Once-bustling Baghdad cafe district fades away after war

BAGHDAD - Behind the dilapidated storefronts and collapsing colonnades of Rasheed Street lie the treasures of the Iraqi capital's cultural boom years: Old cinemas, artisan shops and smoky cafes playing classic ballads.

But with young Iraqis listening to modern music and spending hours in hipster-style coffee shops, the boulevard that bustled nonstop in the 1970s is at risk of being passed over.

Authorities have tried to revive the street - the oldest one in the city - in recent weeks by removing the security checkpoints and concrete blast walls that lined Rasheed for years.