In 2011 the United States pulled troops out of Iraq, a country it praised as well on the way to democracy. Now on the eve of its first parliamentary elections since the withdrawal, Iraq is ravaged by sectarian strife and the worst violence since the height of the conflict. Also, the US imposes new sanctions on Russia, and an NBA team owner’s reputation hits a new low: the long and controversial history of the Los Angeles Clipper's Donald Sterling. Barbara Bogaev guest hosts.
Banner image: Iraqi security forces stand at the scene of a car bomb attack at a Shi'ite political organisation's rally in Baghdad, April 25, 2014. Photo: Thaier al-Sudani/Reuters