Looking Ahead

April 30

Voters in Iraq will go to the polls for the first time since U.S. forces withdrew in 2011. The Shiite-backed party of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is likely to prevail—but faces rising militant violence and the growing threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an al-Qaeda–linked group that controls Fallujah and is fighting Iraqi forces less than 100 miles from the capital.

May 1

While events go on across the country for the National Day of Prayer, Virginians will be able to hold their prayer rally at the state Capitol just as they always have. In April, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe moved to push the event to a later afternoon time slot. But after sharp criticism, the Democrat agreed to let organizers hold the event at noon.

May 2

After rebooting the Spider-Man universe in 2012 with the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, Marvel will release its sequel starring Andrew Garfield in the titular role. The sequel has earned positive reviews, especially for the British-born Garfield and his on- and off-screen love interest Emma Stone.

May 3

Muddle the mint juleps and break out the fancy hats: America’s most famous horse race returns to Louisville. After winning the April 5 Santa Anita Derby, racehorse California Chrome became the favorite to take home the roses and become this year’s winner at the Kentucky Derby.

May 5

A number of Atlanta schoolteachers and administrators accused of cheating on behalf of their students to inflate standardized test scores are scheduled to go on trial today in a Georgia courtroom. The cases stem from an alleged effort by some Atlanta schools in 2009 to raise test scores by erasing and correcting student answers. Some teachers already have pled guilty.