JERUSALEM (AP) âÄî Exit polls showed moderate Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni edging out hard-line rival Benjamin Netanyahu in parliamentary elections Tuesday âÄî but strong gains by right-wing parties will make it difficult, and perhaps impossible, for her to form a government. Both LivniâÄôs Kadima Party and NetanyahuâÄôs Likud Party claimed they would lead the next government. Even if Livni could overcome the formidable obstacles and become IsraelâÄôs second female prime minister after Golda Meir, the exit polls suggest she would have to rely on the participation of right-wing parties opposed to her vision of giving up land in exchange for a peace deal with the Palestinians. Despite the uncertainties, both sides claimed victory. Applause, cheers and whistling erupted at Kadima headquarters in Tel Aviv as television stations began reporting their exit polls, with supporters jumping up and down and giving each other high-fives and hugs.
At celebrations of IranâÄôs revolution, hard-line president welcomes ObamaâÄôs calls for dialogue
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) âÄî IranâÄôs hard-line president told crowds celebrating the Islamic revolutionâÄôs anniversary Tuesday that the country is ready for talks with the United States, the strongest signal yet that Tehran welcomes President Barack ObamaâÄôs calls for dialogue. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments in a speech to hundreds of thousands celebrating the 30th anniversary of the revolution, which ousted the U.S-backed shah and installed rule by hard-line Muslim clerics. The event led to a collapse in relations between the two countries and years of enmity. As usual at such gatherings, there were chants of âÄúDeath to America,âÄù along with the burning of U.S. and Israeli flags. But the chanting stopped as Ahmadinejad spoke of dialogue with the United States, and the firebrand president refrained from the denunciations of America that often mark his speeches. Since ObamaâÄôs election, Iranian leaders have struck a cautious tone over his campaign promises to open a dialogue with Tehran, signaling that the government was undecided on how to respond. On Tuesday, Ahmadinejad made it clear Iran is prepared to talk, citing terrorism, the elimination of nuclear weapons, restructuring the U.N. Security Council and fighting drug trafficking as possible areas for discussion. âÄúThe Iranian nation is ready for talks (with the U.S.), but in a fair atmosphere with mutual respect,âÄù Ahmadinejad told the crowds in TehranâÄôs Freedom Square.
Reproductive medicine society says itâÄôs investigating circumstances behind octuplet births
LOS ANGELES (AP) âÄî The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says itâÄôs investigating whether fertility treatment guidelines were broken in the case of a Southern California woman who gave birth to octuplets last month. The society said in a statement issued Monday that it asked Nadya Suleman and the doctor for more details about her latest pregnancy. SulemanâÄôs six other children were conceived through in vitro procedures. The voluntary, nonprofit organization has guidelines for the number of embryos that should be implanted to prevent multiple births. But the group canâÄôt stop doctors from practicing. âÄúIt seems that the guidelines may not have been followed in Ms. SulemanâÄôs case,âÄù Dr. R. Dale McClure, president of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said in a statement. In an interview broadcast Monday on NBCâÄôs âÄúToday,âÄù Suleman said she underwent in vitro fertilization at a Beverly Hills fertility clinic run by Dr. Michael Kamrava.
