Archive | 2013

PwC's Iraq Business Up 30%

Professional services firm PwC has said its Iraqi business has grown by 30 percent over the past year. Ismail Maraqa, a PwC senior partner overseeing Iraq operations, told the Financial Times: “If you look at the region, Iraq is one of the few promising emerging markets out there ... The business opportunities are huge. They […]

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Iraq Fails to Attract Domestic Capital

By Ayser Jabbar for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq is not attracting domestic capital belonging to its citizens. Inadequate economic and investment policies in addition to widespread corruption have contributed to a new migration of Iraqi capital. This time, capital […]

Al Qaeda "Plans to Annex One-Third of Iraq"

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Dangerous Times Ahead: al Qaeda Plans to Annex One-Third of Iraq The Sunni Muslim extremist group, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, has made it clear that it wants […]

Video: Iraq Arrests - a Crackdown on Opponents?

From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. As Iraq detains a key Sunni leader, we ask if it is a fight against "terrorism" or a move to suppress the opposition. To discuss this, Inside Story presenter Laura Kyle is joined […]

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Army Fights for Control of Anbar

By Mushreq Abbas for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. On Dec. 23, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki announced the launch of a military operation against al-Qaeda near the Syrian border. The operation was dubbed “Avenging the Leader Mohammad.” Many in Iraq […]

Tomato Farmers v. Iraq’s Biggest Airport

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Clash in the Desert: Karbala’s Tomato Farmers Versus Iraq’s Biggest Airport. The authorities in the religious boom town of Karbala plan to build the country’s biggest airport on the […]

Iraq Looks to Expand Trade with Iran

By Ayser Jabbar for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The year 2013 registered high levels of commercial exchange between Iraq and Iran, which reached — according to both Iraqi and Iranian officials — more than $12 billion. This comes at a […]

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Weapons Market Surges During Syria Conflict

By Omar al-Jaffal for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. More than two years ago, Mohammed al-Fatlawi was selling light weapons to men who felt threatened by security militias, those who were involved in carrying out acts of tribal revenge or even […]

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Security Checkpoints Bringing Baghdad to Halt

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. A Necessary Evil: Baghdad’s Security Checkpoints Bringing City to Halt With an increasing number of checkpoints in Baghdad making an already stilted traffic flow even worse, it feels as […]

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Poor Fight for Wealthy Neighbours’ Garbage

This article was originally published by Niqash. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. One Man’s Rubbish: Basra’s Poor Fight for Wealthy Neighbours’ Garbage Gangs of poor people in Basra are making a living sifting through rubbish in the oil boomtown’s affluent neighbourhoods. […]

Sectarian Militias Assume Larger Role

By Mushreq Abbas for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Militiamen in Iraq do not only carry weapons, they also wield religious, moral and economic power over their social environment. They play the role of neighborhood governors in times of peace […]

Call to Open Another American University in Iraq

By Harith Hasan for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Dawa Official Calls for Opening Another American University in Iraq While the number of Iraqi students studying in the United States has been on the rise in the last few years, the […]