Forum Views () 
Forum Replies ()  
 
 
Read more with google mobile :
Iraq election very close, results due Friday  
 
 
 
 
 
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
 
 
 
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Iraq election very close, results due Friday
 
 
  
 
 Reuters - Friday, March 26
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
By Khalid al-Ansary
 
BAGHDAD - The coalitions of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and challenger Iyad Allawi will be separated by only one or two seats when election results are announced on Friday, Iraq's elections chief said.
 
The tight race promises weeks or months of tough and potentially divisive negotiations to form a new government as Iraq tries to consolidate security gains made over the past two years and rebuild an economy shattered by war and sanctions.
 
The Independent High Electoral Commission was scheduled to release final preliminary results 19 days after the March 7 parliamentary vote Iraqis hoped would help stabilise their country after years of bloody sectarian conflict as U.S. troops prepare to withdraw.
 
"There is no big difference between the two main leading lists," IHEC chief Faraj al-Haidari told Reuters by telephone on Thursday. "The difference will be one or two seats, not more."
 
A partial vote count released on Sunday put Iraqiya, a cross-sectarian coalition headed by secularist former prime minister Allawi about 11,000 votes in front of Maliki's State of Law bloc with 95 percent of nearly 12 million ballots tallied.
 
Allawi's strong support among minority Sunnis has exacerbated concerns that any attempt by majority Shi'ite coalitions to push him aside could reignite sectarian tensions.
 
Analysts have said they expect the top two coalitions to win around 90 seats each in the 325-member parliament. Seats will be allocated on the basis of a coalition's strength in each of Iraq's 18 provinces, not on the national popular vote.
 
UNION OF SHI'ITE BLOCS?
 
Maliki's State of Law is already in merger talks with the third-place group, the Iraqi National Alliance, according to officials for the two mainly Shi'ite coalitions. INA is expected to win 65-70 seats, and the combination of the two could be close to the 163 seats needed to form a government.
 
Despite mortar, rocket and bomb attacks that killed 39 people on election day, a Defence Ministry spokesman said no special security measures had been enacted for the release of the results.
 
"Iraqi security forces are fully prepared for anything," the spokesman, Mohammed al-Askari, said. "Our forces are in normal security measures."
 
On Thursday a roadside bomb killed a leader of a Sunni government-backed militia group in the al-Ray district of southwestern Baghdad, and in a separate attack gunmen stormed a house in the capital's Diyala bridge area and killed a woman and her daughter.
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recommend
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
Related Articles
 
 
UK-World Summary Reuters - 2 hours 21 minutes ago
 
U.S. Senate backs healthcare fix, sends to House Reuters - 2 hours 35 minutes ago
 
Vatican defends pope accused of inaction in US child abuse case AFP - 2 hours 48 minutes ago
 
Air strikes kill 30 Taliban in NW Pakistan: security forces AFP - 2 hours 53 minutes ago
 
Germany, France line up Greek-IMF aid deal AFP - Friday, March 26
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
News Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Top Stories
 
 
 
 
Fed not yet ready to wind-down crisis aid
EU, US see breakthrough in 'open skies' talks
UN body rejects trade protection for marine species
Pentagon eases rules on gay ban in US military
Dubai World gets $9.5 bln injection for debt plan
 
 
 
 More Top Stories »
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
 
Most Popular
 
 
 
 
Most Viewed
 
Most Recommended
 
 
 
 
Dubai World gets $9.5 bln injection for debt plan
 
Sharks, elephants to reappear on CITES agenda
 
'Rare' fossil of new dinosaur species found in US
 
Africa's gorillas face bleak future: report
 
Climate catastrophe ushered in the dinosaurs:study
 
 
 More Most Viewed »
 
 
 
 
 
'Rare' fossil of new dinosaur species found in US
 
'Britain's Fritzl' raped daughters for over 25yrs
 
Researchers back cancer-fighting properties of papaya
 
Hollywood stars help prevent suicide after Twitter alert
 
Prince Philip in strip club gaffe
 
 
 More Most Recommended »
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
 
 
 
 
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
 
 
Stars and latest movies
 
 
Best travel destinations
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
More on Yahoo! News
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
 
Also on Yahoo
 
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
 
Site Highlights
 
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
  
   
 
 
    
   
 
