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Jan 30, 05:04 PM

It is time for me to step aside so history can blaze its path, Edwards said in a news conference in New Orleans' Musicians Village.

Edwards said he spoke to rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, extracting pledges to make ending poverty central to their campaign for the presidency and ... central to their presidency.

He said he expected the Democratic Party would be stronger and more unified and with conviction and a little backbone, we will take back the White House in November.

If the party hears the voices of our working people, a proud progressive will be in the White House, Edwards said against a backdrop of houses under construction. We will never forget you; we will fight for you; we will stand up for you.

Edwards announced his departure in the same city where he announced his candidacy.

This son of a mill-worker is going to be just fine, Edwards said. Our job now is to make certain America will be just fine.

He did not endorse Clinton or Obama Wednesday.

Obama, Clinton praise Edwards WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton Wednesday praised John Edwards, as Edwards ended his campaign for the 2008 Democratic nomination.

Edwards, Wednesday dropped out of the race to become the Democratic standard-bearer, saying it was time for him to step aside. The former senator from North Carolina consistently finished well behind Obama and Clinton in this year's primaries and caucuses.

Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, said Edwards made the nation focus once again on who matters by speaking out on eliminating poverty, as well as lunch-box and middle-class issues.

Clinton, in her second term as a senator from New York, said Edwards stood for people too often left behind and lifted the campaign with his deep concern for ... the American people.

Edwards said he called both Clinton and Obama, asking them to make ending poverty a theme for their campaigns and in their administration, if elected. Both agreed, he said.

Edwards said he had no immediate endorsement plans.

Taliban gaining strength in Afghanistan KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A recent attack on the Serena hotel in Kabul shows the Taliban threat in Afghanistan is far from over six years after the regime was driven out, a report said.

The daring Jan. 14 attack on the famous hotel, one of the best-protected facilities in the Afghan capital, was one of the most dramatic of violent incidents showing the Taliban may be gaining strength in the country, USA Today said.

Westerners in Kabul are no longer seen at bazaars because of security concerns, the newspaper said. One rug salesman said he finds himself shooing beggars away fearing they might be wearing suicide vests.

Despite the presence of 50,000 U.S. and NATO troops, the Islamic militants have regained control of rural areas in the past year. The Serena Hotel attack raises concerns whether any place in the country is safe, USA Today said.

NATO Commander Gen. Dan McNeill said the Taliban is on the run and that militants failed to conduct a major offensive last spring. He said 70 percent of the insurgency is occurring in only 10 percent of the country.

Palestinians have little faith in Bush NABLUS, West Bank, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Most Palestinians have little faith in U.S. President Bush's peace efforts and a slim majority oppose firing rockets at Israel, a poll released Wednesday said.

Researchers for al-Najah University in Nablus questioned 860 Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, the Israeli news agency Ynetnews.com reported.

Just over half of those questioned, 53 percent, said that Hamas should halt its rocket attacks on Israel immediately, while 44 percent support the attacks. An even larger percentage, 70 percent, say that the attacks should be stopped in exchange for an end to the blockade of Gaza.

Only 43 percent said the rocket attacks are hurting the Palestinian cause, while 34 percent say they are helping.

More than 80 percent of those surveyed do not trust that Bush will help create a Palestinian state. A majority, 65 percent, do not believe that Bush's visit to the West Bank helped the Palestinians. UPI NewsTrack TopNews
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