Iraq achieves $ 20 billion in surplus oil sales and avoids borrowing
The Central Bank of Iraq increases its capital to 5 trillion dinars
The Board of Directors of the Central Bank of Iraq decided today, Thursday, to increase its capital from (3) trillion dinars to (5) trillion dinars.
The media office of the Central Bank of Iraq said in a statement received by Alsumaria News, "This increase comes to enhance the results of its balanced policies with a conservative investment management, and to emphasize the importance of the bank's capital and its reflection on its financial position, as the central banks' capital and financial centers reflect the sobriety of these institutions and the solidity of their assets." And the extent of its ability to support the banking sector and the economic sector in general.
The statement added, "The increase was made using part of the profits achieved by the Central Bank in 2021.
Iraq achieves $ 20 billion in surplus oil sales and avoids borrowing
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Iraqi Finance Minister Ali Allawi confirmed on Friday that his country will achieve a surplus from the difference in selling oil, amounting to 20 billion dollars.
Minister Allawi said today that this current financial abundance will spare Iraq from resorting to the borrowing policy, as it was prevalent in previous years, noting that Iraq has begun to feel the positive effects of changing the dollar exchange rate.
It is noteworthy that Iraq's annual budget depends by 95 percent on oil imports, whose prices have risen during 2022.
--(Petra)
A frustrating statement from Parliament's finances regarding the budget
The Finance Committee in the House of Representatives confirmed today, Friday, that approving the budget requires a government with full authority, and so far there are no signs of forming a new government, so the budget will be much delayed, if there is a budget in the first place.
Committee member Jamal Cougar told Earth News, "The House of Representatives cannot legislate the budget law because the budget law requires the exclusive authority of the executive government, but the government is a caretaker government, and therefore it does not have the authority to send laws.
He added, "Any law has a financial aspect and is sent by the government, so we cannot now legislate it, but our work is limited to other laws that do not have any financial aspect.
Political Affirmations Of The High Rate Of Poverty In The Country Under The Authority Of The Al-Kazemi Government
Political parties monitored a significant increase in the poverty rate that Iraq has suffered for a long time, confirming that the percentage increased a lot during the era of the Al-Kazemi government, especially after the rise in the exchange rate of the dollar.
And the representative of the State of Law coalition, Aref Al-Hamami, told Al-Maalouma, "The strategy of the caretaker government headed by Mustafa Al-Kazemi in fighting poverty is unclear and characterized by ambiguity, which contributed to the exacerbation of poverty rates under this authority."
On the other hand, Turki Jadaan, a member of the State of Law coalition, told "The Information", that "poverty rates in Iraq rose a lot under the Al-Kazemi government and its policies that caused the dollar exchange rate to rise in the local market, which added more than one million Iraqis to the poverty line." .
On the other hand, the economic expert Wissam Al-Tamimi pointed out to “Information” that “the poverty rate has risen to more than 30 percent from the previous rate due to the current government’s policies, its raising of the dollar exchange rate, and the increase in overall prices in the country without finding any real solutions to what the citizen suffers from.”
Jordan and Iraq cooperate in the areas of exploiting natural wealth
Yesterday, Thursday, Jordan and Iraq signed a memorandum of understanding stipulating the preparation of a joint project proposal for the development of industrial raw materials and rocks as an opportunity for investment and the establishment of a joint geological database and cooperation in the field of manpower training.
In the presence of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Dr. Saleh Al-Kharabsheh, and the Iraqi Minister of Industry and Minerals, Manhal Khabbaz, the memorandum was signed by the Assistant Secretary-General for Energy Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Eng. Hassan Al-Hiyari, and the head of the Iraqi technical delegation, Engineer Rafid Abdul-Jalil Jabbar.
Regarding the elements of the memorandum, Minister Kharabsheh said in a press statement after the signing that the two countries agreed to establish and integrate a geological database along the common border areas between the two brotherly countries, to be completed before the end of this year.
He explained that the two sides agreed to prepare a proposal for joint projects to develop raw materials and industrial rocks as an investment opportunity, including upgrading raw materials for phosphate rocks and using them in manufacturing industries to raise economic feasibility and upgrade raw materials for silica sand rocks and develop them into industrial raw materials of high purity that can be invested to raise their economic feasibility.
The two sides also agreed, according to Minister Kharabsheh, to prepare a joint training program in which manpower will be exchanged during, stressing that before the end of the year a number of measures will be taken to activate joint cooperation and complete the program agreed upon by the two parties.
