NPR 2008-03-17

Senator John McCain arrived in Baghdad today. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee 1 has been a strong supporter of the US invasion of Iraq.

About a thousand anti-war protestors marched in Hollywood yesterday to mark the 5th anniversary of the invasion. Kitty Felde of member station KPCC reports.

It was a diverse crowd. Mass transit 2 advocates joined hip-hop artists and even a group called Clowns for Peace, all calling for an end to the war in Iraq. This was the third year in a row high school student Nicole German has rallied against the war. She said she was inspired by anti-war protestors from an earlier generation. "If People think, er, protesting doesn't make a difference, then explain how the Vietnam War ended." Protestor Donald Rando says he wasn't disappointed in the relatively 3 small crowd that turned out to march. "I think as long as you have people coming out here and showing their concern, whether it's a small group or a large group, it sends a message.." For NPR News, I'm Kitty Felde in Los Angeles.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama yesterday decried 4 what he called "the forces of division in the campaign", referring to critics of his former minister Jeremiah Wright. NPR's Wade 5 Goodwyn has the story.

Senator Barack Obama has been forced on the defensive 6 since the week before the Texas and Ohio primaries. This last week involved another body blow when a series of video clips appeared on the internet and on broadcast news, involving the former pastor 7 of Obama's church. Among other things, the clip showed Rev 8. Wright preaching that the American government invented HIV as a surreptitious attack on the black community. At a Town Hall meeting, Obama said the attacks were in an attempt to divide the multi-racial coalition 9 that supports him. "This country wants to move beyond these kinds of things." Obama said. Wade Goodwyn, NPR News.

Obama picked up another nine delegates in Iowa yesterday. In county convention, some Democrats 10 who supported John Edwards in the caucuses 11 switched. California Democrats also finalized 12 their delegate count. Senator Clinton has a total of 204; Obama now has 166.

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The search continues in midtown Manhattan for people who may be trapped in rubble 13, where a construction crane collapsed 14 yesterday. It stood at least 19 stories high and had been attached to an apartment building under construction. Four people were killed believed to be construction workers.

A federal appeals court has dismissed a discrimination suit against Craigslist. The company was sued for allowing discriminatory housing ads on its website. From member station KPBS, Andrew Phelps reports.

San Francisco-based Craigslist lets anyone post classified ads on line, including ads like this one: "Looking for someone to share apartment. No gays, please!" A Chicago civil rights group sued, arguing Craigslist should be liable for those ads under the federal Fair Housing Act of 1968. The plaintiff argues Craigslist should be held to the same legal standards as the classified section of a newspaper. An appeals court rules Craigslist is not liable, because it's a carrier of information, not the publisher, the same way the postal 15 service delivers letters, but doesn't write them. The court found it would be almost impossible for Craigslist to filter every ad for discrimination. For NPR News, I'm Andrew Phelps in San Diego.

Crews searching for an Australian ship lost during World War II found the German ship that sank it. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said today the German vessel 16 was spotted 17 yesterday off Australia's western coast. It had been disguised as a Dutch merchant ship when it opened fire on the HMAS Sydney on November 19th 1941. All 645 men aboard the Sydney were lost. Most of the men on the German ship made it to shore before they were captured.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR News in Washington.