There were indications today of how the Iraqi election may play out. Estimates show that the coalition led by the current prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, is doing well in Baghdad and in the Shiite south of Iraq. For more, Daljit Dhaliwal speaks with Michael Wahid Hanna, and Mike Hanna of Al Jazeera English follows one elderly woman who votes for the future.

Worldfocus looks at this Sunday's Iraqi parliamentary elections, which could exacerbate sectarian divisions. We also examine what has changed in the seven years since the Iraq invasion. Daljit Dhaliwal interviews Gideon Rose, managing editor of Foreign Affairs, and Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University.

Even as Iraq prepares for elections, there were three separate suicide bombings in the northeastern provincial capital of Baqouba today that killed at least 30 people. For more on the violence and the upcoming elections, Daljit Dhaliwal interviews Michael Wahid Hanna, a fellow at the Century Foundation. And Anita McNaught reports for Al Jazeera English.

The drone war in northwest Pakistan has brought attention to the attenuated al-Qaeda core that moved from Afghanistan in late 2001. But two events in December -- a failed Christmas Day bombing and an attack on CIA operatives in Afghanistan -- have led analysts to re-assess al-Qaeda's perceived decline. Worldfocus takes a look at the organization's evolution.

Almost 7 years after the start of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, the international community still struggles to help the 2 million refugees and almost 3 million internally displaced persons who have not been able to return home. Martin Savidge hosts Aidan Goldsmith and Sawsan Al-Sayyab of the International Rescue Committee.