Wednesday, March 20, 2019

WOTS Tuesday 3/19/19

WOTS Tuesday 3/19/19



WOTS Tuesday 3/19/19
 
Forex Rates
 
 
SymbolBidAskHighLowOpenChangeTime
 USD/IQD  1,168.8000  1,221.7000 1,168.8000 1,168.8000 1,168.8000  0.0000 21:00
 USD/VND  23,174.0000  23,244.0000 23,198.0000 22,890.1000 22,890.1000  283.9000 05:54
 USD/CNY  6.7118  6.7138 6.7185 6.7028 6.7031  0.0087 06:19
 USD/KWD  0.3027  0.3047 0.3035 0.3025 0.3035  -0.0008 06:05
 GBP/USD  1.3269  1.3270 1.3280 1.3259 1.3262  0.0007 06:19
 USD/IRR  12,048.0000  12,428.0000 12,048.0000 12,048.0000 12,048.0000  0.0000 17:51
 USD/IDR  14,219.0000  14,233.0000 14,241.8000 14,200.0000 14,202.5000  16.5000 06:19
 
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DC NY Iraq Articles:dd

US Vice President confirms to Abdul Mahdi, his country's stand with Iraq to defeat the remnants of an encouraging

 
Release date: 2019/3/19 0:48  46 times read 
 
Vice President Mike Pence
 
Spoke today 2/PM Adil AbdAlMahdi of Iraq. Thanked him for his strong support of the enduring partnership between the US and the Iraqi people.  US standswith Iraq to defeat the remnants of ISIS and help Christian and Yazidi communities rebuild and recover from years of terrorism and war.
 
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - US Vice President Mike Pines said on Monday he had telephoned Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, stressing that the United States stood with Iraq to defeat remnants of an organization calling on the terrorist. 
"I concluded with the Iraqi prime minister and thanked him for his strong support for the permanent partnership between the US states and the Iraqi people," Pines said in a tweet on his Twitter account. 
"The United States stands with Iraq to defeat the remnants of the Baath and help the Christian and Yezidi communities to rebuild and recover from years of terrorism and war."

Al-Araji: Sadr may launch a project against the government of Abdul Mahdi and Abadi will return

 
19/03/2019 413
 
Al-Araji: Sadr may launch a project against the government of Abdul Mahdi and Abadi will return
The former deputy prime minister of the Sadrist movement Bahaa al-Araji; on Monday; that the leader of the Sadrist movement Moqtada al-Sadr may put forward a project against the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi.
"Muqtada al-Sadr is in good health," al-Araji said in a press statement. "Sadr's absence from the scene could generate a great political project."
He added that "Sadr may put forward a reform project against the government of Abdul Mahdi," pointing out that "the government of Abdul Mahdi may not complete a year of life."
He pointed out that "the political movement of Jaafar al-Sadr contains important messages for political forces," noting that "the prime minister may return to Haidar Abadi again."
"Al-Abbadi is one of the most prominent candidates for the premiership if he withdraws confidence from Abdul-Mahdi," he said, adding that "Iran has granted great privileges and great from the government of Abdul Mahdi."
"He said that" Tehran will seek to keep Abdul Mahdi to complete his term of office, "noting that" the lack of political consensus on the completion of the cabinet cabinet will make the revolutionary Sadr's project. "
"The political ground is ready for Sadr's reform project," he said, adding that "there is political and popular discontent towards the government of Abdul Mahdi." He added that "Abdul-Mahdi does not have the tools to implement his government program" "He said.
"Sadr's political tour does not reflect his quest for any position," he said, adding that "Moqtada al-Sadr refuses to take over a figure of Sadr's prime minister," likely to " Jaafar al-Sadr may put the draft Moqtada al-Sadr on the reference. "
Be at the heart of the event and know the latest news;

Democratic and national groups meet today and the file of Kirkuk at the top of the discussions
Political 10:10 - 19/03/2019
Sulaymaniyah - Mawazine News
The two main Kurdish parties, the Democratic and the National Union, on Tuesday, held a meeting to discuss several files topped by the file of Kirkuk.
A political source, told / Mawazin News / that "is scheduled to hold a delegation from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan today, a meeting with a delegation of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in the city of Sulaymaniyah."
The source added that "the meeting will discuss the steps to form a new government and share the positions of sovereign and ministerial in the Kurdistan region and the situation of Kirkuk."

Kurdish Film Competes Against Hollywood Movies in North Korea

 
Mohamad Dargalaye
 
19/03/2019 - 01:17 Published in Cinema
 
A Kurdish film about the tragic chemical attack on Halabja is in a great competition with Hollywood movies in North Korea to win an international award.
Dani Darin, a Kurdish filmmaker, explained to BasNews that representatives of North Korea, who attended an international film festival in Moscow, were impressed by his work, titled "3/16" which won the first place in the event.
"They told me that the film should be on screen in North Korea as well, so alongside 15 other film directors and actors, who are annually invited [by the country] for special events, I was invited too where I stayed for 15 days," Darin said.
He further pointed out that his film was shown in eight different cinemas in the capital Pyongyang in only two days, adding that it had a great number of viewers and it familiarized many people with the Kurdish nation.
"During the time when we were hosted by the Presidential Palace, the Korean President came and welcomed us," the Kurdish movie director noted.
His film, "3/16" has won 31 international awards and 42 nominations while it is currently in a competition with the Hollywood movies to win four awards in the National Film Award London based on best best script writer, best film policy, best lengthy film, and best independent film.
Darin has also urged people to vote for his film as voting is open on this link.
Dany Darin was born in 1980 in Qalladza district, Sulaimaniya province. He migrated to the UK in 2002. One of his well-known movies is "3/16" which is about the tragic chemical attack on Halabja directed cooperatively with a British filmmaker named Pola Lan.

