Iraq intel and security officials visit Saudi Arabia after drone attacks Iraqi authorities are cracking down on drone attacks after US and Saudi airstrikes targeted Iran-backed militias in the country. Iraq
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Lebanon becomes first Arab country to abolish death penalty Hormuz shipping traffic falls to one-week low amid hostilities; Netanyahu rejects Trump’s Gaza plan while quietly implementing it; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis What Qaani's Baghdad visit reveals about Iran's post-war dilemma The Quds Force commander's Baghdad visit is occurring as Iran faced difficult choices in Iraq where the government is moving to bring powerful armed groups under state control after the recent war. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
IRGC chief Qaani reportedly in Iraq ahead of militia deadline Esmail Qaani, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, has been heavily involved in Iran’s relations with Iraqi militias. Iraq
Analysis How Turkey is deepening energy and economic ties with Iraq as Iran weakens By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel strikes south Lebanon after 2 soldiers killed By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran denies negotiations with US after Trump calls off strikes By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Iraqi Housing Initiative Fails to Deliver Iraqi investment authorities have misstepped with the country’s largest residential housing project as they attempt to solve the country’s housing crisis, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Opposition Parties Accuse KRG of Mishandling Budget Kurdish oppposition politicians have accused the Kurdistan Regional Government of mismanagement ahead of deliberations on the 2013 federal budget, of which the region will receive an estimated $18 billion, writes Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Iraqi Oil Contracts Reward Kuwait, Punish Turkey The signing of the latest round of oil contracts in Iraq has been a victory for the Iraq-Kuwait detente, but comes at the cost of deteriorating relations with Turkey, writes Omar al-Shaher. Kuwait
Iraq in Crisis Over Terror Death-Penalty Law There are growing calls in Iraq among the Sunni opposition to annul an article in the Anti-Terrorism Law that Sunnis say discriminates against them, reports Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Maliki Threatens "Division" To Pressure Opponents Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has played the "division" card as a threat in dealing with Iraq’s sectarian and political factions, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
Restoration of Iraqi Border Villages Allegedly Tied to Elections Plans to restore and repopulate Iraq’s border villages destroyed during its war with Iran have been met with accusations of electioneering from Kurdish politicians, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Iraqi Army Clashes With Protesters Spark Tribal Unrest Clashes between Sunni protesters and the Iraqi army in Fallujah in western Iraq have aggravated the demonstrations, with tribal leaders threatening retaliation, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Iraq's Problems Go Beyond Maliki Mustafa Al-Khadimi writes that the problems in Iraq are not solely caused by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, but instead reveal the shortcomings of the entire Iraqi political process. Iraq
Iraqi Agriculture in Crisis Agriculture in Iraq is experiencing a downturn as farmers leave their family trades for more lucrative government positions with steady salaries and government benefits, writes Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Sectarian Agenda Seeks 'Sunni Restoration' in Syria, Iraq Geoffrey Aronson writes that the sectarian agenda of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in Syria is really about a "'Sunni restoration" in Iraq. Iraq
Iraqiyya Bloc Seeks to Gain From Sunni Unrest in Iraq The opposition Iraqiyya bloc, led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, is seeking to capitalize on protests by Sunni Iraqis against the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Prisoner Release Raises Questions About Role of Iraqi Courts The role of Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Hussain al-Shahristani in the release of dozens of prisoners has raised questions about both the Iraqi courts and the reasons for the release, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq