Iraq’s Sunni-backed ministers suspended

Iraq’s Sunni-backed ministers suspended

BAGHDAD

Iraq’s Shiite-dominated Cabinet suspended boycotting Sunni-backed ministers Tuesday, an official said, deepening a sectarian conflict of politics and violence that has raised fears of civil war in Iraq now that U.S. troops are gone.

The Sunni-based Iraqiya bloc started its boycott last month to protest an arrest warrant against the Sunni vice president on terrorism charges. The official, Tareq al-Hashemi, denied the allegations and fled to the autonomous Kurdish area of Iraq, out of reach of authorities in Baghdad — a move that itself underlines the sectarian divisions in Iraq and the challenge of keeping the country together after the exit of U.S. forces a month ago.

1M signatures filed for recall of Wis. governor

MADISON, Wis.

Democrats seeking to recall Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker filed more than 1 million signatures Tuesday, virtually guaranteeing a historic recall election against him later this year.

It would mark the first gubernatorial recall election in Wisconsin history and only the third one in U.S. history. Organizers Tuesday also handed in 845,000 recall signatures against Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch, as well as recall petitions against four GOP state senators, including Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald of Juneau.

Snowbound Alaska towns dig out

ANCHORAGE, Alaska

Students are back in class. Vulnerable roofs are shoveled for the most part. Snow-removal crews are getting a breather as skies stay clear over this corner of Alaska.

Life is back to normal for two towns deeply buried in snow in Prince William Sound. The National Weather Service said Tuesday the weather is supposed to remain clear in both Valdez and Cordova this week, with no more snow forecast in Cordova until next week.

Cordova was so overwhelmed by the white stuff, the town issued a disaster declaration, prompting the Alaska National Guard to send 57 troops to help remove snow.

Palin: I’d vote for Gingrich in SC

COLUMBIA, S.C.

Sarah Palin says that if she lived in South Carolina, she would vote for Newt Gingrich in the state’s presidential primary.

The former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate told Fox News on Tuesday that she wants to see the Republican primary continue.

Combined dispatches