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Rafidain Bank: the granting of loans and banking facilities for all sectors to stimulate the economy, Iraq 2016-04-17 08:15:01 | (Voice of Iraq) - Twilight News Rafidain Bank stressed that the granting of loans and banking facilities to the private sector and other sectors of the national economy. The general director of the bank on behalf Kamal al-Hassani said in a statement that the bank was and still is the first supporter of the state and the private sector in the head with forms of banking support all for the advancement of the national economy and relied upon a fundamental pillar in the country as well as coverage of foreign funds in exchange for credit and guarantees easy. He noted that these steps have given the citizens a lot of confidence and commitment to the management of the bank commitments made by his administration since he took. http://www.sotaliraq.com/newsitem.php?id=327494#axzz464qQyTWd

Rafidain Bank: the granting of loans and banking facilities for all sectors to stimulate the economy, Iraq 2016-04-17 08:15:01 | (Voice of Iraq) - Twilight News Rafidain Bank stressed that the granting of loans and banking facilities to the private sector and other sectors of the national economy. The general director of the bank on behalf Kamal al-Hassani said in a statement that the bank was and still is the first supporter of the state and the private sector in the head with forms of banking support all for the advancement of the national economy and relied upon a fundamental pillar in the country as well as coverage of foreign funds in exchange for credit and guarantees easy. He noted that these steps have given the citizens a lot of confidence and commitment to the management of the bank commitments made by his administration since he took. http://www.sotaliraq.com/newsitem.php?id=327494#axzz464qQyTWd

Parliamentary Commission of Economy demanding the lifting of the deductions from employees' salaries 04/16/2016 BAGHDAD / JD / .. demanded economic and investment commission in Parliament, the Federal Government to the need to raise the proportion of deductions from employees' salaries, especially after the improvement in global oil prices. A member of the committee MP Abdul Salam al-Maliki told / KD / oil prices started to recover from what it was in the past as well as the Iraqi production of crude oil increased continuously until the 4 bypass million barrels a day, noting that the money available from the deduction of 3% from the employees' salaries do not meet the purpose and size is not equal to nothing compared to the size of the federal budget. He added that the government should cancel the decision of the deduction of 3% of employees 'salaries because it affects directly on the living conditions of the citizens because most of the employees' salaries low and drifted in bridging the actual need of the requirements in the absence of services and rising prices. http://www.dananernews.com/News_Details.php?ID=7202

Russian delegation to visit Bahrain , Iran , beyond the production of 3.5 million barrels of oil a day Islamic Party , one of his deputies separated because of joining with the protesters Daash able to enter the European Parliament ..! Center Humaimam: 8 breaches of the truce in Syria in 24 hours , and Washington is seeking with the Gulf states to help Iraq! Indonesia movement of radical cleric Bashir to severe security prison Austria: extremists attacked a theatrical performance for refugees Due to the current political crisis linked to fears; rising dollar exchange rate in the banking markets Due to the current political crisis linked to fears; rising dollar exchange rate in the banking markets News Source:Ali Abd al - Salman Section:page economic April 16, 2016 15:01 Hits:168 The US dollar rose in trading markets in the Kurdistan Region of up to 130,000 Iraqi dinars for $ 100. And the high exchange rate against the dollar after the local currency was this morning are buying $ 100 B129 and 250 Iraqi dinars And the associated rise in foreign currency in general rates, and the dollar in particular concerns the markets of the current political events plaguing the country, said an economic expert told Xinhua pratha Those who possess the dollar are reluctant to put in the market, and who possess the national currency resort in a crisis to buy foreign currency to ensure value their money, which is about the unknown by political events in the crisis. http://burathanews.com/news/290763.html

Parliamentary Finance: Central missed a $ 10 billion civil control over some of its decisions and banks Sunday April 3, 2016 14:39 - + 14 397 Related articles Central banks sales rise compared to last year to more than a million dollars February 11, 2016 Central banks sales rise compared to last year to nearly one billion dollars March 10, 2016 Central warns users subjected payment unlicensed legal accountability cards February 14, 2016 Alsumaria News / Baghdad Finance Committee confirmed on Sunday that the central bank missed a $ 10 billion through the sale of dollar window, indicating that community banks control some of its decisions. The committee member said Haitham al - Jubouri in an interview withAlsumaria News that " the sale of the dollar 's central bank window is still a source ofconcern for us , "noting that" the bank earn a lawsuit over lack of determining sales ,which came in the 2015 budget after submitting a complaint to the Federal Court although its response later to the same figures that have been identified by us two years ago. " Central bank: We will reduce our sales to the dollar by 50% for the current year The central bank for the banks sales rise compared to last year He Jubouri that " the central bank had committed to what has been determined from the sales would have provided more than $ 10 billion, which missed this from thereserve currency," adding that " the bank 's reserves stood at the beginning of 2014 ,more than $ 81 billion, while no more than now line of 43 billion dollars , in the sense that we have lost $ 38 billion because of this reckless policy. " He Jubouri that" thecentral bank has not been able in the light of this policy of maintaining the exchange rate , which is the goal , "pointing out that" the exchange rate the dollar now surpassed 1290 dinars , while sold at the bank in 1190 dinars , and these differences amounting to 100 Namira go to the pockets of the corrupt. " He Jubouri that" there arethree to four community banks control some of the decisions issued by the Central Bank and control of some leading figures in the bank and in control of the decision and instructed sell the currency , "noting "these banks are trying to cause problems within the window section of which is the removal of some banks , which leads to increased exchange rate and thus Estphadon more, which in some cases exceed the profit for one million dollars." He Jubouri that " the parliamentary Finance Committee does not internal pressure to intervene in fiscal policy Bank as an independent body, but watching his work only. " the governor of the central bank on the Keywords noted in the March 23 2016 that rationing exists with the bank to sell the dollar during theauction conducted by where we started to cut these sales in 2015, which amounted to 25% compared to the year earlier, which probably will reach these sales decrease by 40 to 50% from the previous year. he announced Keywords on the third of March 2015 that the new guidelines set by the bank is that the auction is no longer a daily window for operations for the sale of currency auctions, noting that the new mechanisms developed for the sale of these currency and especially that of its functions to provide currency for foreign trade. http://www.alsumaria.tv/news/164645/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%B2%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D8%B6%D8%A7%D8%B9-10-%D9%85%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA/ar

