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Iraq

September 19, 2026

Baghdad 5:48 pm

37°C

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Explainer

From Maysan to Saudi Arabia, drone attack puts Iraqi province under scrutiny

Officials have been removed but worsening problems need to be addressed in militia stronghold bordering Iran, local residents and observers say.

A man walks past a mural depicting oil pumps and the Venezuelan flag, with portraits of Venezuelan independence leader Simon Bolivar (L) and former late President Hugo Chavez (R), in Caracas, Venezuela, on Sept. 3, 2026.

Analysis

Could Trump’s oil push in Venezuela upend OPEC’s energy order?

Washington’s growing role in controlling the Latin American country's crude riches could help reshape an energy order centered on OPEC as the Hormuz crisis pressures Gulf exports.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

After gun found in lake, French police probe link to 2012 Iraqi family murder

A recently discovered Luger pistol may have been used in the mysterious 2012 killing of the al-Hilli family near the Alpine town of Chevaline in eastern France.

AFP via Getty Images

Iraq sentences kidnapper of US journalist Shelly Kittleson to 15 years: What to know

The first sentencing in relation to Shelly Kittleson’s abduction comes as Iraq moves to rein in Iran-backed militias.

Latest News

Iraq reinforces Saudi border security amid militia tensions: What to know

Iraqi army troops patrol the Iraq-Saudi Arabia border

Iraq summons Iran envoy over 'Persian Gulf' post, Baghdad name origins: What to know

Fred TANNEAU / AFP via Getty Images

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Suadad al-Salhy

In Baghdad, reporting on politics and security

Lyse Mauvais

In Amman, reporting on humanitarian crises

Winthrop Rodgers

In Sulaymaniyah, reporting on Kurdish issues

Can this veteran singer save Kurdish people's forgotten tunes?

Kurdish singer Mazhar Khaliqi says the Kurds should use globalization and technology to carry their musical tradition beyond the borders of the Middle East.

Iran struggles to regain control of post-Soleimani PMU

After the loss of Soleimani and Muhandis, Iran is struggling to reorganize and reunite different PMU factions that previously operated under the guidance of Soleimani on behalf of Iran’s interests in Iraq.

Coronavirus in Iran prompts fears of spread in Iraq

The outbreak of coronavirus in Iran prompted a wave of anti-Iranian sentiment among Iraqi protesters, who called for the closure of the border.

A boy is seen near burning tires during a curfew, two days after the nationwide anti-government protests turned violent, in Baghdad, Iraq October 3, 2019. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili - RC14A7A0A900

Protests bring to life a new generation in Iraq

Iraqis under the age of 18 have been participating in protests at higher rates than before.

New solar park to ease Iraqi governorate's power shortage

A solar energy park to be funded by the European Union is expected to help lessen Dohuk's daily power cuts in two years.

Palestinians in Iraq protesting to have their rights restored

Displaced Palestinians in Iraq who live in very poor conditions have joined the protests in Baghdad, demanding their rights as refugees who have lived in the country for decades.

Nasiriyah becomes the Iraqi protest capital

Nasiriyah has become the new capital of Iraq's protests after Sadrists in Baghdad cracked down on Tahrir Square, which was the center of protests since they began in October 2019.

Ancient, modern cultures still mingle in central Erbil's Ottoman masterpieces

Erbil's citadel and grand central market are living examples of the city's cultural heritage, which is both distinctly Ottoman and shaped by its local setting.

Has Sadr lost the Iraqi street?

Iraqi populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, after playing to the hopes and grievances of everyday Iraqis, may be losing some of his following as he plays for advantage among Iraq's political factions.

A woman searches for a gift for Valentine's Day at a gift shop in Mosul, Iraq February 13, 2019. Picture taken February 13, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid al-Mousily - RC18AACF06B0

Iraq celebrates Valentine's Day with red balloons, slogans

Baghdad turned red on Valentine's Day with celebrations of love, defying Muqtada al-Sadr’s call to separate men and women in the rallies.

Iraqi demonstrators and university students carry posters depicting the newly appointed Prime Minister of Iraq, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, to express their rejection of him, during ongoing anti-government protests in Baghdad, Iraq February 2, 2020. REUTERS/Wissm al-Okili - RC2CSE9SET8I

Iraqi prime minister-designate faces pressure on Cabinet choices

Political pressure on the prime minister-designate, Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi, could bring him down before he even forms a government.

Iraqi protests blush pink as feminists flood streets

As hardline clerics rail against women attending the nationwide protests in Iraq, feminists held rallies in Baghdad, Nasiriyah and other cities in support of women's participation as well as the ongoing protest movement.