U.S. repays Iraqis by supplying visas
New guidelines providing ‘haven' to more employees who aided troops.

The attack comes as the U.S.-backed Iraqi military is promising to launch a major offensive in Diyala province aimed at taming the last major insurgent belt north of Baghdad. Baqouba is the province's capital.

A captured driver for Osama bin Laden did not fully cooperate with efforts to find the terrorist leader, FBI agents said Thursday, countering defense claims that he provided valuable assistance.

Salim Hamdan initially did not volunteer details about bin Laden's inner circle or the operations of al-Qaida, agents said as they testified in the fourth day of the Guantanamo prisoner's war crimes trial.

The defendant is charged with aiding terrorism and conspiracy.

Also in the news ...

•SNIPER CHARGES: Charges have been dismissed against a Camp Pendleton Marine sniper accused in the shooting deaths of two Syrians in Iraq, Marine Corps officials said Thursday. The charges against Sgt. John Winnick II were dismissed without prejudice by the commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, meaning charges could be brought again at a later time.

•DRIVE-BY ATTACKS: Gunmen killed three guards from a U.S.-allied Sunni group Thursday in drive-by shootings in northern Baghdad, an official said. The attackers opened fire as they sped by two different awakening council checkpoints , according to a leading member of the group.

•WEATHER: Basra, Iraq: High of 120, low of 91, clear; Kabul, Afghanistan: 89, 64, partly cloudy; Kuwait: 118, 89, clear.

From Wire Services