Deal agreed over Fallujah
(Al-Sabah al-Jadeed) Head of the Centre for Democratic Studies and Human Rights Qasim Muhammed Abdul Sattar said an agreement had been reached between the people of Fallujah and the American forces to end the state of tension the city has experienced in recent months. He added that Fallujans cooperated to implement the articles of the agreement which states: 1 - The American forces compensate victims of bombing. 2 - The eastern entry of the city be under command of Iraqi forces. 3 - Tanks be outside the city borders. 4 - Fallujans should not intercept American columns on the highway from Saqlawiya to the north to the al-Maaridh area to the south.
(Al-Sabah al-Jadeed is an independent daily paper.)

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PM tours Najaf
(Al-Nahdhah) Accompanied by some ministers, Prime Minister Iyad Allawi visited Najaf where intensive clashes between American forces aided by Iraqi police and Muqtada's militia of al-Mahdi army have been taking place. After his meeting with the governor, tribal leaders and the police chief, he advised the outlaws to depart the city and to be adherent to the law and to use dialogue instead of weapons as there would be no place for outlaws within the Iraqi state. He said the Mahdi Army was included in the pardon issued lately. He added he has not received any invitation to visit Iran yet.
(Al-Nahdhah is a daily newspaper issued by Adnan al-Pachachi, head of Independent Democrats Movement.)

Sadr representative rejects PM's proposals as 'trick'
(Al-Taakhi) Muqtada al-Sadr's representative Sheikh Abdul Hadi al-Darraji rejected the proposal for pardoning militants presented by Prime Minister Iyad Allawi last Saturday. Al-Darraji also accused Allawi of "acting like the dictator Saddam Hussein when he visited Najaf". It is mentioned that the interim government invited Sadr last Saturday to participate in the general elections to be held in January 2005. Darraji condemned these proposals which he considered to be a trick from the prime minister.
(Al-Taakhi is issued daily by the Kurdistan Democratic Party.)

Arrest warrants issued for Chalabi, nephew
(Asharq al-Awsat) Iraqi anonymous official sources yesterday confirmed that the Central Court issued two arrest warrants against Ahmed al-Chalabi, head of the Iraqi National Congress, for currency forgery, and Salim al-Chalabi, executive director of the special Iraqi court of crimes of the former regime, for involvement in the assassination of Haithm Fadhil, an employee in the ministry of finance. The judge in the Central Court Zuhair al-Maliki confirmed issuing the two warrants. Judiciary sources said the Central Bank of Iraq took legal action against Ahmed al-Chalabi and the court decided to accept the claim according to the available evidence. Fadhil was following cases regarding the seizure of people's properties by members of Chalabi's family. Fadhil told his family he received threats to be killed if he would not stop following these cases, and was found dead several days after that.
(London-based Asharq al-Awsat, a Saudi independent paper, is issued daily.)

Karbala demonstrators denounce US
(Addustour) A demonstration representing residents and supreme Shia parties was held in Karbala yesterday to ask for the ouster of the Najaf governor and the ministers of interior and defence. They denounced the military operations of the Americans and Iraqi police there. They carried banners saying "National Guardsmen are American agents" and "No to the occupation" and "Americans have to stop killing Najafis". No acts of violence happened.
(Addustour is an independent daily published by former journalist Basim al-Sheikh.)

National Congress still on course
(Al-Sabah) The National Congress has increased its members to 1,200 to provide opportunity of participation to the parties and bodies who boycotted the congress. Safia al-Suhail, preparatory committee member of the congress said the decision was taken to increase the number of participants of different Iraqi spectrums. The postponing of the congress was justified to enrich thoughts and perspectives and to hold the congress with national legitimacy away from the interference of the Government. She added the congress would be held in the due time, August 15. She asked all political parties to present their future programs and visions regarding the country.
(Al-Sabah is an independent daily newspaper.)