Talabani presses for representative government
(Addustour) President Jalal Talabani has called for the new cabinet to reflect the election results, agreement among the main blocs, and the interests of all Iraqi groups. In other news, an official in the Iraqi Turkoman Front, Abdul Kader Bazeqan, has warned of a split taking place inside the front’s Erbil branch, which he described as “Turkey’s plaything”.
(Addustour is an independent daily published by former journalist Basim al-Sheikh.)

Cartoon of the Day

Saddam trial to start up in two months
(Al-Bayan) A source at the ministry for human rights has confirmed that the trial of Saddam Hussein and his associates will begin two months after the new government is formed. Saddam has been accused of a range of human rights abuses against his own nation, including the use of chemical weapons at Halabja, killing political and academic figures, and the murder of residents of Dijail whom he accused of plotting against him. Many individuals have also submitted claims relating to the killing of family members.
(Al-Bayan is issued four times a week by the Islamic Dawa Party.)

Foreign insurgent bases found
(Al-Mutamar) A source at the interior ministry says recent raids by security forces in Baghdad, Mosul, and Madain revealed the existence of five active networks of militants working against the interests of their respective states. Attacks against diplomats, traders and embassy buildings have been attributed to Saudi, Yemeni, Tunisian, Jordanian and Egyptian members of these networks. During interrogation, they are said to have confessed to acting against their own governments’ interests.
(Al-Mutamar is issued daily by the Iraqi National Congress.)

Forced out by the militants
(Al-Mada) Forty families displaced from the town of Madain have arrived at al-Najmi, 60 km from Samawa, after insurgents blew up their houses and forced them to leave under threat to their lives. The families were expelled because they did not cooperate with the militants and informed police about their activities. Sheikh Salim Hazza al-Joboori said the insurgents threatened to kill anyone who does not help them, and effectively held control of the area at night. That left the refugees no choice but to leave or be killed, al-Joboori said.
(Al-Mada is issued daily by the Al-Mada Institute for Media, Culture and Arts.)

Sunni leader calls for conference to end bloodshed
(Al-Ittihad) Sunni Endowment head Adnan al-Dulaimi has called a conference of reconciliation, to be attended by political and religious leaders from all parts of the spectrum. The objective is to secure an agreement to end bloodshed and to work towards dialogue. Al-Dulaimi also told media outlets they should not contribute to sectarian conflict by biased and exaggerated reporting.
(Al-Ittihad is published daily by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.)

Foreign firms must use Iraqi labour
(Al-Mashriq) Minister of planning and development Mahdi al-Hafid says the government has issued a new law obliging foreign companies to employ Iraqi nationals. The move should help reduce unemployment. The Iraqi government has taken a number of recent steps to boost the economy by encouraging investment and establishing a stock exchange.
(Al-Mashriq is published daily by the Al-Mashriq Institute for Media and Cultural Investments.)