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Rudaw Net
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Man arrested in Baghdad for inciting violence outside Syrian embassy
Also in Iraq Iraq electricity ministry to visit Turkmenistan to initiate gas imports Kurdish security council slams Sudani for omitting credit in anti-ISIS op Syrian FM visits Baghdad Iraqi PM announces killing of senior ISIS leader A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi security forces on Friday arrested a man in Baghdad on charges of 'inciting a gathering' and 'instigating acts of rioting' in front of the Syrian embassy, according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior. 'Legal procedures have been taken against him to complete the necessary investigative and legal documentation for his prosecution to ensure he receives fair justice,' the ministry stated. The ministry warned against any attempts to 'incite discord or attack Iraq's guests, regardless of their nationality,' and said security forces will 'deal firmly' with anyone seeking to 'undermine security.' The arrest follows recent attacks on Syrian refugees in Iraq. On Wednesday, the Iraqi military's Joint Operations Command formed a committee to track down perpetrators of these attacks after a video circulated showing a Shiite militia, calling itself 'Ya Ali Popular Formations,' assaulting Syrians. The Iraqi government has condemned the assaults as did the new authorities in Damascus. 'We condemn the attacks on Syrians in Iraq, as these acts constitute a violation of human rights and international law,' the Syrian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The attacks appeared to be linked to last week's violent clashes on Syria's western coast where loyalists of ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad - primarily Alawites, a sect within Shiite Islam - attacked security forces affiliated with the new Syrian leadership. Government-affiliated forces and armed groups responded, committing what has been described as 'massacres.' Approximately 1,500 people, mostly Alawites, were killed in the violence by government or government-affiliated forces, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Rudaw Net
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Media misinformation greater in Middle East since Gaza war: Researchers
Also in Middle East Funeral of slain Hezbollah chief Nasrallah held in Beirut Syrian FM invited to visit Iraq: State media US navy rescue seven mariners from sinking Iranian vessel in Persian gulf PM Barzani meets UAE leader, signs landmark technology deal A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Middle East has been experiencing the highest levels of misinformation and disinformation, particularly after the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, panelists said on Thursday during Erbil Forum 2025. 'Starting from October 7, 2023, I can say that we have seen an all-time rise in misinformation and disinformation across the region and about the region in all parts of the world,' Dina Sadek a Resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab), said during a panel in the second day of the Erbil Forum 2025. Sadek said that misinformation and disinformation in the Middle East's media outlets are mostly caused by 'democratic backsliding,' with less focus on press freedom, and that it can have 'deadly consequences.' Bayan Tal, a media literacy and communication consultant, also highlighted that the war in Gaza has drastically increased misinformation.. 'We have two issues to deal with, one is the increase of disinformation and misinformation and how Western mainstream media assisted and justified the war in Gaza,' she said, and 'the second is how it has impacted the freedom of expression in the West and how people are in the West.' Around 200 journalists have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, making it the deadliest conflict for journalists in history, Tal stressed. Mohammed Abu Rumman, former Jordanian minister of culture and youth and founder of the Politics and Society Institute, said that data obtained from media depicts a majority support for Israel since October 7. "The Gaza war was the final goodbye for professional media. It was more propaganda tools instead of professional media," Rumman lamented, adding that Arab countries in particular did not know how to utilize social media. Rumman highlighted how social media, now intertwined with propaganda, has turned opinion management into a policy, exposing citizens to widespread misinformation. Palestinian Hamas militants launched a large-scale incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing more than 1,170 people, according to Israeli figures. Israel responded with a massive ongoing offensive in Gaza, killing more than 46,000 people, mostly civilians, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
Rudaw Net
24-02-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraq announces official census results
Also in Iraq Iraq awaits Turkey's go-ahead to restart Kurdistan Region's oil exports PM Sudani honors Iraqi doctor for humanitarian efforts in Gaza Iraq may face 'important' decisions from Trump administration: Kurdish official Syrian FM to visit Baghdad this week: Iraqi officials A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq's planning ministry on Monday released the official results of the country's first nationwide census since 1987, revealing a nearly equal gender distribution and a majority urban population. The census, conducted in November, found that Iraq's population is almost evenly split by gender, with 23,161,604 men and 22,957,189 women, giving a sex ratio of 50.22 percent male and 49.78 percent female. Urban areas account for 70.17 percent of the total population, while 29.83 percent live in rural areas. In the Kurdistan Region, urbanization is higher, with 84.57 