Pres al-Assad terms Syria-Iran-Iraq ties as robust

Damascus, March 19, IRNA
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad described relations existing among Damascus, Tehran and Baghdad as very robust and said their relations have even grown even stronger during their collective fight against terrorism.
According to the Syrian official news agency SANA, he made the remarks on Monday when he received a joint Iraqi-Iranian military delegation that comprised Chief of General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri and Chief of Staff of the Iraqi Armed Forces General Othman Al-Ghanimi, in addition to a number of military commanders from the two countries in the presence of Major General Ali Abdullh Ayoub, Deputy commander-in-Chief of the army and armed forces and defense Minister.

'Talks during the meeting dealt with the current developments of the field situation in Syria and means of boosting coordination among the three countries to be positively reflected on the operational side of combating terrorism,' SANA said.

President al-Assad stressed the bonds among the three countries grew even stronger during the period of war when the blood of the Syrian, Iranian and Iraqi armed forces mixed in the battle against terrorism.

Bagheri, for his part stressed that the fight against terrorism and defending Syria is a defense for Iraq and Iran at the same time, as this terrorism poses threat to all these states and targets the region as a whole, adding that this requires the states and peoples of the region to coordinate their efforts to combat terrorism and confront it.

President al-Assad was also briefed by Al-Ghanimi and Ayoub on the outcomes of their meeting, stressing the importance of continuing coordination and cooperation among the three countries in the interests of their common targets.

General Baqeri arrived in Damascus on Sunday to participate in a trilateral meeting also attended by Iraq and Syria to investigate ways to maintain regional stability and security.

Promoting defense and military cooperation, holding consultations on fighting terrorism and maintaining coordination and synergy among Iran, Iraq and Syria to continue confrontation against terrorist groups and also finding ways to establish stability and safeguarding the region are on Baqeri's agenda.

Iranian commander is also scheduled to visit Iranian military advisors in Syria.

The last time that General Baqeri had visited Syria was October 17, 2017 during which he held talks with Syrian military officials and paid visit to some military operation sites.

Earlier, talking to Syrian Defense Minister General Ali Abdullah Ayoub on phone, Baqeri said, 'We hope that the resistant Syrian people will soon return to their cities and villages, undertaking economic activities in Syria to reconstruct the liberated regions as soon as possible.'

Newspaper: Political blocs exchanged accusations about the delay of the completion of the government of Adel Abdul Mahdi

In Politics March 19, 2019 Comments on the newspaper:
Political blocs exchanged accusations about the delay of the completion of the government Adel Abdul Mahdi closed 34 visits
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Prime Minister Adel al-Mahdi is no longer interested in Ramia's ball in the House of Representatives, according to a report by the Middle East newspaper Monday. A time when ministers from his cabinet were asked to fill vacant portfolios.
"With the beginning of the second legislative term, the House of Representatives appeared to be in a hurry to close the legislative vacuum due to the delay in approving the laws. While it was expected that the political blocs would decide to complete the government formation by voting on the four vacant portfolios, Defense, interior, education and justice), the understandings have not yet produced a result. "
The newspaper quoted Naim Aboudi member of the House of Representatives for the opening bloc led by Hadi al-Amiri, there are understandings and closures between the political blocs, especially between the (Fath) and (as), but still things are conducted within the understandings and not agreements.
"The outstanding issues are expected to be resolved by the end of this week, but we can not talk about agreements so far," he said.
"We ask Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi to disclose the reason for the delay in sending the names of the candidates to the four ministries vacant," said MP Mohammad al-Ghazi, a member of the coalition led by Moqtada al-Sadr,
Al-Ghazi added that "the issue is now in the hands of Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, he is bearing the delay now, not the political blocs, and if the cause of delay, to adhere to Faleh Al-Fayadh (Interior), he must announce this to the media and public opinion."
In the context of that, the MP for the coalition of construction Mohamed Baldawi that the coalition of construction and reform will hold a joint meeting ahead of the parliamentary session next Saturday to agree on the offer of candidates vacant ministries within the entitlements of the elections.
The newspaper concluded that "Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, apparently no longer interested in the matter Ramia ball in the court of parliament at a time when ministers were commissioned from his government to fill vacant portfolios to the extent that avoids mentioning the delay in the conferences of the newspaper.
 
Kauaihn Iraq Articles:dd

Iraqi security alert on the border with Syria

 
Editorial date:  2019/3/19 9:32  67 times prescribed
 
{Baghdad: Al-Furat News} Security forces invaded the border with Syria.
"The commander of the operations of the island, Major General Qasim Mohammed Saleh, inspected the border strip between Iraq and Syria, and met with the military sectors, praising their heroic role as they are stationed on the international border to secure them with the utmost integrity and determination and determination." 
The commander of the operations "to take maximum precautions, careful and accurate monitoring and monitoring and patrol day and night and ambushes and strengthen the points with sufficient combat force, and to continue the daily activities and pre-emptive strikes and careful inspection and intelligence work in the irresponsible to search for terrorist cells and destroy their property.  
 
