AP – Ratcheting up its rhetoric against Iraq’s Sunni insurgents, the Pentagon on Friday condemned their recent use of chlorine gas as a weapon, calling it the first use of a poison gas against Iraqis since Saddam Hussein ordered mustard gas attacks on Kurds in northern Iraq nearly 20 years ago.

AFP – The United States rejected any suggestion Friday that 15 British naval personnel detained by Iran for the past week could be swapped for five Iranian officials held by US forces in Iraq since January.

AFP – The White House lashed Congress Friday for going on "vacation" before signing off on legislation funding troops in Iraq, driving up tensions in a showdown with Democrats for control of the war.

AFP – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned Saudi Arabia's ambassador Friday after Saudi King Abdullah rattled his US allies by criticizing the US military presence in Iraq as "illegitimate," a senior official said.

AP – It began with a house-to-house sweep through what U.S. forces said was one of this city’s last insurgent strongholds. It ended with rooftop gunfights, airstrikes and dead guerrillas on the streets — one sprawled next to a grenade he was about to hurl.

The euro fell slightly against the dollar on Friday, a day after it gained on the U.S. currency following a dim growth report on the U.S. economy.

Reuters – A surge of violence in Iraq in the past
week demonstrated the ability of al Qaeda to strike virtually
anywhere at will with a seemingly limitless supply of
explosives and suicide bombers to wreak chaos.

(RTTNews) – In trading with the euro, the rand advanced slightly in morning action on Friday. The rise brought the South African currency to a mark of 1.3304 in the mid-morning. On the whole, the rand is moving close to a weekly high.

(RTTNews) – In trading against the pound, the Swiss currency saw choppy action through to the mid-morning on Friday. The currency bounced between a high of 2.3845 and a low of 2.3927. On the whole, the franc is nearing a weekly low against the pound.

(RTTNews) – During early trading on Friday in New York, the Australian dollar showed mixed results against the other major counterparts. When the Aussie showed strength against the Euro and the Pound, it lost ground versus the Loonie.