WOTS Saturday 12/8/18Iraq new 500-dinar note (B359a) confirmed
07 12, 2018 08:20 Category: Middle East
  Like B353, but new date and printed name of governor, not signature. Courtesy of Nurrulz Gustiputri. Iraq new 250-dinar note (B358a) confirmed
07 12, 2018 08:20 Category: Middle East
  Like B347, but new date and printed name of governor, not signature. Courtesy of Nurrulz Gustiputri.
WOTS Saturday 12/8/18:
Forex Rates:
CNBC Link:
CNBC Morning Squawk Link:
No link yet
DC NY Iraq Articles:dd
The National Approach: We call on all blocs to meet in a round table to end the state of acute division and entrenchment, activate the participants and hold dialogues.
Saturday 8 December 201812:57 PM 12:57 pm
National approach: We call on all the blocs to meet in a round table to end the state of acute division and trenching and activating the participants and the continuity of dialogues
Baghdad / ... bloc called the national approach to parliamentary, Saturday, all the blocs to meet in a round table to end the state of division and sharp encirclement, which dominates the political scene and avoid breaking the will and impose, and seek to activate the participants and the continuation of direct dialogues. Baghdad / ... bloc called the national approach to parliamentary, Saturday, all the blocs to meet in a round table to end the state of division and sharp enclosure, which dominates the political scene and avoid breaking the will and imposes, and seek to activate the participants and the continuity of direct dialogues. "The meeting in a round table is the most effective way to defuse the existing political crisis, unite the efforts and unite to achieve common national goals and face the various challenges surrounding the political process," the bloc said in a statement received by Iraq News. "The meeting in a round table is the most effective way to defuse the existing political crisis, unite the efforts and unite to achieve common national goals and face the various challenges surrounding the political process," the bloc said in a statement received by Iraq News . The bloc warned "of the repercussions of the continuation of political differences and their escalation and their impact on the Iraqi street and turn it into a conflict and a communal conflict won only the enemies of Iraq and the Iraqis." The bloc warned "of the repercussions of the continuance of political differences and their escalation and their impact on the Iraqi street and turn it into a conflict and a communal conflict will only be the enemies of Iraq and the Iraqis." The bloc added that "the most important and first responsibilities of the political forces to protect the public social order and stabilize its stability, which depends to a large extent on the balanced political performance, which turns the topics and points of difference and penetration into common areas of work." The bloc added that "the most important and first responsibilities of the political forces to protect the public social order and stabilize its stability, which depends on a large extent on the balanced political performance, which turns the topics and points of difference and penetration into common areas of work. " Al-Kaabi calls for taking into account the specialization in naming the presidencies of parliamentary committees
Date of release: 2018/12/8 12:57 • 3 times read
(Baghdad: Al Furat News) The First Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Hassan Karim Kaabi to the need to take into account the specialty when naming the presidencies of parliamentary committees, while presiding over a meeting of heads of parliamentary blocs in the Constitutional Hall, on Saturday, .. Follow
Parliament decides to hold a meeting tomorrow instead of next Monday
Release date: 2018/12/8 11:54 • 89 times read
{Baghdad: Al Furat News} The House of Representatives decided to hold a meeting tomorrow instead of next Monday.
A parliamentary source told the {Euphrates News}, said on Saturday that "the parliament decided to hold a meeting on Sunday instead of next Monday as an official holiday on the occasion of the victory over gangs and the terrorist calls."
The Presidency of the Parliament discussed with the heads and representatives of the blocks the distribution of parliamentary committees
Date of release: 2018/12/8 12:08 • 48 times read
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) discussed the presidency of the parliament with the heads and representatives of the blocks distribution of parliamentary committees.
A parliamentary source told the {Euphrates News}, on Saturday that "the Constitutional Chamber in the House of Representatives witnessed, on Saturday, a meeting chaired by First Deputy Speaker Hassan al-Kaabi and the second deputy Bashir Haddad, in the presence of heads and representatives of parliamentary blocs discussed the distribution of committees on the blocks.
