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Among other things, rules reaffirm that it is permissible for contractors--at the discretion of the combatant commander--to carry weapons in war zones such as Iraq. Such provisions are bound to please some headed for work in hostile environments, but they have some companies worried about their legal liabilities.

This week, a Moscow court will issue a verdict in the tax fraud trial of billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky. While some critics argue that the charges are politically motivated, others question his innocence in the eyes of the West.

U.S. contractors hit by improvised explosive devices and small arms fire in Iraq are victims of circumstance, and there is little evidence that attacks on U.S. contractors are 'systematic,' says a Pentagon report to Congress.

A Socialist deputy has taken legal action against the head of a company recruiting Chilean military personnel and adventurers in order to send them to Iraq as mercenaries.

According to the Federal Procurement Data System (fpds.gov) database, the US DOD's US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has awarded just over 29,000 contracts since at least October of 2003. A review of 2,000 of those contracts shows that awards go to the usual suspects like SAIC, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

Bush's air pollution plan is a sweetheart deal for polluters and is on a fast track in the Senate.

The private military company and provider of aviation services worldwide is designing and building a $300 million airport facility to "meet the rapidly-growing needs of West and Central Africa." The company will equip and operate maintenance, repair and air-cargo facilities.

The U.S. Army plans to split the worldwide translation work now held by Titan Corp. into three contracts when the current $400 million award runs out in September, to make more room for involvement by small businesses.

There are actually fewer than 70 Australians registered with the Australian Embassy in Iraq, but the true number is thought to be more than 200. Many contractors arrive without telling authorities.They include aid workers, security guards, truck drivers and representatives from Australian firms, including Perth-based oil and engineering companies. Australian companies have won an estimated $1 billion in Iraq contracts.

The Marine Corps accepted about 19,000 Interceptor outer tactical vests after tests revealed critical, life-threatening flaws in the vests. The Corps then issued nearly 10,000 to troops. It is unclear whether any Marine casualties in Iraq have resulted from shrapnel or bullets that have penetrated vests distributed from the lots in question. The manufacturer, Point Blank Body Armor, Inc., would not provide a list of serial numbers from the lots saying that the information was "proprietary."