Authorities have boosted security in Islamabad and are believed to be staging large container trucks to block major roads into the city.

VOA: standard.2009.03.12

A key stumbling block was Kirkuk. Ethnic Kurds would like to see the oil-rich city under the control of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

VOA: standard.2009.11.09

It wasn't just the beauty of the polished stone block walls or the fact that this abandoned city sits atop a narrow ridge more than 2400 meters above sea level.

VOA: standard.2009.12.15