"The distribution of parliamentary committees was discussed on the blocs, taking into account the issue of the election and the number of seats in parallel with the corresponding ministries in the government, and the importance of the completion of the resolution of naming the heads of committees in the coming days." is over
Iraq to give up Iranian gas in two years to power plants
Saturday, 8/12/2018, at 1:50 am
BAGHDAD (Reuters)
A senior Iraqi energy official said his country needs at least two years to boost its gas production in order to stop importing Iranian gas used to operate power plants in Iraq. "Iraq's gas production is expected to reach 1.3 billion cubic feet per day by the end of 2020, an increase of 400 million cubic feet per day from current levels," said Hayyan Abdul Ghani, head of the state-run Southern Gas Company. Abdul Ghani added: Iraq's current production of gas is not enough to meet the need for power plants, so we are still importing gas from Iran. We need at least 24 months to run new gas projects and start production. The United States said last month that Iraq could continue to import natural gas and energy supplies from Iran for 45 days as long as it does not pay Iran in US dollars. The sanctions against the Iranian oil sector took effect on November 5. Iraqi officials said Baghdad was seeking to renew and extend the exemption from sanctions, as it needed more time to find an alternative source. Abdul Ghani said the expected increase in gas production would come from two new projects, including a $ 367 million deal with General Electric, which was reached in April to process gas associated with the extraction of crude oil in two fields in southern Iraq. The project is expected to start producing 160 million cubic feet per day within two years, he said. Iraq is expected to conclude another deal in early 2019 to build the Artawi gas station in the south, where it is expected to produce about 300 million cubic feet per day of gas by the end of 2019. Abdul Ghani said: We are very close to the signing of the contract gas project Artawi with a foreign company In the first month of 2019 to increase our gas production. Iraq's long-term development of the gas sector has focused on PJC, a $ 17 billion joint venture between Royal Dutch Shell, South State Gas Company and Mitsubishi. Abdul Ghani said that Iraq seeks to get its production of gas to about two billion cubic feet per day by the end of 2023, including 1.43 billion cubic feet per day of the Gas Company of Basra . :
Kauaihn Iraq Articles:dd
The start of meetings of the Arab Parliament with the participation of an Iraqi parliamentary delegation
Editorial Date: 2018/12/8 11:51 • 69 times read
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) with the participation of a delegation of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, started on Saturday meetings and meetings of the Arab Parliament held in the Egyptian capital Cairo for four days.
A statement by the Information Department of the House of Representatives received by the agency {Euphrates News} copy today that "will be in the meetings of the day, which includes an Iraqi parliamentary delegation, including MPs Ahmad al-Jubouri and Zafer al-Ani and Nabil terminal and Naim Aboudi, elections to the post of President of the Arab Parliament and the four Vice-Presidents And the heads of the Standing Committees and their deputies. "
"On the second day, a closed workshop will be held for the Least Developed Arab Committee of Arab States and the Committee for the lifting of the name of the Republic of Sudan from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism as well as meetings related to the work of the Human Rights Committee in the Arab world and the committee to study the proposed legislation of a guiding law on food security, And the meeting of the committee to prepare an Arab draft law for higher education and scientific research and the meeting of the committee to study the subject of tourism development and the meeting of the committee to monitor the reports issued by the regional and international bodies and organizations that Dealing with the human rights situation in non-Arab countries ". "The second meeting will be held on foreign affairs, political and national security, the second meeting of the Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs, the second meeting of the Legislative, Legal and Human Rights Committee and the second meeting of the Committee on Social, Educational, Cultural and Women Affairs and Youth," the statement said. "The last day will be devoted to the second plenary session of the third session of the second legislative term of the Arab parliament," he said Integrity: The stagnant projects in Ninawa nearly 150 projects
Release date: 2018/12/8 11:12 • 75 times read
(Baghdad: Al Furat News) revealed the Integrity Commission on the projects lagging in the province of Nineveh, which enabled one of its teams, which moved to the province, the monitoring and documentation; indicating that the number of 148 projects have been monitored and follow-up, as part of the Commission's efforts to investigate and investigate the reconstruction projects and services and investment lag In the provinces.
