Ayad Allawi was handpicked by Washington as prime minister, but to stay in office he must get majority support in the parliament that will be elected in two weeks. That won't be easy. Allawi is running on a ticket that's likely to be trumped by a rival one supported by Iraq's most revered Shiite cleric. And that ticket has its own candidate for the coveted prime minister spot - a French-educated finance minister whose party has managed the difficult task of staying on good terms with both Iran and its nemesis, the United States. (AP)

The Iraqi defense minister Hazem al-Shalan said that the Iraqi elections will be incomplete without the participation of the Sunnis who call for postponing the elections. (Arabic News)