday.

Iraqis 'ready to keep security if US quits'

 

Baghdad: Amid US doubt that Iraq's military is making progress, Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki on Saturday said Iraqi forces are capable and that US troops can leave "anytime they want".

Al Maliki said his government needs "time and effort" to enact the political reforms that the United States seeks.

"We say in full confidence that we are able … to take the responsibility completely in running the security file if international forces withdraw at anytime they want," he said.

One of his top aides also accused the United States of embarrassing the Iraqi government by violating human rights and treating his country like an "experiment in a US lab."

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On Thursday, the US Senate passed a measure calling for the withdrawal of US troops by April, which came after a US report on the mixed progress of the Iraqi government.

Al Maliki shrugged off the progress report, saying that difficulty in enacting the reforms was "natural" given Iraq's turmoil.

Meanwhile, Shiite lawmaker Hassan Al Suneid lashed at the US military for building a wall around Baghdad’s Azamiyah neighbourhood and launching raids in Sadr City.

He also criticised US overtures to Sunni groups in Anbar and Diyala, where troops have urged former rebels to join the fight against Al Qaida in Iraq. "These are gangs of killers," he said.

Beckham's US test

The sight of David Beckham on the front cover of Sports Illustrated is the clearest indication yet that this most insular of sporting nations is taking an interest in his arrival.

Beckham has already made something of an impact in America

After all, this is a place usually reserved for American icons such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods.

However, the streets of Los Angeles have not been swamped by Beckham-mania just yet.

His official presentation on Friday evening will be a typical Hollywood event, with several hundered media crammed into a corner of the Home Depot Center to watch the ultimate combination of sport and showbusiness.

But, in such a sprawling city where the Lakers and the Dodgers dominate the media attention, Beckham may have his work cut out to keep up a consistently high profile.

Many of the cabbies I spoke to waiting on Sunset Strip were more familiar with Posh Spice's body of work than her husbands.

But for the majority of American journalists attending Chelsea's pre-season workouts and news conferences here in Hollywood, Beckham is the main thing on their agenda.

Although the line of questioning from an "entertainment correspondent" to Chelsea's Arjen Robben on how he thought Beckham would settle to life in Beverly Hills suggested that analysis of his performances on the pitch may not be as rigorous as he was used to in Europe.

Beckham may find LA a refreshing change once the hype and novelty wears off

Comparisons have been made with Pele's arrival at the New York Cosmos in the mid-1970s, but Giorgio Chinaglia, the former Italian international who played alongside the Brazilian legend, thinks they are wide of the mark.

"The hype has been great for American soccer, but I am concerned about what people will say when they see Beckham play," Chinaglia told BBC Sport.

"He is different to Pele and Maradona and in America they like players who dribble and score goals. David's a great player, but he doesn't do that so it might not be easy for him.

"On top of that, the team is not very good at the moment, they are struggling. I don't think Beckham alone can promote Major League Soccer - he needs other big European names to follow him to produce sustained success.

"In a market like this, we need around 50 players of his calibre."

But, for a personality used to living life in a goldfish bowl, Beckham may find LA a refreshing change once the hype and novelty wears off.

According to one of basketball's biggest stars, Los Angeles-born Paul Pierce of the Boston Celtics, this is the ideal city to enjoy a quiet life.

"He'll understand that LA is a place where stars are everywhere," said Pierce. "People get used to seeing them, so it's not a big deal compared to what happens in places like Boston and New York.

"People love entertainment and Beckham is an entertainer, so he should fit in fine."

'Most expensive' US home on sale

A Beverly Hills mansion has been advertised for sale at $165m (£81.4m), making it the most expensive residential property listing in the US.

William Randolph Hearst paid $120,000 for the H-shaped mansion in 1947

The former home of US newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst has 29 bedrooms, three swimming pools, tennis courts, its own cinema and a nightclub.

Lawyer and investor Leonard Ross, who bought it in 1976, wants a "lifestyle change", his estate agent said.

Mr Hearst bought the H-shaped mansion in 1947 for about $120,000.

Crowded market

The 1920s-era pink stucco estate, which is set across 6.5 acres (2.6ha) north of Sunset Boulevard, featured in the film The Godfather.

But the estate is not the only US property awaiting a buyer who can afford a nine-figure price tag.

A 10-bedroom property in Montana's Big Sky country is on offer for $155m.

And former Saudi ambassador to the US, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, is still seeking a buyer for his Hala Ranch compound in Aspen, Colorado, a year after it was first listed for sale for $135m.

These prices far surpass the record set by former media mogul Gary Winnick in 2001, who spent just $94m for his home, the Los Angeles Times reported.

US senator admits 'serious sin'

Mr Vitter did not specify the exact nature of his 'sin'

A Republican senator has apologised for "a very serious sin in my past" after his phone number was linked to an alleged Washington prostitution ring.

David Vitter, a Louisiana senator, said he had asked for and received forgiveness from God and his wife.

Deborah Palfrey, dubbed the "DC Madam", faces charges of running a lucrative city prostitution ring for 13 years.

