Maldini

Analysis: Clinton scores a win, Obama nears finish line By Alan Silverleib and Mark Preston CNN Washington Bureau NEW YORK (CNN) -- Hillary Clinton won a landslide victory in Kentucky Tuesday, but momentum -- and a growing sense of inevitability -- is now firmly on Barack Obama's side. He took Oregon last night, but it was his symbolic victory with pledged delegates that was the storyline. The one-time long shot for the Democratic nomination has a majority of pledged delegates to the Democratic Convention and is now about 70 delegates shy of the finish line. Obama had already been looking toward November before last night's split decision. He chose Iowa -- the site of his first win in this marathon primary fight -- to address supporters in what many observers viewed as a victory lap. It was also an indication of Obama's intent to fight for a number of battleground states lost by John Kerry in 2004. "The skeptics predicted we wouldn't get very far," Obama said. "The cynics dismissed us as a lot of hype and a little too much hope. And by the fall, the pundits in Washington had all but counted us out. But the people of Iowa had a different idea." Despite the daunting odds of overtaking Obama in the overall delegate count, Clinton remained defiant and promised to stay in the race. "You've never given up on me, because you know I've never given up on you," Clinton told supporters in Kentucky. Clinton's victory in Kentucky -- as in West Virginia last week -- was noticeable for its magnitude and breadth. As expected, she dominated Obama in a largely white, working-class state tailor-made for her increasingly populist message. Once again, she won both men and women. She carried every age group. She captured the bulk of voters in every income category, and at every level of educational achievement. Kentucky voters also fired a warning shot across the bow of an Obama campaign that has largely turned its sights to the fall election. Only one-third of Clinton's voters in the Bluegrass State said they would vote for Obama in a general election matchup against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain. Almost 80 percent of Clinton's voters said they would not be satisfied if Obama wins the Democratic nomination. A majority of voters statewide believed Obama is not honest and trustworthy, and that he does not share their values. Watch what the analysts say after Kentucky and Oregon » No Democrat has won the White House without carrying Kentucky since John F. Kennedy narrowly defeated Richard Nixon in 1960. Obama either has to find a way to convince these voters to support him or he needs to redraw the electoral map in November by carrying states such as Colorado, North Carolina and Virginia -- states which rarely vote Democrat on the presidential level. Obama's favorable numbers in Oregon, on the other hand, reflected his strength with more-affluent, well-educated, secular voters in another critical region. He defeated Clinton by an almost 2-1margin among men in Oregon. Perhaps more impressively, he drew her to a tie (at 50 percent each) among white women -- long considered to be one of the New York senator's core constituencies. Oregon's largely progressive political tradition proved to be a boon to the Democratic frontrunner. Self-described liberals, comprising 57 percent of the state's electorate, backed Obama by 20 points, 60-40 percent. At the same time, however, he also managed to carry moderates and conservatives, albeit by much smaller margins. Nearly four out of five Oregon primary voters were college educated, and they voted for Obama by more than 20 points, 61-39 percent. The smaller pool of non-college educated voters backed Clinton by nine points, 54-45 percent. Obama, however, surprised many observers by pulling nearly even with Clinton (48-51 percent) among white voters who did not graduate from college -- a group which has been largely unreceptive to his campaign in other parts of the country. Finally, Obama benefited from the votes of the nearly 3 in 10 Oregon voters with no religious identification. While Protestants and Catholics split virtually evenly between the two Democratic candidates, voters who cited no religious affiliation backed the Illinois senator by 22 points, 61-39 percent. The campaign now shifts to Florida -- a pivotal general election battleground whose delegates to the Democratic convention remain in a state of flux. Clinton and Obama have campaign stops scheduled Wednesday across the state. Clinton, who desperately needs to have both the Florida and Michigan delegations seated in accordance with their January primary results, is demanding a resolution. Meanwhile, Obama says he is in favor of seating the disputed delegations, but needless to say does not agree with Clinton's proposed remedy. The Democratic National Committee will address the delegation disputes when it meets on May 31 in Washington. But with only two weeks and three contests remaining, Clinton's window of opportunity is quickly closing. Her fate -- as well as Obama's -- now rests with the dwindling pool of uncommitted superdelegates who will ultimately choose the party's nominee.

Today on the presidential campaign trail By The Associated Press – 1 hour ago IN THE HEADLINES Obama bids for a delegate milestone in Oregon, Kentucky primaries ... Veterans' college aid bill a likely issue in presidential campaign ... Obama's crowds reflect enthusiasm, but also careful crowd building ___ Oregon, Kentucky primaries latest to shape race LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Barack Obama is reaching for a symbolic tipping point in the Oregon and Kentucky primaries Tuesday — a majority of pledged delegates offered in the Democratic presidential contest. Hillary Rodham Clinton vowed there was "no way that this is going to end anytime soon" as she campaigned Monday across Kentucky, a state she was expected to win. Obama was favored in Oregon, where supporters delivered the largest crowd of his campaign on Sunday. Regardless of who prevails in those states, Obama is on track to secure the largest share of delegates who could be won in the long slog of primaries and caucuses since the snows of January. If there were to be practical dividends in that achievement, they would come from persuading the remaining uncommitted superdelegates — the party insiders who are not tied to primary or caucus results — to pick up the pace of their endorsements. Enough of them have done so already to transform Clinton's hopes for the nomination from improbable in recent weeks to worse. Still, the New York senator soldiered on through event after event, ending her night Monday in Louisville before a crowd of several hundred, her voice raspy from the stage. ___ McCain targeted for opposing vets college aid bill WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and their allies are ready to convert Sen. John McCain's stance on college aid for military veterans into a presidential campaign cause. McCain, the all-but-nominated Republican presidential candidate, opposes a Democratic-backed bill that would significantly expand the breadth of education benefits for veterans, first adopted for those returning from World War II. Democrats want the proposal included in a war spending bill the Senate is scheduled to vote on this week. Sen. Barack Obama, McCain's most likely general election opponent, already has raised objections to McCain's resistance. And on Tuesday, a veterans' group that has been critical of the war in Iraq is launching an ad in Washington to pressure McCain to change his mind. By taking issue with McCain on the subject of veterans, Democrats hope to weaken one of his biggest assets — his personal biography as a former Navy pilot who became a prisoner of the North Vietnamese and endured torture at the hands of his captors. The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, also veterans of Vietnam, would guarantee full tuition payments to veterans at any public school in their home state. Its expected cost is $52 billion over 10 years. McCain says the legislation is too expensive and has proposed his own version, which would increase the monthly benefit available to most veterans to $1,500 from $1,100. It would not offer the equivalent of a full scholarship. ___ Large crowds at rallies an Obama trademark NEW YORK (AP) — Barack Obama is well known for his ability to draw large crowds, but 75,000 in Portland, Ore.? The mass of people who converged by foot and by boat on a Willamette River park on Sunday was the largest rally to date for the Democratic presidential hopeful. Organizers credited the sunny, spring day and enthusiasm for Obama in the well-educated, largely liberal city as key factors helping drive turnout. But the Illinois senator already has seen plenty of eye-popping crowds. Thirty-five thousand crammed into Independence Park in Philadelphia last month, and 30,000 filled a Columbia, S.C., arena in December to cheer him at a rally with Oprah Winfrey. His events often dwarf Hillary Rodham Clinton's, even though her crowds are far larger than most political candidates ever enjoy. Praised for its attention to the mechanics of grass-roots organizing, Obama's campaign has taken the art of crowd building to an unprecedented level — using networking tools and old-fashioned word of mouth to drive turnout, which aids fundraising and organizational efforts. "Rallies are very helpful for three major reasons: to provide momentum, allow a large number of people to be exposed to Barack and create an organizational mechanism to win the election," deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand said. ___ THE DEMOCRATS Hillary Rodham Clinton holds an election night rally in Louisville, Ky. Barack Obama speaks to supporters at a rally in Des Moines, Iowa. ___ THE REPUBLICANS John McCain talks to voters in Miami. ___ QUOTE OF THE DAY: "He and I are in a big argument right now because I said we should talk not just to our friends, but we should talk to our enemies. He wants to pursue the same failed policies of George Bush, talking tough and not getting anything done. We've got to change our foreign policy." — Barack Obama, discussing his foreign policy differences with John McCain. ___ STAT OF THE DAY: Democrats have won Oregon in the last four presidential elections. The last time Kentucky went Democratic was in 1996. Compiled by Ann Sanner and Jerry Estill.

