Iraq
Starlink officially launches in Iraq
Iraq has officially launched Starlink satellite internet services, marking a significant step in expanding the country's digital connectivity and broadband infrastructure.
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Saudi Arabia, US strike Iraqi militia sites after drone attacks on oil facilities
Saudi and US aircraft have struck Iran-aligned militia sites in eastern Iraq after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. It is the first strike inside Iraq Riyadh has publicly claimed, and the Popular Mobilisation Forces says eight of its members we
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Netanyahu and Trump praise White House meeting as US and Saudi forces strike IRGC-backed militias
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump lauded their White House meeting during the early hours of July 29, while US and Saudi forces struck IRGC-backed militias in Iraq.
Iraq faces worsening fuel shortage as diesel queues grow in Baghdad
Iraq's oil ministry is preparing to import diesel as queues lengthen at Baghdad filling stations, eight months after the prime minister ordered fuel imports halted on the grounds that the country had reached self-sufficiency.
Ukraine's scam call centres earn $1bn a month, study finds
Ukraine's scam call-centre industry generates as much as $1bn a month, according to a new report by the Geneva-based Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC), which estimates that around 60,000 Ukrainians work in the trade.
Yemen says drones hit Saudi crude lines to Yanbu, Riyadh blames Iraq
Yemen's armed forces say they hit crude transfer lines running from Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province to Yanbu with drones. Riyadh confirmed oil facilities in the Eastern Province were struck but claimed the drones were launched from Iraq.
Lebanese prime minister arrives in Iraq to advance Kirkuk-Tripoli pipeline talks
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam arrived in Baghdad to advance energy cooperation with Iraq, with the revival of the Kirkuk-Tripoli crude oil pipeline emerging as the centrepiece of talks.
Iraq seizes IQD27bn in cash in expanding al-Jumaili corruption probe
Iraqi authorities have seized IQD27bn ($20.6mn) in cash in the widening corruption probe into detained former deputy oil minister Adnan al-Jumaili, with more than $100mn and 375kg of gold recovered since his arrest.
Ukraine's Caspian Sea strikes merge the Iran and Ukraine wars
“Zelensky bombed the Iranian vessel on the Caspian for the same reason his people paid Loomer to come to Kyiv and interview him: a PR campaign to try to win over Trump.”
Kuwait signs $16bn pipeline deal with Blackstone, Brookfield and KKR despite Iran attacks
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) said on July 25 that its subsidiary Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has signed a $16bn lease-and-leaseback agreement covering its entire crude oil pipeline network with a consortium of Blackstone, Brookfield and KKR, in wh
Brent tops $100/bbl as Middle East tensions build, ING says gold struggles for safe-haven bid
Oil prices surged this week, with ICE Brent breaking above $100/bbl for the first time since May, as escalation in the Persian Gulf and fears of a widening conflict put a significant amount of supply at risk, ING said
Vance, Caine warn Trump against Iran escalation as US pauses air strikes
The US military had not announced new air strikes on Iran as of July 26, the first pause since Washington's bombing campaign began nearly two weeks earlier, after Vice President JD Vance and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.
Iran war closes Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb simultaneously for first time ever
For the first time since records began, both of the Middle East's great oil chokepoints are shut at once for the first time ever. The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since February 28, and now Bab al-Mandeb Strait is also shut.
Iran's Ghalibaf presses Iraq on unity against Israel in Tehran talks
IranianParliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf urged cooperation with Iraq against Israel at talks with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Tehran, closing a visit that produced four bilateral agreements.
Iraq's PM arrives in Tehran for high-level bilateral talks
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in Tehran on July 23 for an official visit to discuss bilateral cooperation, energy and regional developments.
Iraq's al-Zaidi to visit Tehran with offer to host Iran-US talks
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is set to visit Tehran late this week with an offer to host direct or indirect talks between Washington and Tehran, in a bid to stop the latest US-Iran confrontation widening into a regional war.
Iraq grants Starlink licence as Washington summit yields $60bn in US deals
Iraq has licensed Starlink to operate satellite internet services, signed in Washington as part of a summit package of 48 agreements with US firms and institutions worth more than $60bn.
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Trump says US to unveil major oil partnership with Iraq
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi met US President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump announced that the US would shortly unveil a major oil partnership with Iraq.
Tankers stack up off Fujairah as Hormuz becomes contested chokepoint
Ship-tracking data shows tankers clustering at anchorages off Fujairah, Khor Fakkan and Sohar rather than transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as a US cargo levy, Iranian tolls and mining claims turn the waterway into a contested chokepoint.
PKK commemorates anniversary of weapon-destruction ceremony
Politico-militant group does-but-does-not exist, remains in peace talks with Turkey.