The trial of Saddam Hussein resumed Wednesday in Baghdad, with the chief judge ruling that the ousted dictator's signature is authentic on documents related to a crackdown on Shi'ite Muslims in the 1980s.
In the previous session of the court on Monday, handwriting experts confirmed Saddam's signature on a memo approving rewards for intelligence agents involved in the 1982 crackdown in the village of Dujail.
Saddam and his seven cohorts were present in the Baghdad court for Wednesday's hearings.
Elsewhere, Iraqi troops and insurgents fought fierce battles for a second straight day Tuesday in Adhamiya, a mainly Sunni Arab district of the capital.
U.S. officials say American troops also were involved in the fighting, in which at least five insurgents were killed and another seven captured.
Iraqi political leaders remain deadlocked in efforts to form the country's next government. Shi'ite, Sunni Arab and Kurdish factions have been unable to agree on who will serve as prime minister.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.