03 April 2016 13:26 Only 3 Steps Needed to Deal Fatal Blow to Disorganized ISIS after Palmyra: Iraqi Official Only 3 Steps Needed to Deal Fatal Blow to Disorganized ISIS After Palmyra ISIS is retreating after losing the strategically important Syrian city of Palmyra, Iraqi politician Adnan al-Saraj told Sputnik, adding that the next steps in the multinational counterterrorism efforts involve liberating Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa in Syria, as well as Mosul in Iraq. Al-Saraj, a member of the State of Law Coalition and the head of the Iraqi Center for Media Development, described Palmyra's liberation as "disappointing" for ISIS. On March 27, the Syrian Arab Army announced that the ancient city world-famous for its magnificent ruins was free after a month-long offensive against the terrorist group. The victory has been largely seen as a major blow to the militants. The Syrian Arab Army, assisted by Russian warplanes and its local allies, could now focus on freeing the city of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa, the Iraqi politician observed. These victories will help to secure the Syrian-Iraqi border, as well as provide a significant boost to the morale of the Iraqi security forces. The victory in Raqqa will also "give an opportunity to cut supplies from ISIS and make the areas which lead from Syria to Mosul safe, and other northern areas like Saladin and Anbar," al-Saraj explained. The Iraqi security forces had their Palmyra moment in December 2015 when they liberated Ramadi, the capital of the Anbar province. An operation to free another major urban center in Anbar is currently underway. On Saturday, Baghdad-led forces and their allies rescued approximately 1,500 civilians from an underground ISIS prison in the city of Hit, alternatively spelled as Heet. In recent months, both Damascus and Baghdad have been able to turn the tide of war against ISIS thanks in no small measure to outside support. In Syria, Russia's limited military engagement has been instrumental in helping the SAA score victories. In March, the IHS Conflict Monitor released an analysis saying that the self-proclaimed caliphate had shrunk by 22 percent in the last 15 months. Al-Saraj confirmed that the Iraqi security forces have freed four provinces and area advancing towards Mosul, the key ISIS stronghold in the country. "It is clear that ISIS started retreating and withdrawing in a disorganized way. It lost a lot and is incapable of regaining anything in Iraq. The cities that have been freed witness development and vitality now," Al-Saraj asserted. Mosul and Raqqa are the two major ISIS strongholds. Should the group lose them, its reign of terror in Iraq and Syria could well be over, Sputnik reported. - See more at: http://en.alalam.ir/news/1804752?#sthash.j5r2Fu6L.dpuf

Netherlands donates five million euros to restore stability in liberated areas in Iraq April 2, 2016 - 4:24 PM News Code : 744595 Source : Iraqi News The United Nations Development Program in Iraq (UNDP) announced on Thursday, that Netherlands donated five million euros to support stabilization in areas newly liberated from the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The United Nations Development Program in Iraq (UNDP) announced on Thursday, that Netherlands donated five million euros to support stabilization in areas newly liberated from the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Netherlands in Baghdad, Mr. Jan Van Weijen pointed out to the active participation of Netherlands in the international coalition operations against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, while renewed his country’s support for Baghdad in the liberation of its occupied territories. UNDP Resident Representative and UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Iraq, Ms. Lise Grande, said in a statement that “The Kingdom of the Netherlands is giving US$5.69 (€5 million) to the United Nations Development Program to support stabilization in areas newly liberated from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.” Grande added, “Hundreds of thousands of displaced Iraqis are ready to return home to newly liberated areas. Helping to stabilize these areas, many of which have been badly destroyed, is one of our highest priorities. We are enormously grateful to the Dutch Government for their generous support”. http://en.abna24.com/service/middle-east-west-asia/archive/2016/04/02/744595/story.html?

Iraq Is Broke. You Have To Pay for It. Peter Van Buren, April 02, 2016 Print This | Share This | Comment The next time a candidate or reporter asks during a debate about education or healthcare “But how are you going to pay for that?” I would like the person being questioned to respond “The same way we find money to pay for Iraq.” So maybe it would just be better for Flint, Michigan to claim it is under attack by ISIS instead of just being poisoned because no one has the money to fix America’s infrastructure. See, each month, Iraq’s government pays out nearly $4 billion in salaries and pensions to the military and a bloated array of corrupt public-sector workers. But with more than 90 percent of government revenue coming from oil, it is bringing in only about half that as crude prices plunge. Some Iraqi officials and analysts say the government might struggle later this year to pay the seven million people on the public payroll, which could trigger mass unrest. As a sign of the times, Iraqis are facing more nominal charges every day. Hospitals, which have long treated Iraqis free of charge, have introduced fees, for example, even for those visiting sick relatives. For Iraq, the decline comes in the midst of an already destabilizing war. There are bills for reconstructing flattened cities destroyed for freedom, and assistance for the 3.3 million Iraqis who have been internally displaced over the past two years, with more expected to come. So – good news, at least for Iraq – the United States is stepping in with U.S. taxpayer money to make sure the country can continue military spending while it seeks international loans. So, while there is apparently no way anyone can conceive of to pay for fixing America’s infrastructure, making higher education affordable, reducing healthcare costs or any of those other icky socialist thingies, there is money for Iraq! BONUS: No one really knows how much money the US has already spent in Iraq, but it is way over two trillion dollars. BONUS BONUS: The golden eagle shown above was paid for by the American taxpayers in 2010 as part of the reconstruction of Iraq. The area where it is shown is now devastated by the current fighting. I took the photo myself. http://antiwar.com/blog/2016/04/02/iraq-is-broke-you-have-to-pay-for-it/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AWCBlog+%28Antiwar.com+Blog%29

