US Pressures Iraq Over Indefinite Occupation

- More information on what the US is planning as part of its permanent occupation of Iraq:

The US is holding hostage some $50bn (£25bn) of Iraq's money in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pressure the Iraqi government into signing an agreement seen by many Iraqis as prolonging the US occupation indefinitely, according to information leaked to The Independent.US negotiators are using the existence of $20bn in outstanding court judgments against Iraq in the US, to pressure their Iraqi counterparts into accepting the terms of the military deal ... Although it is in reality a treaty between Iraq and the US, Mr Bush is describing it as an alliance so he does not have to submit it for approval to the US Senate.

- It's rather phenomenal what Barack Obama is doing fundraising-wise. Not only has he had 1.5 million donors so far, but he's now imposing his own approach (no money from lobbyists, small donations) onto the entire Democratic party. The irony: John McCain was the co-sponsor of the fundraising reform law that Obama is now exploiting.

- Paul Patrick has passed away:

"I, too, have been a queen for 50 years," he wrote, "although under somewhat less privileged circumstances. As Britain's first openly gay teacher not to be fired or moved to a 'safe' position and as a campaigner for lesbian, gay and bisexual equality for more than 30 years, I feel I have contributed a lot more to Britain than that other Queen has. I am also," he concluded, "more attractive and a lot more fun!"

- It's time for Britain to become the Saudi Arabia of offshore wind ...

- Manchester is proceeding with peak-hours congestion charging ... and Cambridge and Bristol are considering it. Meanwhile, both the Tories and Labour in Coventry are opposed.

Finally, this report comes only a few days after Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, accused Gordon Brown of sacrificing liberty for misguided notions of equality. It was commissioned by Bishop Stephen Lowe for the consideration of the Archbishops' Council of the Church of England. Is there a shift happening away from church support for "centralised, mega-contracts in some government departments" in the charitable sector?