Obama leads Dems in Iowa, Huckabee takes GOP prize; Iran supreme leader foresees restoring ties with US; Odinga rejects independent recount of vote...

3 January :: Obama leads Dems in Iowa caucuses 38% to 30%, 29% for Edwards, Clinton respectively; Huckabee overtakes Romney 34% to 25%, with McCain, Thompson around 13% each; long-time frontrunners have been overtaken by candidates with fresh pitch, passionate "ground" organizations... Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamanei has said he would favor reestablishing ties with the US in the future, when it is in Iran's interests to do so, but said he believes the moment is not right and it would hurt Iran to do so at this time; he also reiterated Tehran's policy of refusing to cease uranium enrichment, which the Bush administration has said is a precondition for relaxing hostilities between the two states... After estimated 300 violent deaths since election, Kenyan pres. Mwai Kibaki has said he would be open to talks with opposition leaders, but placed conditions on those talks; Raila Odinga has refused an offer by Kibaki's attorney general to have an independent arbiter oversee a recount of the disputed vote, demanding Kibaki resign and calling alleged police killing of civilians "genocide"...