1,500 prisoners, mostly civilians, freed from ISIS prison dungeon in Iraq Published time: 3 Apr, 2016 11:13 Get short URL Members of Iraqi government forces celebrate on a tank with a seized flag of the Islamic State group (IS) after they retook an area from its jihadists on April 2, 2016 in the village of Al-Mamoura, near Heet in the western province of Anbar. © Moadh Al-Dulaimi / AFP 3 At least 1,500 prisoners have been liberated by Iraqi forces from an underground Islamic State prison, Iraqi officials said. The jail was found during an operation to retake the town of Heet from the extremists in Anbar province. “During their advance to liberate and clear the town of Heet from Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS/ISIL), security forces discovered a large prison,” police Colonel Fadhel al-Nimrawi said, as cited by AFP. He added it was an “underground” jail, which held about 1,500 people. The numbers were also confirmed by Malallah al-Obeidi, a local official in Anbar province. He said the majority of the prisoners were civilians. The town fell to IS militants in October 2014 and was liberated this February during the ongoing Iraqi Army offensive. IS emerged in Iraq in 2013 as an Al-Qaeda affiliate. In 2014, the terror cell attacked Kurdish-held territory in northern Iraq and seized territories in Iraq’s Sunni heartland, including Mosul and Tikrit. By August of 2014, IS had seized nearly a third of the country. The militants control large parts of Fallujah in Anbar province. Once a prosperous place dubbed the “city of mosques”, it now appears to be completely deserted since IS militants took control in January 2014. Scores of local residents have been killed, and many of them have starved to death. Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, was also seized by IS militants in May 2015 after about a week of fighting with government forces, but the Iraqi military managed to partially liberate it in December. https://www.rt.com/news/338233-iraq-free-isis-prison/?

Kurds insist on the need for the inclusion of Abadi changes in the Iraqi government 00:53:20 03.04.2016 | (Voice of Iraq) - Twilight News said the coalition ofKurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament on the changes that are made to thecabinet reshuffle in the federal government must include the prime minister Haider al - Abadi himself. He wrote the President of the Kurdistan Democratic block in the Kurdistan Alliance Khosro Goran on his page on networking site social (Facebook) that the heads of Kurdish blocs havereached an agreement on their position on the Abadi announcement of his new ministerial Ceccheth and decided to be replaced Abadi himself tocoincide with changes in the ministerial changes. this is the second meeting of the Kurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament after Abadi announce his booth new last Thursday. and issued by the Kurdish political leadership 'sstatements confirmed that what he had done Abadi is a departure from theprinciples that have been agreed between the political parties before theformation of the Government of Abadi. Read more:http://www.sotaliraq.com/newsitem.php?id=325186#ixzz44lFhKbRJ

Kurds insist on the need for the inclusion of Abadi changes in the Iraqi government 00:53:20 03.04.2016 | (Voice of Iraq) - Twilight News said the coalition ofKurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament on the changes that are made to thecabinet reshuffle in the federal government must include the prime minister Haider al - Abadi himself. He wrote the President of the Kurdistan Democratic block in the Kurdistan Alliance Khosro Goran on his page on networking site social (Facebook) that the heads of Kurdish blocs havereached an agreement on their position on the Abadi announcement of his new ministerial Ceccheth and decided to be replaced Abadi himself tocoincide with changes in the ministerial changes. this is the second meeting of the Kurdish blocs in the Iraqi parliament after Abadi announce his booth new last Thursday. and issued by the Kurdish political leadership 'sstatements confirmed that what he had done Abadi is a departure from theprinciples that have been agreed between the political parties before theformation of the Government of Abadi. Read more:http://www.sotaliraq.com/newsitem.php?id=325186#ixzz44lFhKbRJ

High inflation index for the month of February increased by 0.1% and the annual rate of (1.5%) 04/03/2016 BAGHDAD / JD / .. The Ministry of Planning for the high inflation indices during the month of February rose 0.1% after it witnessed a decline in the first month of the year increased by (0.6%), while the annual inflation rate is seen another rise in the month compared with the the same month of the previous year 2015 increased by 1.5% after falling in the period from January 2015 to January 2016 (1.6%) The spokesman said the ministry Abdul Zahra al-Hindawi said in a statement received / JD / copy of it: that the reason for the high monthly inflation index was weighed down by higher standard figures for the number of departments, including the Departments of clothing and footwear, housing, and communication prices rose 0.2% for each of them .. As Department of Health prices rose (0.8%) and recreation department at (0.7%) .. .. adding either high annual inflation index increased by 1.5% compared to February 2015. Has came because of the high section of food and beverage prices of non-alcoholic beverages by (0.1 %) rose Department of housing, water, electricity, gas and fuel prices by (1.9%), and the Department of tobacco increased by 7% .. And between Al-Hindawi said most sections prices witnessed a rise in rates during the month of February, causing a rise in the inflation index compared with February of last year 2015 .. pointing out that Althaizzat and household equipment section prices rose 1.7%, and the prices of the Health Department rose (6.7%) .. as the communications department were notable gainers arrived (10.5%) and reached high CTO prices (4.2%), and the Department of Education prices rose by 5.8% and prices of restaurants division rose by 3.3% He said the survey prices the provinces of Anbar, Nineveh and Salahuddin did not include the difficulty of the security situation. http://www.dananernews.com/News_Details.php?ID=7124

