Iraq's Sistani to Return, Calls for March on Najaf: "Iraq's most influential Shi'itecleric will return to the country within hours and wants Iraqisto march on the "burning city" of Najaf, where fresh fightingerupted near a sacred shrine on Wednesday. (Reuters)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Iraqi-American Recounts Capture of Saddam: "Back in the Iraq he once fled, Samir couldn't see down the darkened hole enough to see who was hiding there. (AP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Spokesman: Top cleric returning to Iraq: "Iraq's powerful top Shiite cleric was returning home Wednesday from medical treatment abroad and called on followers to join him in a march to reclaim the violence-torn holy city of Najaf, his spokesman said."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Gunmen shoot senior Palestinian official: "Gunmen opened fire at a convoy carrying the deputy Palestinian intelligence chief on Wednesday, wounding him the chest, Palestinian medical officials said."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
U.S. strikes insurgent positions in Iraq: "U.S. warplanes and tanks bombed suspected insurgent positions in the volatile city of Fallujah for more than two hours on Wednesday, killing at least four people, hospital officials and residents said."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Australian detainee next to face military commission hearing at Guantanamo in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Iraq Najaf URGENT in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Searching for victims...Bombing strikes in Fallujah...Car seat award in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Iraq Fallujah URGENT in Katu.com: Iraq & Terror
Officials say Sudan militias still armed: "As a U.N. deadline for action nears, the Sudanese government has not reined in Arab militias accused of attacking, raping and killing villagers in the western Darfur region, diplomats said a U.N. official told the Security Council."
In Seattle Post-Intelligencer: War on Iraq
Terror fears as Russian jets crash: "A Russian passenger jet crashed and another apparently broke up in the air almost simultaneously after they took off from the same airport, raising fears of a double terrorist atrocity."
In Ananova: War In Iraq
'Missing' plane sent hijack signal: "The Russian plane that went missing as another passenger jet crashed issued a signal indicating a hijacking or seizure before disappearing from radar screens."
In Ananova: War In Iraq
Off to Najaf, inshallah...: "Going to try to head to Najaf tomorrow."
In Back to Iraq 2.0
Inside the Imam Ali Shrine: "A day in the Shrine"
In Back to Iraq 2.0
Prison Abuse Report Cites Top Commanders: "The blame for abuses at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison lies mainly with the American soldiers who ran the notorious jail, but senior commanders and top-level Pentagon officials including Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld can be faulted for failed leadership and oversight, an independent commission said Tuesday. (AP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq: "As of Tuesday, Aug. 24, 962 U.S. service members have died since the beginning of military operations in Iraq in March 2003, according to the Defense Department. Of those, 720 died as a result of hostile action and 242 died of non-hostile causes. (AP)"
In Yahoo! News: War with Iraq
Iraqi government in charge of US forces in Najaf? in IraqWar.info
Iraqis in Najaf fed up with Sadr in IraqWar.info
Teens abused in Iraqi prison in IraqWar.info
Iraqi forces surround shrine in IraqWar.info
Iraqi Rebels Want Talks: "As U.S. and rebel forces clashed, an aide to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr asked for negotiations. But the interim government warned the "decisive hours are near" in the standoff in Najaf."
In CBS News: Iraq Crisis
Abu Ghraib accused in plea deal: "One of the soldiers in the Abu Ghraib abuse scandal has agreed a guilty plea with prosecutors, his lawyer says."
In BBC: Conflict with Iraq
Iraq Guardsmen Surround Shrine: "
NAJAF, Iraq - U.S. and Iraqi forces battled militants in Najaf on Tuesday, and Iraqi National Guardsmen surrounded the holy city's Imam Ali Shrine (search), where insurgents loyal to radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr have been holed up for weeks."Iraqi Defense Minister Hazem Shaalan said the guardsmen will use loudspeakers to urge al-Sadr's followers to evacuate the shrine and surrender.
"If they don't ? listen to reason, then certainly there will be a very simple operation, a very simple raid," Shalaan told al-Arabiya television.
"The decisive hours are near," he said.
In Command Post: Irak
