Climate ‘unsuitable’ for elections says Sunni clerics’ group
(Al-Iraq al-Yoom) – Muslim Clerics Board spokesman Muthana Harith al-Dhari said the security and political situations were unsuitable for holding elections, but that the Board did not ban participation in elections. Dhari said: "We said we support the principle of elections because it is the only way to express the people's opinion freely but freedom cannot exist in an occupied land. Holding elections under these circumstances will not result in choosing an honest National Assembly.”
(Al-Iraq al-Yoom is a weekly newspaper issued by Isra Shakir.)

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Garages serve as fronts for weapons factories
(Al-Mutamar) – National Guard Commander Mudhir al-Mawla said the huge amounts of weapons found in Baghdad, Latifiya, Fallujah, and Tarmiya in the last weeks involved tons of weapons hidden underground. Armed groups used car repair shops as factories to produce local missiles, especially in Sheikh Omar and Habibiya.
(Al-Mutamar is issued daily by the Iraqi National Congress.)

Oil smugglers nabbed off Basra
(Al-Sabah al-Jadeed) – Border guard patrols in Basra have seized four ships loaded with gas oil in Khor al-Zubair, each containing 150 tons. Southern Area Border Force Commander Brigadier General Ali Hamadi al-Moosawi said the ships’ owners had been arrested and admitted they wanted to smuggle the oil to neighbouring countries.
(Al-Sabah al-Jadeed is an independent daily paper.)

Interior, Oil ministries discuss fuel crisis
(Baghdad) – The Ministry of Oil has set a mechanism to control the queues in front of petrol stations and put an end to illegal sales of petrol. Deputy Minister of Oil Abdul Jabbar al-Waga said a meeting was held with representatives from the Ministry of Interior to discuss the reasons for the fuel crisis, led by the lack of security, which has affected petroleum transportation. Even oil pipelines that transport petroleum to the Doora refinery have been attacked by saboteurs. Waga added that police patrols soon would be stationed in petrol stations to protect them.
(Baghdad is a daily newspaper issued by the Iraqi National Accord.)

Protestors picket electricity ministry
(Azzaman) – Representatives from the eighteen provinces of Iraq staged a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Electricity yesterday to protest the long power cuts, which last more than 16 hours per day. The protestors erected a tent on the pavement opposite the ministry. Babil Province representative Abbas Jabbar said the sit-in was staged in response to a call issued by the office of Muqtada al Sadr. He said the sit-in would last at least two days depending on whether the crisis is solved or not. Basra Province representative Hasan Fahad Khashin complained that electrical appliances break down because the current is unstable.
(London-based Azzaman is issued daily by Saad al-Bazaz.)

Czechs to aid with archaeology
(Al-Bayan) – Baghdad Council leader Muhammed Baqir al-Suhail said the Czech government would examine archeological sites in Baghdad in cooperation with the municipal government. He added that a Czech technical staff would participate in the process in accord with a protocol to be signed by Baghdad Municipality and the Ministry of Culture.
(Al-Bayan is issued four times weekly by the Islamic Dawa Party, chaired by Vice-President Ibrahim al-Jafari.)