Inspector of the Ministry of Education: we stopped wasting more than 8 trillion dinars and 872 spotted a forged document 04/03/2016 BAGHDAD / Karim Jassim al-Tai / .. revealed inspector of the Ministry of Education beautiful Zidane behind to monitor the status of 872 fraud and manipulation of documents in the school Alarac.fima pointed to recover and stop wasting public money for more than 8 trillion and 700 million Iraqi dinars. Her successor in the statement summarized by the Agency / JD: There are a lot of investigations Harald inspector general's office over the last year and beginning of this year, which amounted to about 557 investigations and resulted in these elves investigative 2208 penalty of disciplinary ranging draw attention and insulation as well as referral of 34 cases to the courts and the integrity Commission and 82 state fraud in our ministry. The monitoring revealed 872 case of fraud and manipulation of documents tuition in Iraq through the issuance of health Aldraseh.mbanh documents that the bureau issued a very important mechanisms of action as a result of the presence of very large cases where corruption has been uncovered cases of corruption Owaljhl Ohyanna lead to waste of public money. It showed that the office took a lot of joints that are related to public money was to focus on was developed its mechanisms of action until the fall argument puts or doing the business for the purpose of completing our projects as vocational true. She added that the bureau revealed the existence of processes of corruption in a number of projects through the committees engineering inspection was to make recommendations need to retrieve public funds amounting to four billion and 250 million dinars in addition to prevent the waste of about four billion and 500 million dinars, and thus enable the Office of Astrjae and prevent the waste of public money more of eight billion and 700 million Iraqi dinars. And we showed that we are as offices inspector public our vision to tackle corruption to adopt certain reforms we embarked Mndhu 2014 before two years, is to organize our work well and was a complete strategy for the work of the Office for the purpose of combating corruption. Noting that this strategy has been built by our review of our previous work up to eight years, where he was diagnosed with the negative phenomena of our existing or a defect or gaps instructions or to the controls and this has been exploited by the owners of weak souls. Where were identified and direct implemented annually in accordance with the plans implemented annually. He stressed that the bureau had last year treated more of an issue and find it therapeutic plans through the preparation of studies and a questionnaire and presented to higher authorities for the purpose we get official approvals for the purpose of application and the most important of these negative phenomena are tutoring because of poor education And cases of falsification of documents of study indicated that this phenomenon thanks to the office procedures and we follow strict and severe and cooperation of the concerned ministry to apply the office mechanism and the offices of inspectors general in ministries and other follow up on this case has inventory and reduce these Alhalh.wacharat that what is currently discovers fraud is back to previous years which does not have stats new forged documents undiagnosed at the present time that any cases of fraud this is a precedent for years. He pointed out that among the things that have been implemented to reduce operations corruption is the school administration and we we started to work out for more than a year and a half the fact that the school administration when what has been selected properly and well and qualified well will help to provide the atmosphere of the educational institution is good in terms of success rates. asserting that the fruits of this educational situation in which we have built Snktef fruition over the next year we started our universe this experience with the training Institute and the College of Education to prepare a training program that will give two months for the purpose of rehabilitation of school principals. / http://www.dananernews.com/News_Details.php?ID=7125

Names .. palm unique to disclose the names of candidates for Abadi cabins new cabinet Date: 03/31/2016 Palm-revealed leaks from within the House of Representatives, on Thursday, the names of the candidates , the new ministerial cabins provided by the Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi to parliament today. According to leaks that have arrived for "news agency palm" the Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi nominated Nazar Muhammad Salim to the post of oil minister, and Yusuf Ali Asadi for the post and telecommunications minister, and Sharif Ali bin Al Hussein , to the post of Foreign Minister. nominated Abadi, according to leaks, Abdul Razzaq al - Issa to the post of Minister of Higher Education, and Ali Allawi for thepost of finance minister, and Hoshyar Prophet Muhammad to the post of Minister of Construction. http://www.nakhelnews.com/news/41288/%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1..%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%AE%D9%8A%D9%84%20%D8%AA%D9%86%D9%81%D8%B1%D8%AF%20%D8%A8%D9%83%D8%B4%D9%81%20%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A1%20%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B4%D8%AD%D9%8A%D9%86

