Analysis On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadow Iraq's new prime minister is in Washington promising business deals and closer ties with the United States, but convincing the Trump administration he can rein in Iran-backed militias may prove his toughest challenge. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Can a UAE-backed Syria-Iraq corridor become Gulf's next trade route? On June 26, Emirati and Syrian officials discussed plans for a logistics corridor connecting Syrian ports to Gulf markets via Iraq. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatar says no direct Iran-US talks in Doha Saudi FM visits Beijing; Iraq’s premier expands anti-corruption crackdown; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Here's what to know about Iraq's corruption as Zaidi launches crackdown Watchdogs and financial institutions regard Iraq as a significantly corrupt country as the new prime minister works to recover public funds. Iraq
Analysis Iraqi PM’s anti-corruption drive comes as US pressure mounts on Iran-backed militias By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Region welcomes US-Iran deal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Anbar protesters remain defiant despite government threats In spite of calls from the government to postpone the Anbar sit-ins until after parliamentary elections, protesters there say they will not leave until their demands are met. Iraq
Iraqi army fights for control of Anbar The Iraqi army has launched an operation to seal the border with Syria and defeat al-Qaeda in western Iraq. Iraq
Dawa official calls for opening another American university in Iraq The Islamic Dawa Party has long resisted “Western cultural penetration” in Iraq, but the dire state of education in the country has prompted Education Minister Ali al-Adeeb, a Dawa Party official, to call for opening an American university in Iraq. Iraq
Divided Iraqi leaders shirk responsibility With each successive outbreak of violence or natural disaster, Iraqi leaders, particularly Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, continue to point the finger of blame at their opponents. Iraq
New Syrian Kurdish media find their voices Syrian Kurds have their own newspapers and radio stations, but are beset by familiar political challenges. Iraq
Ten years on, Iraqis still divided over Saddam’s legacy Ten years after the deposed Iraqi president's capture, Iraqi citizens are left with conflicting lessons from the Saddam Hussein era. Iraq
Iraq looks to expand trade with Iran While officials in both Baghdad and Tehran stress that they are eager to further expand trade relations between the two countries, some Iraqis fear that the government’s pro-Iran policies could be hurting local merchants. Iraq
Can Turkey’s Kurds, military ever reconcile? A court case in Diyarbakir provides hope for the first time for reconciliation between the Turkish military and Kurdish citizens. Iraq
Iraqi weapons market surges during Syria conflict The illegal weapons trade in Iraq has seen a spike in activity as armed sectarian militias grow more numerous and weapons are smuggled into Syria. Iraq
Iraq’s sectarian militias assume larger role Having instilled fear in local populations, Sunni and Shiite militias across Iraq maintain an iron fist over the daily affairs of Iraqi citizens. Iraq
Syrian and Iraqi Kurds more divided over Syria The Syria war is proving to be a divisive, rather than unifying, force among the Kurds of Iraq and Syria. Iraq
Return of once forbidden Ashoura chants signals Shiite revival After Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, once forbidden Shiite hymns have become highly popular as part of a general religious revival in the Shiite community. Iraq