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Hillary Clinton takes West Virginia but defeat still looms Hillary Clinton last night vowed that she will "never give up" in her battle against Barack Obama after a landslide victory - by a margin of more than two to one - in West Virginia's primary. Although her win in one of the whitest and most rural states in America failed to loosen Barack Obama's tight grip on the Democratic nomination, she was swift to point out that working class voters had once more turned their backs on her rival. Mrs Clinton argued that by winning in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and now West Virginia, she has demonstrated the strength needed in November's looming general lection contest against John McCain. "This race isn't over yet," she declared. "The bottom line is that the White House is won in the swing states, and I am winning the swing states." Seeking to stamp on calls for her to pull out before the final primaries on June 3, she added: "I am even more determined than ever to carry on this campaign until everyone has had a chance to make their voices heard." But she knows Mr Obama remains ahead in every count that matters - elected delegates from primaries and caucuses, the Democratic elite's super-delegates, and the popular vote. Even if Mrs Clinton won the remaining five contests by the same overwhelming margin of up to 30 points that she ran up in West Virginia, she would still trail Mr Obama by around 100 elected delegates. She is favoured to win Kentucky next week and Puerto Rico next month but her rival is likely to prevail in Oregon, Montana and South Dakota. Mr Obama is preparing to claim a majority of the pledged delegates after next week's voting in Kentucky and Oregon. And James Carville, Bill Clinton's ultra-loyal former strategist, stated yesterday: “I think the great likelihood is that Obama will be the nominee. As soon as I determine when that is, I’ll send him a [campaign] cheque.” In her speech in Charleston last night, Mrs Clinton went out of her way to praise Mr Obama and indicate that she was ready to help unite the party ahead of November's looming battle with Republican John McCain. "I will work my heart out for the nominee of the Democratic Party to make sure we have a Democratic president." She said that they both share a "commitment to bring America new leadership means we have always stood together on the most important issues". But, in a message to the remaining 200 or so uncommitted super-delegates who represent her last lingering hope of pulling of an against-all-odds victory, she still added: "Tonight, in the light of this overwhelming victory in West Virginia - to everybody still making up their minds, I am in this race because I believe I am the strongest candidate to lead our party in 2008 and the strongest president to lead our nation starting in 2009." Many superdelegates appear unwilling to go against the will of the delegates elected in primaries. But, to loud cheers, Mrs Clinton told the crowd in the three quarters-full Charleston civic centre: "You will never be counted out, and I won't either. You will not quit, and I won't either." Mr Obama yesterday sought to brush past his long-anticipated defeat in West Virginia by appearing in the general-election battleground state of Missouri, saying it was a place "where we will compete to win when I am the Democratic nominee for president." Campaigning in Cape Girardeau, a town synonymous with the working class voters - so-called "Reagan Democrats" - that remain suspicious of him, he said November's election will represent "a chance to build a new majority of Democrats, independents and Republicans." He avoided direct criticism of Mrs Clinton and, instead, turned his fire on Mr McCain's record - saying the Republican nominee stood for four more years of "the Bush-McCain program." Today, Mrs Clinton was planning to spend today trawling through TV studios and holding talks with top donors about the future of her campaign. Tomorrow she will campaign in South Dakota - a state that votes on June 3 - and on Friday she will travel to Oregon which holds its primary next week. David Axelrod, Mr Obama’s chief strategist, said that last night's result would change nothing. He highlighted polls suggesting that his candidate was well placed to beat John McCain in the general election. Mr Obama had used a visit of only four hours to West Virginia on Monday to take the unusual step of conceding that Mrs Clinton would win the state. Before leaving, he visited a pool hall, where he displayed some ability at this man-of-the-people sport — in contrast to the lamentable performance at a bowling alley in Pennsylvania last month that had reinforced impressions he was a liberal elitist. Asked by a reporter if voters in white and culturally conservative West Virginia regarded him as “un-American”, Mr Obama replied that he hoped they would realise he was a “practising Christian” whose grandfather fought in the Second World War and that “I was raised to love America”. In Missouri last night, referring to growing scrutiny over the way blue-collar households view him and fears among Democrats that his battle against Mrs Clinton has split the party along race, age gender and class lines, Mr Obama said: "There is a lot of talk these days about how the Democratic Party is divided. But I’m not worried, because I know that we’ll be able to come together quickly behind a common purpose. There’s too much that unites us as Democrats." But exit polls in West Virginia last night showed two in ten whites said the race of the candidate was a factor in their vote. Only 44 per cent of Democratic voters said they would be satisfied if Mr Obama is the nominee, while fully half believed he shared the incendiary and racially-charged views of his former pastor, the Rev Jeremiah Wright. In a sign that Mr Obama is now reconciled to the campaign continuing to the bitter end of the nomination calendar, his wife, Michelle, will today visit the US territory of Puerto Rico - which holds a Democratic primary on June 1 but whose citizens do not even have votes in the general election. Mr Obama himself was today continuing his sweep through states pivotal to the general election by visiting blue-collar, economically-blighted Michigan. His itinerary today is laced with added significance because Michigan has already voted for Mrs Clinton. Delegates elected from the state's primary in January - when Mr Obama's name was not even on the ballot - have been barred from the Democratic convention because it was held in breach of party rules. But Mr Obama is keen to build up an organisation in a state where he has not been seen all year, as well as appease those angered by the decision to ignore the results of its Democratic primary. Next week Mr Obama is expected to spend several days in Florida, another crucial state in the general election which has voted for Mrs Clinton only to be ruled out-of-order by the Democratic leadership. The Obama campaign, increasingly confident of winning the nomination in any circumstances, has recently begun to indicate for the first time that it is willing to accept a compromise by which the Michigan and Florida delegations would be seated. Mrs Clinton last night renewed her call to count the votes from Florida and Michigan. "Under the rules of our party," she said, "when you include all 50 states, the number of delegates needed to win is 2,209, and neither of us has reached that threshold yet." She added: "You know I'll never give up. I'll stand with you as long as you stand with me." Mr Obama last night called Mrs Clinton's personal mobile phone to congratulate her on the West Virginia victory. She did not answer, so he was forced to leave a message.

