Photo Caption

---

A WOMAN laments a loved one wounded in a bombing in Arbil, north of Baghdad. The attack left 19 dead and 80 injured on Wednesday, shaking the Kurdish region which, up until now, had remained relatively peaceful.

As violence continues to spiral, US Vice-President Dick Cheney landed in Iraq on an unscheduled visit, the first leg of a regional tour in several Arab countries, including Egypt. Cheney, recognised as the architect of the invasion, went to Baghdad to urge reconciliation and persuade Iraqi leaders to bring stability to their country, which has been ravaged by sectarian violence ever since the invasion took place in 2003. (see p.9)

photo: Reuters