WORLD’S BIGGEST BRIBE SCANDAL PART 1 UNAOIL: HOW THE WEST BOUGHT IRAQ A Fairfax Media and Huffington Post investigation has uncovered an extraordinary case of bribery and corruption in the oil industry, centred on Monaco-based company Unaoil. This is how the West carved up Iraq. THE PLAYERS Basil Al Jarah Unaoil's Iraq country manager Oday al-Quraishi Iraqi oil bureaucrat Hussain al-Shahristani Iraqi deputy prime minister Cyrus Ahsani Unaoil CEO THE BAGMAN There was little about the man walking through Heathrow Airport to show he held secrets that could bring down some of the most powerful men in Iraq. Moustached, olive skinned, hair receding, eyes sharp. His name was Basil Al Jarah. His British passport showed he lived in Hull, an unremarkable town in the north of England, but it bore the stamps of a frequent traveller: London, Baghdad, Basra, Amman, Paris, Istanbul, Kuwait. Basil Al Jarah was an oil industry fixer. But had authorities known his true business, they might have taken a far keener interest in the man waiting for a plane to Amman in 2011. Because by that stage, Al Jarah and his employer, a Monaco-based company called Unaoil, had cultivated an astonishing web of influence in the upper echelons of Iraqi power – all based on the simple expedient of bribing the right man at the right time. As tens of thousands of secret emails reveal, Al Jarah and Unaoil were at the heart of a global bribery operation funded, sometimes wittingly, by dozens of US, British, European and Australian multinationals. These firms paid huge sums to Unaoil. In return, Unaoil used its friends in high places to win billions of dollars worth of government contracts. TounderstandthescaleofUnaoil’sIraqoperation,someonewouldhavetobreakthesecodes. In Iraq, the man charged with making those friends was Al Jarah. From 2003 onwards, he used his influence to help deliver huge contracts to Unaoil's clients. It did not matter if these clients were more expensive or less capable than their competitors. Unaoil and Al Jarah were, in effect, fleecing the people of Iraq, and in the process making a mockery of the US government's promise, after toppling Saddam Hussein, to ensure Iraq's oil wealth would benefit all Iraqis. Al Jarah was careful to cover his tracks. He struck deals in hotel rooms late at night and used code words to communicate. To understand the scale of Unaoil’s Iraq operation, someone would have to break these codes. And to do that they would need access to thousands of emails. It is almost certain Al Jarah never believed this possible. But last year, Fairfax Media and Huffington Post began investigating the underbelly of the global oil and gas industry. After many months of digging and a trip across Europe, our reporters uncovered a treasure trove of emails and memos. The 66-year-old former ship’s captain from Hull, Basil Al Jarah, was the author of many of the most colourful. They reveal him routinely bribing government officials who were deemed “useful to us” and to Unaoil's clients – multinationals such as British firms Rolls-Royce, Petrofac and Clyde Pumps, US listed giants Weatherford, Cameron/Natco and FMC Technologies and European firms such Saipem, SBM Offshore and MAN Turbo. The emails suggest that for years the very highest levels of Iraq's oil industry – up to and including the deputy prime minister – has been corrupted with impunity under the noses of Iraqi, British, European and US authorities. This despite strict laws in the west designed to prevent foreign bribery. They also tell us what Al Jarah's main goal was as he flew across Europe and the middle east that day early in 2011 — to influence two of the most powerful men in Iraq on behalf of a company that had agreed to pay bribes of up to $40 million. A NEW DAWN IN IRAQ In 2003, when US-led forces rolled into Baghdad, the oil ministry was among the sites designated for immediate protection. As looters stumbled out of museums clasping irreplaceable antiquities, coalition troops and tanks encircled the ministry building. USPresidentGeorgeWBushinsistedthattheoilbelongedtotheIraqipeople:“It'stheirasset,”hesaid. The message was clear. Iraq’s future lay beneath its blood-soaked earth, in some of the world's biggest oil reserves. The question was, who would benefit? In 2006, three years after the invasion, as conflict raged on, US President George W Bush insisted that the oil belonged to the Iraqi people: “It's their asset,” he said. The US would help the new government of Nouri al-Maliki use the nation's resources to build a new Iraq. That meant increasing oil production. It meant repairing wells. It meant new pipelines, infrastructure and technology. The government couldn't do it alone. It would need the expertise and resources of the giant American, British and European energy companies. Iraq The bad old days of corruption were meant to be over PLAY VIDEO To ensure a fair and transparent process, the Iraqi government sought to run competitive tenders. The Saddam era, when the foreigner who paid the biggest kickback won would win the job, had supposedly been consigned to history. Unaoil, though, was old school. By the time of Bush's declaration, it had been operating in Iraq for three years, with Al Jarah as country manager. Unaoil favoured the old kickback system, albeit with a new crop of officials to be bribed. A 2005 email illustrates their modus operandi. Al Jarah wrote to Unaoil colleagues about a meeting at Paris' Charles De Gaulle airport with a senior manager from US firm FMC Technologies. FMC's “past contacts who held sway in the old [saddam Hussein] regime are worthless now,” he wrote. “FMC must look to the future with new contacts and new faces. [FMC manager] requested time to disentangle himself from his current agent to sign up with Unaoil.” According to his email, Al Jarah had struck a deal for Unaoil to get a 5 to 10 per cent cut of any contract it could win for FMC in Iraq or Kuwait. In Kuwait, for example, FMC had promised to pay Unaoil $2.5 million to win a $25 million contract. Unaoil could use a “portion” of that fee to pay-off “the big cheese in Kuwait”. ROLLS-ROYCE TREATMENT Al Jarah then approached a senior Iraq oil official, Kifah Numan, to help the US firm. FMC wanted to win contracts that had already been promised to its rivals. “I have to lean really heavy on Kifah to swing this if at all possible. I will start softening Kifah from tonight.” Numan, in fact, features repeatedly in Al Jarah's emails. Once in Dubai, Al Jarah had to “baby sit [Numan] for 4-5 days” to ensure none of Unaoil's competitors made contact. “He is too valuable to leave him lose [sic] in Dubai for other suppliers,” Al Jarah warned. Sometimes the attention was surprisingly personal, and trivial. Al Jarah spent “US$2,684.00 for Gifts for Mr Kifah during London visit”, including “Perfume, Various CD's, Mobile Top-Up and Leather Jacket”. At the time, Al Jarah was duchessing Numan on behalf of Unaoil client Rolls-Royce, which was chasing generator supply contracts worth tens of millions of dollars. “Getting hold of Kifah to just spend any time with him is a bonus other contractor/suppliers would give their right arm for. Hence spending $2,684 on a key decision maker and remain in his good books to process things … is worth 100 times that value, without which we would have no contract [for Rolls-Royce] in our hands now.” In a later email, Al Jarah wrote that Numan had advised him that Unaoil and Rolls-Royce could charge the Iraqi government inflated prices, to ensure fatter profits. “He advised that cost will be no object… I expect we should make a minimum of $2m per [Rolls-Royce generator] unit net. After all costs have been taken into account.” Rolls-Royce has told Fairfax Media and Huffington Post that concerns about bribery involving intermediaries are being investigated by the British Serious Fraud Office “and other authorities”. Rolls-Royce is co-operating, said a spokesman, but “do not comment on ongoing investigations”. In 2008, Numan became director general of the Iraq Government's powerful South Oil Company, which was in charge of the country's most valuable oil fields and infrastructure. “Kifah called me yesterday,” wrote Al Jarah, “he still didn't know if the news is confirmed. He said he… is planning to come to Dubai next week while I am here … Don't know about you, I am having few beers today to celebrate.” The response from Unaoil CEO Cyrus Ahsani was equally upbeat: “Excellent and let's see how we can quickly do certain things to make sure we are the only ones with access.” LIGHTHOUSE At its heart, Unaoil is a family company. It was founded by the urbane septuagenarian Ata Ahsani. Iranian born Ahsani left Tehran at the time of the Islamic revolution. In 1991 he set up an oil consulting business in London and then Monaco. There, he