Bahrain's most senior Shiite cleric says there is no chance for talks with the Gulf nation's Sunni rulers

Bahrain's most senior Shiite cleric says there is no chance for talks with the Gulf nation's Sunni rulers while security forces maintain their clampdown on protesters calling for equal rights and political freedoms. The sermon by Sheik Isa Qassim underscores the deep discontent among Bahrain's Shiite majority despite the lifting of martial law-style rules earlier this month and appeals for dialogue by the Sunni monarchy. It also marks another blow to the ruling establishment after organizers of Bahrain's prestigious Formula One race called off efforts to reschedule the 2011 event, which was canceled in March amid the unrest.

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