Oil-rich Iraqi Kurdistan votes, shadowed by economic struggles
The KDP is the largest party in the outgoing parliament, with 45 seats against 21 for the PUK. The KDP's majority was assured by an alliance with deputies elected via a quota reserved for Turkmen, Armenian and Christian minorities. Iraqi court rulings have reduced the number of seats in the Kurdish...
Baghdad: US forces shoot down armed drone near US embassy
Since the start of the year, 47 attacks have targeted US interests in the country Separately on Monday, three rockets targeted an Iraqi air base in the western desert that also housed US troops US forces shot down an armed drone above their embassy in Baghdad on Monday night, Iraqi...
Iraqi tribe threatens to shut down French consulate in Nasiriyah
An Iraqi tribe based in Nasiriyah has threatened shut down the French Consulate in the Southeastern city The al-Husseinat Tribe’s chief Caesar al-Ajil al-Husseinawi said the diplomatic mission had repeatedly insulted it An Iraqi tribe based in Nasiriyah has threatened shut down the French Consulate in the Southeastern city, said...
Blackouts hit Iraq as mercury soars 52°C
4 southern provinces without electricity since Tuesday Sizzling temperatures made worse by high levels of humidity When the mercury soared to 52 degrees Celsius (125 Fahrenheit) this week in Iraq, Ali Karrar placed his baby for a couple of minutes in the fridge. But when the power went off on...
Rumsfeld, Iraq war architect, dead at 88
Rumsfeld and vice president Dick Cheney were emblematic of what was seen as excesses in Bush's "war on terror" He had been the youngest person ever to become defense secretary in 1975 at the age of 43 Donald Rumsfeld, the cocksure and unrepentant defense secretary who led the United States...Iraq, Egypt, Jordan to boost security, economic ties
The visits by Egypt's president and Jordan's king came as Iraq seeks to move closer to Arab allies of the US in the Middle East The summit discussed ways of bolstering cooperation between Iraq, Jordan, Egypt in the fields of security, energy, trade Egypt, Jordan and Iraq agreed...
GE to develop Iraq’s power infrastructure, promote clean energy
GE will help Iraq develop power infrastructure It will also promote clean energy in the country General Electric (GE) will help Iraq develop power infrastructure and promote clean energy in the country. The plan includes several key pillars that support the government’s goals to enhance Iraq’s power infrastructure, as well...US strikes Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq, Syria
Strikes are authorized by President Joe Biden following ongoing attacks on US interests The strikes come one day after Iraqi Kurdish officials said three explosives-laden drones hit near the northern Iraqi city of Arbil The Pentagon announced Sunday it had conducted targeted air strikes against "facilities used by Iran-backed militia...
Mosul bombing victims battle ‘opaque compensation system’
The coalition admits more than 1,000 civilians killed in seven years HRW: The compensation system is opaque even for those with expertise MOSUL: It was March 17, 2017. Troops from the US-led coalition fighting militants in Iraq were advancing on Mosul’s Old City, squeezing out the Daesh militia. But just...
Iraq to build 2,000MW solar power projects in tie-up with a UAE-based firm
The project is the biggest investment in Iraq's renewable energy industry Iraq is planning to build a number of power plants in the coming years Iraq is looking to build solar power projects in central and southern Iraq, with a total capacity of 2,000 megawatts, and it has teamed up...
Iraq’s leading telecom provider wins 2 International Finance Awards
Company awarded Best Telecommunications Company and Best Corporate Socially Responsible (CSR) Company Asiacell network covers 99.06 percent of the Iraqi population Iraq’s leading mobile telecommunications and digital services provider in Asiacell has been granted two awards at the International Finance Awards for its humanitarian contributions to the Iraqi communities and...
Iraq hopes to build 8 nuclear power reactors by 2030
The decision to go nuclear is geared to reduce the country’s external energy dependence Iraq currently uses electricity, gas imports from neighboring Iran to generate around a third of its electricity Iraq, which suffers chronic electricity shortages, wants to construct eight nuclear power reactors by 2030 in order...
Iraq arrests 2 generals on suspicion of bribery at key port
Both men worked at the Gulf port of Umm Qasr, a key entry point for foodstuffs, medicines Waiving customs duties, cost Iraq $6.3 billion a year in lost revenues Iraq announced Saturday it has arrested two generals on suspicion of taking bribes to waive customs duties, a practice estimated to...
Iraq’s last gas bottle delivery crooner dreams of stardom
*Mountazar Abbas, the last gas bottle deliveryman, says the trade is tough and badly paid *The tradition of the singing delivery man has disappeared across much of the Middle East In the Karrada district of Iraq’s capital, residents awake to a gas bottle deliveryman’s dulcet tones — once a countrywide...
UAE desires broader trade relations with Iraq
The ambassador of the UAE Al Zaabi made this statement during his visit to the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce The UAE companies wish to invest in Iraq The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has shown desire to deepen trade and economic ties with Iraq. The ambassador of the UAE,...
Iraq’s oil revenue rises to $6 billion in May
Iraq got a boost from high oil prices as it made some $6 billion in oil revenues. The country is looking to buy from ExxonMobil a 32 percent stake in an oilfield The economy of Iraq received a boost from oil revenues when the country made some...
SFD signs a $10m export financing agreement with the National Bank of Iraq
SFD has signed an export financing agreement with the National Bank of Iraq to provide credit facilities to help importers in Iraq The National Bank of Iraq a subsidiary of the Capital Bank Group Iraqi importers who seek to import Saudi products and services are getting a $10-million leg-up...
Iraqi oil city of Basra facing a surge in cancer cases
2000 cases of cancer registered annually in recent years, according to the country's Southern Environment Department Director general of the department asks oil companies to adhere to environmental, health system rules About 2000 cases of cancer caused by toxic gases released by oil burners have been registered in the Iraqi...Why are Iraqis losing faith in government?
When last December the Iraqi government declared victory over the co-called Islamic State group (IS), many in Iraq and elsewhere spoke of a new era of peace and reconstruction. Haider al-Abadi, prime minister, attributed the defeat of IS to “unity”, and the parliament election of May 12 would, many hoped,...