A statement issued by the Agency received the agency {Euphrates News} a copy of today that "these projects were distributed among the municipalities, water, sewage, health and urban planning in the province, indicating that the cost of projects to prepare and implement the sewage treatment plant in the city of Mosul on the left and left sides of the first and second phases amounted to more than 368 billion billion JD, in addition to more than 137 billion billion dinars, the cost of processing and implementation of heavy conveyor lines with four lift stations on both sides of the city, and 16.239 billion dinars for the processing and implementation of rainfed transport lines with two lift stations on the left side, Of 46,000,000,000 billion dinars, the cost of the project preparation and study designs with processing, implementation, operation and maintenance of draft streams and Hamdani Bartalah. "
He pointed out that there was a delay in 57 projects in Nineveh Water Directorate, which varied between design and equipment processing, implementation, operation and maintenance of water projects, installation of reservoirs and laying of pipes, For the cities of Mosul and Tal Afar and the draft structural plan in the province referred to local and foreign companies within the investment plan of the Ministry of Municipalities and Public Works. The statement pointed out that "there are 37 projects lagging in the Directorate of Municipalities in the province, including rehabilitation and cladding of a number of roads, bridges and sewage systems, in addition to government buildings, parks and equipment, indicating that the projects of the establishment of health centers and equipped with equipment and equipment, as well as the establishment of a maternity ward and medical laboratories and buildings of the Department Health was among the sluggish projects. " The statement said that "the reasons for the delay were attributed by these departments to the delay in the preparation of designs, maps and maps and the existence of differences in the origin of some materials and equipment processed in the projects, in addition to the failure of the implementation of the execution of the contract and the implementation of the tasks assigned to it and military actions. It is noteworthy that the Integrity Commission announced the overall projects in the governorates of Salah ad Din and Kirkuk, which was monitored by the teams of investigative composed in all directorates and investigative offices belonging to them, as the task of categorization of criminal cases in terms of importance, and the completion of investigation and investigation of construction projects and services and investment lagging, And entrusted the general managers of the Commission with managing the work of these teams and supervising the completion of their work, and providing summaries of the results of the investigation Human rights call for relief to rescue the displaced people of Nineveh, whose camps were flooded by floods
Editorial Date: 2018/12/8 9:43 • 111 times read
{Nineveh: Euphrates News} The High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a call for relief to save the displaced Nineveh province, whose camps were flooded by floods.
"We are making a humanitarian appeal to the government and international and national organizations to rescue the displaced people in Nineveh province whose camps have been flooded by floods," Fadel al-Gharawi, a member of the Human Rights Commission, said in a press release.
"Floods have led to the sinking of more than 3,000 tents that have been sinking and drifting due to rain in the runway and stump camps in Nineveh province," he said. "We call on the government to immediately return the displaced people to their areas instead of being at risk of death in the camps. We also demand that the Ministry of Trade, Health, Migration and Displaced Persons and UN agencies conduct urgent humanitarian relief convoys of food, medicines, blankets and baby milk, IDP camps in Nineveh province " Abdul Mahdi holds a meeting with the deputies of Babylon and its governor
Date of release: 2018/12/8 11:26 • 92 times scheduled
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi held a meeting with the deputies of the province of Babil and its governor and the head of the provincial council and the commander of operations and the police chief to discuss the conditions of the province in all sectors ...
Sistani warns of political violence as a means to liquid opponents in Iraq
Saturday 08 December 2018 Issue number [14620]
A member of the Iraqi police in a Baghdad street during the children's marathon,
Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has warned against political violence as a means of eliminating adversaries. "There are many types of violence, including political ones, to achieve political goals such as killing, threatening and stabbing opponents in various ways," said Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, the president of the Kurdistan Democratic Party. Karbalai pointed to "violence that threaten social and psychological stability." The warnings of the reference in the shadow of a political crisis reached a stage of seriousness, warning of the dangers of getting out of the dome of Parliament to the street and resort to the language of arms between the armed factions, which are parties to the political process did not reach an agreement on the agreement on the Ministers of Interior and Defense
Kauaihn Economic Times:
ECONOMIC TIMES / CHATTER
FOR TWITTER ACCT
Just send a text message from your cell phone to:
40404 (may have to add 40404 as a contact first) Then send a message that says: Follow @FactsnOpinion1 and you will join their twitter feed and instantly get the doc. You do NOT have to join twitter to get tweets
ONLY SPACE IS AFTER FOLLOW
who are on their computers to go to:
to get to our twitter feed
GLOBAL/NEWS/INFO
Wall Street set to tank again | Oil prices fall 4% | Canada arrests Huawei's CFO
CNBC A day off has done nothing to improve Wall Street's mood following Monday's sharp losses, with futures indicating another slump at the Thursday open. Read the full story
Wayne T. Essex Essex and Associates Inc
You can't claim these tax deductions anymore.
