Iraqi parliament faces US deadline

Iraq's parliament has reconvened after a month-long summer break under pressure from Washington to take up key benchmark legislation. The session opened on Tuesday with 158 members of 275 present - enough to form quorum, but the agenda was not immediately announced.

Washington has, however, put pressure on Iraqi politicans to work through the summer to tackle pressing issues.

MPs face two major issues: whether former Baath party members will be allowed back to positions of power and whether to pass an oil law aimed at dividing up resources.

Leaked report

General David Petraeus, the American commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the US ambassador, are due in Washington to report to the US congress next week on progress in Iraq since the introduction of 30,000 more American troops, including whether advances are being made towards national reconciliation.