Ms Palfrey, who says she provided a legal escort service, has said she will call prominent clients to testify.

Mr Vitter's statement, confirmed to the Associated Press by his spokesman, said his telephone number was included on the phone records published on her website on Monday.

The records date from before Mr Vitter ran for the Senate in 2004.

High-profile clients

In the statement, he did not provide details about the exact nature of his "sin", saying he wanted it to remain private out of respect for his family.

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Mr Vitter said.

"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counselling."

He added that he offered his "deep and sincere apologies" to all he had disappointed.

Ms Palfrey has named other high-profile clients, including former deputy Secretary of State Randall Tobias, who resigned shortly after confirming he had been a client.

White House 'debating Iraq pullout'

Much depends on what stand John McCain would
take on returning from Iraq

Senior US officials have begun debating whether George Bush, the US president, should announce his intention to withdraw US troops from Iraq.

The New York Times reported that Bush had originally been mulling over a September 15 deadline to announce a pullout, when a progress report on Iraq is due to be released.

But the US president's aides have advised him that he may need to make an announcement sooner ahead of a senate debate on the defence authorisation bill, the report said.

Many Republican senators have recently announced they can no longer support Bush's Iraq strategy and have demanded change.

As a result, the paper reported some aides are now telling Bush that if he wants to forestall more defections, it would be wiser to announce plans for a far more narrowly defined mission for US troops that would allow for a staged pullback.

The president had originally rejected this strategy in December when it was proposed by the bipartisan Iraq Study Group.

"When you count up the votes that we've lost and the votes we're likely to lose over the next few weeks, it looks pretty grim," the New York Times quotes one senior official as saying.

In a sign of growing concern in the administration, Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, cancelled his Latin American tour on Sunday to attend meetings on Iraq.

Last week, Stephen Hadley, US national security advisor, was called in from a brief holiday to join discussions on Iraq, which included Karl Rove, a US political strategist and Joshua Bolten, the White House chief of staff, according to the report.

Deep concern

Officials describe Hadley as deeply concerned that the loss of Republicans could accelerate this week, a fear shared by Rove, the report said.

But they also said that Rove had warned that if Bush went too far in announcing a redeployment, the result could include a further cascade of defections - and the passage of legislation that would force a withdrawal by a specific date, the paper said.

"Everyone's particularly worried about what happens when McCain [John, a Republican senator] gets back from Iraq," one official is quoted as saying.

McCain has been a strong supporter of the "surge" strategy, but is facing political troubles in the race for the Republican nomination for president.

McCain's poor performance in presidential nomination polls, attributed to his position on Iraq, has fuelled speculation that he may declare that the Iraqi government is incapable of reaching the kind of political accommodations that Washington considers necessary for overall success, the New York Times said.

Woman jailed for 'neglected' lawn

A 70-year-old US woman has been left bruised and bloody after an unexpected clash with police who came to arrest her because her lawn was dry and brown.

Trouble flared when Utah pensioner Betty Perry, 70, refused to give her name to an officer trying to caution her for not watering her lawn.

She says the officer hit her with handcuffs, cutting her nose, although police insist she slipped and fell.

Ms Perry said she was "distraught" after the incident.

She denied that she was resisting arrest, maintaining that she turned to go inside to call her son to fix the confusing dispute.

"I tried to sit down and get away from him," she told Utah newspaper the Daily Herald.

"I don't know what he's doing. I said: 'What are you doing?' And he hit me with those handcuffs in my face," she said.

"He's just trying to cover his tracks, as far as I'm concerned."

Set free

The officer had judged that Ms Perry's "sadly neglected and dying landscape" breached an Orem city guideline and was attempting to issue a formal caution when the 70-year-old was injured.

She was treated in a local hospital for the cut to her nose and for other bruises before being taken to jail.

But she was let go when police realised there were "other ways" of finding out her identity without taking her to jail, a police spokesman said.

The arresting officer has not been named but has been placed on administrative leave, he added.

Ms Perry, who says she has never had a run-in with police in the past, has been offered help by local church leaders to clean up her garden.

"I'm very distraught over all this," she said.

"I can't believe this happened. Do you ever just wish you could start your day over and it would all be different?"

Triple-seven fever grips the US

Couples are lining up in Las Vegas to get married on 07-07-07

For many people this is just another Saturday, but for the superstitious it is a very lucky day.

It is the seventh day of the seventh month of the seventh year of the millennium. Bookmakers are bracing themselves for an influx of bets.

Across the US, wedding venues and bridal suites are completely booked up.

Triple sevens mean big bucks on the jackpot - and thousands of couples are betting that it will bring good luck to their marriage too.

Never before has there been this much demand to get married on a certain date.

Some estimates suggest that as many as 70,000 couples will tie the knot.

Cake makers, florists and wedding planners have gone into overdrive, organising seven-tiered cakes and seven-course meals.

In Orange County, California, the register office is opening up additional venues, bringing in extra staff and offering couples time slots ending in the number seven.

The number seven has ancient religious and cultural significance. but its wrong belief dont belief it