China's Games party set for "Big bang" start BEIJING (Reuters) - China stages the most expensive opening ceremony in Olympic history on Friday, keen to put the world spotlight on its modern face and the sports action after a build-up that fired up the Communist government's critics. Iraqis: Deal close on plan for US troops to leave BAGHDAD - Iraq and the U.S. are near an agreement on all American combat troops leaving Iraq by October 2010, with the last soldiers out three years after that, two Iraqi officials told The Associated Press on Thursday. U.S. officials, however, insisted no dates had been agreed.
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