Now online: this week's edition of the email newsletter Facing South, featuring news around the region; columnist Jay Bookman of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on "tort reform;" and the always-popular Institute Index:

INSTITUTE INDEX - The Costs of War

* Cost of Bush Administration's recent supplemental request for war spending: $81.9 billion
* Amount for Army military bases, including "in some limited cases, permanent facilities": $990 million
* Amount for Air Force base construction: $301.5 million
* Amount for "embassy security, construction and maintenance": $1.4 billion
* Value of Iraq contracts given to Custer Battles, a Virginia-based security company, in 2003-2004: $100 million
* Amount for which Custer Battles is accused of fraudulently billing the government: $50 million
* Value of contract the company received to provide security for civilian flights at Baghdad International Airport: $15 million
* Number of civilian flights that flew during the contract term: 0
* Number of ex-Custer Battles employees who say company workers indiscriminantly killed Iraqi civilians: 4

For past editions of Facing South visit here