KRG Publishes Report on Oil Production
The Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry for Natural Resources has published a report on crude oil production, refining, local consumption and export in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 2015. The report also includes information on the Region’s oil revenue, pipeline infrastructure, the status of exploration blocks, and the composition of the workforce in the Region’s […]
US Delivers Critical Winter Relief Supplies
The United States Delivers First Shipment of Critical Winter Relief Supplies for Iraq Humanitarian Crisis, With More to Follow On December 1, the United States began providing urgently needed winter relief supplies in Erbil to help people affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis caused by Da’esh attacks, launching a larger U.S. effort to help internally […]
Coalition Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported on Thursday. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, fighter, and […]
Video: US to Intensify War against ISIL
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. President Barack Obama says the US is stepping up the fight against ISIL. More special forces will be sent to help fight the armed group in both Iraq and Syria, as Al Jazeera's […]
DNO Confirms Kurdistan Payment
By John Lee. DNO ASA, the Norwegian oil and gas operator, today confirmed receipt of USD 30 million to be shared pro-rata with its partner Genel Energy plc as a partial payment towards oil exported from the Tawke field by the Kurdistan Regional Government. The payment is the third such monthly payment received in 2015. […]
Rise in Unemployment in Iraqi Kurdistan
By John Lee. A spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region's Syndicate of Investors has told BasNews that unemployment has risen sharply over the last two years and is now estimated at 20-25 percent with 700,0000 people losing their jobs in the private sector. But the Head of Sulaymaniyah Directorate of Statics, Mahmoud Othman, rejected the claims, […]
PAFI Hires US Media Consultants
By John Lee. Washington DC-based communications and political advisory firm Sanitas International has reported that it has been engaged to work in the United States on behalf of Peace Ambassadors for Iraq (PAFI), and its President, Sheikh Jamal al-Dhari. In a statement made pursuant to the US’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), Partner Christopher Harvin […]
Video: US to Deploy 'Specialised' Troops
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Pentagon will be deploying "specialised" troops in Iraq to help fight the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) group, said US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter.Al Jazeera's Rosiland Jordan, reporting from the […]
Iraqi Trade Minister Dismissed
By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has sacked the Minister for Trade, Mlas Mohammed Al-Kasanzan [Abdulkarim Malas al-Kasnazani] (pictured), for failing to show up for work. A statement from the Prime Minister's office said al-Kasnazani was dismissed because of his "absence ... from his duties as Minister of Commerce [i.e. Trade] for more than […]
GKP Confirms Shaikan Payment
Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has confirmed that, further to the recent statement by the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding the November payment to the exporting international oil companies ("IOCs") in the region, a gross payment of US$15 million (US$12 million net to Gulf Keystone) has been received by the Company. This payment satisfies the Company's invoice […]
Sweden Bans Flights from Northern Iraq
By John Lee. The Swedish Transport Agency (Transportstyrelsen) has reportedly banned all flights from Northern Iraq. According to a report from ch-aviation.com, Transportstyrelsen said the increased military activity across northern Iraq posed a threat to civilian flights thus warranting a ban. Iraqi Airways and Germania had connected Sulaymaniyah with Malmö and Stockholm Arlanda respectively, while […]
Korea Offers Extra $1m for Iraqi Refugees
By John Lee. Yonhap news agency reports that South Korea has offered an additional $1 million in aid to Iraqi refugees. This brings South Korea's total so far this year to $6 million, which has been offered through various international organizations such as UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and […]