percent of the population residing in cities and 15.43 percent in rural areas. Iraq's working-age population, 15-64 years, makes up 60.44 percent of the total, indicating a potential for economic growth. Those under five years old account for 11.16 percent, while 24.74 percent are aged 5-14, and 3.66 percent are 65 and older. In the Kurdistan Region, the working-age population percentage is slightly higher at 63.92 percent, and the proportion of people over 65 is 4.4 percent. According to the census, 71.14 percent of the population in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are homeowners, while 19.41 percent are private tenants, 2.12 percent rent from the government, and 6.33 percent live in free housing. The data also shows that 91.57 percent of residences are houses, 7.08 percent are apartments, and 0.70 percent are mud houses. The census is expected to play a role in ongoing discussions over Kirkuk's status, Baathist-era Arabization policies, and the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) share of Iraq's federal budget. These issues have seen recent developments after the Iraqi parliament passed amendments addressing them. Iraq had not conducted a full census since 1987. A 1997 count under the Baathist regime did not include the Kurdistan Region, and a planned 2020 census was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rudaw Net
23-02-2025
- Business
- Rudaw Net
Iraq awaits Turkey's go-ahead to restart Kurdistan Region's oil exports
Also in Iraq PM Sudani honors Iraqi doctor for humanitarian efforts in Gaza Iraq may face 'important' decisions from Trump administration: Kurdish official Syrian FM to visit Baghdad this week: Iraqi officials Sudani confirms end of the US-led coalition mission A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is awaiting a response from Turkey 'within the next 24 hours' regarding the readiness of the pipeline designated for the Kurdistan Region's oil exports, an official from Iraq's oil ministry said on Sunday. Mohammed Khudair, the ministry's undersecretary, told Iraqi state media that Baghdad's oil ministry had contacted Ankara 'to inquire about the readiness of the pipeline for exports through the Ceyhan port, and we are expecting an answer within the next 24 hours.' Earlier in the day, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced that it had reached an agreement with the Iraqi federal government to restart oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. This announcement followed confirmation from Iraq's oil ministry on Saturday that the necessary procedures to resume production and exports from the Kurdistan Region had been completed. The ministry further urged Kurdish authorities to begin delivering oil to Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO), which will handle exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline. Khudair emphasized that Iraq is committed to maintaining exports through the Ceyhan port as part of a strategic vision for strengthening Iraq-Turkey relations. He added that there is ongoing communication with the Kurdistan Region and Turkey to ensure smooth cooperation and continuous exports. Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline were suspended in March 2023 after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had violated a 1973 pipeline agreement by allowing Erbil to begin independent oil exports in 2014. Prior to the suspension, Erbil was exporting approximately 400,000 barrels of oil per day through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, along with an additional 75,000 barrels per day from Kirkuk. Khudair noted that the suspension created "challenges for oil fields in the Kurdistan Region, which now require a rehabilitation period to restore full production capacity." He added that the target is to reach 400,000 barrels per day, which is the minimum export quantity set in the federal budget. Currently, Khudair said, 'the available export quantity in the region is 300,000 barrels per day, with a portion allocated for domestic consumption, and the remaining 185,000 barrels will be allocated for export.'
Rudaw Net
23-02-2025
- Health
- Rudaw Net
PM Sudani honors Iraqi doctor for humanitarian efforts in Gaza
Also in Iraq Iraq may face 'important' decisions from Trump administration: Kurdish official Syrian FM to visit Baghdad this week: Iraqi officials Sudani confirms end of the US-led coalition mission UNAMI chief says Iraq's development must be based on equality, justice A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Sunday honored British-Iraqi doctor Mohammed Tahir Abu Rgheef, a renowned 'humanity ambassador,' in Baghdad, rewarding him with a diplomatic passport and a housing unit in central Baghdad. Abu Rgheef, an orthopaedic and peripheral nerve surgeon, volunteered with a non-profit medical charity Fajr Scientific. He gained recognition for his crucial role in providing medical aid to Palestinians during the war on Gaza. Over the course of his missions, he performed more than 300 complex surgeries and treated over 1,200 injured individuals. His most recent mission, which lasted seven months, marked his third trip to Gaza. Prime Minister Sudani commended Abu Rgheef for his 'humanitarian and ethical work' in supporting the people of Gaza. He described Abu Rgheef as 'a source of pride to all Iraqis,' emphasizing that his efforts 'reflect our [Iraqi] people's solidarity with the brotherly Palestinian people and their rightful cause,' read a statement from the premier's office. Sudani also announced the establishment of an "Iraqi Hospital in Gaza" and instructed that Abu Rgheed be awarded a residential unit in central Baghdad, along with a diplomatic passport. The Iraqi prime minister's office cited Abu Rgheef as thanking Sudani for this recognition and acknowledging Iraq's ongoing official and public efforts in support of the people of Gaza.