Minister Kharabsheh stressed the importance of the memorandum of understanding in line with the ministry's interest in exploiting natural resources and launching a number of projects in this regard.
He said that the ministry has published a number of investment opportunities on natural resources in a number of regions of the Kingdom, and that work is underway to exploit natural resources in light of what the world is going through and its repercussions on the issue of food and food chains.
For his part, the Iraqi minister described the results of the work of the technical committees between the two countries as positive and the cooperation between the two countries has been going on for four months to reach these results, stressing the importance of the two countries' cooperation in the field of natural resources in response to the interest of the leaderships of the two countries to exploit these resources as alternatives to energy, especially silica ore.
Minister Khabbaz pointed to the importance of working to reduce carbon emissions and the importance of the presence of phosphates and sulfur and their inclusion in the agricultural process as fertilizers due to the importance of their results on food security and climate change.
He referred to timetables on joint cooperation, the results of which will appear within six months.
Because of the political blockage... Warnings of the collapse of the political system in Iraq - urgent
The leader in the coordination framework, MP Muhammad Al-Sihoud, warned today, Friday, of the danger of the continuation of the political blockage in .Iraq, during the next stage
Chihod said, in a statement to (Baghdad Today), that "there is a very great danger in the continuation of the political blockage in Iraq, during the next stage, as this matter may lead to the collapse of the political system in Iraq, and that is why everyone should beware of this matter, as it will not be In it, no party wins at all, but ".everyone will lose
He stressed, "the need for all political forces to sit at the dialogue table and negotiate to end the political blockage in Iraq as soon as possible, and to move away from the politics of marginalization and exclusion, which did not bring any good to ".the political process
Al-Uqabi Comments On The Emergency Support Amounts And Stresses: The Government Cannot Implement The 2022 Budget
Former MP Hussein Al-Aqabi confirmed that the emergency support bill included exaggerations in financial allocations, pointing out that the government, even if it wanted to legislate a budget, does not have the authority to implement its law as it is a daily business.
Al-Uqabi told Al-Maalouma, "The government can cover all its expenses through spending on a 1 by 12 system without going to the Emergency Food Security Support Law, which put 15-20 trillion investment expenditures that require contracts."
He added, "During the past year, the government did not work to spend the amount of 15 trillion on the investment budget, and therefore Parliament should legislate a balanced law that preserves public money and keeps the country away from internal and external borrowing."
And he indicated that "the government can pay part of its debts as it strains the annual budget of the state," noting that "the government, even if Parliament legislates the budget, it cannot implement it on the ground because it is a government that handles daily affairs."
A new Iranian mediation is expected in Iraq
hree well-informed Iraqi political sources in Baghdad and Najaf revealed to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that a new Iranian mediation is expected to start within a few days, led by several personalities described by the sources as "influential," led by the new Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, Muhammad Al Sadiq.
This mediation aims to reduce tension between the two sides of the political crisis that has been going on for more than six months in the country: the Sadrist movement led by Muqtada al-Sadr, and the "Coordination Framework" coalition, which includes a number of political forces allied to Tehran, most notably the "State of Law" led by Nuri al-Maliki. And the "Al-Fatah" coalition led by Hadi Al-Amiri, which presents itself as a political wing of the armed "Popular Mobilization" factions.
Iranian meetings with the leaders of the Coordination Framework and Al-Sadr to re-negotiations
The expected Iranian movement, which comes a few days after the new Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Muhammad Al-Sadeq, began his duties in Baghdad, will focus on conducting individual meetings with leaders of Shiite Arab political forces in Baghdad, before heading to meet Al-Sadr in Najaf.
So far, the features of mediation or its axes have not been clear, but a prominent deputy in the Iraqi parliament from the "Coordination Framework" coalition told "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed" that it aims to "reduce tension and re-launch negotiations after they stopped completely weeks ago," considering that success in re-establishing Political negotiations are "very important".
Iranian mediation aims to ease tension and relaunch negotiations
Another politician from the same coalition confirmed this information, and said in a telephone conversation with "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed", that "everyone is concerned about the current political tension in Iraq," noting that "powerful Iranian figures have come to see that solving the crisis and preventing its expansion to the popular bases of the blocs. Shiite politics is a duty.
