The media in the UK and US may be dominated by the threat of war with Iraq, but newspapers in Iraq itself seem more concerned with the love life of singer Kazem al-Saher.

They are dominated with reports that the Iraqi singer, who is idolised in the country, has left his wife for another woman.

He's free to do what he wants Baghdad resident

The government paper al-Jumhouriya has asked al-Saher to make a public statement.

"We will reserve judgement on whether to believe it until al-Saher says it is true, or that he will not take a second wife," it said.

Poll

The singer has been based in Cairo with his Iraqi wife and two sons since finding success outside Iraq in the mid-1990s.

One of his songs was recently voted the sixth most popular in the world as part of a BBC World Service poll.

People on the streets of Baghdad are also speculating about the possible split.

"He married her in Paris," said one woman in a fashion boutique in the affluent Karrada district of Baghdad.

"No, but she's Spanish," her companion added. "Anyhow, he's free to do what he wants."

Walid Khaled, who works in one of a chain of music shops owned by Saher's family, said the rumours were not true.

"Kazem is everything for people here. He speaks to everyone in his songs and he is very humble. He is an ambassador for Iraq," Khaled said.

"People are wishing and praying he will come back."

Newsagent Abbad Jassem said interest in Saher's love escapades outside Iraq had increased sales of entertainment papers and magazines, such as the weekly al-Maw'id.

"When there is news about Kazem in the paper it sells three times as many copies as normal," he said.