AMERICA: Democrats in the US House of Representatives are now confident that they have enough votes to pass legislation today designed to force an end to the war in Iraq.

The House will vote on a £65billion Bill to finance the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - but require troops return home before September 2008.

Several party members have now dropped their opposition to the Bill after days of wrangling.

And Democrat supporters say passage would mark a major step towards ending the war, which has cost the lives of more than 3200 US troops and tens of thousands of Iraqis.

However, president George Bush has promised to veto the Bill if it should make its way to his desk.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has strongly condemned an attack on the Iraqi prime minister's office.

The council "strongly condemned the abhorrent terrorist attack on the Iraqi prime minister's office where the secretary-general was taking part in a joint press conference.