However, the same source suggested that the new Iranian mediation would not be public or similar to mediations carried out by the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards, Esmail Qaani and other Iranian figures in the first months of the crisis, as the goal, according to the same spokesman, is to "return everyone to the negotiating table."
The source considered that "the Arab Sunni and Kurdish political forces bear part of the responsibility for the crisis, because of their alliance with the Sadrists and for breaking the rules that the political process has followed since 2005 with regard to the formation of governments."
He concluded by saying that "the Iranian movement seeks to find a new common space between the coordination framework and the Sadrist movement, and the current main knot is that the latter refuses to sit down to form a major Shiite bloc that in turn will form the government, and this is considered a confiscation of its right that resulted from the elections, despite the approval of the coordination framework that The Sadrist movement nominates the prime minister, but through the largest bloc that represents the largest social component in Iraq.
Muhammad Al-Sadeq leads the new Iranian mediation in Iraq
The movement to bring the parties to the crisis back to the dialogue table is again led by the new Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, Muhammad Al-Sadeq, who has conducted a series of meetings and contacts in the past few days with Iraqi political leaders, according to what Al-Araby Al-Jadeed has learned.
In this context, a member of the Sadrist movement said in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "Ambassador Al Sadiq's relationship with various Iraqi parties is excellent, due to his proficiency in the Arabic language and his previous experience working within the Iranian diplomatic staff in Baghdad, and his relationship with the Sadrist movement is Better than the latter's relationship with former ambassador Iraj Masjedi, which was cold."
Excluding Al-Sadr’s approval to hold any meetings before the 30-day period is completed
The same source ruled out Muqtada al-Sadr's agreement to hold any meetings before the completion of the 30-day deadline he presented to the other parties a few days ago to form the government, adding, "Therefore, efforts will be focused in Baghdad towards other political forces."
He considered that the new Iranian mediation "must be accompanied by the acceptance of the other party and its recognition of the election results and respect for the benefits that give the Sadrist movement the right to form the government in the way it wants."
Difficulties facing the movement of Iranians in Iraq
Regarding this information, Aid Al-Hilali, a prominent member of the "Coordination Framework" coalition, said in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "the Iranians are seeking to bring the views and positions closer within the Shiite political house at present, and their movement is in the interest of the political process, as Iran has good and good relations." With all parties, including Sunni and Kurdish.
But Al-Hilali spoke about “the difficulties facing the Iranians in uniting the Shiite house, especially since this house is currently divided into three sections: the first is the Sadrist movement, the second is the coordination framework, and the third section is the independent representatives (from the electoral districts in southern Iraq and Baghdad), and therefore there is a difficulty in including this The House," noting that "the Iranian initiative is not expected to yield results during this period."
Al-Hilali: The Iranian initiative is not expected to yield results during this period
He concluded by saying that "the political situation in Iraq has reached dangerous stages of obstruction, due to the Sadrist movement's rigidity and adherence to its positions, but in the end real solutions are necessary, and everyone is well aware that the solution is through the agreement of the current and the framework, and this is what the friendly internal and external parties are working on." ".
In turn, Mahdi Abdul Karim, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that "the Iranians have lost a lot of influence in the Iraqi political scene after the departure of (former Quds Force leader Qassem) Soleimani."
Abdul Karim added that "Iranian mediations during the past months to solve the crisis of forming the Iraqi government failed in an unprecedented way to bring the views closer. Therefore, we expect the failure of any new Iranian initiative due to Muqtada al-Sadr and his allies' adherence to the majority government project."
Abdul Karim continued: "There are two lines in Iraq currently: the first is represented by the Triple Alliance (the Sadrist Movement, the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Alliance of Sovereignty) , which has a national project and rejects any external interference, and the second line is represented by the coordination framework and those with it, which is close to Tehran and seeks a consensual government that does not bear any real change or reform."
Iranian interference in Iraq has not stopped
In addition, the head of the "Political Thinking" Center in Baghdad, Ihsan Al-Shammari, said, in an interview with Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that "the Iranian interference in Iraq has not stopped, and Tehran has been active at the level of the political scene in all its details since the formation of electoral lists and political alliances, and these interventions It continued at the highest levels through Qaani's repeated visits to Iraq."
Al-Shammari explained that "the new Iranian ambassador in Baghdad, Muhammad Al-Sadeq, was not absent or new to the political scene. He has strong relations with most Shiite political leaders and others, and was part of previous Iranian initiatives and mediations."
