| 25 February 2005 | Friday | 15 Muharram 1426 |
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Kurds demand control over Kirkuk
BAGHDAD, Feb 24: Iraqi Kurds are insisting on control of oil-rich Kirkuk and other disputed northern areas as their price for agreeing to a deal on the formation of a new national government, a Kurdish leader said on Thursday. ... 
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Sectarian minefields await Jaafari
BAGHDAD: Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who is all but certain to be Iraq's next prime minister, is expected to use firm but understated diplomacy to navigate his country around sectarian minefields after last month's historic election. ...
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Bush's uncle benefits from Iraq work
WASHINGTON, Feb 24: President George Bush's uncle, who serves on the board of a US defence contractor with over 100 million dollars in business in Iraq, recently cashed in on some of that lucrative work, a government filing showed on Wednesday. ...
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Ukraine to withdraw Iraq troops this year
KIEV, Feb 24: In a move likely to dismay Washington, Ukraine's new defence minister said on Thursday that his country plans to pull out all of its 1,650 troops in Iraq by the end of this year. ...
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US, Russia to work on N-material safety
BRATISLAVA, Feb 24: The United States and Russia agreed on Thursday to enhance nuclear security cooperation and to try to complete negotiations on Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) this year. ...
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Deal signed on shoulder-fired missiles
BRATISLAVA, Feb 24: Russia and the United States signed a deal on Thursday to control the spread of portable anti-aircraft missiles - a hot stock for militants around the world and a growing threat to civilian aircraft. ...
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Syria ready to re deploy troops along border: Riyadh, Cairo plan 'Arab umbrella'
DAMASCUS, Feb 24: Syria said on Thursday it planned to pull back more troops to eastern Lebanon in line with a 16-year-old agreement and Lebanon's defence minister said troops would be on the move soon. ...
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Pope back in hospital after flu relapse
VATICAN CITY, Feb 24: Pope John Paul was rushed to hospital on Thursday for the second time this month after a relapse of flu and renewed breathing problems. ...
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UAE reformists call for elected parliament
DUBAI, Feb 24: A group of reformists has made an unprecedented call on the authorities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to hold free elections to form a parliament voted for by the people. ...
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India to increase defence budget, eyes new arms
NEW DELHI, Feb 24: India is expected to increase annual defence expenditure by at least 10 per cent to pay for a modernisation programme, military experts said on Thursday, one week before next federal budget. ...
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India talks down to its neighbours
NEW DELHI: Last week, India spelt out its emerging thinking and policy towards its neighbours in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc). ...
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7 killed in Srinagar as siege traps 250
SRINAGAR, Feb 24: Two militants were killed after attacking held Kashmir's administrative headquarters late Thursday, ending a bloody siege which trapped 250 people and saw the deaths of five others. ...
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