appointed his sons Cyrus and Saman to help him. Unaoil would eventually grow to 200 staff, but its dirty secrets – the bribes it paid to officials across the world – were only known to an inner circle that included Ata, Cyrus and Saman. And, of course, Basil Al Jarah. In another email to Cyrus Ahsani, Al Jarah wrote he had promised tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks to “our new friends” inside the oil ministry. The money would help secure a contract to supply chemicals used in the oil refining process for listed giant Weatherford. Under this contract, for every drum the oil ministry purchased from Weatherford, Unaoil paid a kickback to a group of senior Iraqi officials, including a figure code-named “Lighthouse”. “Since the involvement this year of new friends in the Ministry; I shifted $5 from Jassim's share and gave it to the Ministry people. Total is still $13. Although I'd like to increase Lighthouse's share by $1-2, he has been the most helpful to us,” Al Jarah wrote. A spokeswoman for Weatherford said the company had wound down its chemicals business and ceased dealing with Unaoil in 2013. The man Unaoil codenamed Mr “Lighthouse” was a big deal in Iraq's south, where the nation's two great rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, meet and flow into the Persian Gulf. The land here is arid and flat, the weather extreme, from blistering heat to icy cold. Underground, though, south Iraq's oil fields are the prize of the nation. Control these and you control great wealth. The seat of power in the south is Basra (also known as Basrah), Iraq's second largest city and home of the most powerful government owned oil company, the South Oil Company. The SOC was where “Lighthouse” built his empire. It was clear to Basil Al Jarah how influential he was. Lighthouse's real name is Dhia Jaffar al-Mousawi. “When Prime Minsters visit Basrah, he accompanies them first and holds private sessions with them,” Al Jarah wrote of Dhia Jaffar in 2008. At the time, Al Jarah and Unaoil were focused on gradually softening Dhia Jaffar up with small bribes. When Cyrus Ahsani inquired how many bribes, Al Jarah replied: “We haven't done much for him [Dhia Jaffar] really, but here is a list: Took him clothes shopping on two occasions (around $1-2K each time) Related sub agent got $30k for assistance with al Kassim order. Gave his son a 2 week English course in Dubai. Arranged interviews to employ the son in Adnan's company, but the boy found alternative work. For the past 8 months working on getting him a UAE residency visa, but without success. That's it.” When Dhia Jaffar considered running for Basra mayor, Al Jarah excitedly reported that the oil official was “on the Prime Minister's ticket” and he had “contributed $5k to his election campaign.” “Basrah may also become regionally semi autonomous, which means the Mayor will sway tremendous power. So he will become very useful indeed.” As Dhia Jaffar's star rose, Unaoil ramped up its campaign of corruption. First, a trip to Monaco. Eventually, bribes worth millions of dollars. The investment paid off: in 2009, Dhia Jaffar was appointed the Director General of the South Oil Company in 2009. In 2015 he became deputy minister for oil in the Iraq government. IVAN There was another man vital to Unaoil's success in Iraq. Unaoil code named him “Ivan”. His real name was Oday al-Quraishi. He too was a South Oil Company official. He too was carefully groomed. In 2008, Unaoil even promised him a job – before deciding he was more use to them as a corrupt government insider. “Please note I held two meetings with Oday today,” Al Jarah wrote to Unaoil colleagues on May 19, 2008. “He is now appointed by the Ministry as Project Manager to liaise between the Ministry of Oil and US Gulf Development Projects (GDP). In view of the above, I believe Oday will be far more useful to us in SOC [south Oil Company] then joining Unaoil.” But Unaoil did put him on the payroll. There would be a monthly payment for “Ivan” and a cut of every multi-million dollar contract he funnelled to Unaoil's clients. “Please note I met with Ivan yesterday and I feel we should instigate a retainer for him as discussed. It is $6000 per month. ($5K for him, and $1k he needs for presents to people within),” Al Jarah wrote. “I think this will only go on as far as we get commitments firmed up and he knows his portion [of the money paid by foreign companies to Unaoil to win certain oil field projects]”. Ivan and Lighthouse repeatedly leaked information to Unaoil, and rigged tender committees to favour its clients. The pair worked assiduously to identify projects funded by the Iraq government, or through international aid money, that could be funnelled to a Unaoil client. An email from August 2009 shows the men working in tandem to maximise their, and Unaoil’s, profits. “In general discussion with Mr. Lighthouse this evening, it transpired that TPIC [Turkish Petroleum International Company] is close to winning an order of $325m for drilling 45 wells in south of Iraq. He says they applied openly and he is not aware of any special connection to an Iraqi entity pushing their bid forward. I immediately requested Lighthouse to hold processing anything until he hears from me. “We need to move urgently to reach this company and give them the full works that Unaoil can make their life easier in the Ministry, SOC,” Al Jarah wrote. “More discussions with Lighthouse tomorrow, he advised me that as DG [Director General] he has hit it off with BP [british Petroleum] very well indeed ... At the appropriate time, he will drop the hint for them to see Unaoil for on-the-ground services…” Unaoil made Dhia Jaffar and Oday al-Quraishi wealthy men. Oday “is getting rich,” a 2010 Unaoil email noted. “He wants me to accompany him this morning to see a flat in Chelsea to buy.” HOLIDAY PLANS The scale of the graft is revealed in coded emails discussing payments for Dhia Jaffar. A bribe was called a holiday; a one-day holiday was $1 million. “It's probably true that Lighthouse wants to see a return,” Cyrus Ahsani wrote in one email. “I previously said to Lighthouse half a day holiday, but they [Dhia Jaffar and Quraishi] are looking for a full day off. We may settle for 18 hours.” In another email, Al Jarah made it clear that several million-dollar payments would be needed to secure Ivan’s support for Saipem, an Italian client. “It is all an issue of how many days we spend on this job, Bearing in mind the headline figure. The 2.5 days I presented was felt insufficient time allowed, but Ivan will think about it and consult his colleagues. I suspect it will prove enough time.” In another email, a senior Unaoil executive explicitly suggested that Oday al-Quraishi may need more cash: “The best medicine for a calm life is a dose of George Washington … why not?? We got a little bit more… and we need Ivan,” the executive wrote. He was later counselled by a colleague for his indiscreet language. As Unaoil's insiders became more powerful, the company had to work harder to keep their activities secret. “I will appoint Lighthouse's nephew to act as go between and we stay in constant touch. He can be put … on a retainer and Lighthouse is comfortable with him coming and going out of his house... Lighthouse requested only I handle Nephew and he doesn't call at our office … I agreed,” Al Jarah wrote. In the end, of course, the beneficiaries of these dealings were not just corrupt officials and Unaoil -- they were also the companies which paid Unaoil to win massive contracts. These were contracts that should have been decided by genuine tender, ensuring the best deal for Iraq and its people. Instead, Unaoil's intervention meant that many contracts were won by the company that paid the biggest bribe. DID UNAOIL'S CLIENTS KNOW? Along with FMC Technologies, Rolls-Royce, and Weatherford, beneficiaries of Unaoil's network in the Middle East have included a who's who of the oil service industry: Italian firms Saipem, Rosetti Marino and Valvitalia, German company MAN Turbo, Dutch firm SBM Offshore, Swiss company ABB, US companies The Shaw Group, Cameron/Natco and Core Labs, Australian firm Leighton Offshore, UK firms Petrofac, Weir and Clyde Pumps. And so on. The leaked emails make it clear that senior managers in some of these companies knew, or should have suspected, that Unaoil may be acting corruptly. Some managers appear wilfully blind to this possibility, and a small number were actively corrupt. Al Jarah identified a Rolls-Royce manager as a valuable insider who could feed Unaoil “useful internal info on how to respond to RR [Rolls-Royce]”. “The effort and help [the Rolls-Royce manager] is providing is on the understanding” that Unaoil “will retain him as a side consultant/Technical adviser (Very quietly