Defence lawyers are hoping a plea deal by Pfc. Lynndie England will be accepted by an Army judge as the reservist whose image became synonymous with the Abu Ghraib prison scandal heads to court.

Dan Rather echoed a word he once used every night to sign off the “CBS Evening News” – courage – in ending the programme for the final time after 24 years as one of America’s best-known television news anchors.

THE US soldier labelled the ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal started a 10-year jail sentence yesterday.

The soldier labelled the ringleader in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal started a 10-year prison sentence today, following his conviction by a military jury.

US army Sergeant Ivan Frederick was jailed for eight years today for abusing inmates in Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison.

THE US Government is facing fresh claims that Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and other senior officials ignored warnings about the abuse of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay.

EARLIER this year, a petite, mop-topped soldier became a central figure in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal that shocked the world when she turned up in numerous photographs, smiling and giving the thumbs-up in the presence of naked, hooded Iraqi detainees.

An unscheduled hearing was being held today in the case of a US soldier in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, whose civilian lawyer had said yesterday that he wanted to represent him by telephone.

A lawyer for one of three soldiers accused in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal asked a military judge today to order a new hearing because the turmoil of Iraq prevented him from being able to question witnesses.

A pre-trial hearing over the Abu Ghraib prison scandal began in Baghdad today.

A US army court will hold pre-trial hearings in Baghdad next week for three soldiers charged with abusing Iraqi inmates in the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.