 
Parliament determines the first enemy of the Iraqi people
 
 
10:04 - 19/03/2019
Baghdad - Mawazine News
The MP in the parliament, Alia Nassif, Tuesday, the Prime Minister to support some of his ministers competent in the face of the challenges of financial and administrative corruption, pointing out that corruption is the first enemy of the Iraqi people.
"The prime minister has to support some of his competent and fair ministers to meet the challenges of financial and administrative corruption within their ministries and departments," Nasif said in a statement received by Mawazine News. "The first enemy of the Iraqi people is corruption and fighting it is not easy, .
"Corruption is still the biggest challenge in the way of the country's economic and social rise, and to exaggerate if we say that it is the main cause of poverty and depriving citizens of their right to decent living. In addition, many ministries and state institutions and important sectors remain in place without any progress or real development. "He said.
Nassif explained that "the war on corruption begins with serious steps taken by the Minister of Professional Integrity as at the top of the pyramid of the ministry, if he has the courage to qualify to fight the war against the mafia corruption within his ministry and its constituencies firmly and force may be able to eliminate a fair proportion of corruption Located in the country ".
She added that "this step requires support and direct support from the Prime Minister, for example, the current Minister of Health, Dr. Alaa Alwan announced his intention to cleanse his ministry of corruption and promote them to the level that makes them provide the best services to citizens, as one of the most important ministries because it concerns the lives of citizens And their safety, and therefore these steps require the support and direct support of the Prime Minister, "asserting that" the Iraqi people and members of the House of Representatives with any minister serves his people honestly and carries the concerns of his country. " .
 

Iraqis warn against planned amendments to nationality law

Tuesday، 19 March 2019 01:00 AM
Iraqi politicians, parliamentarians and lawmakers warned against passing the amendment of the nationality law, stressing that the adoption of such amendment will negatively impact the demographic structure in Iraq.

They said that some foreign parties, known for their expansionist ambitions in Iraq, are behind pushing Iraq to adopt this amendment, which will allow even millions of their citizens to get the Iraqi nationality.

Hussein al-Akabi, a member of the parliament's legal committee warned against passing the amendment, saying that most of the political blocs totally reject the amendment. He added that it will give the opportunity for the parties that are hostile to Iraq to have an easy access to the Iraqi citizenship.

Under this law, the son of an Iraqi woman married to a foreigner if later comes to Iraq would have the right to obtain the citizenship, Akabi said. In addition, a person residing legally or illegally in the country would have the right to obtain citizenship after two years of residence.

For his part, MP Mohamed al-Khalidi, head of the Goodness Banners bloc, said that the amendment can endanger the economy of the country because it allows those who have resided in the country for two years to get the citizenship, adding that they will then demand to be provided with services, jobs and other rights.

The population in Iraq is growing and has currently hit about 35 to 40 million people, Khalidi said, affirming that there is no need to add more citizens. He noted that this law will make demographic changes to the country in the future.

Khalidi suggested, instead, granting citizenship to investors who pump more than one million dollars in Iraq, in order to attract investors. He also proposed granting the citizenship to competent people and other professionals.

Tarek Harb, a legal expert, warned against the social, political and economic impact of the amendment, saying that Iraq's already suffers from overpopulation.

Canada extends its troops in Iraq

 
Date of release: 2019/3/19 8:01  139 times read
 
{International: Al Furat News} Canadian defense and foreign ministers announced on Monday the extension of the functions of the Canadian military training missions in Iraq and Ukraine.
"We have made significant and sustained progress, but we are aware of the need for more work," Canadian Defense Minister Hargit Sagan said at a joint press conference with Secretary of State Christia Fralbade. "Now we must ensure that he can not re-build his capabilities and threaten the security of Iraq." 
Until March 20, Canada will retain 250 Special Forces troops in Iraq, tasked with training local security forces, and will maintain several attack helicopters participating in the US-led coalition against Dahesh. 
In Ukraine, about 200 Canadian soldiers will continue to provide arms, military engineering services, logistics and medical training to the Ukrainian side until the end of March 2022, where Canada has trained about 11,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2015.

Wassit commemorates the anniversary of the martyrdom of Sheikh Nomani

 
Date of release: 2019/3/19 0:20  53 times read
 
(Baghdad: Al-Furat News) Governor of Wasit Mohammed Jameel Al-Mayahi, on Monday, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Sheikh Mohammed Naji al-Nu'mani with the participation of figures and religious scholars and dignitaries in the province. 
A statement from his office, received by the agency {Euphrates News} a copy of it, "Mayahi participated figures, scientists and dignitaries and the people of Wasit province in the commemoration of the anniversary of the martyr Sheikh Mohammed Naji al-Nu'mani, brother of provincial council member Montadar al-Nu'mani. 
Al-Mayahi said in a speech during the memorial ceremony that "the martyr al-Nu'mani is one of the free martyrs and one of the leaders of the intellectual and Islamic movement who was executed by the honorable regime with a constellation of virtues and scientists of the honorable scientific estate, headed by martyr Sayyed Muhammad Sadiq al-Sadr."
 
 

Economic: Gulf competition on the Iraqi market will provide jobs for the unemployed
 
 
19-03-2019 10:05 AM Baghdad:
 
Economic expert Bassel al-Obeidi said Tuesday that the Gulf competition for investment in Iraq will provide a great job opportunity for the unemployed, noting that foreign investment will be the only way to revive the private sector.
 
"Iraq has huge investment opportunities in all fields, especially industrial and agricultural, as well as housing projects, and will return considerable profits to the investor and the government," he said.
 
He added that "the government is unable to provide the imposition of work for the unemployed and that the Gulf competition to invest in Iraq will find giant investment projects and thus absorb all the energies of youth in Iraq."
 
"The Iraqi market is a very good consumer and any investment in it will result and will be consumed internally, which means victory for the local market in providing goods instead of competition."
 
