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The voter turnout in Iraq’s general elections was 62%, officials say, despite attacks that killed 38 people. Preliminary results are not expected for several days but the turnout figure is down from the 75% who voted in the 2005 general elections. Prime Minister Nouri Maliki’s State of Law Coalition is widely expected to win the most seats. Ben Gilbert is reporting from the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. Download MP3 (Photo: Ben Gilbert)
President Barack Obama hailed a “milestone” in the history of Iraq, as it completed its second parliamentary election since the 2003 invasion. He praised the courage of voters who turned out despite bomb and mortar attacks that killed at least 35 people. Reporter Ben Gilbert has been covering the election for The World from the northern city of Kirkuk.
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Afghan forces will begin taking control of security in some of the country’s provinces by the end of 2010, a key summit on its future has pledged. In a statement at the end of the one-day meeting in London, delegates said the process would be complete within five years. In December, President Obama announced he was sending an additional 30,000 troops to help battle the Taliban insurgency.
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Nabeel Yasin is a highly-acclaimed Iraqi poet who was blacklisted in his country in 1978 for refusing to write poems glorifying Saddam Hussein’s regime. Now three decades later he is back in his homeland where he is running for prime minister in the elections scheduled in March. Jeb Sharp talks with Yasin. Download MP3
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Most Afghans are increasingly optimistic about the state of their country, a poll commissioned by the BBC, ABC News and Germany’s ARD shows. Of more than 1,500 Afghans questioned, 70% said they believed Afghanistan was going in the right direction – a big jump from 40% a year ago. Jeb Sharp talks with the BBC’s Mark Dummett in Kabul. Download MP3 (Photo: Deshakalyan Chowdhury/AFP/Getty Images)
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Kajaki Dam project in Southern Afghanistan is a symbol of US involvement in the country going back to the 1950s. In recent years, the project has been a priority for international development efforts, but the Taliban insurgency has put the success of the dam at risk. Washington’s foreign aid agency USAID has now put the Kajaki project on hold amid security concerns. Matthew Bell has the story. Download MP3
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Germany’s top soldier has resigned over allegations of a cover-up related to a deadly NATO air strike in Afghanistan. The strike on Sep 4, ordered by a German commander, targeted two fuel tankers hijacked by Taliban militants. But dozens of civilians were also killed in the attack in the northern province of Kunduz. Gerry Hadden looks into the German role in Afghanistan. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
President Obama is to announce his long-awaited decision on Afghanistan on Tuesday. It’s still not clear what he’ll say in his prime-time speech but yesterday the president said he will “finish the job” in Afghanistan. We ask experts on war and security how we will know when the job is done. Download MP3
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The man in charge of the official British inquiry examining events surrounding the Iraq war has said his committee will not produce a report that is a “whitewash.” John Chilcot has promised to produce a “full and insightful” account. Evidence from senior government figures will start on Tuesday and politicians, including former Prime Minister Tony Blair will be expected to testify in due time. Laura Lynch reports. Download MP3
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India is preparing to strike at Maoist rebels. The 40-year-long Maoist insurgency has claimed more than 600 lives just this year. The BBC’s Tinku Ray traveled to a village in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. It used to be under Maoist control but the government has taken it back. Download MP3