Emad al-Shara
![](https://cdn.shortpixel.ai/spai/q_glossy+ret_img/https://iwpr.net/sites/default/files/styles/teasers_tablet_322_x_322_/public/default_images/author-image.png)
Despite trying to lead a normal life since 2003, Amir al-Shimmari remains scarred by years secluded in a cell he built himself.
A Shia militia in Iraq has stepped up its attacks on United States troops, warning them to withdraw by the end of December or face an escalation in violence.
Long a place of pilgrimage for Iraqi Shia, the holy city now also draws national politicians eager to consult top religious figures.
Recent bombings spark fears of return to the blood-letting that used to plague the capital.
Some Shia politicians are pushing for a southern federal state, but not everyone is convinced.
A deadly combination of war, disease and negligence has killed 20 million Iraqi palm trees, severely damaging date production.
In the new prime minister's home province, people will await results before judging the government a success.
Despite greater freedoms, life has in many ways become harder since the overthrow of Saddam.
Some Shia clerics are now recommending believers to donate their blood instead of shedding it in a ritual to commemorate the Imam Hussein.
Councillors from west Baghdad assassinated in what appears to be a concerted campaign of intimidation.