In other Iraq news, preliminary vote tallies show the main Shiite coalition have a commanding lead in Sunday’s elections. The coalition which is backed by the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has received 73 percent of the votes counted so far. The U.S.-backed interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi is coming in second with about 18 percent of the vote. Meanwhile the death toll from fighting Thursday in iraq has jumped to 29 making it the deadliest day since the elections. Another 36 Iraqis are missing following an ambush.