Headlines from Democracynow.org, a daily TV/radio news program, hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, airing on over 650 stations, pioneering the largest community media collaboration in the US.

Study: 1 Million Iraqi Deaths Caused by U.S. Invasion

A leading polling group says more than one million Iraqis have died as a result of the U.S. invasion. The Britain-based Opinion Research Business found one-fifth of thousands of households interviewed had at least one death linked to the occupation and ensuing sectarian violence. The survey has a margin of error of 1.7%. The million-figure could be higher because researchers were barred from the volatile regions of Kerbala and Anbar.

64 Killed in Baghdad Bombing

Meanwhile in Iraq today, at least 64 people have been killed in a twin-bombing in Baghdad. It was the deadliest attack the Iraqi capital has seen in months.

Bush Budget Seeks Massive Cuts to Medicare

The Bush administration has announced it plans to seek deep cuts to Medicare and a freeze on new Medicaid spending in its budget request for fiscal 2009. Overall the White House is trying to slash $208 billion dollars from federal health programs over the next five years. More than 80, or $170 billion, would come from Medicare. The proposed reductions are even more extensive than those in the administration's proposals last year. Other areas will see funding increases. The White House is proposing to boost border funding by 19, including $2 billion for border fencing, barriers and surveillance technology. The U.S. deficit is expected to more than double to $400 billion dollars with the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the administration's tax cuts.

Clinton, Obama Hold Final Debate

On the campaign trail, the two remaining Democratic presidential candidates squared off in their final debate last night in Los Angeles. The tone was mostly cordial as the candidates tried to temper criticism of what has been called a rancorous campaign.

Sen. Barack Obama: "I don't think the choice is between black and white or it's about gender or religion. I don't think it's about young or old. I think what is at stake right now is whether we are looking backwards or we are looking forwards. I think it is the past versus the future."

Senator Hillary Clinton later talked about the importance of replacing a Bush presidency with another Clinton.

Sen. Hillary Clinton: "And you know, it did take a Clinton to clean after the first Bush and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush."

The most heated exchange came over the Iraq war, with Senator Barack Obama criticizing Clinton's 2002 vote to authorize the invasion. Clinton said she and Obama have shared similar positions on the war since Obama came to office. But Obama said it was important to elect a candidate who opposed the war from the beginning. Clinton also defended her vote in favor of the U.S. attack, saying it was in part justified because Saddam Hussein was a "megalomaniac, [who] would not want to compete for attention with Osama bin Laden." At the end of the debate the candidates were asked if they would run as the other's vice-presidential nominee.

Sen. Obama: "Well, obviously there's a big difference between those two. But, look, let me say this, and I said this at the time: I respect Senator Clinton, I think her service to this country has been extraordinary and I'm glad that we've been walking on this road together and we're still on that road. We've got a lot more road to travel and so I think it's premature for either of us to start speculating about vice presidents etc. I think it would be premature and presumptuous."

Sen. Clinton: "Well, I have to agree with everything Barack just said."

Report: Clinton Silent on Union Crackdown During Wal-Mart Board Stint

In other campaign news, ABC News is reporting Hillary Clinton did not once speak up to oppose Wal Mart's intensive campaign against unionization during her six years on the company's board of directors. ABC reviewed videotapes of at least four public Wal-Mart board-meetings between 1986 and 1992. A former board member also said he did not recall Clinton ever voicing support for unions during at least twenty private board meetings over the same period. Clinton never denounced the efforts by fellow board member John Tate, who was fond of calling unions "blood-sucking parasites." Clinton's campaign biography makes no mention of her time at Wal-Mart.

Obama Raises Record $32M in Januarye

Meanwhile Obama's campaign has announced fundraising of more than $32 million last month, doubling the previous one-month record in the current election cycle. Most of the money came small donors, including 170,000 new contributors.

Schwarzenegger Endorses McCain in GOP Race

On the Republican side, Arizona Senator John McCain picked up an endorsement Thursday from California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger said he decided to back McCain after his good friend Rudy Giuliani dropped out of the race.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: "Both of them are friends of mine and this is why I really didn't want to endorse anybody because they both have been very supportive of me. They are both two men I admire very very much. Great public servants, great heroes and so I felt like it was better for me to stay out of it but when I saw mayor Giuliani, my dear friend, discontinuing his campaign and endorsing Senator McCain I felt it was also time for me to come out and endorse senator Mccain so that was the reason for the change."

Appearing alongside the California governor, Senator McCain touted his record on the environment.

Sen. John McCain: "Governor Schwarzenegger I commit to you, that you and I and all of the others that are committed to the globe, not just our home states, but to this planet, to hand our children a clean planet than the one we have today. That's our commitment."

HRW Faults U.S. on Autocrat Support, Jailing Practices

The U.S. has come under criticism from Human Rights Watch for its support of autocratic regimes. In its annual report, Human Rights Watch also criticizes the U.S. for running a network of secret jails and holding prisoners at Guantanamo Bay--practices it says resemble some of the world's most openly-repressive governments. Human Rights Watch executive director Kenneth Roth said the Bush administration's avowed commitment to democracy is undermined by its actions.

Kenneth Roth: "The Bush administration very deliberately doesn't promote human rights. It promotes this soft, fuzzy concept of democracy, and the reason it does that is that it's too embarrassing to talk about human rights when it's responsible for so many human rights abuses in the name of fighting terrorism. So, it falls back on this feel- good concept."

On the domestic front, Human Rights Watch also criticizes the U.S. for having the highest incarceration rate in the world, with African-American males jailed at more than six times the rate of whites.

Up to 100,000 Mexican Farmers Protest NAFTA

In Mexico, up to 100,000 farmers and supporters marched through Mexico City Thursday to rally against the lifting of tariffs on U.S. imports. A Mexican tax on basic crops, including corn, beans and sugar, from Canada and the U.S. ended last month under the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Critics say NAFTA has devastated Mexican farmers by forcing them to compete with government-subsidized American and Canadian goods. Farmer Armando Villegas was one of the protesters.

Armando Villegas: "The public policies of the North American Free Trade are wrong. The public policies of the NAFTA agreement have created a Frankenstein and as it is fed with bad public policies, this is disastrous for us. The government has created a Frankenstein in the countryside with its bad public policies. If these public policies weren't so bad the NAFTA wouldn't worry us."

Kenya Talks Suspended After Slaying of Opposition Member

In Kenya, mediation talks in Kenya's post-election crisis were suspended Thursday after the killing of another opposition politician, the second this week. Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said progress was nonetheless being achieved.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan: "Today we have had very constructive and really accelerated talks and I am very, very pleased with the progress we are making. We are determined, all of us here, to resolve these issues as quickly as possible and bring stability and peace to this country, but first and foremost we want to see the violence end."

Senior Al-Qaeda Leader Reportedly Killed in Pakistan

Western officials are claiming a senior member of Al-Qaeda was killed in a suspected U.S. airstrike in Pakistan earlier this week. Abu Laith al Libi was accused of masterminding several attacks on U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

Microsoft Makes $44B Takeover Offer for Yahoo

And finally, in business news, the technology giant Microsoft has made a forty-four billion dollar to offer to buy the internet search engine Yahoo. Microsoft's offer of thirty-one dollars a share marks a nearly sixty-percent increase over Yahoo's current stock market price.