AP

:

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A bomb ripped through a vegetable market in a Shiite section of Baghdad and a leading Sunni politician escaped an attack on his convoy Thursday as at least 36 people were killed in unrelenting violence pushing Iraq toward civil war.

The Iraqi government announced a one-day ban on private vehicles in Baghdad and its outskirts aimed at averting attacks on Friday, when Muslims attend the most important prayer service of the week.

Full story

This comes on the heels of similarly deadly bombings Wednesday and the day before. Also, America’s spy chief tells Congress that the violence could destabilize the entire region–which would completely upend one of Bush’s main reasons for invasion in the first place.

WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...

This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.

At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.

Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.

Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.

Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.

Donate now.

SUPPORT TRUTHDIG