Syria reopens key crossing after 11 years, aiding Iraq's oil exports amid war Iraq and Syria have shown a desire to cooperate on oil exports, and the matter has become more urgent due to the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Syria
Shelly Kittleson's kidnapping by suspected Iran-backed militia exposes Iraq government weakness The abduction of US journalist Shelly Kittleson highlights the outsized influence of Iran-aligned armed groups operating beyond Baghdad’s control. Iraq
American journalist Shelly Kittleson abducted in Iraq The State Department said a suspect taken into custody by Iraqi authorities had ties to Kataib Hezbollah. Iraq
Analysis Oil-rich Gulf states could face power crunch as Iran war hits energy security By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Energy storage keeps Turkey stable, but long war risks fragile economy By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
The New Muqtada al-Sadr Seeks Moderate Image in Iraq Iraq’s Muqtada al-Sadr started his political career as a radical Shiite cleric but has transformed himself into a force of moderation and stability, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq
Iraqi Oil Pipeline Through Aqaba In Final Stages Iraq is reaching the final stages of a project that would bring oil from Iraq through Aqaba to Jordan and Egypt, reports Omar al-Shaher. Egypt
Sunni Iraqi Leaders Accused Of Supporting Terrorism As tribal leaders and other prominent Sunnis in Iraq defend themselves against accusations of supporting terrorism, sectarian tensions rise in Iraq, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Maliki Puts Kurds on Spot Over Oil Payments After the Iraqi Council of Representatives passed its 2013 budget law despite a boycott by Kurdish parliamentarians, the Kurdistan Regional Government is struggling to determine how it will pay foreign oil contracts, writes Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Iraqi Journalists Divided Over Saddam-Era Union Law In their fight against a Saddam-era union law, Iraq’s journalists show their new divisions, which demonstrate political differences rather than sectarian loyalties, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Iraq’s New Sunni Awakening A resurgence of Sunni identity and demonstrations against the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is weakening Iraqi nationalism and intensifying sectarianism, writes Harith Hasan. Iraq
The Iraqi and Turkish Fault Lines The Syria war spreads to Iraq; Turkey is increasingly divided over Prime Minister Erdogan’s Syrian policies; and Secretary of State John Kerry’s trip to the region includes progress toward a political solution in Syria. Iraq
Iraqi Factions Debate Transferring Ministerial Powers to Provinces Iraqi politicians have divided along factional lines in a debate over whether certain ministries should be shifted from federal to provinicial authority, reports Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Kurds Protest Iraqi Forces Sent To Disputed Region on Syrian Border Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki deploys forces to the Sinjar province, near the Syrian border, upsetting local Kurds and signaling an escalation of the Syrian conflict to Iraq, reports Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Iraqi Provincial Election Campaigns Begin The electoral campaigns are starting for the April 2013 elections, with calls from senior clerics for clean campaigning by candidates, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq
Iraqi Kurds Seek Recognition Of Genocide by Saddam Nearly 25 years after the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja was attacked with chemical weapons, the Kurdistan Regional Government continues to seek international recognition of the Anfal as genocide, reports Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Speaker Accuses Maliki of Meddling In Iraq's Independent Commissions Iraqi Speaker of the Council of Representatvies Osama Al-Nujaifi has criticized Prime MInister Nouri Al-Maliki for interfering in Iraq's independent commissions, provoking strong responses from Maliki's State of Law Coalition, reports Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
