Last week the Iraqi parliament passed a new law governing the work of NGOs and civil society. It was the third draft of the law after a process of re-drafting and improvement following the rejection of the law’s... by  Adil Wainwright in Amman  more

• + Many Names, Same Poverty
• + Backsliding Freedom of press in Kurdistan
• + Father Thomas: Emigration the norm for Iraqi Christians

A survey conducted by the Kurdistan Institution for Political Issues (KIPI), released on 13th January, showed that the cost of housing in the region is people’s number one cause for concern. The survey was... by  Qassim Khidhir Hamad in Erbil  more

• + Failure to pass economic laws is jeopardizing Iraq\'s economy
• + The Communications and Media Commission: We provide the state with billions of dollars
• + Diyala Battles Water Shortage

Gilles Kepel, the well-known French scholar and Middle East expert, arrived in Baghdad for his first visit. Kepel Charirs the Middle East and Mediterranean Studies Department and heads the post-graduate program in Arab... by  Sa'ad Salloum in Baghdad  more

• + Arabs and Turkmen Angry Over Joint Force
• + the big parties get ahead
• + Exiles Look Forward To Voting

The Ghadeer neighbourhood in Karbala goes under many names. Ghadeer is its official name, after a Shia religious celebration. Its residents call it Tanak, meaning ‘tin’. This is because the houses were originally... by  Kholoud Ramzi in Karbala  more

• + new law lets ngos work
• + Backsliding Freedom of press in Kurdistan
• + Father Thomas: Emigration the norm for Iraqi Christians

The Baghdad-Basra highway is getting busy. The leaders of the bigger political blocs are clogging up the roads as they visit the southern city to mobilise its voters. Some Basra residents do not hide their... by  Saleem al-Wazzan in Basra  more

• + Arabs and Turkmen Angry Over Joint Force
• + Gilles Kepel and the middle east\'s triangular crises
• + Exiles Look Forward To Voting

Since the July 2009 parliamentary elections in Kurdistan, independent journalists in the region have been increasingly targeted for kidnap attempts, arrests and obstruction. In recent weeks these attacks have... by  Kamal Chomani in Erbil  more

• + new law lets ngos work
• + Many Names, Same Poverty
• + Father Thomas: Emigration the norm for Iraqi Christians

Jawad Izzeddin has not been to Iraq for five years. Today, Jawad lives in Brussels, in Belgium, where he works in an Iraqi restaurant. Back in Baghdad, he was a teacher. He fled Iraq as the security situation... by  Amanj Khalil in Brussels  more

• + Arabs and Turkmen Angry Over Joint Force
• + Gilles Kepel and the middle east\'s triangular crises
• + the big parties get ahead

Politicians have begun visiting religious leaders, which means elections must be close. This month, the prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, along with the vice president, Adel Abdul-Mahdi, went to Najaf to visit the... by  Abbas Sarhan in Karbala  more

• + Arabs and Turkmen Angry Over Joint Force
• + Gilles Kepel and the middle east\'s triangular crises
• + the big parties get ahead

As women weep at the graves of lost loved ones, a group of young people move among the crowds, handing out business cards and promotional photographs to the crowds. In the holy cities of Karbala and Najaf, the election... by  Kholoud Ramzi in Najaf  more

• + Arabs and Turkmen Angry Over Joint Force
• + Gilles Kepel and the middle east\'s triangular crises
• + the big parties get ahead