The 2018 tax filing season begins in mid January 2019.
The passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act means some stark changes for tax filers and the deductions they can take.
One of the most notable changes is the increase in standard deductions for individuals and married households.
Tax filing season is only a couple months away. With the passage of President Donald Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act last year, filling out your tax forms might require a different strategy than what you've used in previous years. Here's a breakdown of some of the more notable changes you need to consider for the 2018 tax filing season, including multiple deductions that are now kaput.
Increase to the Standard Deduction
Probably the most useful change for individuals and families is the increase in the standard deduction. The amount has almost doubled to $12,200 for individuals and $24,400 for families. These increases are supposed to increase the average household income by $4,000.
No More Personal Exemptions
Although increasing the standard deduction might be a good thing, you can no longer claim a personal exemption for yourself, your spouse or your dependents. This means you can no longer reduce your taxable income by $4,050 for each eligible member of your household.
State and Local Tax Caps
Known as SALT, the new tax law limits this tax deduction to $10,000, whereas previously it was unlimited. This a big drawback for my clients living in California and New York, and other places where people pay high property or state taxes.
Reduced Mortgage Interest Deduction
Homeowners will only be able to deduct up to $750,000 worth of interest from qualified residence loans, whereas before it was up to $1 million. This could pose another problem for residents living in states with high home prices that require larger mortgages, like New York and California. Furthermore, you will also be unable to deduct the interest from home equity loans. Even currently existing home equity loans will not be grandfathered in.
No More Job Expenses Claims
You could previously claim unreimbursed job-related purchases so long as they were more than 2 percent of your adjustable gross income. Unfortunately for strapped employees, that deduction will be eliminated for 2018's taxes.
No More Moving Expense Claims
Transients could've deducted moving expenses from their taxes provided they met certain criteria, but the new tax law eliminates this, with the exception of military service members moving to new duty stations.
No More Natural Disaster Deductions
It's been an intense several years for resid
ents dealing with natural disasters; the California wildfires are just the most recent example. Prior to the new tax law, victims of circumstance could deduct at least half of the expenses they incurred. However, under the new tax law, you must live in a "presidentially designated disaster area" to be eligible for the deduction.
Other Miscellaneous Deductions That Have Been Eliminated
The new tax law will also eliminate multiple deductions that might dent your tax refund, or increase your tax bill:
Alimony deductions
Tax preparation fees
Parking and transit reimbursement
Reduction of charitable donations if used to acquire college athletic tickets
Convenience fees for ATM use
The more you know, the bigger your refund.
2019 may be the hottest year yet — here’s why
National Geographic
OIL/COMMODITIES/ENERGY
MOVES-Gold resurfaces at Deloitte
Reuters
LONDON, Dec 6 (IFR) - Jonathan Gold, former co-head offinancial institutions origination for Europe Middle East andAfrica (EMEA) at Deutsche Bank, has been appointed as a partnerin Deloitte's UK advisory corporate finance practice. Read the full story
Gold slips even as stocks tumble amid intensifying U.S.-China clash
MarketWatch
Gold futures slip Thursday as a leading dollar index twisted in mixed trading, with the metal so far failing to find the haven bid that might be expected alongside a sharp tumble in early stock trading. Read the full story
Newmont says 2019 gold production at mid-point of previous forecast
Reuters
Newmont Mining Corp said onThursday it expects gold production for 2019 to be in themidpoint of its previous forecast. Read the full story
Gold Prices Flat as U.S.-Sino Trade Worries Intensify
Investing.com
Commodities Dec 06, 2018 13:55 GMT Investing.com - Gold prices were flat on Thursday the arrest of a top Huawei executive sparked worries that it could reignite the U.S.-Sino trade dispute. Comex gold futures for February delivery inched up 0.04% to $1,243.05 a troy ounce as of 8:52 AM ET (13:52 GMT). Market sentiment was on edge after Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer at the Chinese smartphone company Huawei was arrested in Canada on an an extradition request by the U.S. The U.S. has Read the full story
