IS Cuts off Mobile Network in Mosul
By John Lee. Islamic State militants have reportedly blocked all mobile phone networks in Mosul. According to BasNews, an official at one of the mobile phone operators said his company was investigating the issue, but declined to give further details. According to reports, shutting down of phone lines is a notable change from what has […]
West Qurna Adds $1.25bn to Lukoil Earnings
By John Lee. Lukoil's West Qurna-2 project in Iraq has added $1.25 billion to the company's earnings in the third quarter. In a statement to the markets the company said: "The Group launched the "Mishrif Early Oil" stage on the West Qurna-2 field and reached the planned production of 120 thousand barrels per day in […]
KRG Welcomes Czech Foreign Minister
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani welcomed the Czech Republic’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lubomír Zaorálek, on Thursday. In a meeting in Erbil, the President and the Czech Foreign Minister discussed strengthening bilateral relations and military support by the Czech Republic to Iraq and Kurdish peshmerga forces. Foreign Minister Zaorálek, who was accompanied by his country’s […]
Video: Thousands Left Homeless in Diyala
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. After five days of intense fighting in Diyala Province, Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have managed to push back the ISIL/ISIS/IS advance. Many have been killed, and thousands left homeless. Ahmed Nasir is […]
Video: Fierce Fighting Rages in Anbar
From Al Jazeera. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The Iraqi army says it has held off a fierce assault by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, ISIS, IS) on the city of Ramadi. Meanwhile, coalition airstrikes have killed […]
Iraq Budget Based on $70/barrel
By John Lee. Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said he will soon present his proposed 2015 budget to Cabinet, based on an oil price of $70 per barrel. The Minister said: “We are proposing a budget of $100 billion. This is projected ... “We have based our projections on about $70 a barrel. This could fluctuate. […]
GPK Declares Commerciality for Shewashan Light Oil
By John Lee. Gas Plus Khalakan (GPK) has declared the Shewashan light oil discovery commercial and is preparing the Field Development Plan (FDP) for submission to the Kurdistan Regional Government's Ministry of Natural Resources in accordance with the Khalakan PSC. Shewashan-1 produced light oil (45API) on test from reservoir zones in the Cretaceous Shiranish, Kometan and […]
No. of Iraqi Students in US at All-Time High
The United States Embassy in Baghdad is pleased to note a 38.8 percent increase in the number of Iraqi students studying in the United States. The 2013-2014 academic year saw the total number of Iraqi students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities at 1,491, up from 1,074 in 2012-2013. The report shows that 941 Iraqi […]
Future Uncertain for Baghdad-Erbil Oil Deal
By Mohammed A. Salih for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. While a recent deal between Baghdad and Erbil to export oil from the northern fields is seen by many as a breakthrough after years of stalemate, the prospect of further progress […]
Captive Women are Iraq’s Bleeding Wound
Captive Women and Girls at the Hands of Terrorist Groups are Iraq’s Bleeding Wound At the launch of the ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence’ between 25 November and 10 December, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov (pictured) said “My wholehearted thoughts go on that day […]
KRG President Meets US General
Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani today welcomed Chief of Staff of the United States Army, General Raymond Odierno, who is visiting to assess firsthand the status of the fight against ISIS terrorists and the cooperation between the Peshmerga, the coalition forces and the Iraqi forces. General Odierno commended the bravery of the peshmerga forces and […]
Currency Auction Results, 26th Nov
By John Lee. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) has reported that 20 banks took part in its currency auction on Wednesday. A total of $262,257,000 was sold at a price of 1166 Iraqi Dinars (IQD) per dollar. (Source: Central Bank of Iraq)