Election




















Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama told voters Saturday that in the wake of President Bush’s “catastrophic failure of leadership” the nation needs a candid leader like himself, not rival Hillary Rodham Clinton’s calculated politics. Bush failed with handling of the Iraq war, spread fear and fumbled with Hurricane Katrina, Obama said. He said Clinton is running a textbook campaign based on political calculation, rather than a candid explanation of her policy positions. And, he widened blame for the nation’s problems to her husband’s and previous administrations.



Iraq














Police found the bodies of six victims of sectarian violence dumped in three Iraqi cities Friday. There were no reported shootings or bombings, This is only the second day this year that the sectarian death toll fell below 10. Both days were Fridays, the Muslim day of rest and prayer. The last was Feb. 23, when records show five Iraqis were found dead in Baghdad. No one died in shootings or bombings on that day either. On average, 56 Iraqis — civilians and security forces — have died each day so far in this very bloody year. More than four months after U.S. forces completed a 30,000-strong force buildup, the death toll for both Iraqis and Americans has fallen dramatically for two months running.