Ferry Disaster "Highlights Corruption in Mosul"
By Gilgamesh Nabeel for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Ferry disaster highlights corruption and mafia-like activities in Mosul On March 21, thousands of Mosul residents flocked to Um El-Rabe'ayn Island, a touristic area about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) north of […]
Iraq Prepares to Evict US Troops
By Geneive Abdo, for Foreign Policy. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Pro-Iran factions are pushing for the move just as the Islamic State is starting to hit back. Momentum is building among deputies in the Iraqi parliament to oust U.S. […]
Uber Acquires Careem to Expand in Middle East
By John Lee. Ride-sharing services Uber, from the United States, and Careem of Dubai, have reached an agreement for Uber to acquire Careem for $3.1 billion, consisting of $1.7 billion in convertible notes and $1.4 billion in cash. The acquisition of Careem is subject to applicable regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in […]
Oil Ministry Finalises Export Figures for February
By John Lee. Iraq’s Ministry of Oil has announced final oil exports for February of 101,387,559 barrels, giving an average for the month of 3.621 million barrels per day (bpd), down from the 3.649 bpd exported in January. These exports from the oilfields in central and southern Iraq amounted to 99,120,006 barrels, while exports from […]
Another UK-based Recruiter Expands into Iraq
By John Lee. UK-based recruiter Samuel Knight International has reportedly announced plans to open a new office in Baghdad. According to Business Leader, the company focuses on the rail and energy sectors, and recently received investment from Gresham House Ventures. In recent days, another British recruitment agency, SSK Recruitment, was reported to be looking to […]
Denmark gives another $11m for Iraq Demining
The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Iraq welcomes an additional contribution of DKK 73 million (over USD 11 million) from the Government of Denmark to mitigate the threat posed by explosive hazards and enable stabilization efforts in liberated areas of Iraq. The scale, scope, and complexity of explosive hazard contamination in liberated areas […]
Regulator "Blocks calls" to Korek Customers
By John Lee. Iraq's Communications and Media Commission (CMC) has reportedly ordered operators to block calls between their customers and Korek users in a dispute over number portability. According to Rudaw, the regulator told mobile network providers that Erbil-based Korek had failed to meet its “contractual obligations” to allow customers to keep their phone number […]
Chinese company "to build Monorail in Najaf"
By John Lee. Najaf Investment Commission has reportedly signed an initial agreement with a Hong Kong-based company to build a monorail for the city. According to Xinhua, the head of the commission said: "The project will provide an accessible and fast transportation way to the people of the city as well as all tourists." (Source: […]
Iraqi Airways Launches Munich Service
By John Lee. Iraqi Airways has commenced flights from Baghdad to Munich, Germany. The Minister of Transport, Abdullah Laibi, headed the delegation on the first flight. The flights are scheduled to run on Sundays. (Source: Ministry of Transport)
SSK Recruitment to open Office in Erbil
By John Lee. UK-based recruitment agency SSK Recruitment is reported to be looking to open an office in Erbil. Bdaily quotes Managing director Adam Smith as saying: “With all the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, we decided to focus on building relationships in the Middle East. "The margins are significantly higher in the Middle East than here […]
MP Hails Easing of Visa Restrictions between Iran, Iraq
The chairman of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission hailed an agreement to ease visa restrictions between the Islamic Republic and Iraq as a major achievement of President Hassan Rouhani’s visit to the Arab country. “The president’s visit to Iraq after the withdrawal of Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) from the country and […]
Mafia-like Groups "key Threat to Iraq’s Future"
By Julian Pecquet for Al Monitor. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. US singles out ‘mafia’-like groups as key threat to Iraq’s future The United States welcomes Iraq’s desire to be a “bridge” to its neighbors but will not accept “malign” […]