 
Kauaihn Economic Times:
 
ECONOMIC TIMES / CHATTER

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GLOBAL/NEWS/INFO

Today in History
ABC News
Today in History Read the full story

5 Social Security Numbers You Should Know by Heart
The Motley Fool
Commit these to memory to make the most of your benefits. Read the full story

The era of cheap money shows no one knows how monetary policy works
My San Antonio
Monetary policy is supposed to work like this: cut interest rates, and you'll encourage businesses and households to borrow, invest and spend. It's not really playing out that way. Read the full story

Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend
USA TODAY
From Boeing crashes to the New Zealand shooter, here's what to know. Read the full story
OIL/COMMODITIES/ENERGY

Gold / Silver / Copper Prices - Weekly Outlook: March 18 - 22
Investing.com - This week precious metals traders will be monitoring the tone in the U.S. dollar ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting expected to shed more light on the outlook for...


Gold Prices Slip Ahead of Fed Meeting
Investing.com
Commodities Mar 18, 2019 03:39 GMT Investing.com - Gold prices slipped on Monday in Asia ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting that is expected to shed more light on the outlook for U.S. interest rate hikes this year. Gold Futures were down 0.3% at $1,298.65 on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange by 11:39 PM ET (03:39 GMT). The Fed is due to announce its latest monetary policy decision on Wednesday. The central bank is widely expected to keep monetary policy unchanged at the end Read the full story

Saudi Falih optimistic on continued commitment to OPEC+ oil supply cut
Reuters
Saudi Arabia's energy minister said on Sunday he was optimistic about continued commitment to the oil supply cut agreement between OPEC and non-
OPEC mbers. Read the full story

Rouhani inaugurates four new phases of South Pars gas field
GENEVA (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani formally inaugurated four new phases of South Pars, the world’s largest gas field, on Sunday, according to a statement posted...
https://www.investing.com/news/commodities-news/rouhani-inaugurates-four-new-phases-of-south-pars-gas-field-1809797

BANKS/BANKING/CREDIT

Americans Overwhelmingly Lack Knowledge About This Key Financial Product
The Motley Fool
Hint: It could come in handy for your retirement. Read the full story
Learn all about Blockchain technology by taking this $30 class
Mashable
You may even learn enough to land a job in this booming industry. Read the full story

How hackers pulled off a $20 million bank heist
Ars Technica
Efforts were enabled by sloppy and insecure network architecture in Mexico. Read the full story

UPDATE 4-Deutsche Bank set to go public on Commerzbank merger talks
Reuters
* Formal talks indicate merger progress Read the full story

Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank go public on merger talks
By Andreas Framke and Tom Sims FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank (DE:DBKGn) and Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) on Sunday confirmed they were in talks to possibly merge, an indication...
https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/deutsche-bank-set-to-announce-merger-talks-with-commerzbank-source-1809752

Heard of fintech? It can help with your finances, but beware of these risks
USA TODAY
Fintech, short for "financial technology," may offer innovative services but it could come at the cost of consumer protections. Read the full story

TREASURIES/BONDS/STOCKS


Why stock markets across the globe are rallying at the same time
MarketWatch

Economic Calendar - Top 5 Things to Watch This Week
Investing.com
Economy Mar 17, 2019 10:24 GMT Investing.com - The Federal Reserve’s policy meeting will be the big deal for markets in the week ahead. While the U.S. central bank is not expected to take action on interest rates, investors will be watching for signals on how patient it will be before raising borrowing costs again. Policymakers have pointed to two increases in 2019, but a recent wave of underwhelming U.S. economic data, along with worries over the ongoing U.S.-China trade conflict, have Read the full story


3 Things Under the Radar This Week 3 Things Under the Radar This Week
Investing.com - Here’s a look at three things that were under the radar this past week. 1. Morgan Stanley Eyes an Earnings Recession Investors should brace for a U.S....
https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/3-things-under-the-radar-this-week-1809790

El-Erian: Traders should be 'a little bit tactical' after market's 'temper tantrum'
Yahoo Finance
Big swings in the stock market will continue as investors react to Federal Reserve decisions and public statements, predicted Allianz's chief economic adviser, Mohamed El-Erian. Read the full story

FOMC, FedEx, Nike — What to know in the week ahead
Yahoo Finance
The Federal Open Market Committee will hold its second meeting of 2019 this week. Read the full story

US Economic Calendar For The Week Of March 18, 2019
International Business Times
International Business Times poll on major U.S. economic releases scheduled for release during the week of March 18, 2019. Economists widely expect the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged at its upcoming two-day meeting that will conclude Wednesday. Read the full story

CRYPTO'S / DIGITAL CURRENCY

How Ethereum Applications Earn A+ Security Ratings
CoinDesk
More than 1.2 million ethereum applications have used a little-known security tool from Amberdata to help avoid costly errors from smart contracts. Read the full story

Ethereum [ETH]: ProgPow would probably not go through first part of auditing, benchmarking
AMBCrypto
During the 57th Ethereum Core Dev Meetings, one of the topics discussed was ProgPow, or Programmatic Proof-of-Work implementation. The protocol proposed by IfDefElse is essentially a "GPU-tuned extension of Ethash that minimizes the gap available to fixed-function hardware". Owing to previous meetings, ProgPow was up for an audit concentrating on two factors and there were... Read the full story

Ethereum [ETH/USD] Price Analysis: Bulls and bears grapple for dominance
AMBCrypto
The entire cryptocurrency market was rejuvenated by the ongoing battle of the bulls and the bears. A majority of the coins were painted green, with some even surging by double digits. According to CoinMarketCap, at press time, Ethereum was trading at $143.35 with a market cap of $15.08 billion. The coin had a trading volume... Read the full story