Abdul Karim: We expect the failure of any new Iranian initiative due to Al-Sadr's adherence to the majority government project
He considered that "Iran is well aware that any moment of friction or a Shiite-Shiite clash will lose it a lot inside Iraq, and for this it will continue to try to bring the views between the Sadrist movement and the coordinating framework."
Al-Shammari concluded by saying: "Iran has one possible solution for the success of its mediation in resolving the political crisis in Iraq, which is not to ask Al-Sadr to make any concessions, and in return pressure on the coordination framework to accept the proposal of the majority government, according to guarantees. The success of the Iranian initiative is through directing it towards the framework Not towards al-Sadr, otherwise it is very difficult for Tehran to influence al-Sadr."
The unprecedented political crisis continues in Iraq for more than six months, following the legislative elections last October, which led to the victory of the Sadrist movement by a wide margin over its closest rivals from the "coordinating framework" forces.
Al-Sadr, who succeeded in attracting Sunni Arab and Kurdish political forces within an alliance called "Save a Homeland" , insists on forming a national majority government, at a time when the forces backed by Tehran, which are part of the "coordinating framework", reject this proposal, and demand By forming a consensus government, similar to previous governments based on the quota approach within state institutions according to sectarian, not electoral, weights.
In the document and exclusively.. the Ministry of Oil reveals its procedures towards the region in implementing the decision of the Federal Court
According to a book by the ministry, which is published exclusively by the Euphrates News Agency, it has "asked the regional government to nominate authorized representatives of the competent authorities to implement the decision of the Federal Court."
In its book No. 87 dated 24/2/2022, Al-Nil indicated that it "set basic principles and procedural mechanisms for structuring the management of the region's oil activity to ensure the rights of all concerned parties in accordance with specific timetables."
And it noted, "its emphasis on the need to expedite the sending of documents and work teams authorized by the region to achieve the timelines."
The ministry pointed out that its book, No. 109 on 7/4/2022, emphasized the need to implement the basic principles mentioned in its book No. 87 above, and that the Federal Ministry of Oil is obligated to implement the decision of the Federal Supreme Court and set a maximum date of five days from the date of issuance of the book to nominate an authorized delegation from the authorities of the region to discuss the mechanisms for implementing the court’s decision.”
The Ministry of Oil said, "Its attempts - mentioned in advance - to establish a rational administrative system that guarantees the optimal investment of state resources and achieves the interests of all parties in accordance with the aforementioned Federal Supreme Court decision and in a way that gives space for the region to manage its resources through federal institutions with broad powers, did not achieve the desired results."
And she revealed, "The regional government indicated its opinion in this regard in their book No. 187 on 4/6/2022, which states that the Kurdistan Regional Government considers the decision of the Federal Supreme Court unconstitutional {Federal Oil} has proceeded with a set of procedures in accordance with its federal responsibilities in managing the overall oil activity of the country To achieve the desired goal of national pride and to achieve integration in managing the energy file and in line with the provisions of the court decision above.
On February 15, the Federal Supreme Court issued its decision containing the unconstitutionality of the Oil and Gas Law of the Kurdistan Regional Government No. 22 of 2007 and its cancellation for violating the provisions of Articles (110, 111, 112, 115, 121 and 130) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq for the year 2005.
The judicial decision included " Obligating the regional government to hand over all oil production from the oil fields in the Kurdistan region and other areas from which the Ministry of Natural Resources in the Kurdistan Regional Government has extracted oil and hand it over to the federal government represented by the Federal Ministry of Oil and enabling it to use its constitutional powers regarding oil exploration, extraction and export.
The Supreme Court confirmed that "the Ministry of Oil has the right to follow up on the invalidity of the oil contracts concluded by the Kurdistan Regional Government with foreign parties, countries and companies regarding oil exploration, extraction, export and sale."
It also obligated the Kurdistan Regional Government to enable the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau to review all oil contracts concluded with the Kurdistan Regional Government regarding the export and sale of oil and gas for the purpose of auditing and determining the financial rights owed by the Kurdistan Regional Government as a result of it, and to determine the region’s share of the general budget in the manner in which It guarantees the delivery of the rights of the citizens of the governorates of the Kurdistan region from the federal general budget and not delaying it, and notifying the federal government and the Federal Office of Financial Supervision of that.”
