Proposed Laws in Iraq "Threaten Online Speech"
The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), has issued the following statement regarding proposed new law on "information technology crimes". (Please click here to download an English translation of the bill by the Centre for Law and Democracy): More than a year after the start of the "Arab Spring," large portions of the Middle East remain in […]
Ministry of Agriculture Demands Funding for Date Palms
The Iraqi Agriculture Ministry has reportedly 'demanded' that the ministries of planning and finance increase the Palm General Authority's allocations from 4bn to 8bn IQD ($3.4m to $6.8m) to ensure the success of the annual plan for the development of palm groves. According to AKnews, Kamel Mukhlab, the director general of the authority, said they […]
Weekly Security Update for 6th April 2012
Levels of violence fell last week amid the extensive security measures implemented for the Arab League Summit. Nonetheless, some attacks still took place, highlighting the fact that the measures at the disposal of the Iraqi authorities remain far from exhaustive. Normal patterns in militancy are also likely to resume once the security measures currently in […]
A Month of Successes for Iraq and IBN
March was a significant month in many ways for Iraq, and for us here at Iraq Business News. Firstly, the country hosted the Arab League Summit in Baghdad at the end of the month, which, while it could have been better in some ways, was certainly a major profile-raiser for Iraq on the international stage. […]
Exxon Mobil Rumoured to Abandon West Qurna
Sources in Baghdad have told Iraq Business News that Exxon Mobil has decided to abandon its contract at the giant West Qurna-1 oilfield in Southern Iraq, in favour of pursuing its interests in Iraqi Kurdistan. In recent days the Iraqi Ministry for Oil has claimed to have received a second letter from Exxon in which […]
GKP Update on Litigation with Excalibur
Gulf Keystone Petroleum (GKP) has issued the following update on the ongoing legal battle with Excalibur Ventures: Further to the decision of the English Commercial Court in London, as detailed in the Company's announcement of 15 March 2012, a payment of £6,000,000 has been made into Court by Excalibur Ventures LLC ("Excalibur") as security for […]
$199 Million to Build 2,000 New Homes
The Iraqi government has awarded contracts worth $199 million to two construction companies to build 2,000 homes in the southern provinces of Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] and Muthanna, reports Bloomberg. Markez Inc., an Iraqi-American company incorporated in Maryland, but with no contact address on its website, secured a $139 million deal to build 1,000 homes […]
850 New Houses for Dhi Qar
Thi Qar [Dhi Qar] Investment Commission has granted a new investment licence to build 850-housing units in Shatra, in the north of Nassiriya city. The project, to be implemented by an Iraqi company, will cost $150 million [180 billion Iraqi dinars]. Another housing complex with a costing $16.5 million, and a $15 million shopping mall […]
Iraq and Finland to Sign Trade Agreement
Iraq and Finland will sign a trade and economic agreement in the middle of April, reports AKnews. Trade Minister, Kherula Hassan, said a delegation from the Kurdistan Region will visit Finland later this month to strengthen trade between the two sides. A Finnish delegation visited the Kurdistan Region last year and declared Finland's intention to […]
Iraq to Pay 1980s Wheat Debt over 17 Years
Payment for wheat exports to Iraq in the late 1980s will finally be distributed to growers in Australia, according to a report from Weekly Times Now. Grain growers will share in about $48m in repayment of debt owed by Iraq relating to three wheat pools run by the former Australian Wheat Board, and affecting 52,000 […]
Central Bank Tightens Rules on Buying Dollars
The Financial Times reports that Iraq’s central bank has tightened its clampdown on its sales of dollars, amid fears that buyers are using them to launder money and skirt international sanctions on neighbouring Iran and Syria. The bank unveiled new rules on Monday to force customers to prove their identities by supplying tax records and […]
Video: Iraq Anarchy ‘Part of the Plan’
Russian-based news agency RT interviews an anti-capitalist campaigner about the excalating tensions between Baghdad and Iraqi Kurdistan: (Source: RT)