Obama arrives in Iraq on a surprise visit

July 28th, 2009 BAGHDAD - US Secretary of Defence Robert Gates arrived in Iraq Tuesday on an unannounced visit to examine the future role of the US military in Iraq. According to Iraqi government sources, Gates met with Iraqi and US security and military commanders at the US military base of Talil, near the southern Iraqi city of al-Nasseriya in the afternoon.

July 22nd, 2009 Obama says US will keep pledge to leave IraqWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says violence will continue in Iraq, but that the insurgents will fail. Obama met Wednesday with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (NEW-ree ahl MAHL-eh-key) at the White House.

July 22nd, 2009 Obama to work to lift UN sanctions on IraqWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he is committed to working with Iraq to get the U.N. to lift international sanctions that the world body imposed on the country after the 1991 Gulf War.

July 21st, 2009 Iraq PM flies to US to meet Obama, seek investmentBAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is heading to Washington to visit President Barack Obama and seek U.S. investment in Iraq despite persistent security concerns.

July 8th, 2009 Ghana to deploy 10,000 police for Obama visitACCRA, Ghana — Authorities in Ghana say they will deploy more than 10,000 police in this West African nation to boost security for President Barack Obama's weekend visit. Assistant police commissioner Daniel Avorga told The Associated Press the security forces would be deployed in both the capital, Accra, and the town of Cape Coast, where Obama and his family will visit a former British fort once used to ship slaves to the Americas.

July 2nd, 2009 White House: VP Biden has traveled to IraqWASHINGTON — The White House says Vice President Joe Biden is in Iraq. He's there to visit U.S.

June 26th, 2009 UN envoy arrives in MyanmarYANGON, Myanmar — Officials say the U.N. special envoy to Myanmar has arrived in the country to pave the way for a possible visit by U.N.

June 5th, 2009 Michelle Obama, 2 daughters visit Eiffel TowerPARIS — Michelle Obama and her two daughters paid a surprise visit to the Eiffel Tower on Friday night, delighting tourists and doubtless the presidential couple's two girls. The first lady, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha spent about 45 minutes at the Parisian icon as President Barack Obama was arriving in France.

May 10th, 2009 US House speaker in Iraq for 1-day visitBAGHDAD — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a surprise one-day visit to Baghdad Sunday to meet with the prime minister and discuss U.S.-Iraqi relations, Iraqi and U.S.

May 9th, 2009 Pope arrives at Mount Nebo in JordanAMMAN, Jordan — Pope Benedict XVI has arrived at Mount Nebo, where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land. The sun broke through the morning mist just before the pope arrived Saturday at the wind-swept hill overlooking the Jordan valley.

April 25th, 2009 BAGHDAD - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in the Iraqi capital on an unannounced visit, Voices of Iraq news agency reported Saturday. The visit comes at a time as the new US ambassador to Iraq, Christopher Hill, is taking up his office.

April 24th, 2009 New US ambassador arrives in BaghdadBAGHDAD — The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq has arrived in Baghdad to take up his post.

April 8th, 2009 BAGHDAD - US President Barack Obama left Baghdad after a brief, previously unannounced visit to Baghdad late Tuesday evening. Obama had spent some four hours in Baghdad, meeting with US forces while also holding talks with Iraqi leaders, including President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

April 7th, 2009 BAGHDAD - US President Barack Obama landed in Baghdad Tuesday, beginning a previously unannounced visit at the end of his eight-day European tour. Obama, who departed from Istanbul where he made an appeal for a new US relationship with the Muslim world, is to visit US troops and speak by telephone with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

April 6th, 2009 ANKARA - US President Barack Obama arrived in Turkey Sunday on an official visit that would see him fulfilling a pledge to visit the Muslim nation in his first 100 days in office. Obama was expected to seek to emphasize his administration's new approaches to regional problems in talks with Turkish leaders President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the capital Ankara Monday.