Gold-backed ETFs up on stock volatility in November
ReutersGold-backed exchange-tradedfunds (ETFs) registered inflows in all the world's major regionsin November, as volatile stock markets fueled flight-to-safetybuying, the World Gold Council said on Thursday. Read the full story
Gold dips but holds near five-week high as global stocks sag
Livemint
Bengaluru: Gold prices were slightly lower on Thursday as the dollar firmed on renewed trade tensions, but a decline in global equities helped keep prices near the more than one-month high hit this week. Read the full story
Oil, Stocks Fall Hard Because the Old Problems, and More, Are Still With Us
Barron's
Global equities fell sharply again as the arrest of Huawei Technologies’ CFO raised expectations that U.S.-China trade tensions will get worse, not better. Oil took another dive as OPEC meets. Read the full story
BANKS/BANKING/CREDIT
CORRECTED-Bank Windhoek becomes first commercial lender in southern Africa to issue green bond
Reuters
(Corrects to specify first commercial bank to issue green bondin southern Africa) Read the full story
Hong Kong interbank rates nearing 2008 highs as HKD rises
Reuters
* 1m and 3m HIBOR at levels last seen during financialcrisis Read the full story
Employee rights group says Wells Fargo declined planned meeting
Reuters
A union-backed bank employee rights group is complaining after Wells Fargo & Co declined to meet with members last week, according to a letter sent to Chief Executive Tim Sloan viewed exclusively by Reuters. Read the full story
Wells Fargo clean-up plan rejected by Fed, Reuters reports
MarketWatch
The Federal Reserve rejected a proposal from scandal-plagued Wells Fargo & Co., Reuters reported Thursday. In February, the bank was ordered to submit a reform plan to address customer abuses, and the Fed must approve it before the bank can grow its assets. Multiple sources told Reuters that Wells submitted a plan in April, but it was rejected. That also meant that the bank missed a September 30 deadline for the plan to be approved, implemented and reviewed by an independent third party. Read the full story
Wells Fargo reform plans fail to satisfy Fed after scandals: sources
Reuters
The Federal Reserve has rejected Wells Fargo & Co's plans to prevent further consumer abuses and told the scandal-plagued lender it needs stronger checks on management, according to three people with knowledge of the discussions. Read the full story
UPDATE 1-Deutsche Bank hit by new laundering report; shares slide again
Reuters
* Deutsche handled another 31 billion euros for Danske - FT Read the full story
The 10 cities where credit card balances are increasing most
CNBC
In some U.S. cities, like Austin, Texas, credit card balances increased more than 10 percent this year, finds a recent report from CompareCards.com Read the full story
What the smart money is buying as the market tanks
CNN Business
Gold, utility stocks. real estate and food and beverage companies have held up well while the broader market has slumped. It's a sign that people are flocking to safer and more conservative investments. Read the full story
TREASURIES/BONDS/STOCKS
Treasurys rally as flare-up in U.S.-China tensions send global stocks lower
MarketWatch
Treasury prices rose, pushing yields lower, Thursday as investors were leaving stocks for the perceived safety of haven assets including U.S. government debt. Read the full story
A near flash-crash spooks markets, so it’s time for ‘maximum caution,’ says trader
MarketWatch
Investors will return to some ugly markets Thursday, and something happened in the overnight session that has spooked a lot of people out there. One trader says he’s advises ‘maximum caution’ right now. Read the full story
Trading in U.S. debt surges as yield curve flattens - Tradeweb
Reuters
Turnover in U.S. Treasuries jumpedmore than a third from a year earlier to an average $80.6billion per day in November as investor activity picked up onthe back of a flattening yield curve, trading platform Tradewebsaid on Thursday. Read the full story
One part of the U.S. yield curve just inverted; what does that mean?
Reuters
Part of the U.S. Treasury yield curve "inverted" this week, setting off debate over whether it is delivering a classic signal of oncoming recession or it has just developed a short-term kink that can be explained away by technical reasons. Read the full story
|
For those who can't get on OM, and who don't have access to the forum. I will post here the articles I like for the day and some of my thoughts. Check back later