PRESS DIGEST - Washington Post - March 30

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - Washington Post included the following items on its front page on March 31. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

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BAGHDAD - Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ordered his followers to lay down their arms and end six days of clashes against U.S. and Iraqi forces if the government agrees to release detainees and give amnesty to Sadr's fighters, among other demands.

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State budgets have been hit hard by a worsening national economy, including rising costs for energy and health care. In addition, fallout from the subprime mortgage crisis -- declining home sales, deflated property values and mounting foreclosures -- has caused a slide in states' anticipated tax receipts.

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The senses were overloaded and overwhelmed on Opening Night at the Washington Nationals' $611 million, taxpayer-built 41,888-seat palace in a formerly blighted part of Washington.

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