'No election' for parts of Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has admitted for the first time that violence will prevent some parts of Iraq voting in this month's election. "There are some pockets that will not participate in the election, but they are not large," he said. He spoke on a day when at least 15 people were killed across the country. At least six police officers died in Tikrit, seven Iraqis were killed in a roadside attack south of Baghdad, and at least two died in a bomb in Samarra. Iraq's interim government has announced it has set aside $2.2bn of this year's budget to strengthen the security forces, who will be responsible for maintaining order on polling day, 30 January. Mr Allawi said it would fund an increase in the number of Iraqi troops from about 100,000 to 150,000. "We need to equip the police and army with the new modern weaponry that will enable them to protect the country," he added. [more] and [more]

• Pictured above: An Iraqi security officer stands guard near a damaged police vehicle following a car bomb attack in the southern city of Basra, January 11, 2005. [more]