Citizen Cartwright

Obama hails Iraq vote

He called the weekend parliamentary vote a "milestone" in the history of Iraq and praised the courage of voters who turned out in the face of bomb and mortar attacks that killed at least 35 people.

Iraqi election violence

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki says bombings and political assassinations in the runup to this weekend's parliamentary elections don't foreshadow a return of terrorism and sectarian violence.

"I am not afraid of terrorism spreading or returning again, because we have an army, police and adequate security forces, and there is national unity that took hold following national reconciliation between Sunnis and Shiites," he says.

Greek bond sale is a success

High demand for the bonds is being seen as a major test of investor confidence in the country.

And that must be very good news for Greek leaders, with German Economy Minister Rainer Bruederle saying his nation won't give "a cent" in aid.

Understanding Iraq's election

It's obvious that the March 7 parliamentary elections in Iraq are crucial not only for Iraqis but for Americans who want their soldiers to come home.

Here are some frequently asked questions on the elections and a primer on the competing groups.

Fed eyes Goldman Sachs' role in the Greek crisis

Chairman Ben Bernanke told the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday that "We are looking into a number of questions related to Goldman Sachs and other companies and their derivatives arrangements with Greece."

He was responding to a question from Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., about whether there should be limits on the use of credit default swaps to avoid "runs against governments."

Dire words from the Greek leadership

"Our worst fears" were confirmed, Prime Minister George Papandreou told the parliament on Friday, as he announced that the previous government had understated by half the country's budget deficit.

"There is only one dilemma: Will we let the country go bankrupt or will we react? Will we let the speculators strangle us, or will we take our fate in our own hands?" he said.

Iraqi election standoff

The country's electoral commission says it's delaying for a week the start of campaigning for next month's parliamentary elections so a dispute can be settled over who will be allowed to run.

A court overturned a ban on candidates allegedly affiliated with Saddam Hussein's Baath party, but the government calls the court's ruling "illegal and unconstitutional."

The United States' exit strategy depends on a peaceful and credible election, the BBC says.

Obama's approach to China

In its $6 billion arms sale to Taiwan announced Friday, the administration is seen as pushing back against an increasingly pushy China.

Analysts describe China's attitude as a combination of hubris and insecurity. They say Chinese leaders are drawing the conclusion that their country has come out of the global financial crisis relatively easily because of the superiority of their system. But China's one-party state is shaken by uprisings in Tibet and elsewhere.

Blair testifies on Iraq invasion

The former British prime minister dodged protesters at his long-awaited appearance in London Friday at an inquiry into his decision to join the United States in invading Iraq.

Blair denied that he'd made a "covert" deal with President George W. Bush to invade.

Afghan election postponed

Western diplomats are praising the announcement Sunday by Afghan officials that a parliamentary election would be pushed off from May to September, allowing time to make changes to prevent the kind of fraud seen in last year's presidential election.