Other News on Friday, 26 March 2010 Israel mulls gestures to Palestinians after U.S. trip  
Iraq election very close, results due Friday  
Germany, France line up Greek-IMF aid deal  
YouTube suffers outage  
Sarkozy's bitterest enemy launches rival party  
Pakistani jets kill nearly 50 in tribal region
|  
France, Germany strike deal to aid Greece  
S.Korea lawmaker challenges election limits on Twitter use  
U.N. peacekeeping boss orders probe of Darfur ambush
|  
UN rights body narrowly passes Islamophobia resolution  
Fed not yet ready to wind-down crisis aid  
U.N.'s Ban frustrated and disappointed over Myanmar
|  
EU's Ashton lays out plans for new diplomatic service  
EU, US see breakthrough in 'open skies' talks  
Parliament groups reject EU diplomatic corps plan
|  
Merkel insists on IMF rescue ahead of EU summit  
Taiwan Semiconductor invests in energy-saving technology  
Carla prefers Sarkozy not to run again  
UN body rejects trade protection for marine species  
Bruni not keen on second term for France's Sarkozy
|  
Pentagon eases rules on gay ban in US military  
Pakistan arrests suspects in British boy kidnapping  
IBM develops anti-spam software for Chinese mobile operator  
Dubai World gets $9.5 bln injection for debt plan  
Key U.S. lawmaker backs FCC's spectrum plan  
I'm no hacker, says man who cracked Obama's Twitter  
Global pace of deforestation slows: FAO  
British parties imitate Obama in e-election  
Sweden ranked world's most networked economy  
LG aims at 25 percent of global 3D TV market  
Netanyahu back home with US-Israeli spat unresolved  
Obama launches sales blitz for health reform  
Bin Laden warns US not to kill 9/11 mastermind  
Economy trumps ecology at UN wildlife meet  
LG aims at 25 percent of global 3D TV market
|  
Fidel says he has nothing against Obama  
Myanmar rulers urged to free political prisoners  
Key lawmaker backs FCC's spectrum plan
|  
China bans poet from traveling to US conference  
Prince Charles visits Afghanistan  
Japan to propose moving half key US base off Okinawa: report  
U.S. lead in nanotech eroding, report finds
|  
China, Afghanistan vow to fight terrorism, drugs  
Hacker gets 20 years for U.S. payment card theft
|  
UN council deplores 'systematic' rights abuses in NKorea  
U.N. slams rights abuses in North Korea  
Indonesian court upholds anti-pornography law  
Pakistan: Airstrikes kill 61 suspected militants  
Three weeks to save iconic Hollywood sign: trust  
Toyota accelerator lawsuits go to US court  
India's Bharti nears deal with Zain on Africa assets  
Indonesia seeks $90 bln for infrastructure  
It's all over for "The Hills"  
Denmark's 'Little Mermaid' heads to China  
Lost Booker Prize shortlist announced  
Former China magazine editor launches new media business  
Indonesian zoo welcomes birth of 25 Komodo dragons  
Westerners follow Thai brides to live in hard-up northeast  
Pakistan's forex reserves ease to $14.81 bln  
S.Lanka minister regrets Akon's cancelled concert  
Indonesia closes private radio station  
TIMELINE-Taiwan's interest rate changes since 2001  
Taiwan govt blasted for backing mainland director's opera  
Japan to end cargo-only flights in October  
Cubans forget their worries in baseball rapture  
PetroChina profit slides 9.7% in 2009  
Taiwan cbank says loose policy over, H2 rate rise seen  
Indonesian court protects culture from porn law  
China's ICBC says 4Q profits jumps 58 percent  
Bolivia eradicates coca crops amid local grumblings  
Progress, frustration as Liberia rebuilds from scratch  
Sarah Palin to star in television series on Alaska
|  
A Minute With: Holly Hunter on angels and Saving Grace
|  
Miley, less smiley, grows up and into film career
|  
Simon Cowell to get international Emmy award
|  
It's all over for The Hills
|  
American Idol narrows to top 10, Paige Miles out
|  
Harry Potter park to open in June in Orlando
|  
Netanyahu aide sees accord with U.S. on Jerusalem
|  
EU's economic 'government' lost in translation  
Myanmar junta prepares for final salute
|  
Pakistan troops kill 24 militants after attack
|  
Key lawmaker backs FCC's spectrum plan  
Hacker gets 20 years for U.S. payment card theft  
China VP due in Sweden as Volvo takeover nears  
Bag With $100,000 Falls Off Armored Truck, Only $13,000 Returned  
Hacker Sentenced To 20 Years For Data Theft  
US Congress passes 'fixes' to landmark health law  
Wall Street Journal to charge 17.99 dollars a month on iPad  
Chatham County (N.C.) Courthouse Engulfed In Flames  
U.S. Congress approves final healthcare changes  
U.S. firms' security concerns grow in Mexico: poll
|  
Loan Modifications Up From Last Year, But Re-Defaults Are Too  
