HRW - "Don’t Legalize Marriage for 9-Year-Olds"
From Human Rights Watch. Iraq’s Council of Ministers should withdraw a new draft Personal Status Law and ensure that Iraq’s legal framework protects women and girls in line with its international obligations. The pending legislation would restrict women’s rights in matters of inheritance and parental and other rights after divorce, make it easier for men […]
WesternZagros to Start Production at Sarqala
Following approval of its declaration of commerciality by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), WesternZagros Resources has announced that it is moving to develop the first of its two significant light oil discoveries. Once its development plan for the Sarqala field is approved, the Company expects to produce up to 10,000 barrels per day (bbls/d) of […]
New Permanent Mission of Iraq to the Arab League
Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari inaugurated on Sunday evening, March 9, 2014, the residence of the Permanent Mission of Iraq to the Arab League in the presence of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency the Secretary General of the League of Arab States Dr. Nabil al-Arabi , Mr. Amr Moussa, several Arab Ambassadors and permanent delegates […]
Bitter Maliki-Nujaifi Exchanges Strain Political System
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. In a deeply divided country whose main parties rely on identity politics to renew their legitimacy, electoral seasons usually constitute an opportunity for ethnic and sectarian mobilization. Political parties and leaders, which […]
Indian Workers "Stranded in Iraq"
By John Lee. Pressure is mounting in India to help repatriate 58 labourers from Gujarat who have been reportedly held hostage in Iraq by their employer. According to a report from Outlook India, the matter came to light when seven of the labourers managed to return from Iraq, and alleged that recruitment agents lured them […]
Renewed Call for Protection of Journalists
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has issued a renewed call for the Iraqi government to step up protection for journalists in the country following the latest appalling murder of two journalists in the province of Babel yesterday morning, Sunday, 9 March. According to IFJ affiliate, the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate (IJS), cameramen Muthanna Abdul Hussein […]
In State Banks We Trust
By Mark DeWeaver. 2013 was another strong year for deposit growth at the ISX-listed banks. Deposits at the 19 names that have so far reported year-end financials were up 17% year-on-year as of December 31. (Only BDFD and BELF, which together accounted for 8% of 2012 listed-bank deposits, have yet to report.) While their deposit […]
Another Week of Progress in Iraq
As oil exports from Iraq hit a 25-year high, our newsletter this week highlights a string of successes for businesses, and not just in the oil sector. In addition to another oil find in Kurdistan and a new pipeline connection at Badra, we have news of a security deal at West Qurna, a Kuwaiti contract […]
Oryx Petroleum Makes Oil Discovery
By John Lee. Oryx Petroleum has announced two positive updates on its operations in the Hawler license area in Iraqi Kurdistan, in which the company has a 65 perccent participating and working interest: Testing of the DD-4 appraisal well on the Demir Dagh field achieved expected flow rates and confirmed reservoir and fluid characteristics. Henry Legarre […]
Gulf Keystone Update
Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has this morning provided an Operational and Corporate update, and released a third party audit of the Company's reserves, contingent resources and prospective resources for its petroleum interests in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Summary The Company continues to maintain current stable production and sales levels of approximately 10,000 barrels of […]
Thales to Provide Security System at West Qurna
Thales has been awarded a contract to provide an Integrated Security System (ISS) for the West Qurna-2 oil field development located 65 km northwest of Basra in Southern Iraq. This contract has been signed with LUKOIL Mid-East Ltd, a subsidiary of the Russian oil company LUKOIL. Thales will design and deploy the Integrated Security System […]
Iraq to Invest in Indonesian Oil Refinery
By John Lee. Iraq is to invest in the construction of a refinery in East Borneo, Indonesia. Indonesian Energy and Mines Minister, Jero Wacik (pictured), said that if construction started this year, the new refinery would start production by 2018. Platts reports that the head of the Iraqi delegation, Delman N Abdullah, said that Iraq agreed […]