Iraq reschedules nationwide census for October 2010 to give time to settle ethnic tensions

October 1st, 2009 Halt to gov't raids not an option to boost censusWASHINGTON — With the 2010 census six months away, the Commerce Department said Thursday it won't seek a halt to immigration raids as it did in the previous census in hopes of improving participation in hard-to-count communities. In a statement, the department said it is committed to an accurate count of U.S.

September 30th, 2009 US to send home 4,000 more troops from IraqWASHINGTON — The top general in Iraq is sending home 4,000 more U.S. troops by the end of October as the American military winds down the six-year war.

September 30th, 2009 US speeding up military withdrawal from IraqWASHINGTON — The United States is speeding up its military withdrawal from Iraq, sending 4,000 more troops home next month, the top American commander there says. The reduced number of troops in Iraq — from 124,000 to 120,000 by the end of October — marks the latest U.S.

September 22nd, 2009 Groves urges public campaign to boost 2010 censusWASHINGTON — The head of the Census Bureau says he's worried the poor economy and tensions over immigration will deter people from participating in next year's high-stakes count. Robert Groves appeared before Congress on Tuesday for the first time since he was confirmed in July.

September 21st, 2009 Census: 150,000 gay couples report they're marriedWASHINGTON — Nearly 150,000 same-sex couples reported being in marriage relationships last year, many more than the number of actual weddings and civil unions, according to the first U.S. census figures released on same-sex marriages.

September 11th, 2009 Timeline for the 2010 censusA timeline for the 2010 census: Spring 2009: Census employees started going door-to-door to update address list nationwide. Fall 2009: Recruiting for census takers.

September 9th, 2009 Herbert: Utah still 'smarting' from 2000 censusSALT LAKE CITY — Utah Gov. Gary Herbert said Wednesday the state is still "smarting" from missing out on a fourth House seat following the 2000 census.

September 4th, 2009 Iraq sends thousands more police to Syrian borderBAGHDAD — Iraq has deployed thousands of reinforcements along its border with Syria to prevent insurgents from crossing the desert frontier, as the government said Friday it has provided Syria with evidence linking Iraqis there to bombings. Extra police were sent to the border this week on the prime minister's orders in response to the government's assertion that former members of Saddam Hussein's Baath Party based in Syria planned and financed last month's attacks against the foreign and finance ministries, said Maj.

September 1st, 2009 Iraq Shiite leader reaches out to political rivalsBAGHDAD — The son of the late leader of Iraq's largest Shiite political party acknowledged setbacks and reached out to political rivals Tuesday as he formally replaced his father at the party's helm. Ammar al-Hakim, 38, takes the reins of the Iranian-backed Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council amid skepticism about whether he can hold the organization together as the group struggles to regain its footing ahead of January's parliamentary elections.

August 24th, 2009 Kenya holding first national census in a decadeNAIROBI, Kenya — Kenya began its first national census in a decade Monday amid an outcry over one question that asks people to identify their ethnic group — a contentious issue in this East African nation. The weeklong census is meant to update statistics on population and other trends, with preliminary results released in December.

August 16th, 2009 Bombs kill at least 8 people in Iraq marketBAGHDAD — Iraqi officials say two bombs have exploded at a market in a mainly Shiite area of Baghdad, killing at least eight people and wounding 19. It's the latest in a series of bombings targeting Shiites and minorities in the capital and northern Iraq.

August 16th, 2009 Bombs kill at least 8 people in Iraqi marketBAGHDAD — Bombs hidden in plastic bags near a falafel stand exploded at a market in a mainly Shiite area in Baghdad on Sunday, killing at least eight civilians and wounding 21, Iraqi officials said. It was the latest in a series of bombings targeting Shiites and minorities in the capital and northern Iraq.

August 16th, 2009 Iraq postpones census over fears of ethnic strifeBAGHDAD — Iraq said Sunday it has postponed plans to hold the first census in more than two decades due to fears it could stoke ethnic and political tension. The census had been scheduled for Oct.

June 27th, 2009 Ethnic clash in Chinese factory kills 2, hurts 118BEIJING — Ethnic tensions between workers at a toy factory in southern China sparked a brawl that left two dead and 118 injured, state media and a government spokesman said Saturday. The official China News Service said hundreds of workers at the Xuri Toy Factory in Shaoguan City fought for two hours before more than 400 police restored order early Friday morning.

April 21st, 2009 Latino pastor group urging census boycottNEWARK, N.J. — A nationwide group of Latino ministers has a message for illegal immigrants: Stand up, but refuse to be counted in the 2010 U.S.