Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is ordering the renovation of the city Ur, the biblical birthplace of Abraham, Baghdad newspapers reported Tuesday. The renovations would come before an expected trip by Pope John Paul II to Ur, located some 200 miles south of Baghdad, as part of millennial celebrations. The planned papal visit to Iraq has drawn criticism from U.S. and Jewish officials, who fear Saddam will exploit the trip for political purposes.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
