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From The Associated Press

Mass grave discovered in Iraqi region

BAGHDAD—A mass grave containing about 100 bodies was discovered Saturday in a region north of Baghdad that has seen years of intense fighting between Shiites and Sunni extremist members of al-Qaida in Iraq.

The grisly discovery came as Iraq’s Sunni parliament speaker called on the nation’s Shiites and Kurds to work together with the minority he represents to pass an election law that would help reconcile Iraq’s often warring sects and splinter groups.

The grave, near Khalis in the Diyala province about 50 miles north of Baghdad, is still being investigated, but the U.S. military said the skeletal remains appear to have been there for a long time.

Serbia’s president to call early elections

BELGRADE, Serbia—Serbia’s president says he will call early elections after the prime minister announced the collapse of his government.

Boris Tadic said in a statement Saturday that the elections are a “democratic way to overcome the political crisis.”

Earlier, conservative Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said his government could no longer function together with Tadic’s Democrats.

Foot of snow falls in Ohio, Tennessee

COLUMBUS, Ohio?—A foot of snow buried parts of the Ohio and Tennessee valleys Saturday, creating whiteout conditions and keeping many would-be weekend travelers at home.

Winter storm warnings were in effect from eastern Kentucky to upstate New York and northern Maine, the National Weather Service said. Wind up to 35 mph whipped the snow and cut visibility to less than a quarter mile in places, the weather service said.

Up to a foot was possible by Sunday in western New York, meteorologists said.

Israeli officials say peace talks to go on

JERUSALEM—Israeli officials said Saturday that they would hold peace talks with the Palestinians this week despite a shooting attack that killed eight Israelis.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity since there was no official announcement yet. A Palestinian negotiator had said that one negotiating session would be held on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had called for Israel not to abandon peace efforts despite a recent escalation of violence.

Killer recently out of prison charged in six deaths

MEMPHIS, Tenn.—A convicted killer recently released from prison was charged Saturday in the deaths of six people, including his brother and two children, authorities said.

Jessie L. Dotson, 33, was arrested Friday, five days after the bodies were discovered in a small rental house in a rough, low-income neighborhood called Binghampton. Three other children were found critically wounded.

Dotson was charged with six counts of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder, police said. Among those killed was Dotson’s brother, Cecil, 30, who was the father of all the children ages 9, 7, 5, 4 and 2 months. Police have not said which children died.

Bush vetoes bill banning waterboarding

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Democrats and human rights advocates criticized President Bush’s veto Saturday of a bill that would have banned the CIA from using simulated drowning and other coercive interrogation methods to gain information from suspected terrorists.

Bush said such tactics have helped foil terrorist plots. His critics likened some methods to torture and said they sullied America’s reputation around the world.

“This president had the chance to end the torture debate for good, yet he chose instead to leave the door open to use torture in the future,” said Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

She said Bush ignored the advice of 43 retired generals and admirals and 18 national security experts, including former secretaries of state and national security advisers, who supported the bill.

“Torture is a black mark against the United States,” she said.