A suicide bomber driving a minibus blew himself up in front of the Baghdad office of a popular Arabic news station today, killing six people, and burying a politician alive under the rubble of his collapsed home.

Two people have been killed and seven injured, some critically, after a suicide bomber blew herself up in a Governor's compound in Iraq's western Anbar Province.

US vice president Joe Biden landed today in Baghdad on what appeared to be a dual mission: to visit US troops during the Fourth of July weekend and coax Iraqi leaders into ending their government impasse.

Thousands of Iraqis marched through the city of Najaf today for an annual march to mark the anniversary of the fall of Baghdad.

A co-ordinated al Qaida bombing attack on apartment buildings across Baghdad killed at least 39 people today in the latest sign Iraq’s fragile security could dissolve in the chaos of its unresolved election.

The vote winner in Iraq’s parliamentary elections said today he wanted to negotiate with all parties to form a government that can restore Iraq’s place in the Arab and Muslim world.

Iraq’s secular former prime minister edged out Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as final results of the parliamentary elections were released today.

Iraqis anxiously awaited the final result in their parliamentary election today amid fears the expected razor-thin margin could spark violence.

Iraq’s president today called for a recount in this month’s parliamentary elections.

A secular challenger to Iraq’s prime minister has again edged ahead in parliamentary elections now that the vote count is nearly complete.

Iraq was counting the votes today in national elections whose run-up cost scores their lives in insurgent attacks.

Saddam Hussein’s former deputy has vowed that loyalists to the deposed dictator will continue fighting until the US withdraws from Iraq, according to an interview published today.

Iraq’s political crisis worsened today as five more ministers announced a boycott of Cabinet meetings – leaving the embattled prime minister’s unity government with no members affiliated with Sunni political factions.

Iraq’s beleaguered prime minister Nouri al-Maliki today warned against “conspiracies” in foreign capitals against his government.

Iraq’s former finance minister has alleged in a US television report that up to $800m (€633.5m) meant to equip the Iraqi army had been stolen from the government by former officials through fraudulent arms deals.

At least 20 people were killed and dozens more were wounded when snipers opened fire from rooftops and a cemetery in a series of attacks on a Shiite religious procession in Baghdad.

SHI’ITE lawmakers yesterday chose Ibrahim al-Jaafari to be Iraq’s new prime minister, taking a key step in forming a government nearly two months after national elections, officials said.

Shiite lawmakers today chose Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari to head the new government, selecting the incumbent by a one-vote margin over Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi, Shiite officials said.

AN ALLIANCE of Shi’ite religious parties won the most seats in Iraq’s new parliament, results showed yesterday, but not enough to rule without coalition partners as Sunni Arabs gained seats over previous ballots.

THE Islamist Shi'ite Alliance bloc will fall short of retaining its parliamentary majority after last month's election, according to an almost final tally of seats.

SUNNI Arab and secular groups refused yesterday to open discussions with the Shiite religious bloc, leading in Iraq's parliamentary elections, until a full review of the contested results is carried out.

IRAQ’S electoral commission released partial and preliminary results today from the last week’s elections that showed Shiite and Kurdish parties dominating in provinces where they are the predominant group.

Iraq’s electoral commission released partial and preliminary results today from the last week’s elections that showed Shiite and Kurdish parties dominating in provinces where they are the predominant group.

Campaigning came to a stop today around Iraq to give the country’s 15 million voters an opportunity to reflect before deciding who will govern their country for the next four years.

The trial of Saddam Hussein resumes today – after Iraqi authorities said they had foiled an insurgent plot to fire rockets at the courtroom.

Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi said an attempt was made on his life today during a visit to a Shiite holy city in southern Iraq.

THE first prosecution witnesses are expected to testify today as the trial of Saddam Hussein resumes.

Four aid workers, including two Canadians, have been kidnapped in Iraq, a Canadian official said tonight, while Iraqi police have arrested eight Sunni Arabs for allegedly plotting to assassinate the investigating judge in the case against Saddam Hussein.

German prosecutors today said that they have charged three Iraqis with plotting to kill former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi during a visit to Germany in 2004.

A Sunni Arab coalition has submitted its list of candidates for the December election, joining other political factions in the race and signalling greater Sunni participation in the process.

IRAQ’s ruling Shi’ite Islamist parties struck a last-minute deal to patch up differences yesterday and agreed to register as a united bloc for December 15 polls where they face a new Sunni Arab alliance.

An election official today said Iraqi law will allow Saddam Hussein and thousands of other Iraqi detainees to vote in this weekend’s crucial constitutional referendum.

AFTER nearly three months of political wrangling, Iraq’s interim National Assembly approved a partial cabinet yesterday, ushering in the country’s first elected government since the fall of Saddam Hussein.

GUNMEN assassinated an Iraqi woman member of parliament yesterday in a fresh shock to politicians whose failure to form a government three months after elections has allowed violence to thrive unchecked.

An Iraqi MP was shot and killed by militants who stormed into her house today, Iraqi police said.

SHI’ITES will get the largest share of ministries in Iraq in proposals for a new cabinet submitted yesterday to the president by Prime Minister-designate Ibrahim al-Jaafari.

IRAQI politicians tried again yesterday to end a near three-month deadlock over forming a new transitional government, as the death toll from car bombings targeting police and civilians in Saddam Hussein’s hometown and Baghdad rose to 29.

As politicians tried once again today to end a deadlock regarding the formation of Iraq’s new transitional government, the death toll from two co-ordinated militant attacks against Iraqi police and civilians rose to 29.

For days, Iraq was shaken by claims that Sunni militants had abducted as many as 100 Shiites from an area at the tip of Iraq’s Triangle of Death.

Insurgents targeted Iraqi security forces today in Baghdad, gunning down a neighbourhood police chief and hitting a patrol with a roadside bomb in attacks that left three people dead and at least five injured.

SIX police officers were killed and 15 wounded in car bomb attacks on Iraq’s security services, as political factions wrangled over putting together a government.

Iraq’s interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi is forming a broad coalition to fight to keep his job after the dominant Shiite political party nominated a conservative for the post.

IRAQ’S main Shi’ite alliance proposed a religious conservative for prime minister yesterday, signalling that he will almost certainly get the job after the alliance’s success in last month’s election.

Iraq’s electoral commission is expected to certify results from the country’s January 30 elections and allocate seats today for the new 275-member National Assembly, officials said.