Federal Oil begins new procedures regarding the oil file in the Kurdistan region
The Iraqi Oil Ministry has asked oil and gas companies operating in the Kurdistan region to sign new contracts with the state-owned Marketing Company (SOMO) instead of the regional government, in a new attempt to control revenue from the semi-autonomous region.
Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar said on May 7 that the Oil Ministry would start implementing the Federal Court ruling issued in February, which deemed the legal foundations of the oil and gas sector in the Kurdistan region unconstitutional after talks with the regional government failed.
Iraq's oil ministry has appointed international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton to reach out to oil and gas companies operating in the Kurdistan region "to begin discussions to bring their operations into compliance with applicable Iraqi law," according to a copy of a May 8 letter seen by Reuters.
The letter added that implementing the court's ruling would require changes to the companies' contract systems. A source said that other companies received a letter addressed to them directly from the Minister of Oil.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has repeatedly rejected the Federal Court's ruling.
The letter constitutes the first direct communication between the ministry and the oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region. The move comes after years of continuous attempts by the federal government to control the revenues of the Kurdistan region, including rulings from local courts and threats to resort to international arbitration.
The results of the latest step are not fully clear, as the new Iraqi government is still under formation despite the passage of seven months since the elections.
A legal adviser to the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Reuters on condition of anonymity that a joint governmental committee, which includes representatives from the Oil Ministry, including the minister, the Iraqi National Oil Company and the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau, will conduct a review of the contracts.
The adviser added that the goal is to sign contracts in the end with the central government and not with the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Foreign oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, including Genel Energy, Chevron and Gulf Keystone, as well as Cleary Gottlieb, declined to comment.
The Iraqi Oil Ministry and DNO Oil and Gas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
An official in the Ministry of Oil said that the ministry has not yet received responses from the concerned companies, and if it does not receive a response, it will take further legal measures, without giving further details.
A representative of the oil companies told Reuters that foreign oil companies will likely not communicate with Baghdad directly without coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.
The World Bank announces its readiness to support Iraq by expanding the use of clean energy
The World Bank announced today, Friday, its readiness to support Iraq by expanding the use of clean energy.
And the Central Bank of Iraq said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), that "the Governor of the Central Bank, Mustafa Ghaleb Mukhif, participated in the closing meeting of the World Bank's mission to enhance support for the Iraqi financial sector reforms program, which was held in Amman on Friday, May 20, 2022, at the head of A high-level delegation from the Central Bank and representatives of the Ministry of Finance.
The statement added, "The mission reviewed the cooperation and support programs provided by the World Bank to the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance with the aim of reforming the financial sector and enhancing its role in financing economic development."
He pointed out that "
He added, "It was agreed to continue joint cooperation between the above-mentioned entities to increase the financial depth, and the importance of green finance in the face of climate changes was also emphasized," noting that "the World Bank expressed its willingness to assist the relevant Iraqi authorities in building a road map to expand the use of Clean energy, stressing "the importance of the initiative of the Central Bank of Iraq in supporting the financing of solar energy systems with an amount of one trillion dinars."
The exchange rates of the dollar witnessed, today, Friday, stability in the local markets
The selling prices of the dollar were 148,300 dinars per $100, while the purchase prices of the dollar were 148,200 dinars per $100.
Favorite Currencies Forex Quotes
| Symbol | Bid | Ask | High | Low | Open | Change | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD/IQD |  1457.0000 |  1462.0000 | 1458.3000 | 1458.2000 | 1458.3000 | 0.6000 | 08:35 |
| USD/VND | 23165.0000 | 23175.0000 | 23150.6500 | 23137.8200 | 23137.8200 | 14.9300 | 22:49 |
| USD/CNY | 6.6698 | 6.6718 | 6.7301 | 6.6682 | 6.7121 | -0.0428 | 05:02 |
| USD/KWD | 0.3058 | 0.3068 | 0.3062 | 0.3059 | 0.3062 | -0.0003 | 05:00 |
| GBP/USD |  1.2480 | 1.2481 | 1.2496 | 1.2438 | 1.2465 | 0.0016 | 05:04 |
| USD/IRR | 42100.0000 | 42600.0000 | 42332.1000 | 42332.1000 | 42332.1000 | 53.6000 | 12:50 |
| USD/IDR | 14642.0000 | 14642.0000 | 14679.0000 | 14618.0000 | 14632.0000 | 11.0000 | 05:02 |
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Because of the political blockage... Warnings of the collapse of the political system in Iraq - urgent
The leader in the coordination framework, MP Muhammad Al-Sihoud, warned today, Friday, of the danger of the continuation of the political blockage in .Iraq, during the next stage
Chihod said, in a statement to (Baghdad Today), that "there is a very great danger in the continuation of the political blockage in Iraq, during the next stage, as this matter may lead to the collapse of the political system in Iraq, and that is why everyone should beware of this matter, as it will not be In it, no party wins at all, but ".everyone will lose
He stressed, "the need for all political forces to sit at the dialogue table and negotiate to end the political blockage in Iraq as soon as possible, and to move away from the politics of marginalization and exclusion, which did not bring any good to ".the political process
Al-Kazemi attacks the Green Zone.. It will not exist anymore
Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi detonated a heavy bomb by declaring near the end of the era of the "Green Zone" that was established in the month of April 2003.
