Sad news

The BBC has the breaking news about the Iraqi VP's sister being gunned down. She was head of the women's affair department for her party. Tareq al-Hashemi had a brother killed April 13th.

Continued attacks indicate that there is clearly a campaign against Sunni politicians trying to take part in the government, our correspondent adds.

A spokesman for the main Sunni coalition, the Iraqi Accord Front, said Sunni politicians would not back down.

The good news is

Newly-appointed Prime Minister Nouri Maliki visited Najaf to meet Iraq's senior Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

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I believe that's the first time that al-Sistani has agreed to meet with a politician. He has the respect of a lot of people, so if he's on board - it's huge.