Pastor Backing McCain Apologizes to Catholics By ELIZABETH HOLMES and SUZANNE SATALINE May 14, 2008; Page A4 The Rev. John Hagee, the fiery evangelical pastor who endorsed John McCain, issued an apology to Catholics for disparaging remarks he made, including accusing the Roman Catholic Church of supporting Adolf Hitler. The letter received praise from some Catholic leaders but it reintroduced other subjects of Mr. Hagee's inflammatory comments. It also reignited questions about the relationship between Sen. McCain and Mr. Hagee, which has been compared to that of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright. In the latter case, Sen. Obama denounced Rev. Wright's statements after attending his church for 20 years. However, Sen. McCain welcomed Mr. Hagee's endorsement and only after his comments were made public did he condemn them. And while Mr. Wright stuck to his racially charged statements, Mr. Hagee back-pedaled and issued an apology. It was "very big of him to go back and admit he was wrong," said Chris Korzen, executive director of Catholics United. But it doesn't excuse the divisive remarks made by Mr. Hagee concerning women or comments attributing Hurricane Katrina's wrath on the level of sin in New Orleans, he said. Mr. Hagee's anti-Catholic sentiments first received national attention in February when he endorsed Sen. McCain. He follows a line of thinkers who believed that Catholic practice was a form of apostasy. A Christian Zionist, Mr. Hagee is a lightning rod even among evangelicals. Many sermons at his 18,000 member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio focus on the duty of Christians to support Israel. He has written that the creation of the Jewish state fulfills the Bible's prophesy, and that Scripture foretells an approaching cataclysm in the Middle East. In the letter, Mr. Hagee said he had achieved "an improved understanding of the Catholic Church" as well as its relation to the Jewish faith. He also pledged a "greater level of compassion and respect" for Catholics. The letter was addressed to William Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Mr. Donohue, one of Mr. Hagee's most outspoken critics, accepted the apology. "Takes a lot of courage to do something like that," Mr. Donohue said in an interview. Sen. McCain said on Tuesday that he didn't agree with Mr. Hagee's anti-Catholic comments but commended him for his olive branch. "The fact that these two individuals came together is a laudable thing." Sen. McCain said. --Laura Meckler contributed to this article.

Obama reaffirms support for Israel By JPOST.COM STAFF Democratic US presidential candidate Barack Obama on Monday pledged to uphold US support for Israel, rebuffing his Republican rival John McCain's claim that he was the preferred choice of Hamas. "You will not see, under my presidency, any slackening in commitment to Israel's security," Obama told The Atlantic magazine online. "My position on Hamas is indistinguishable from the position of Hillary Clinton or John McCain. I said they are a terrorist organization and I've repeatedly condemned them," he continued. "I mean what I say: since they are a terrorist organization, we should not be dealing with them until they recognize Israel, renounce terrorism," Obama said. McCain has reiterated the claim that Hamas supports Obama, while portraying himself as a future president who would be tougher on terror groups. McCain's campaign cited an April 13 quote from Hamas aide Ahmed Yousef who reportedly said: "We like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election." Obama said that parts of his childhood he spent outside the United States would stand him in good stead. "It's conceivable that there are those in the Arab world who say to themselves, 'This is a guy who spent some time in the Muslim world, has a middle name of Hussein, and appears more worldly and has called for talks with people, and so he's not going to be engaging in the same sort of cowboy diplomacy as George Bush,' and that's something they're hopeful about. "I think that's a perfectly legitimate perception as long as they're not confused about my unyielding support for Israel's security." Obama emphasized that he had clarified his stance during a meeting with Palestinian students in Ramallah. "One of the things that I said to those students was: 'Look, I am sympathetic to you and the need for you guys to have a country that can function, but understand this: If you're waiting for America to distance itself from Israel, you are delusional. "Because my commitment, our commitment, to Israel's security is non-negotiable." Senator Obama offered a glimpse of his own personal feelings about Israel by saying that "there is something so powerful and compelling for me [about the idea of Israel], maybe because I was a kid who never entirely felt like he was rooted." "My starting point when I think about the Middle East is this enormous emotional attachment and sympathy for Israel, mindful of its history, mindful of the hardship and pain and suffering that the Jewish people have undergone, " Obama continued, "obviously it's something that has great resonance with the African-American experience." When questioned about the justice of the Zionist idea Obama stated "the fundamental premise of Israel and the need to preserve a Jewish state that is secure is, I think, a just idea and one that should be supported here in the United States and around the world."