US newspaper ad revenue down 27% in 2009: NAA  
Pentagon makes it harder to expel gays in military  
Malaysia's Anwar sodomy trial postponed until May
|  
Fed not yet ready to wind-down crisis aid  
U.S. lead in nanotech eroding, report finds  
Mexico arrests 'King of Heroin'  
EU, U.S. aid groups to pledge about $2.7 billion for Haiti
|  
Replica of U.S. slave ship sails into Havana
|  
U.S. Students Only Average In Reading, Nation's Fourth Graders Show No Improvement Over 2007  
Aussies on 4th track gold, Hoy saves Brits' blushes  
Defense Department Modifies Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy on Discharging Gays  
Global Weather-Celsius  
U.S. Markets Finish Mixed As Early Rally Loses Steam  
Weather forecast for the Asia-Pacific region  
N.Korea vows nuclear attacks to defend its regime  
Chaotic Philippine election season in full swing  
Endangered French cheeses cry out for help  
S. Korean anti-Pyongyang leaflets go digital  
'Missing' portrait of Aussie outlaw posts record price  
Fox Affiliate Sources Say Conan OBrien Deal Not Definite  
Harry Potter park adds new characters  
Rihanna's Rude Boy remains atop Hot 100
|  
Bikini-clad wife puts Roddick in the shade
|  
Pakistan: 5 soldiers, 21 alleged militants killed  
5 Pakistani soldiers, 21 militants killed in NW  
The Times of London to charge for website  
Russia bans Hitler's 'Mein Kampf'  
Israel could use tactical nukes on Iran-think-tank  
Britain's Times, Sunday Times to charge for websites  
News Corp to charge for UK Times online from June  
VW to raise 4.2 bln euros at 65 euros per share  
U.N. tells Iran to end Eutelsat satellite jamming  
North Chile hit by 6.2 quake, no damage reported
|  
Beware online knights in shining armor, US Army warns  
Japan PM admits mistakes, asks voters for patience
|  
South Korean ship sinking, North attack suspected: report
|  
Iraq vote results near, Maliki backers urge recount
|  
Iraq awaits full election results amid tight race  
Hamas says it attacked Israeli troops entering Gaza
|  
Scandal-plagued Catholic order apologizes to victims
|  
U.N. rights forum condemns Myanmar, extends probe
|  
Pirates attack Turkish ship off Nigeria, 3 injured
|  
Rio China trial defendant says treated fairly  
New Zealand reaffirms Fiji sanctions  
US-TECH Summary  
Sentence upheld in China liquor bribery case  
Japan PM admits mistakes, asks voters for patience  
Fire at Indian army arsenal triggers explosions  
Japan finalizing US base relocation proposal  
Indonesian provinces plan to ignore anti-porn law  
No change in policy on Jerusalem: Israel PM  
News Corp to charge for UK Times online from June
|  
Hamilton quickest in Australian GP practice  
Angry Cambodian mob kills motorcycle thieves  
NKorea threatens 'nuclear strikes' on SKorea, US  
Pakistani rupee eases vs dollar; stocks edge higher  
Toyota stopping output in UK, France for 9 days  
HK bank workers held in Lehman investments case  
Toyota to halt UK, France production for 12 days  
S.Korea refiners likely to raise ESPO imports -trade  
Nissan, Renault, Daimler eye cross-shareholding: reports  
Seoul shares end up on shipping firms, Korea Life  
Electric car design to err on conservative side  
Ridley Scott's 'Robin Hood' to open Cannes festival  
FACTBOX-South Korea's five biggest IPOs  
Noel Gallagher rolls back the years at solo gig  
Abba may reform for one-off show  
China could resume flexible exchange rate: adviser  
Museum exposes Elvis, "the threat" to American morals  
Indian wine lovers offer tasty target to vineyards  
'Heroes' actress visits Japan dolphin hunt town  
Could Abba be ready for a one-off reunion?
|  
Film composer Paul Dunlap dies at 90  
Dragon poised to slay box-office competition
|  
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro  
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found  
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever  
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production  
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time  
AMD to Start Production of piledriver  
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs  
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia  
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air  
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch  
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent  
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up  
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform  
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis  
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets  
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights