In Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his allies look poised for a sweeping victory in provincial polls. Official results will not be published for weeks, but leaders of rival Shia parties acknowledged today that Maliki’s State of Law coalition appeared to be heading for a strong win in some Shia areas. Just over half of Iraq’s 14 million registered voters went to the polls Saturday, the lowest turnout in elections held since the US-led invasion. Tens of thousands of internally displaced Iraqis were unable to cast their vote. On Sunday, President Obama said a substantial number of the 140,000 US troops in Iraq would be home within a year.