Iraqi conference set to choose National Council

Delegates began voting today for members of the new Iraqi National Council but said they would not send another delegation to the holy city of Najaf after a failed mission to end nearly two weeks of fighting there between US forces and Shiite militants.

Amid the clashes, an eight-member delegation from the conference flew to Najaf yesterday to try to persuade Muqtada al-Sadr to abandon his uprising.