October 25th Morning Readbook

Scores killed, at least 500 wounded in bomb attacks in Baghdad
Twin car bombs targeted two government buildings in downtown Baghdad Sunday, wrecking pillars of the state's authority and cutting like a scythe through snarled traffic during the morning rush hour. The government said at least 132 people were killed and 520 wounded in one of the worst attacks in Baghdad.


Iraqi court seeks arrest of Sunni MP
A local criminal court in Iraq's Diyala province issued an arrest warrant for a Sunni member of parliament on suspicion of financing and inciting sectarian violence, a security official in the northeastern province said Saturday.


Eyes on the Prize
BAGHDAD, Aug. 25, 2012 — President Obama flew into Baghdad today on his end-of-term tour to highlight successes in U.S. foreign policy. At a time when the Arab-Israel negotiations remain mired in deadlock and Afghanistan remains mired in quagmire, Mr. Obama hailed the peaceful end of America’s combat presence in Iraq as his only Middle East achievement. Speaking to a gathering of Iraqi and U.S. officials under the banner “Mission Actually Accomplished,” written in Arabic and English, Mr. Obama took credit for helping Iraq achieve a decent — albeit hugely costly — end to the war initiated by President Bush. Aides said Mr. Obama would highlight the progress in Iraq in his re-election campaign.


FACTBOX - Security developments in Iraq, Oct 25
Following are security developments in Iraq at 7:00 a.m. EDT (1100 GMT) on Sunday.


TIMELINE - Deadliest bomb attacks in Iraq
Twin car bombs targeting two government buildings killed at least 132 people and wounded more than 500 in central Baghdad on Sunday, police said, the bloodiest attack in the Iraqi capital this year.


Major attacks in Iraq since Jan. 1
Major attacks in Iraq since Jan. 1, when a new U.S.-Iraqi security pact took effect:


The Great American Arm-Twist in Afghanistan
By the looks of it, the ceremony that unfolded last week inside the Presidential Palace here was marking a joyous, even triumphant, occasion.


Report: U.S. drone kills 24 in Pakistan
A U.S. drone reportedly killed 24 people in northern Pakistan, including Taliban members meeting in an underground hideout, witnesses and officials said.


Pakistan army says Taliban on run
Taliban fighters battling Pakistani troops in South Waziristan could target schools, markets and mosques, military officials warned Sunday.


The latest news from Al Jazeera.