Crypto Spring? Bitcoin Trading Volume Hits 15-Month High - Bitcoinist.com
Bitcoinist.net
Could it be possible, that spring is finally in the air, and after 15 months of misery, we are seeing the first green shoots coming through? Certainly, March has seen impressive daily volumes and price seems to be tentatively holding around $4000. Marching Through March Bitcoin’s daily exchange volume has been showing steady and sustained growth; an almost 150% increase in the 5 months since October 2018’s lows. In fact, the average daily transaction volume hasn’t seen levels this high since Read the full story

 
CURRENCIES

Forex - Weekly Outlook: March 18 - 22
Investing.com - As investors continue to wait for a breakthrough in U.S.- China trade talks they will get an update on Federal Reserve rate hike projections this week and the...
https://www.investing.com/news/forex-news/forex--weekly-outlook-march-18--22-1809787

Forex - U.S. Dollar Falls After Weak Data; Upcoming Fed Meeting in FocusInvesting.com
Forex Mar 18, 2019 04:39 GMT Investing.com - The U.S. dollar continued to slide on Monday in Asia following the release of weaker-than-forecast economic data. The U.S. dollar index that tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies edged down 0.1% to 96.48. The index shed 0.8% last week, the biggest loss since late August. The fall in the dollar came after data showed on Friday that U.S. manufacturing output fell for a second straight month, while factory activity in New York state Read the full story

Rupee appreciates 17 paise to 68.93 against US dollar
BTVI
The rupee appreciated 17 paise to 68.93 against the US dollar in opening trade Monday driven by weakening greenback in overseas markets and sustained foreign inflows. Read the full story

Australian dollar declines - Inside Retail
Inside Retail
Australian dollar falls against the greenback. The post Australian dollar declines appeared first on Inside Retail. Read the full story

HEALTH / SCIENCE

At 315 Pounds, Tiffany Found CrossFit, Ditched These 3 Foods, and Lost 145 Pounds
POPSUGAR
Many mothers can relate: Tiffany Head (@tiffanyhead78 on Instagram) put her three children's needs before her own and, by age 35, ended up weighing 315 pounds. Keep reading to learn what made her decide to fight for her health and how she was able to lose 145 pounds in six years (and keep it off!). ... Read the full story

Drug-resistant superbugs may have found a new foe in the Irish soil
NBC News
How the hunt for new life-saving antibiotics led scientists to an area of Northern Ireland known for ancient healing traditions. Read the full story

How a drug 50 times more powerful than heroin flew under the radar
The Washington Post
Despite mounting deaths and warnings, the administration did not take extraordinary measures to confront an extraordinary crisis, experts say. Read the full story

Daily baby aspirin no longer recommended as heart attack preventative for older adults
CNN
Cardiologists are no longer recommending daily low-dose aspirin for older adults except for high-risk patients because the risk of bleeding can outweigh the heart-healthy benefits. Read the full story

USA / CANADA

Fed looks to avoid crossed signals at policy meeting
Business Insider
By Trevor Hunnicutt and Ann Saphir NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Only two things will really matter when Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell strides to the podium for his press conference on Wednesday after the end of the U.S. central bank's latest two-day policy meeting: Dots and bonds. That Powell and his colleagues will leave the Fed's benchmark overnight interest rate unchanged in a range of 2.25 percent to 2.50 percent and stick to their pledge of a "patient" approach to monetary Read the full story

Time for the housing market to spring forward
CNN Business
The housing market has shown some signs of weakness lately but there are hopes that home sales will begin to rebond now that the Federal Reserve is likely to keep rates on hold. Mortgage rates have slid and buyers have more money thanks to wage gains. Read the full story

As global order collapses, American leadership is critical
The Hill
We are experiencing a collapse of the world order. Read the full story

Foldable phones are about to make the US very jealous
The Verge
Phone envy Read the full story


EMERGING MARKETS

U.S. considers sanctions prohibiting payment processing services in Venezuela - The Block
The Block Crypto
The U.S. Treasury, White House, and other administration officials are debating new sanctions that would prohibit financial firms like Visa and Mastercard from processing transactions in Venezuela, Bloomberg reports. According to Bloomberg, no decisions have been made, but the goal of the sanction is to "squeeze Maduro and his allies in the military, as well as other connected, upper middle-class Venezuelans who have access to bank accounts and credit cards." The sanctions could also impact "oil Read the full story

U.S. Envoy For Venezuela To Meet With Russian Deputy FM
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
The U.S. special envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, will meet with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov in Rome on March 18-19, the U.S. State Department has said in a press release. Read the full story

Oil Prices Are at Risk of Spiking as the Venezuelan Crisis Deepens
The Motley Fool
The South American country's electricity woes threaten to shut off its oil pumps. Read the full story

Argentina closes airspace to Boeing 737 MAX flights- state news agency
Reuters
Argentina has temporarilyclosed its airspace to flights using Boeing 737 MAX aircraft,following similar measures taken by other countries in theregion after two fatal crashes involving the plane, thestate-run news agency said on Saturday. Read the full story

Argentina benefit cuts cause anger over beleaguered economy
Aljazeera
Rising prices, higher inflation, increasing poverty, growing unemployment - these are all major concerns in Argentina. So, too, are cuts in government benefits to the most vulnerable. The latest outcry about the state of the economy has brought traffic to cities, including the capital. Al Jazeera's Daniel Schweimler reports from Buenos Aires. Read the full story

