French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday on a surprise visit to meet senior Iraqi leaders. This is the first visit by a French head of state to Iraq since the 2003 US invasion, opposed by France.
After a slow start, it's party time on Israel's campaign trail. Candidates are trying their best to fire up the faithful and turn on the undecided. We also profile Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki and look at human organ trafficking in Egypt.
Candidates backed by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki have triumphed in provincial elections held last weekend, giving him a clear mandate after fiercely contested polls. Just over half of Iraqis voted in the poll.
Amid fears that the results of Saturday's elections could trigger violence, Iraqi Deputy PM Rafaa al-Issawi called for a vote recount in the Sunni-dominated western Iraqi province of Anbar following allegations of vote fraud.
The balance of power appears to be shifting in Iraq. Initial results from provincial elections put candidates loyal to the prime minister on course for a substantial win.
Turnout in Iraq's milestone provincial elections on Saturday reached 51%, lower than expected, officials say. Candidates backed by PM Nuri al-Maliki (pictured) look set to make gains although official results will not be published for days.
One in two voters turned out for Iraq's largely peaceful provincial elections on Saturday. Candidates backed by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (pictured) look set to make gains although official results are expected to begin coming in on Tuesday.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki called Saturday’s largely violence-free provincial elections “a victory for all Iraqis”. Millions cast their vote in the landmark poll, in stark contrast to the apathy during the 2005 elections.
Iraqis voted in provincial elections amid high security in the first poll since 2005. Six policemen and a civilian were injured in a bombing north of Baghdad but police reported no fatal incidents. Results will begin coming in on Tuesday.
The 24 Iraqi officials arrested this week have been released without charge. Announced on Thursday, the arrests were first linked to an alleged coup attempt against Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (pictured) and later to charges of aiding terrorism.
