January 30, 2005

Iraqis begin casting ballots for 275-member national assembly and for provincial parliaments amid scattered insurgent attacks and tight security; steady streams of people line up at checkpoints to vote; suicide bomb attack in western Baghdad kills policeman and wounds several people at checkpoint and several explosions are heard across city; voters turn out in large numbers in Kurdish areas; turn out and ease with which election is carried off are regarded as major tests of Bush administration goal of implanting democracy in Middle East; prospect of widespread Sunni boycott could mar results; map; photos (L)

Review of 2005 Hummer H2 SUT; includes price and features; photo (M)

Bush administration has complained so heatedly to Qatari leaders that Al Jazeera's broadcasts have been inflammatory, misleading and occasionally false, especially on Iraq, that Qatar is accelerating plans to put station on market, although Bush administration may like privately owned station no better; Al Jazeera's audiences range from 30 million to 50 million, but station still relied in 2004 on $40 million to $50 million subsidy from government, out of $120 million budget (M)

Frank Rich column criticizes claims that Pres George W Bush's inaugural events were salute to American troops in Iraq; suggests television time spent covering inaugural festivities would have been better used broadcasting documentary Gunner Palace, true tribute to daily courage of American troops; photo (M)

Article by Bernard Weinraub, who is retiring from career as Hollywood journalist, recounts experiences in 14 years as reporter for Los Angeles Times; photos (M)