After the US invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam, Shiite clerics in Najaf helped the country get back on its feet. Its views are still sought, shaping the direction of Iraq today.
Armed groups have proliferated in the Iraqi security vacuum, in some cases supported by Iran. After three US soldiers were killed, the Americans have hit back. How will the militias react now?
Friday's drone attack on one of Iraq's largest gas fields has led to a temporary suspension of production, resulting in major power cuts across the country's northern Kurdistan region.
After nine Turkish soldiers were killed by the PKK in Iraq, there is a sombre and angry mood in Ankara. There are major political implications into local elections and over relations with the US.
Iraq and Iran both commemorated the third anniversary of the assassination of Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as the year kicked off with new assassinations and recriminations.
The justification given for attacks by Iran-backed militias on US bases in Iraq and Syria is America's continued support for Israel in its war on Gaza.
In his recently published novel '105 Days in IS Prisons', Mohammed Al-Attar details the destruction of Mosul's social fabric at the hands of both IS and PMF forces
In his award-winning novel, the Iraqi-French author explores the contemporary history of Iraq over more than half a century and the events that led Iraq to where it is now.
The smuggling industry is worth hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and few alternatives exist to earn a living in the area. Border guards are trigger-happy, and calls for change are ignored.
The jailed Palestinian author won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his book, 'A Mask, the Colour of the Sky', which tells the story of a Palestinian man who finds and uses an Israeli ID
The very public disagreements between Washington and Tel Aviv over Gaza in recent weeks are both rare and telling, yet this transatlantic alliance has weathered far more severe storms
The first comprehensive regulation of AI by a major regulator assigns applications of AI to three risk categories. Offering protection while allowing for innovation provides a useful template.