Baghdad salary freeze hits Kurdistan's taxi drivers hard
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MTV Lebanon
an hour ago
- MTV Lebanon
01 Jul 2025 18:56 PM PM Salam leads a series of ministerial meetings
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received at the Grand Serail, a delegation from the Beirut Municipal Council, headed by its Chairman Ibrahim Zeidan. The meeting addressed the most prominent challenges facing the city of Beirut in terms of development and services, in light of the current economic and social circumstances. A number of proposals and demands related to improving the performance of public facilities, in general, and strengthening municipal work were also presented. During the meeting, Premier Salam emphasized the "need to support local authorities to enable them to perform their duties as required." After the meeting, Zeidan said the municipal council delegation discussed with Premier Salam the topics and services related to the city of Beirut, and briefed him on their work program in terms of urgent and long term projects. Premier Salam later received a delegation from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), headed by Force Commander General Diodato Abagnara. During the meeting, the discussion touched on the situation on the ground in south Lebanon, the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, and the ongoing cooperation between UNIFIL and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), particularly with regard to intensifying coordination and joint operations. The emerging challenges facing the international forces' mission were also addressed. Premier Salam affirmed "the Lebanese government's full commitment to UN Resolution 1701 and its keenness to ensuring the appropriate environment that enables UNIFIL to fully implement its mandate," emphasizing "the importance of preserving the safety of its personnel." In this context, President Salam noted that "Lebanon had officially sent a letter to the United Nations requesting an extension of UNIFIL's mandate for an additional year, ending on August 31, 2026, in accordance with the Lebanese government's decision issued on May 14, 2025." On the other hand, Salam met with the Chargé d'Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy in Lebanon, Mohammed Reda Al-Husseini, with whom he discussed the bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance cooperation in areas of common interest. Salam also received the Bangladeshi Ambassador to Lebanon, Major General Muhammad Jubayer Salehin, with whom he discussed te bilateral relations between the two countries.
Gulf Today
an hour ago
- Gulf Today
Idris Nechirvan Barzani: Leading Iraq toward environmental sustainability
For over four decades, Iraq has grappled with persistent drought, intensified by extreme heat, desertification, and dwindling water resources. The United Nations Environment Programme ranks Iraq as the world's fifth most climate-vulnerable region, where environmental degradation threatens livelihoods and food security. Compounding these challenges, Iraq remains the second-largest oil producer in OPEC, with plans to boost output to over six million barrels per day. While oil drives economic growth, it exacerbates pollution and environmental strain. Iraq's reliance on food imports further underscores its vulnerabilities: approximately 50% of its food supply is imported, with food imports rising from $10.9 billion in 2018 to $14.7 billion in 2023, a 6.2% annual increase, making it the third-largest food importer in the Arab Middle East. Yet, adversity often sparks innovation, and across Iraq—particularly in the Kurdistan Region—communities, entrepreneurs, and leaders are rising to the challenge. Farmers are adopting water-saving irrigation techniques, villages are implementing sustainable resource management, and local organizations are trying to deliver immediate solutions. Despite obstacles like inadequate infrastructure and limited funding, Iraq is making strides. The Iraqi government has launched solar and green hydrogen projects and committed to reducing methane emissions by 30% by 2030. In 2025, the UN's Green Climate Fund approved a $1.3 billion climate program, marking a significant step toward resilience. At the forefront of these efforts is Idris Nechirvan Barzani, whose leadership through the Rwanga Foundation has driven environmental innovation for over a decade. The foundation recently completed a transformative project, planting 20,000 olive trees on Erbil's outskirts to create a green belt that combats desertification and bolsters local ecosystems. Additionally, it launched a pilot project bringing solar-powered energy to rural communities in the Kurdistan Region, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and promoting sustainable development. In 2022, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) unveiled its 'Safe Environment–Sustainable Development' initiative. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced a shift from diesel reliance and the construction of new waste treatment facilities. The region now hosts some of Iraq's most promising green projects, including a Garmian power plant that converts flare gas into electricity and the Kulak Solar Village, a fully off-grid community developed by the Rwanga Foundation. The foundation has also planted over 200,000 trees and supports farmers in building climate-resilient livelihoods in the last five years. The Kulak Solar Village, located southeast of Erbil, exemplifies sustainable living. Housing over 200 residents across 32 homes, the village is powered entirely by solar panels, with each home equipped with modern amenities, storage batteries, and access to clean energy for schools, clinics, and a mosque. The Rwanga Foundation's research center is exploring advanced water systems and regenerative agriculture, training residents in sustainable practices to ensure energy self-sufficiency and food resilience. This village serves as a scalable model, with plans to replicate its design across the Kurdistan Region and central Iraq by 2030, in collaboration with local authorities and international partners. Idris Nechirvan Barzani, who founded the Rwanga Foundation in 2013, has positioned it as a beacon of environmental and social progress. The foundation's mission—'to provide services, build capacities, and facilitate strategic roadmaps for a healthier, more peaceful environment'—guides its work. Through projects like Kulak Village and broader initiatives fostering climate resilience and economic empowerment, Barzani is helping shape a sustainable future for Iraq. While challenges remain, frameworks like the Local Climate Change Adaptation Plan for the Kurdistan Region, supported by UN reports, highlight the need for funding and local entrepreneurship. The Rwanga Foundation, under Barzani's visionary leadership, exemplifies this localized innovation. As these initiatives scale, they offer hope that Iraq, despite its vulnerabilities, can forge a path toward environmental responsibility and a resilient future.
Nahar Net
2 hours ago
- Nahar Net
Rockets fired at Iraq airport, wound two
Two rockets struck the military section of Kirkuk airport in northern Iraq late on Monday, slightly wounding two security personnel, a senior security official told AFP. Another rocket hit a house in the city of Kirkuk, causing material damage. "Two Katyusha rockets fell in the military section of Kirkuk airport," slightly wounding two security personnel, the senior security official said, adding that one failed to explode. "A third rocket struck a house in the Uruba neighborhood," causing material damage, said the official, who requested anonymity as he is not allowed to speak to the media. The military section of the airport hosts Iraqi army units, federal police, and the Hashed al-Shaabi, a coalition of former pro-Iranian paramilitary forces now integrated into the regular armed forces. A security source told the official INA news agency that one of the rockets landed near the runaways, while another hit a house in the city. There has been no claim of responsibility for the attacks, which did not disrupt flights. A few hours later, another senior security source told AFP that Iraq's anti-aircraft defense engaged at least one drone near the key refinery of Baiji in Salaheddin province, and "forced it to leave". The oil ministry said in a statement that "there have been no incidents caused by falling foreign objects inside or in the vicinity of the refinery", which is still operational. Iraq has long been a battleground of drone and rocket assaults and proved fertile ground for proxy wars. But it only recently regained a semblance of stability after decades of devastating conflicts and turmoil. Last week, hours before a ceasefire ended the 12-day Iran-Israel war, unidentified drones struck radar systems at two military bases in Baghdad and southern Iraq. The government said it launched a probe into the drone attacks, but it has not yet identified any perpetrators.