Obama delegates overtake Clinton Barack Obama erased Hillary Clinton's once-imposing lead among superdelegates when he added more endorsements from the group of Democrats who will ultimately decide the party's nomination for president. Obama added superdelegates from Utah and Ohio, as well as two from the Virgin Islands who had previously backed Clinton. The additions let Obama surpass Clinton's superdelegate total for the first time in the campaign. He had picked up nine superdelegate endorsements on Friday. The milestone is important because Clinton would need to win over the superdelegates by a wide margin to claim the nomination. They are a group that Clinton owned before the first caucus in Iowa in early January, when she was able to cash in on the popularity of the Clinton brand among the party faithful. Those party insiders, however, have been steadily streaming to Obama since he started making wins in early voting states. "I always felt that if anybody establishes himself as the clear leader, the superdelegates would fall in line," said Don Fowler, a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee. "It is perceived that he is the leader," said Fowler, a superdelegate from South Carolina who supports Clinton. "The trickle is going to become an avalanche." Superdelegates are the party and elected officials who will automatically attend the Democratic national convention this August in Denver. They can support whomever they choose, regardless of what happens in the primaries or caucuses. They are key because the Democratic race has been so close that neither Obama nor Clinton can win the nomination without them.

Hezbollah to End Armed Presence in Beirut By Ed Yeranian Beirut 10 May 2008 Hezbollah said it would withdraw all its fighters from the streets of Lebanon's capital, after Lebanon's army command said it would retain the pro-Hezbollah security chief at Beirut Airport, whose dismissal sparked this week's clashes between Hezbollah fighters and militias loyal to Lebanon's U.S.-backed government. The army statement followed a nationally televised address by the prime minister urging the army to restore order across the country. Ed Yeranian reports for VOA from Beirut. Lebanese man walks beside road block set up by Hezbollah supporters in Beirut, 10 May 2008 The Lebanese army command said the airport security chief would remain in his post and that it would look into Hezbollah's controversial communications network. The latest clashes were sparked Tuesday after the government voted to fire the pro-Hezbollah security chief and declare the communications network illegal. The army also called on all gunmen to withdraw from the streets. The army statement followed a nationally televised address by Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, who demanded that Hezbollah "remove its fighters from the streets… and respect government institutions." He accused Hezbollah of staging an armed coup and called on the army to restore order. Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora during press conference at Government House in Beirut, 10 May 2008 He called for dialogue, saying Hezbollah's defense should not be through arms, but through the agreement of all the Lebanese people and via the Lebanese government. Former Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati begged all politicians to compromise. He said "Lebanon can only be governed through cooperation and entente between all parties." Tensions and scattered violence persisted across parts of Lebanon Saturday, while a precarious calm prevailed in West Beirut. The acrid smell of smoke lingered over Beirut's Hamra district, scene of intense street fighting. Lebanese Army tanks took up position in many Beirut neighborhoods, and appeared to be keeping order as Hezbollah fighters evacuated areas they had occupied Friday. Masked Shi'ite gunman stands guard during clashes in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 May 2008 Abu Ziad Jarafeh, a former high school teacher in West Beirut predicted that the fighting was not over, because the Lebanese people had not learned the lessons of the past. "It's a shame… this country is moving towards a minimum of twelve months of chaos… minimum… because there are (sic) no brains enough in this country," he said. Meanwhile, Kuwait and other Arab countries evacuated their citizens from Lebanon via the northern coastal highway to Syria. The main Beirut-Damascus highway, as well as the road to Beirut Airport remain closed. The Arab League is due to meet in Cairo Sunday to discuss developments in Lebanon.

Hezbollah Gunmen Seize Control of Parts of Lebanon's Capital By VOA News 09 May 2008 Masked Shiite gunman stands guard during clashes in Beirut, Lebanon, 09 May 2008 Hezbollah gunmen in Lebanon have seized control of west Beirut after clashes with Sunni fighters loyal to the country's Western-backed government left at least 11 people dead. Fighters from the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah also forced a pro-government television station, Future Movement, off the air Friday and attacked an affiliated newspaper. The station is owned by Saad al-Hariri, a leader of Lebanon's governing coalition. A rocket also slammed into the perimeter fence of his west Beirut home without causing injuries. Authorities also closed Beirut's port due to the violence. Saudi Arabia called Friday for an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers to discuss the fighting that erupted in Lebanon Wednesday. Hezbollah's al-Manar television has quoted an opposition source as rejecting ideas for ending the conflict other than those proposed by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The fighting escalated Thursday after Nasrallah called the Lebanese government's crackdown on his group a "declaration of war." The United States and the United Nations have both expressed concern about the violence. Lebanon has been in a political stalemate since last year, with the ruling coalition and the opposition unable to pick a new head of state and form a unity government. Parliament is scheduled to vote next week, May 13, for the country's new president. It will be the 19th time parliament will try to vote for a successor to former pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud, whose term expired in November. Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.

Hezbollah Gunmen Seize Several Beirut Neighborhoods By Alia Ibrahim and Robin Wright Washington Post Staff Writers and Washington Post Staff Writers Friday, May 9, 2008; 9:14 AM BEIRUT, May 9 -- Gunmen from the Shiite Hezbollah movement seized control of several downtown Beirut neighborhoods Friday as the number of people killed in three days of fighting rose to at least 11. Hezbollah militants, some carrying assault rifles or rocket-propelled grenade launchers, patrolled outside Starbucks and other shops in the mostly deserted commercial strips of neighborhoods normally controlled by Sunnis loyal to the U.S.-backed Lebanese government. Masked armed men in civilian clothes set up checkpoints and asked passersby for their identity cards, and Hezbollah forces briefly surrounded the homes of Saad Hariri, Lebanon's top Sunnni lawmaker, and Walid Jumblatt, his Druse ally. Although government troops soon arrived to guard the politicians' residences, and the Hezbollah gunmen stood down, the Associated Press reported that a satellite television station affiliated with Hariri was forced off the air, and the office of his party's newspaper was set on fire. Friday's gains by Hezbollah came a day after the leader of the movement accused the government of declaring war on his party.The clashes took on a sectarian cast as mainly Shiite opposition members battled predominantly Sunni supporters of the government. Shiite gunmen tore down posters of Hariri in neighborhoods where he enjoys strong support, the AP reported, and roamed unopposed through streets normally dominated by government supporters. Christian Lebanese on both sides of the country's political divide largely stayed out of the fighting, and Christian neighborhoods of Beirut were not involved in the clashes. At the United Nations, special envoy Terje Roed-Larsen warned the Security Council Thursday that the outbreak of fighting was the worst since the country's 1975-1990 civil war. U.S. officials condemned Hezbollah, which is backed by Syria and Iran, and said the United States and other governments would also hold Syria responsible. The clashes began this week after the government announced it would dismantle a Hezbollah telecommunications network and reassign a Shiite army officer in charge of security at Beirut's international airport. After a relatively calm morning Thursday, clashes worsened in the afternoon following a speech and news conference by Hezbollah's secretary general, Hasan Nasrallah, who said the party would defend its communications system. "The government's decisions were a declaration of war, and we have to defend our weapons. . . . Weapons will be used to defend the weapons," he said, demanding that the "black gang" -- a reference to the government -- withdraw its "dark decisions." Later in the evening, pro-government parliament member Hariri proposed a four-point plan to avoid further escalation, including the election of army commander Gen. Michel Suleiman as president and the resumption of national dialogue. Lebanon's current political crisis started with the resignation of Shiite ministers from the cabinet in 2006 and has left the country without a president since November. Lebanese politicians say they support Suleiman, but they have been unable to convene parliament in order to elect him. Hezbollah and Amal, an allied Shiite movement, declared Hariri's initiative unacceptable, insisting that the initiatives in the streets would be suspended only after Nasrallah's conditions had been met. Many Lebanese believe that any solution to the present crisis must be sponsored by outside forces, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, which would intervene to avoid full-scale Sunni-Shiite strife. U.S. officials said several major and regional powers, including Syrian allies, are alarmed about the sudden explosion of violence. A senior U.S. official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the behind-the-scenes diplomacy, said Russian, Turkish and key Arab leaders had told the Syrian government that it would be held responsible for Hezbollah's actions. White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Hezbollah "needs to make a choice: Be a terrorist organization or be a political party, but quit trying to be both. They need to start playing a constructive role and stop their disruptive activities." Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said that Hezbollah had "made progress in establishing a state within a state. They have not implemented agreements and resolutions with regard to disarming their militia. That in turn is encouraging other groups to rearm as well. There is a lack of progress because of their opposition in terms of the election of a president, although everyone has agreed on Mr. Suleiman." Khalilzad said the Security Council should consider "additional steps" that could include sanctions if the crisis is not resolved quickly. He also said Syria shared some of the blame for recent events. "It is outrageous that Syria claims Lebanon is a hostile neighbor when it is Damascus that continues to send weapons into Lebanon and is working to undermine the legitimate Lebanese government," he said. The worst violence took place in the mixed neighborhoods of Mazraa and Ras al-Nabaa, where armed supporters of both parties fought for control. Men carried machine guns, and the sound of rocket-propelled grenade launchers could be heard as smoke filled the air. Some civilians fled the areas, while others sought safety in buildings. Sunni supporters of Hariri's Future Movement, allied with the government, closed roads leading to the south and to the Bekaa Valley in the east in retaliation for Hezbollah's closure of the airport road. A source close to the movement said that if a balance were created on the ground, it could encourage the army to take action and open all roads closed by both sides. So far, the army has not intervened except to attempt to negotiate settlements between fighting groups across Beirut. Government officials said they were considering declaring a state of emergency, and opposition figures said civil disobedience could continue. Many Lebanese voiced resignation. "What's there to tell? We've lived a war; we know what it looks like; we haven't forgotten," said Youssef, a man in his 40s who declined to give his full name. Wright reported from Washington. Staff writer Debbi Wilgoren in Washington and wire services contributed to this report.

These days Lebanon at stake and on the edge of a second civil war, result of interfere of many countries in Lebanon domestic affairs. In this thread we will see what gonna heppen in Lebanon with the daily news, articles and analysis of history and the current events.

It doesn't matter how many normal delegate Barack or Hillary get, all matter is how many superdelegate each one have and who will win in the most important states.

Obama takes North Carolina, Clinton wins Indiana 6 hours ago RALEIGH, North Carolina (AFP) — Barack Obama declared himself within striking distance of the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday after trouncing Hillary Clinton in North Carolina, while she eked out a wafer-thin win in Indiana. Well after midnight, hours after the North Carolina result, the former first lady held on to take Indiana by a victory margin of 51 percent to 49 percent. In North Carolina, Obama romped home by 56 percent to 42, and used his victory speech here to cast himself as the Democrats' heir apparent for the November election against Republican John McCain. "Tonight we stand less than 200 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination for president of the United States," he told thousands of pumped-up supporters. "This fall, we intend to march forward as one Democratic Party, united by a common vision for this country," Obama added. "Because we all agree that at this defining moment in history -- a moment when we're facing two wars, an economy in turmoil, a planet in peril -- we can't afford to give John McCain the chance to serve out (President) George Bush's third term." Before flying out of Indiana to Washington, as television networks were still agonizing over the rust-belt state, Clinton proclaimed victory there and said it was "full speed on to the White House." "But I can assure you, as I have said on many occasions that no matter what happens, I will work for the nominee of the Democratic Party, because we must win in November," she added. Obama was a clear winner Tuesday, besting Clinton by more than 200,000 votes between the two primaries and picking up a net gain of 13 delegates to the party's August convention where 2,025 are needed for the nomination. He also boosted his case among the nearly 800 "superdelegates," party grandees who are free to vote for either candidate and hold the key to the tightest nomination race in a generation. With Obama holding a 1,842-1,692 edge in elected delegates, Clinton is running out of road. Only six primaries, with a total of 217 delegates at stake, remain between now and June 3. Exit polls from Tuesday's votes said Obama, buffeted by weeks of controversy over racially tinged remarks by his former pastor, had won over more than one-third of white voters in North Carolina. He also scored well with voters in terms of his identifying with their values, suggesting he had deflected Clinton's accusation that he is an "elitist" out of touch with blue-collar voters. As analysts questioned Clinton's viability in the Democratic race, aides to the New York senator denied a Drudge Report story that she was convening a crisis meeting on Wednesday with select superdelegates. "There is no crisis meeting with superdelegates," Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said. "This is just another day of meetings with superdelegates as part of our normal outreach." Clinton's camp admits she cannot overtake Obama in the count of pledged Delegates who will formally anoint the nominee at the party's convention in Denver, Colorado. So she is trying to persuade the superdelegates that her inexperienced rival would go down in flames against McCain. The New York senator has also raised the prospect of carrying on after the end of the nominating calendar, a scenario many Democrats fear could split the party and hand victory to McCain. She said the true finish line of the presidential race was 2,209 delegates -- including Florida and Michigan, whose pro-Clinton results were voided in an argument with Democratic bosses about the timing of the states' primaries. But contradicting Clinton, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean said the delegate target remained 2,025. "There's going to be a compromise is what I would predict," he said on MSNBC, ahead of a May 31 meeting of the DNC's rules committee on the Florida-Michigan headache. "We'll have a nominee by the end of June," Dean vowed, playing down fears of a convention brawl in August.

