U.S. DEATH TOLL IN IRAQ REACHES 3,000

A billboard of photographs of U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq is shown 31 December 2006 just north of the Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California. The Pentagon announced the death of a Texas soldier today, raising to 3,000 the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq since the war began. The memorial, where the number of dead is updated every Sunday, is normally taken down at sunset but is being allowed to stay until New Years morning for the holiday. Jamie Rector/Getty Images/AFP = FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET,TELCOS AND TELEVISION USE ONLY =