20 September 2004 Monday 04 Shaban 1425 Allawi sees Saddam trial in October WASHINGTON, Sept 19: Ex-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein could go to trial before the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) as early as next month, Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi said in an interview on Sunday. ... Bush statement on Iraq 'bland to the point of dishonesty' WASHINGTON, Sept 19: President George W. Bush's description of recent events in Iraq is "bland to the point of dishonesty," the Washington Post charged on Sunday ... 17,000 US soldiers not listed on Pentagon's casualty list WASHINGTON, Sept 19: Nearly 17,000 service members medically evacuated from Iraq and Afghanistan are absent from the Pentagon's public casualty reports sent to the media. ... Ex-embassy employee killed near Washington WASHINGTON, Sept 19: The body of a former employee of the Pakistan Embassy, who was murdered near Washington earlier this week, will be flown home on Wednesday, the embassy said. ... Israel sets up anti-rocket attack system AL QUDS, Sept 19: The Israeli army is using a new early warning system for the southern town of Sderot which has been on the receiving end of rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, the Haaretz daily said on Sunday. ... Sharon is bent on murder ISRAELI Prime Minister Ariel Sharon this week made a clear threat to assassinate Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in an interview to mark the Jewish New Year holiday. ... Sudan, Arab League term UN resolution unfair KHARTOUM, Sept 19: Sudan condemned as 'unfair' on Sunday a new UN resolution calling on Khartoum to restore security to the crisis-wracked Darfur region or face possible sanctions, but said it would abide by the UN's demands. ... Hardline scholar jailed for five years RIYADH, Sept 19: A Saudi academician arrested over remarks condoning suicide bombings was sentenced to five years in prison on Sunday for "sowing sedition and inciting disobedience to the ruler", his son said. ... Indonesians to elect president today JAKARTA, Sept 19: Indonesians cast their ballots Monday in the country's first democratic presidential election in a vote which will cap months of polls and finally consign decades of dictatorship to history. ... Blame Blair's hubris and naivety LONDON: A year and half on from the war in Iraq, the political and security mayhem grows. The past week has been one of the most violent yet in a country that Tony Blair and George W Bush had triumphantly proclaimed was on the road to normality. ... Democrats' hopes for White House fade WASHINGTON: Democrats' hopes of regaining the House majority this fall - never bright at best - appear increasingly dim, in part because of Sen. John Kerry's lacklustre campaign performance over the past six weeks, numerous analysts say. ... Madrid aspires to be world's art capital MADRID: Madrid has aspirations to become a world cultural capital with the ongoing enlargement and modernization of its three main art museums, which it hopes will draw seven million visitors annually. ...

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