Obama takes early lead in race for delegates By STEPHEN OHLEMACHER – 4 hours ago WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Barack Obama grabbed the early lead in the competition for delegates in Tuesday's primaries. Obama won at least 69 delegates in the North Carolina and Indiana primaries, according to an analysis of election returns by The Associated Press. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton won at least 63 delegates, with 55 still to be awarded. In the overall race for the nomination, Obama leads with 1,815.5 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. Clinton has 1,672. Obama was on pace to finish the night within 200 delegates of the 2,025 needed to secure the Democratic nomination. He is also on pace to reach a majority of the pledged delegates won in primaries and caucuses in two weeks, when Kentucky and Oregon vote. Obama has a 158-delegate lead among pledged delegates. There are 217 delegates at stake in the final six contests. Also, about 270 superdelegates are yet to be claimed. Superdelegates are the party and elected officials who will automatically attend the national convention and can support whomever they choose, regardless of what happens in the primaries and caucuses. Obama has argued for months that superdelegates should support the candidate who wins the most pledged delegates. Clinton argues that superdelegates should exercise independent judgment. Clinton leads in superdelegate endorsements, 270.5 to 256, though Obama has been chipping away at her lead since the Super Tuesday contests on Feb. 5. Both candidates picked up a superdelegate endorsement Tuesday. Nearly 800 superdelegates will attend the national convention. About 220 remain undecided and about 50 others will be named at state party conventions and meetings throughout the spring. The AP tracks the delegate races by calculating the number of national convention delegates won by candidates in each presidential primary or caucus, based on state and national party rules, and by interviewing unpledged delegates to obtain their preferences. Most primaries and some caucuses are binding, meaning delegates won by the candidates are pledged to support that candidate at the national conventions this summer. Political parties in some states, however, use multistep procedures to award national delegates. Typically, such states use local caucuses to elect delegates to state or congressional district conventions, where national delegates are selected. In these states, the AP uses the results from local caucuses to calculate the number of national delegates each candidate will win, if the candidate's level of support at the caucus doesn't change

Indiana and North Carolina -- the final round? From Paul Steinhauser CNN Deputy Political Director (CNN) -- It's another Tuesday, and two more states are holding primaries, but the outcome this time could truly be crucial to the Democratic presidential nomination battle between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In all, 187 delegates are at stake in Indiana and North Carolina. Clinton, the junior senator from New York, knows that the results in these two states could shake up the race. "This primary election on Tuesday is a game changer," Clinton said. "This is going to make a huge difference in what happens going forward. The entire country, probably even a lot of the world, is looking." Judging by the numbers, Obama is the front-runner. The Illinois senator leads in pledged delegates and in states won, and is also ahead in the popular vote, if Florida and Michigan are not factored into the equation. Those states are being penalized for moving their primaries up in violation of party rules. With Obama ahead in all these categories, Clinton has a lot on the line in Indiana and North Carolina. "It would be a game changer if Clinton wins both North Carolina and Indiana by double-digit margins," said Bill Schneider, CNN senior political correspondent. "That would signal to the superdelegates that Democratic voters are having serious doubts about Obama. She needs big victories because it's so late in the game." In all, only 404 pledged delegates remain to be chosen, and Tuesday's total of 187 makes it the biggest single primary day left. Clinton would need to win 70 percent of the remaining pledged delegates to catch up with Obama. "That's very unlikely," Schneider said. "She stands a better chance of catching up in the total popular vote." With neither candidate expected to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the Democratic nomination by June 3, the end of the primary season, the final decision will most likely fall to the 796 so-called superdelegates: Democratic governors, members of Congress and party officials. Watch what's at stake in Indiana and North Carolina » The race in Indiana is close. The CNN Poll of Polls released Monday suggests Clinton has a four-point lead. The poll, which averages the latest surveys in the state, had been tied for the last week. Obama acknowledged to supporters Monday that Indiana's up for grabs. "This is gonna be a tight election here in Indiana," he said in Evansville. "Every poll shows it is a dead heat. We need every single vote. So, you guys are pretty persuasive. I need you to tell your members that this is something worth fighting for and that they need to come out and vote, and vote for me." In North Carolina, the CNN Poll of Polls released Monday indicates that Obama is up by eight points, down from a double-digit lead last week. "If Obama wins both North Carolina and Indiana, that would be a game changer, but not the one Clinton is talking about," Schneider said. "The superdelegates would take that as a signal that the voters are ready to close the deal up with Obama." Both candidates have spent the past two weeks shuttling between Indiana and North Carolina, each arguing to crucial working-class voters that their rival is out of touch when it comes to the pocketbook issues that are dominating the campaign. Clinton is touting her plan to repeal the federal gas tax (about 18 cents a gallon for regular unleaded) to give Americans who are facing $4-per-gallon gas prices some relief this summer. "I think you should have some immediate relief," she said Monday. "In fact, I think it's a false choice, as my opponent and others have been trying to say: 'Oh we can't do anything in the short run to help people, we can only worry about what we do in the long run.' "People live in the short run. People get up every day and have to go fill up their tanks, they have to go the grocery store, so let's have immediate relief and long-term relief." Clinton is also touting her populist message in a new commercial: "Hillary is the one who gets it. Hillary Clinton is the candidate who is going to fight for working people." Watch what Clinton has to say about the tax holiday and other issues » Obama calls the Clinton plan, and a similar proposal by presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain, a sham and pure pandering for votes. "We can't afford to settle for a Washington where politicians only focus on how to win instead of why we should; where they check the polls before they check their gut; where they only tell us whatever we want to hear whenever we want to hear it," Obama said Monday. "That kind of politics may get them where they need to go, but it doesn't get America where we need to go. And it won't change anything." His campaign slams the plan in a television commercial. "Clinton aides admit it won't do much for you, but would help her politically," the narrator says. "So here's the choice: Clinton gimmicks that help big oil or Barack Obama, a real energy plan and a $1,000 middle-class tax cut to help families truly pay the bills." Watch what Obama has to say about the tax holiday and other issues » This new disagreement over whether to repeal the federal gas tax is the latest clash in a long feud between the two rivals. "The price of gas is same song, different verse of a year-long battle in which differences are few and matters of character loom large," said Candy Crowley, CNN senior political analyst. "Fueled by strong and steady support from blue-collar workers, Clinton has to position herself as the working-class champion, and tacitly -- and sometimes openly -- she is framing Obama as out of touch with ordinary people." "The son of a single mother who once went on the food-stamp program, Obama finds it ironic that he has been painted as an elitist," Crowley added. "Though most economists agree with him, arguing against a gas tax holiday is tricky politically."