please) to help in handling RR.” “A figure of Dhs [Dirhams] 5000 per month ($A1840) was agreed. Presently … It is the fastest Basil has seen him work the past two years.” Unaoil also corrupted senior managers of the companies contracted to run Iraq's biggest oil fields, including the Al Zubair field. In early 2010, Italian oil giant Eni won the contract to develop Al Zubair. The move was part of an Iraq government push to get multinationals including Eni, BP and Shell to help exploit the nation's wealth. The Unaoil story, however, proves that appointing senior oilmen from private companies to run state assets is no safeguard against corruption. The emails make clear that by 2010, Unaoil had successfully wooed senior figures inside both Eni and BP's oilfield management teams. A senior Italian oilman working for Eni, Diego Braghi, was bribed to leak competitors' tender documents and to rig tender committees to favour Unaoil's clients at Zubair. These clients included Core Labs, MAN Turbo and Weatherford. Braghi (who denies any wrongdoing) didn't come cheap. The leaked files reveal he wanted to split the payments from Unaoil’s clients “60% for us and 40% for you, after expenses. “Once you have accepted the above conditions, we will release the information you have requested,” Braghi wrote. Unaoil's Cyrus Ahsani responded by offering a 50/50 split along with a warning that Unaoil's operation in Iraq was “more and more difficult and RISKY.” THE MOST POWERFUL MEN IN THE LAND But Unaoil's biggest bribes were paid to two men who sat around the Iraq government's cabinet table; men who directed the future of country's oil industry, cut deals with foreign presidents and prime ministers and attended OPEC meetings. Al Jarah took special care to protect their identities. He codenamed them “M” and the “Teacher”. Contact was through a middle man who operated out of Amman, Jordan, and who was called Ahmed al-Jibouri; he was given the codename the “Doctor.” Jibouri and his contacts stood to make Unaoil very rich. In a series of emails, Al Jarah described a $100 million dollar Iraq government contract that had “come from the teacher” and could be funnelled to Unaoil client Hyundai. Al Jarah wrote that Hyundai could be guaranteed the job if it paid between $7 million and $5 million to Unaoil. In return, Unaoil would “influence … the decision making process and can fully swing it in their direction”. A cut of this $7 to $5 million would then be paid by Unaoil to Jibouri, who fronted for “M” and the “Teacher”. A leaked transcript of a Skype conversation (Unaoil used Skype because it could not be intercepted by police) provides evidence that al-Jibouri was no mere lobbyist, but rather a bagman extracting kickbacks for others. “He is a tool,” Al Jarah wrote over Skype. “The people above him are right assholes and greedy.” In 2010, Al Jarah agreed to pay Jibouri more than $1 million (later revised to $500,000) to get his friends in Baghdad to try to carve up contracts on the Garraf oilfield. This time the beneficiaries would be British firm Petrofac and Dutch firm SBM. “Your people must … clear the way and support for Petrofac to win this order,” Al Jarah wrote to Jibouri. “We are now agreed the figure 1 [million] for this service. But Petrofac must win so we have to follow it through and you get paid when we get paid.” SBM confirmed in a statement that it had used Unaoil in Iraq, but that, “a compliance review was completed … and no irregularities were found”. So who are the “Teacher” and “M”? Their identities would have likely remained hidden. But then Al Jarah slipped up. Even the most careful men make mistakes. On Friday June 3, 2011, Al Jarah learned that the prime minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, had ordered deputy prime minister Dr Hussain al-Shahristani to visit a government-funded oil project that had been won (corruptly) by a Unaoil client, the offshore arm of Australian construction giant Leighton Holdings. Shahristani is something of a celebrity in the Arab world, having endured years in an Iraqi jail for disobeying Saddam Hussein. After Saddam was toppled, he became oil minister and, in late 2010, deputy prime minister. As a younger man, Shahristani had also worked as a teacher. When Al Jarah learned that Shahristani was to visit the site, he sent an angry email to Jibouri: “The PM has asked Teacher to go himself on Leighton's Barge in Fao ... don't you think you should have told us visit like this is taking place?” So that was Teacher. But what about M? Once again Al Jarah got careless. A comprehensive search of his emails has revealed that in 2009 Al Jarah wrote that he had contacted middleman Ahmed al-Jibouri to get “access” to his “best pal Kareem Leaby [Luaibi] at the Ministry”. Kareem Luaibi was the Iraq oil minister who succeeded Shahristani. He was also M. Atonepointhe“calledMinfrontofmeandmadethatrequest”;atanotherhemadeaphonecallto“theTeacher'shouseatmidnight”. In 2010 and 2011, Al Jarah agreed to pay more than $20 million in bribes to Jibouri to influence Shahristani and Luaibi. In return, Unaoil wanted their support for Leighton Offshore, which was bidding for a slice of a $2 billion oil pipeline project. Knowing the code, it’s clear why Jibouri was so valuable to Unaoil. At one point he “called M in front of me and made that request”; at another he made a phone call to “the Teacher's house at midnight”. Emails suggest Jibouri was no simple lobbyist, and that the politicians themselves were involved in negotiating the size of their bribes. One email describes the promise of a $1.5 million payoff – described in code as “1.5 days holiday” – to deliver a $70 million contract. “He [al-Jibouri] transferred that info to teacher and on that basis teacher gave it the OK,” Al Jarah wrote. In 2011, Unaoil agreed to pay one of its biggest ever bribes, $16 million, to win the support of “M” and the “Teacher” for a $600 million pipeline contract. This payment, wrote Al Jarah in 2011, would ensure Leighton Holdings had the backing of al-Jibouri's “team”. Al Jarah also wrote that he wanted to show documents relating to this $16 million payment directly to “Teacher.” “I'd like to have it in front of the teacher here in Amman tomorrow evening,” he wrote. “Teacher is confident that he can knock out [Leighton’s rivals].” And this: “Teacher & M will insist on delivery date to push L [Leighton] through.” Al Jarah urged his Unaoil bosses to “please make sure our holiday period [bribe amount] is firm” or risk “Peddling like mad to please Teacher”. THE FUTURE By May 2011, Al Jarah was boasting that Unaoil was close to fulfilling its ultimate mission in Iraq: complete control of the government’s oil hierarchy. “The troubles we are facing now is because we don't have the full pyramid covered... He [al-Jibouri] fully appreciates the advantages better than me and sees the grip we will have on the whole Ministry … it is something he is working on very hard with his contacts.” The trove of leaked Unaoil documents are mostly dated between 1999 and 2012, so it is difficult to get a clear picture of the company’s more recent operations. However, it seems not everything has gone to plan. When Iraq's government changed in late 2014, al-Shahristani was appointed education minister and Luaibi lost his post as oil minister. However, Dhia “Lighthouse” Jaffar was last year appointed as Iraq's Deputy Minister for Oil Refineries. Iraq remains wracked with instability and violence, including that wreaked by ISIS. Many ordinary Iraqis remain desperately poor. But Unaoil is not. And nor are its multinational clients, who continue to post huge profits and win jobs in Iraq, sometimes still with Unaoil's help. Al Jarah and Unaoil last week vehemently denied over the phone that they were involved in any bribery or corruption. The now education minister, Shahristani, called to say he had never heard of Jibouri or Al Jarah, and that he had never taken a bribe as oil minister. He urged Fairfax Media and Huffington Post to provide its evidence to the courts and Iraq’s integrity commission. Unaoil’s fixer, Jibouri, did not respond to questions. “Weshouldseesuchdesperatemeasurestostainourreputationasabadgeofhonouraswegrowandsucceed Despite years of corruption not a single person has been held accountable in connection to Unaoil's operations. Last year, the Ahsani family sent out an internal email to staff to deal with consistent oil industry rumours that they were corrupt. “As many of you know, we are close to securing some major new awards from IOCs [international Oil Companies],” the email states. “We should see such desperate measures to stain our reputation as a badge of honour as we grow and succeed in winning bigger jobs.” http://www.theage.com.au/interactive/2016/the-bribe-factory/day-1/iraq-feature.html