MIDDLE EAST

UAE’s US Treasury holdings fall 1.4% in January
Mubasher
Abu Dhabi – Mubasher: The UAE has slashed its holdings of the US Treasury bonds by 1.4% month-on-month to $56 billion in January, from $56.8 billion in December 2018, according to official data. On a yearly basis, the Gulf country’s investments … Read the full story

Saudi Arabia’s US Treasury holdings rise 13% YoY in January
Mubasher
Riyadh – Mubasher: Saudi Arabia’s holdings of US debt instruments jumped 13.15% year-on-year to $162.6 billion (SAR 610.06 billion) in January, from $143.7 billion (SAR 552.75 billion), according to data released by the US Department of the … Read the full story

Saudi stocks set to receive $20 bln windfall even as some investors sit out
Reuters
* Saudi stocks to suck in $20 bln in passive flows Read the full story

Why the media fails to cover Palestine with accuracy and empathy
Aljazeera
Glasgow, Scotland - Often dubbed an open-air prison on account of Israel's and Egypt's ongoing air, land and sea blockade of the coastal enclave, Gaza is, according to Amnesty International and several other rights groups, on the brink of a humanitarian disaster. In February, Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, highlighted the crisis, saying that the near two million Palestinians of the besieged strip "remain mired in increasing poverty and unemployment, with limited access to adequate Read the full story

Trying to Kill the Iran Deal Could End Up Saving It
The Atlantic
Trump administration officials are publicly united on their policy of punishing the Islamic Republic. But cracks are showing over just how far to go. Read the full story

The US journalist detained for 544 days in Iran warns: 'Trump's foreign policy is misguided and under-informed'
Business Insider
A pawn in a game of international chess, Jason Rezaian, Tehran correspondent for The Washington Post, spent 544 days in an Iranian prison. On moving to Iran, former Tehran bureau chief at the Washington Post Jason Rezaian was planning to enlighten readers with colorful tales of the country, which was mostly closed off to the outside world. His plans quickly went awry: on July 22, 2014, he was arrested and in 2015, was convicted of espionage. In an interview with Business Insider, Rezaian Read the full story

Banks push up DFM at Sunday’s close
Mubasher
By: Mahmoud Gamal Dubai – Mubasher: The Dubai Financial Market (DFM) ended Sunday’s trading session in positive territory, supported by the banks sector on the back of launching the “National Loans Scheme”. The scheme, launched by the Central Bank … Read the full story

Iranian, Iraqi, Syrian Top Generals in Damascus for Trilateral Talks
IFP News
Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri has arrived in the Syrian capital of Damascus, where he plans to attend a trilateral meeting with his Syrian and Iraqi counterparts. Read the full story
AFRICA

Africa: UN Warns of Millions of Premature Deaths By 2050 Due to Environmental Damage
AllAfrica
Nairobi Environmental damage caused by man-made activities is having a devastating toll on human health, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning of millions of premature deaths due to air and water pollution by 2050 if action was not taken. Seen as the most comprehensive and rigorous assessment on the state of the environment, the U.N.'s Global Environment Outlook said human health - was in "dire straits" due to unsustainable development and poor environmental protection. Air pollution Read the full story

Africa: Proposal for UN to Study Climate-Cooling Technologies Rejected
AllAfrica
London A push to launch a high-level study of potentially risky technological fixes to curb climate change was abandoned on Thursday at a U.N. environmental conference in Nairobi, as countries including the United States raised objections. "From our perspective, that's a huge disappointment," said Franz Xaver Perrez, environmental ambassador for Switzerland, which had proposed the U.N. assessment with the backing of 11 other governments. "Some of these technologies could have huge impacts at a Read the full story

Cyclone in southeast Africa kills nearly 150 people
New York Post
The African nations of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi have been hit by a cyclone that has killed nearly 150 people, left another 150 missing and stranded tens of thousands of others who are cut off from roads and phones in mainly poor, rural areas. Hardest hit by Cyclone Idai is Mozambique’s port city of Beira, where the airport is closed, electricity is out and many homes destroyed. In total, thousands are marooned and have abandoned their homes and possessions to seek safety on higher ground. Read the full story

East Africa: Cement Firms Record Steady Decline in Fortunes
AllAfrica
Cement manufacturers in East Africa are staring at dwindling sales, rising operational costs and plummeting incomes this year, industry data shows. In what has now become predictable, Kenya's East African Portland Cement has yet again issued a profit warning, preparing shareholders for another year of loss-making. The company, which is located outside the Kenyan capital Nairobi, said preliminary evaluation of the unaudited results for the period to December 31, 2018 had showed that full-year Read the full story

ASIA

Europe turns its concerns to China's growing clout as Xi visits
CNBC
The European Union needs a coherent strategy toward China that will unite its members. The United States needs to develop a similar strategy of its own, then join transatlantic talks to galvanize democracies to confront what the EU itself called a "systemic rival," writes Atlantic Council CEO Fred Kempe. Read the full story

For countries around the world, China’s ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ has more pros than cons
South China Morning Post
Italy’s plan to join China’s “Belt and Road Initiative” (BRI) was bound to be controversial. Such a move would be highly symbolic, no member of the Group of Seven most advanced economies having so far signed on, and the idea worries governments wary about… Read the full story

As China chases economic growth, pollution and poverty will take a back seat
South China Morning Post
If last year’s annual parliamentary session was a powerful demonstration of political force by the pre-eminent Chinese president, this year’s gathering was a pitiful show for China’s powerless premier. Twelve months ago, in a politically charged gathering… Read the full story