Narrow Victory for Obama in the Caucuses in Guam By SARAH WHEATON Published: May 4, 2008 Senator Barack Obama appeared to win the Democratic caucuses in Guam on Saturday, defeating Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton by seven votes. When hand-counting finished shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday, delegates pledged to Mr. Obama, of Illinois, had received 2,264 votes, compared with Mrs. Clinton’s slate, which had received 2,257, according to The Associated Press. Turnout at the caucuses was about three times greater than it had been in previous years. Party officials said many people had registered as Democrats at the caucus sites, prompting the nickname “Democrat for a Day.” Although Guamanians are United States citizens, they do not have a vote in the general presidential election. Guam sends eight delegates — with half a vote each, awarded proportionally — to the Democratic National Convention. Because of the closeness of the vote, the outcome in Guam is unlikely to have an impact on the delegate margin. However, the caucuses also determined two of Guam’s five superdelegates. Pilar Lujan, who is uncommitted, won the race for party chairwoman, and Jaime Paulino, who supports Mr. Obama, was elected vice chairman. Two of the island’s other established superdelegates are on record as supporting Mrs. Clinton, of New York. Guam’s caucuses took on added significance this year as the Democrats are locked in a delegate-by-delegate battle. Mr. Obama’s campaign opened an office in Hagatna, the capital, and the two candidates granted interviews to local media. Mrs. Clinton called for giving Guamanians the right to vote for president, while Mr. Obama, who spent part of his youth in Hawaii, stressed his ties to the Pacific Islands.

Hillary's Wrong-Headed Gas Tax Scheme The Clinton campaign has put pencil to paper and arrived at what it costs to buy a vote in North Carolina and Indiana—approximately 18.4 cents per gallon. That is the amount by which Hillary would reduce the price of gasoline in her proposed legislation to suspend the federal gasoline tax for the summer months. This ridiculous idea is wrong on 2 fronts, politically and economically. Politically, it has no chance of passing. Even if, by some miracle, it was approved by the Senate, it would never pass the House, where Speaker Pelosi is firmly against it. But suppose lightning struck and it passed the House, President Bush would surely veto it. Politically, it is a non-starter. Economically it's a bad idea, which will do nothing to solve the problem of dependence on foreign oil. In fact, most economists agree it will make things worse instead of better. On top of that, Hillary proposes to pay for this wrong-headed plan with another one, the windfall profits tax on "big oil." Even Sen. McCain, the self-proclaimed deficit hawk, has agreed with Mrs.Clinton on the gas tax suspension, which is strange because it would increase that deficit. Barack Obama, to his credit, is opposed to this obvious vote-buying scam. I’m no economist, but I’ll play one here for a minute. I recall from Economics 101 that there is something called the law of supply and demand. As the demand for a product increases, the supply must increase or else the price of that product will rise accordingly. What we have is a supply problem. It just seems strange to me that the people who scream the loudest about our dependence on foreign oil, Sen. Clinton and Speaker Pelosi among them, are the very ones who do everything they can to suppress production from domestic sources with repressive restrictions on offshore drilling and the building of new refineries. I’m just a simple man with a simple mind (no jokes please) who sees a simple solution, we need more oil. Renewables are a good idea, but any major reliance on them is at least 20 years in the future. Schemes like pandering to voters with a temporary reduction in gasoline taxes do nothing to solve this problem. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a leader for a change, someone with the vision to see the future, instead of politicians who can see no further than the next election?

Black pastors reaffirm their support for Obama They want to turn the focus away from the incendiary comments by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. and back to campaign issues. By Margaret Ramirez, Chicago Tribune May 3, 2008 CHICAGO -- Concerned about possible harm the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. did to Barack Obama's Democratic presidential campaign, 30 Chicago-area African American pastors came together Friday to support the Illinois senator. The pastors, who represented the Pentecostal, Baptist and Episcopal faiths, gathered at historic Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church on the South Side and said it was time to get back to the real issues of the campaign. The Rev. Leon Finney Jr., pastor of Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church, said Wright and his sermons had been "politicized" to divert attention from the nation's problems, including the Iraq war, rising unemployment and the mortgage crisis. Finney did not criticize Wright but said he hoped to shift people's attention to more pressing matters. "We're not here to comment on the sermons of Rev. Wright," he said. "As a matter of fact, we want to make sure that we help to turn the interest and focus not on Rev. Wright or what he said, but on the real issues. American people are hurting. We're in a crisis at this particular point. "Sen. Barack Obama best represents our hopes and aspirations." In comments to the National Press Club on Monday, Wright equated criticism of him with an attack on the black church and repeated other controversial remarks. Obama denounced him the next day. Obama is a longtime member of Trinity United Church of Christ, from which Wright is retiring as pastor this month. Bishop Arthur Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God, said the pastors felt they needed to let the public know that the black church supports Obama. "The black church was unfortunately brought into this, but the black church has nothing to do with this," he said. Brazier said many church members had expressed concern about the political effect of the Obama-Wright dispute. "Every African American I know is concerned. . . . We are concerned that this controversy arose at a most crucial time," he said. Bishop Horace E. Smith, senior pastor of Apostolic Faith Church, said that several members of his congregation were worried that the controversy could harm Obama's campaign. Smith said that if the focus remained on Wright, it could cost the Democratic Party the election. "I see people every day struggling with healthcare and education. Do we really care what an ex-pastor said when we're going to choose the leader of the free world? Oh, please! We're not that stupid," Smith said. "And for us to continue to focus on this would be a monumental mistake." The Rev. Marshall Hatch of New Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church said he feared the black community could lose a chance to make history. "That's why it's so important that we help people to lift their sights," Hatch said. "There's a saying we have in the black church that we really offer to everybody: Keep your eyes on the prize."