During his recent visit, Al-Kazemi pledged the secretariat of Baghdad, a day after the dismissal of its secretary, Alaa Maan, because of The continuing suffering of the people of the capital, which is inhabited by about 12 million people, is that the Green Zone in the center of the security-fortified capital, Baghdad, will return to its previous era, like the rest of the capital’s regions.
During his tour of the secretariat building, Al-Kazemi confirmed that his visit to the secretariat building aims to directly follow the progress of work, and “we will be in direct contact with you in the coming period,” revealing that “the concept of the green zone must change, and return to its previous era, with their original names.
What is the green zone?
Al-Kazemi, who leads the “daily caretaker” government, is the second prime minister among the prime ministers who took power after 2003. He deals with the file of the heavily fortified Green Zone, which includes the government palace and the Conference Palace, which includes the buildings of the Iraqi parliament, as well as the location of the US embassy and a number of Another of the headquarters of Arab and foreign embassies.
The Green Zone also includes the headquarters, offices and homes of a large number of Iraqi leaders and political leaders, and entry is not permitted except with special permits and approvals. However, former Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi had announced the opening of the Green Zone to citizens with the aim of ending traffic congestion, as it occupies a large area on the Karkh side in Baghdad and intersects with many roads, in addition to the desire not to remain a mystery to the ordinary citizen.
But Abdul-Mahdi's decision at the time collided with American objections, as well as other political forces, especially after they began to be targeted with missiles that were targeting the American embassy.
As a result, movement in it was restricted, so that it was limited to certain hours during the day and via one road from Airport Street to the suspension bridge. However, what is new in Al-Kazemi’s announcement is to end its name “Green Zone” and return to its old name, which is Al-Taqseh neighborhood and Karada Maryam.
While it is expected that Al-Kazemi’s decision will receive a great popular welcome due to the negative view that the Iraqi citizen holds to the Green Zone, the decision may face objections from political forces, and if it is not able to announce an explicit rejection of the decision, but rather tries to continue to object to his powers as prime minister of a government that manages daily affairs.
It is noteworthy that the strong fortifications inside the Green Zone and at its outer walls prevented the occurrence of major explosions in it, such as those that were taking place in Baghdad daily for more than 12 years, leaving tens of thousands of victims. Throughout the years of the bombing, which were reduced to bloody days such as Bloody Wednesday, Bloody Thursday and Bloody Sunday, the Iraqis used to call the rest of the capital, Baghdad, outside the walls of the Green Zone, the “red zone.”
In addition, Al-Kazemi directed, in conjunction with his decision, to return the Green Zone to its old designations, by launching hygiene campaigns in terms of work towards a clean Baghdad. He said that "Baghdad today is experiencing great suffering and clear neglect, despite the government's support to advance the reality of the capital," expressing regret that he sees "Baghdad in this state of crowding, and the impact of the absurd planning of the influential people; This caused real estate prices to rise in certain areas of the city.”
He stressed that "we must reorganize projects, and work to raise the manifestations that are not appropriate for an ancient capital like Baghdad," noting that "it is very shameful that citizens' transactions are not completed except by paying bribes, and you are required to work on automating work in honesty departments. Baghdad to eliminate corruption and provide services faster and more.
Federal Oil begins new procedures regarding the oil file in the Kurdistan region
The Iraqi Oil Ministry has asked oil and gas companies operating in the Kurdistan region to sign new contracts with the state-owned Marketing Company (SOMO) instead of the regional government, in a new attempt to control revenue from the semi-autonomous region.
Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar said on May 7 that the Oil Ministry would start implementing the Federal Court ruling issued in February, which deemed the legal foundations of the oil and gas sector in the Kurdistan region unconstitutional after talks with the regional government failed.
Iraq's oil ministry has appointed international law firm Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton to reach out to oil and gas companies operating in the Kurdistan region "to begin discussions to bring their operations into compliance with applicable Iraqi law," according to a copy of a May 8 letter seen by Reuters.
The letter added that implementing the court's ruling would require changes to the companies' contract systems. A source said that other companies received a letter addressed to them directly from the Minister of Oil.
The Kurdistan Regional Government has repeatedly rejected the Federal Court's ruling.
The letter constitutes the first direct communication between the ministry and the oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region. The move comes after years of continuous attempts by the federal government to control the revenues of the Kurdistan region, including rulings from local courts and threats to resort to international arbitration.
The results of the latest step are not fully clear, as the new Iraqi government is still under formation despite the passage of seven months since the elections.
A legal adviser to the Iraqi Oil Ministry told Reuters on condition of anonymity that a joint governmental committee, which includes representatives from the Oil Ministry, including the minister, the Iraqi National Oil Company and the Federal Financial Supervision Bureau, will conduct a review of the contracts.
The adviser added that the goal is to sign contracts in the end with the central government and not with the Kurdistan Regional Government.
Foreign oil companies operating in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, including Genel Energy, Chevron and Gulf Keystone, as well as Cleary Gottlieb, declined to comment.
The Iraqi Oil Ministry and DNO Oil and Gas did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
An official in the Ministry of Oil said that the ministry has not yet received responses from the concerned companies, and if it does not receive a response, it will take further legal measures, without giving further details.
A representative of the oil companies told Reuters that foreign oil companies will likely not communicate with Baghdad directly without coordination with the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.
Al-Uqabi Comments On The Emergency Support Amounts And Stresses: The Government Cannot Implement The 2022 Budget
Former MP Hussein Al-Aqabi confirmed that the emergency support bill included exaggerations in financial allocations, pointing out that the government, even if it wanted to legislate a budget, does not have the authority to implement its law as it is a daily business.
Al-Uqabi told Al-Maalouma, "The government can cover all its expenses through spending on a 1 by 12 system without going to the Emergency Food Security Support Law, which put 15-20 trillion investment expenditures that require contracts."
He added, "During the past year, the government did not work to spend the amount of 15 trillion on the investment budget, and therefore Parliament should legislate a balanced law that preserves public money and keeps the country away from internal and external borrowing."
And he indicated that "the government can pay part of its debts as it strains the annual budget of the state," noting that "the government, even if Parliament legislates the budget, it cannot implement it on the ground because it is a government that handles daily affairs."
CBI Update: Just a note: FRIDAY
What's new, according to Mind Your Body Green , is that eating certain foods, even if they are light, before bedtime can lead to insomnia.
As advised by nutritionist Julie Stefansky, there are 5 foods and drinks that should be avoided before bed, as follows:
1. Spicy foods
Stefansky explained that it's best to eat spicy foods at lunch or dinner as early as possible because curry, for example, can complicate digestion even in the middle of the night after already sleeping.
Spicy foods also contain high levels of capsaicin, a phytochemical that increases metabolism and burns calories for heat, which can make some sleepless. of capsaicin per serving (7.68 mg/day) has been shown to restore the body's energy balance", which is not needed at bedtime.
2. Fried and fatty foods
Stefansky added that fried and fatty foods are also known to disrupt digestion at night, and you can only eat healthy fats such as nuts, seeds or avocados.
3. Acidic foods
One of the best tips for eating in the evening, Stefansky said, is to try to reduce stomach acid production. Of course, avoiding acidic foods is a good decision, including all foods and drinks that contain sugar, baked goods, grains, and some dairy products.
4. Soft drinks and caffeine
Many people know that coffee isn't the only caffeinated beverage to avoid before bed. Sodas and caffeinated tea can also cause insomnia. Stefansky noted that soft drinks can also disrupt digestion.
5. Big meals
Finally, as a general rule, you should avoid eating large amounts of any food before bed, Stefansky says, as trying to sleep after a big meal keeps digestion going through the night, which requires energy.
Eating larger lunches and lighter dinners helps promote sleep quality, and Stefansky advised options that can actually support rather than discourage sleep, such as magnesium-rich foods like bananas, chickpeas, nuts, seeds and dark chocolate.
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