China plans a solar power play that NASA abandoned decades ago
CNBC
China thinks a solar power project in space to beam energy from the sun back for use on Earth is a viable idea. The renewable-energy concept has been around for decades, and as the space race with the geopolitical rival of the U.S. heats up, the idea continues to have its backers and detractors. Read the full story

China, Hong Kong stocks rise on hopes of Fed's dovish stance
Reuters
* SSEC gains 1.3 pct, CSI300 rises 1.6 pct, HSI 0.7 pcthigher Read the full story
EUROPE

Theresa May pleads MPs to act like 'patriots' and back Brexit deal
Daily Mail
The Prime Minister urged MPs to 'stand together as democrats and patriots' and accept her withdrawal agreement so that the UK could 'heal its divisions and move forward'. Read the full story

Hungary leader grapples with EU as corruption concerns rise
Business Insider
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - As the Hungarian prime minister's conflicts with the European Union appear headed to a breaking point, calls are increasing for greater scrutiny of his government's spending of the bloc's funds. An opposition lawmaker in Hungary has gathered more than 470,000 signatures to pressure Prime Minister Viktor Orban into joining the budding European Public Prosecutor's Office as Orban's Fidesz party may be suspended or expelled this coming week from the main center-right group Read the full story

UK leader to lawmakers: Back my deal or face lengthy delay
ABC News
British Prime Minister Theresa May has warned that it would be "a potent symbol of Parliament's collective political failure" if Brexit were to be delayed by so long that the U.K. has to take part in May's European elections Read the full story

Latvian foreign minister says he would back Brexit extension
Reuters
Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics said he would encourage his government to agree to a Brexit extension ahead of a European Union summit this week. Read the full story

4.5-magnitude quake strikes Greek island; no damage reported
ABC News
Greek geological experts say an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.5 has hit the western island of Zakynthos, but no damage has been reported Read the full story
d
 
CBI, ISX, Kauaihn Chatter:
 
CBI Update:
 
 
The CBI for Tuesday 3/19/19 did update on the indicative rates Sell Rate 1190
The currency auction total sales amount  192,971,250
There are no news and announcements.
ISX Update:
Value Traded
337,266,254
 
Shares Traded
463,390,095
 
ISX ended in Green
 
Kauaihn Chatter:dd
 
http://www.dinarguru.com/
 
 
3-19-2019   Newshound/Intel Guru Mnt Goat   The news pouring out of Iraq now is all about Iranian influence and how it is negatively effecting Iraq and the currency reform process. When we see such a number of articles concentrating all on the same topic, we can see clearly that this is what they are working on now and need to resolve. ...This area I totally see how it is impacting on holding back the currency reform, the project to delete the zeros and the reinstatement and so it got my attention. We may be coming to an end to this fiasco of holding back the reinstatement after all if this newest effort will work. So, we sit tight and wait for anticipation.
 
3-18-2019   Newshound Guru Kaperoni    Article:  "Keywords calls to stimulate the real sectors in the country to raise the pressure on the central bank"   I am still riding high...on that CBI article I posted over the weekend. The CBI was very clear they want pressure in the article from last weekend. In fact Alaq said "pressure."  If you put that in context for what the CBI does (monetary policy)...it is very clear what they saying.  I am still hopeful by mid summer Iraq will be ready to begin reforms.
 
3-18-2019   Intel Guru MarkZ  I can find no movement over the weekend. The rumor is banks have received the packages…we have been told by banking contacts that everything goes down between today and Wed. ...I am taking news from banks with a grain of salt….  [... Is there a back wall date?]  I think the back wall is the end of March.  [Is the QFS (Quantum Financial System)in place to protect our exchange.]  I hear it is.  ...I hear everything is ready.
3-18-2019   Newshound Guru MilitiaMan   Article:  "Rafidain: We support partnership with the private sector"  Article quote:  "Gaining ISO certification for your organization means more accessible entry into new markets, globally-accepted products and services, and compatibility across the world. It also improves your credibility, your process, and ensures focus on customer satisfaction."   Having the ISO 9001 aligning or mirroring with Loyds is another big indicator they are gearing for a move towards doing international banking in a big way...All these things ISO 9001 represents shows growth and progress to that Iraq banking is looking to be so very close to un rolling the private sector in a far more advanced way than ever before...a prelude for what is at the door...imo...
 
 
3-17-2019 Intel Guru MarkZ [your opinion on dela rue machine, or let them send it away, to be verified.] After talking to a treasury contact ...and a number of banking contacts…they told me to NOT LET OUR CURRENCY OUT OF OUR SIGHT…so that’s what I am going to do.

 
 
Elmer:
 
Not in today
 
Artmeister:
 
Not in today
 

Catnip:
 
 
*************
ARTICLE 1 (from PM Mahdi's website)

At the time this report was submitted, there were no new articles posted on PM Mahdi's website.

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ARTICLE 2 (from Government of Iraq twitter account)

At the time this report was submitted, there were no new tweets posted on the Government of Iraq twitter account.

*************
ARTICLE 3

LANDBINDENT: Abdul Mahdi surrounds himself with close associates to face the mafia of corruption

March 18 - The Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, is facing strong opposition by political mafias to prevent him from fulfilling his promises, while revealing that he has surrounded himself with people to prevent parties from circumventing his plans, especially In the fight against corruption.

"Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi is trying to find a way to meet some of his promises of war on financial and administrative corruption in Iraq, but he faces strong opposition because of the control of strong political mafias on vital economic files," a newspaper said in its report.