Obama, Clinton Turn Focus to Indiana After North Carolina Swing By Kristin Jensen and Edwin Chen May 3 (Bloomberg) -- Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are turning their focus to Indiana after making their case to North Carolina voters at rallies and in dueling appearances in Raleigh last night. Clinton plans to spend much of today rallying supporters across North Carolina before traveling to Indianapolis tonight for an event with singer John Mellencamp. Obama plans to make four stops across Indiana today, taking his wife Michelle and two daughters along. The May 6 Indiana primary is crucial for both candidates. Clinton, lagging behind Obama in delegates to the national nominating convention, needs a victory to keep her candidacy alive. Obama, who hails from the neighboring state of Illinois, has to prove that he can win over enough blue-collar workers to be a successful general-election candidate in November. ``If we win Indiana, we've got this nomination,'' Obama told a group in Indianapolis on April 30. Polls show a tight race in Indiana, where each Democratic candidate has pockets of support. Clinton won the endorsement of the Indianapolis Star, Indiana's largest daily newspaper. In an editorial, the newspaper said Clinton was ``tough, experienced and realistic about what can and cannot be accomplished on the world stage.'' Obama's campaign expects him to do well in the area of Indiana that's in the Chicago media market; many of those voters have been aware of Obama for years. He will also be helped by the fact that independents can vote in the Democratic primary. North Carolina In North Carolina, which also votes on May 6, Obama has long held an edge. A surprise upset by Clinton in the state would cast serious doubts on Obama's candidacy. Clinton, 60, a New York senator, starts her day today by hosting a town hall meeting in Cary, North Carolina, and then plans to attend get-out-the-vote rallies in Wake Forest, Gastonia, and Mooresville, North Carolina. Last night, both she and Obama attended a Democratic Party dinner in Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. Clinton told the thousands of attendees that she was offering ``real and immediate solutions'' for the problems facing families. ``We've had enough of the talk and the rhetoric,'' Clinton said. ``That's not going to solve our problems. What we need now is action.'' Obama Obama, speaking to the crowd 45 minutes after Clinton finished, played up his early opposition to the war in Iraq and alluded to an ad that Clinton ran asking voters who they would want to answer a phone in a crisis at 3 a.m. in the White House. ``I opposed this war in 2002, 2003, 4, 5, 6 and 7, so you can have confidence that I will be serious about ending this war,'' Obama said to thunderous applause. ``And you can have confidence when you ask yourself who you want answering that phone at 3 o'clock in the morning, who had the judgment to get it right in the first place, that there are three candidates left and there's only one who did.'' Both Clinton and presumptive Republican nominee John McCain voted to authorize the war in Iraq. Obama, 46, began representing Illinois in the U.S. Senate in 2005. He spoke out against the war in 2002 while serving as a state legislator. Yesterday at a rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, that drew 9,000 people, Obama told supporters that the choice in the primary is between the old ways of Washington and a new kind of politics that he offers. ``This party has always been at its best when it led not by polls but by principles, not by calculation but with conviction,'' Obama said. ``That's the choice that we've got on May 6 -- what kind of politics do we practice?'' Today's Plans Today, Obama will give a speech in Indianapolis, then attend a picnic in Noblesville and a potluck dinner in Kempton at a house built by one of his ancestors. He'll finish the day with an ice cream social in Lafayette with 200 local children and their families. Obama is ahead in the overall race for delegates to the national convention, 1,738 to 1,607, according to unofficial tallies by Bloomberg News and the Associated Press. Both candidates are scheduled to appear tomorrow on network television shows. Obama will appear for the full hour on NBC's ``Meet the Press'' while Clinton will field questions during an hour-long town hall meeting hosted by ABC's ``This Week.''

I think it's a good idea to publish earnings and tax contributions on the internet.

Coldplay single downloaded by 600,000 people 'Violet Hill' is a huge success digitally - now get it physically Coldplay’s new single 'Violet Hill' was downloaded for free by over 600,000 people in the 24 hours since it was made available at 12.15pm on Tuesday (April 29). In the first 12 hours it was downloaded by 300,000. This figure doubled overnight as other countries logged on to Coldplay.com, the source of the free download. The single will be available free for a week and will then be released as a paid-for digital single on May 6. The group’s album 'Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends' will be released on June 12. A free Coldplay 7-inch vinyl single will be given away with the issue of NME that comes out on May 7. The vinyl will include the first physical release of 'Violet Hill' and 'A Spell A Rebel Yell', a song that wll not be released anywhere else.

Coldplay fans snap up free single There was "massive demand" for the new Coldplay single, available as a free download, which caused problems for some fans who rushed to hear it. Coldplay's album Viva La Vida or Death and all his Friends is out in June Violet Hill was made available from the band's website at 1215 BST on Tuesday. A spokesman described the response as "incredible", adding: "Massive demand slowed everything down in the first 40 minutes of the download going live. "But that was quickly fixed and Coldplay.com is delivering tracks to fans at full speed." Violet Hill is the first material to be heard from the band's fourth album Viva La Vida or Death and all his Friends, which is out on 12 June. In an online poll of 1,400 people on the Coldplaying fan site, some 60% gave the song nine or 10 out of 10. The band are still to announce details of three free concerts - in London, New York and Barcelona.

Coldplay fans encountered technical glitches in the scramble to download the band's free new track after it was made available. Violet Hill is the band's first single from their new album Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends. It was made available as a free download for one week from their website - www.coldplay.com. But one fan wrote on Coldplay's Facebook page: "I can't get the song in my email! I just put my hotmail and gmail accounts.... but still nothing!" Another Facebook user wrote: "I have entered all the details for the download but it asks for a username and password." And another Coldplay listener commented triumphantly: "Finally, after 20 minutes trying to access the website the song is downloaded!" A spokesman for the band said of the website: "There was a little glitch at the start, it has frozen a couple of times. Lots of people have downloaded it." He said that everything was later fine. Coldplay's Facebook site was also swamped with comments heaping praise on the song. One fan wrote: "Violet Hill is getting better and better with every listen!" The positive feedback was echoed on the band's MySpace site, where one person wrote: "Awesome, awesome tune. I love it." The forthcoming album release on June 12 follows the success of the album X&Y, selling 10 million copies since its release in 2005. http://www.coldplay.com/(Coldplay)

Congratulations;) Reds

From Al-Jazeera English