| 23 August 2004 | Monday | 06 Rajab 1425 |
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Shrine treasures a stumbling block to end of siege
BAGHDAD, Aug 22: The priceless treasures which have lain for centuries in the mausoleum at the shrine of Imam Ali in Najaf are proving to be a stumbling block for mediators trying to end the siege by rebel Shia militias. ... 
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Blair refuses to travel to US: report
LONDON, Aug 22: British Prime Minister Tony Blair is refusing to fly to the United States to receive a medal bestowed on him by the nation for his support over last year's Iraq war, a London newspaper reported on Sunday. ...
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Call to back forces of resistance in Iraq
CAIRO, Aug 22: Ninety-three prominent Muslim figures opposed to US troops in Iraq called on Muslims around the world to support resistance to US forces and to the Iraqi government installed in June. ...
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Sharon vows to bring Labour into govt
AL QUDS, Aug 22: Beleaguered Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was persisting on Sunday with his plans to form a new government including the main opposition Labour party, bolstered by Washington's backing for the expansion of West Bank settlements. ...
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NAM stirs boycott fears in Israel
AL QUDS, Aug 22: Measures adopted by the Non-Aligned Movement to boycott Israeli settlers and firms building the West Bank barrier have stirred real worries in the Jewish state of a broader sanctions campaign. ...
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Bohra mosque inaugurated in Washington
WASHINGTON, Aug 22: Dr Syedna Mohammed Burhannudin, the spiritual leader of the Dawoodi Bohra community, on Saturday inaugurated a mosque in the Washington metro area. ...
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Singapore PM warns Taiwan against independence
SINGAPORE, Aug 22: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned Taiwan on Sunday against provoking China by pushing for independence, saying a "miscalculation" could trigger war between Beijing and Taipei. ...
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New Somali parliament sworn in
NAIROBI, Aug 22: Somalia's new parliament, approved by all the main warlords in the Horn of Africa country, was inaugurated on Sunday in a major step towards ending 13 years of anarchy. ...
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Guantanamo on alert for hearings
GUANTANAMO BAY US NAVAL BASE, Aug 22: US military authorities on Sunday defended the special trials for war on terror detainees that start this week as they stepped up security at the Guantanamo Bay base in Cuba for the hearings. ...
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High stakes for Turkey and the West
WASHINGTON: In December the Europeans must make a fateful decision: whether to give Turkey a definite date to begin negotiations to enter the European Union. ...
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Japan reconsiders nuclear power
MIHAMA: On the coast of the Japan Sea, two-and-a-half hours by train from Kyoto, is the quiet fishing village of Mihama. Noted for its harbour and beautiful beaches, it draws tourists from all over the country. ...
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Oil workers' strike heightens Lanka crisis
COLOMBO: A strike by oil workers on August 13 has provoked a serious crisis for Sri Lanka's minority United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, which is already facing widespread hostility over broken election promises and deteriorating social conditions. ...
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