"Since the year 2006, Iraq's annual budget has been linked to the term explosive, because of the large increase in oil revenues at the time, the doubling of government spending, and the combination of political action with corruption, which has become a gateway to enrichment that is used to expand the influence of personalities and parties at the expense of the deterioration of public services in various sectors .

"Abdul Mahdi has surrounded himself with figures with whom he has long-standing relationships and has been tasked with carrying out corruption-related tasks without official decisions, which Abdul Mahdi believes will prevent influential parties accused of corruption from circumventing his plans, Responsible for integrity.

"Although the country's budget annually includes about 10 years of financial allocations, sometimes exceeding $ 100 billion, which is supposed to be spent on services and development, the basic services sectors such as electricity, water, health and education continue to collapse under increasing public pressure to improve them. , The collision of security forces in some provinces, especially during the summer months, has reached a limit.

On the other hand, the paper pointed out that "Baghdad Declaration to eliminate the organization" urged "the form of a gateway to enter a new phase, observers thought it will focus on fighting corruption, which transfers funds from state coffers to the accounts of political figures inside and outside the country. With the arrival of Abdul-Mahdi as prime minister, a veteran politician known for his stalemate and away from other politicians' ways of consolidating their influence in the country, the belief that the Iraqi government is engaged in a fierce war against corruption has increased.

"The government's actions do not live up to the requirements of tackling corruption, which is politically managed, and turns all state departments into" party companies, "the paper quoted deputies and observers as saying.

As for the head of the Integrity Commission, Judge Izzat Tawfiq, in a traffic accident in Dohuk, she explained that "due to widespread corruption among the parties, Abdul Mahdi does not find enough honest figures to rely on."

"For example, the head of the Integrity Commission, Judge Izzat Tawfiq, died last Thursday in a traffic accident that was ambiguous about its circumstances," indicating that "news leaked the intention of Tawfiq to open files of corruption related to Iraq's border crossings, especially with Iran, where the phenomenon prevails Pay bribes for the entry of expired goods or the smuggling of narcotic substances. "

"Instead of releasing Abdul Mahdi, an investigation into the death of the head of the Integrity Commission, he sent a team of his associates to one of the main border crossings between Iraq and Iran, to verify the allegations of corruption." (1)

*************
ARTICLE 4

Kirkuk announced the disruption of the work on Wednesday and Thursday on the occasion of Norouz celebrations "document"

BAGHDAD, March 19 (KUNA) - Kirkuk province announced on Tuesday that it would suspend its work on Wednesday and Thursday for the Noruz holiday.

The Diyala provincial council has suspended official working hours for Wednesday and Thursday.

"The official decision of the government departments in Diyala will be suspended for the next Wednesday and Thursday," Diyala council chairman said in a brief statement. "The decision to disrupt comes on the occasion of the Norouz holidays, and the decision will be circulated to all official circles in the province." F:

*************
ARTICLE 5

Ratification of confessions of defendants who promoted false money in Diyala

Diyala - Iraq Press - March 19: The Media Center of the Supreme Judicial Council announced that "the Court of Investigation Baquba ratified the confessions of two accused of counterfeit funds in the province."

The media center of the Higher Judicial Council said that "the defendants were arrested with a falsified sum of 14 million Iraqi dinars in the category of 25 thousand dinars with a security card of 100 US dollars forged," adding that "the defendants admitted before the investigating judge that the purpose Is the promotion and trading of counterfeit currency within the district of Baquba that the court has ratified their statements and all measures have been taken against them according to the provisions of Article 281 of the Penal Code. Finished

*************
ARTICLE 6

 

Spring Conference at the Mansion House, London

April 10th 2019

Registration is now open. Fees:
Non-members £1000.00
Members £300.00
 
Partner Organisation £600.00

Iraq – Financing a Modern Economy
10 April, The Mansion House, London
Join IBBC, its members and the international business and finance community for a full agenda of expert speakers, UK & Iraqi politicians and many networking and business development opportunities.
With a strong focus on the banking & financial sector in Iraq this year, we expect the most prominent institutions from Iraq, the UK and international financial organisations involved in Iraq to attend. Other sessions will focus on Oil & Gas, human capital and capacity building in the public sector.
H.E. Dr Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance will lead a high level delegation alongside Dr Mehdi Al Alak, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, officials from the Central Bank of Iraq, a delegation from the Union of Private Banks and the Governors of Erbil, Sulamania and Karbala.
Round-table discussions will take place with Iraqi officials where delegates can engage in concentrated debates on country specific issues.
Dr Mehdi Al Alak, Secretary General of the Council of Ministers will present a paper on ‘Private Sector Development and Investment in Iraq‘. Delegates will receive an exclusive insight into the Government’s planned measures and strategies to realise this ambition.
Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, President of IBBC and the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan & Kazakhstan will open the conference, alongside The Lord Mayor Locum TenensH.E. Dr Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Jon Wilks CMG, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Iraq.
Conference Sessions & Speakers
The Banking Sector in Iraq
Panellists: Dr Mazen Sabeh Ahmed, Central Bank of IraqStandard Chartered BankUK Export Finance (UKEF)Iraq Private Banking League; JP Morgan
Stock Marker & Investment Opportunities
Panellists: Iraqi Stock ExchangeRabee Securities; Eversheds Sutherland; Iraq Stock Market (tbc)
Oil & Gas
Panellists: ShellBPChevron; Director General of the Southern Gas Company (tbc); Deputy Oil Minister (tbc)
Capacity Building in Iraq
Panellists: Dr Renad Mansour, Chatham House; Prof. Mohammed Al-Uzri, University of Leicester; Ms Samer Al Mafraji, AMS Iraq

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