Meet Ali al-Zaidi, businessman and Iraq's new prime minister-designate Legal sources familiar with the nominee told Al-Monitor that there are no US sanctions on Zaidi or financial institutions affiliated with him. Iraq
Iraq's Shiite alliance nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM candidate: What to know Ali al-Zaidi, who leads a bank accused of money laundering, received support from previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki and incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, though it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will approve of him. Iraq
Split over Maliki, Iraq’s Shiite bloc delays PM vote as deadline nears: What to know Two other candidates have emerged as alternatives to Coordination Framework nominee and former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is openly opposed by the Trump administration. Iraq
How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance After years of closure, the reopening of al-Yaaroubiya crossing is redrawing Kurdish economic leverage and reinforcing Turkey’s regional strategy. Syria
Exclusive 'King of Iraq': Top judge Zaidan played key role in Shelly Kittleson's release By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis How fast can Gulf energy production rebound after US-Iran ceasefire? By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Ankara to continue targeted killings of PKK leaders abroad Turkey is encouraged by the success of its surgical airstrike in Iraq that killed outlawed Kurdish leader Ismail Ozden. Iraq
Plans to replace Catholic school with mall appalls Iraqis Al-Aqeeda, a Catholic girls high school built in 1921, is at the center of a controversy highlighting preserving Iraq's cultural heritage. Iraq
Iran-Iraq War continues to claim lives 30 years on The eight-year war between Iraq and Iran ended on Aug. 20, 1988, but its negative impacts linger on both sides. Iraq
Basra protests spark government scramble to create jobs The Iraqi Council of Ministers has approved a regulation requiring that 50% of foreign oil company employees working in the country be Iraqis. Iraq
Not everyone in Iraq welcomes peshmerga's possible return to Kirkuk As Iraq's central and Kurdish governments tentatively make nice again, the potential return of the Kurdish peshmerga to Kirkuk has some groups in the country on edge. Iraq
Kurdish farmers hit by water crisis With neighboring Iran diverting rivers and building dams, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq is in the midst of an already severe water crisis that threatens to get even worse, thanks to national and regional governments failing to acknowledge the urgency of the problem. Iraq
British Museum returns Iraq's looted antiquities In a rare move, the British Museum returned eight antiquities, which had been looted from Iraq in 2003, to the country. The objects will be placed at the Iraq Museum. Iraq
Turkey kills PKK leader in Sinjar A Turkish airstrike has killed a senior leader of the Kurdistan Workers Party in Sinjar, to the dismay of the Iraqi Yazidis the group rescued. Iraq
Four years after genocide, thousands of Yazidis languish in Turkey Displaced Yazidis who fled from IS' brutality to Turkey have been languishing in camps and tenements for years, hoping to reach the West. Their departure threatens the survival of one of the Middle East’s oldest religions. Iraq
Iran-US conflict leaves Abadi in a dilemma By rectifying his statement on supporting US sanctions against Iran, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is balancing between the United States and Iran in Iraq to keep both sides as his supportive allies. Iraq
New border crossing to create direct Iraq-Turkey link Ankara and Baghdad have announced plans to open a second border crossing, tightening links between the two countries. Iraq
Pentagon budget leaves uncertain future for Middle East President Donald Trump authorized on Monday the Pentagon’s 2019 budget, which will underwrite big upgrades for US weapons systems and troop numbers but leaves an uncertain future for the Pentagon’s operations in the Middle East. Iraq