Arab banking sector pillar of the Comprehensive Economic Integration A +a - Comment ( ) Version: paper - InternationalThursday, March 31 / March 2016 (01:00 - GMT) Last Updated: Thursday, March 31 / March 2016 (01:00 - GMT)Beirut - «life» Arab banking sector is a pillar of the overall economic, which is conducive to development in the area of integration, which dealt with the speakers at the opening of «Arab banking integration Conference», organized by the Union of Arab Banks in Beirut, sponsored by Lebanese Prime Minister Tammam Salam represented by Minister of Environment Mohamed Hanged. The President of the Union of Arab Banks Mohamed Barakat, the Union «see the need to deepen the integration process of the Arab». He pointed out «the increasing growth of the Arab banking sector, as it exceeded its assets of $ 3.3 trillion threshold of 2015, an increase of 8.6 percent by the end of 2014. The deposits amounted to about $ 2.1 trillion registered a growth rate of 3.8 percent, and loans 1.7 trillion dollars, up 6.6 percent» . He announced that the number of Arab banking institutions «up to 520, and more than the combined assets on the size of the Arab economy estimated at about 137 percent of the output of the Arab states and $ 2.5 trillion. Also it based on the deposit base equivalent to 86 percent of the size of the Arab economy. » He stated that «the growth achieved the Arab banking sector assets ratio of 2015, amounting to 8.6 percent, offset by a decline in the size of the Arab economy as a result of lower oil prices, political, economic and security conditions faced by a number of Arab countries.» And he saw the head of Association of Banks in Lebanon president of the World Union of Arab Bankers, Joseph Tarabay, that concerns «focused on Arab economic integration, which is a strategic engine for development, and gradual process». He talked about the losses caused by the wars in the Arab region, pointing out that «no final estimates of the cost of the Syrian war, which includes the Syrian economy losses and five affected neighboring countries are Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey». He explained that «the cost of Syrian refugees in Lebanon a year alone amounted to about $ 2.5 billion.» He said that Tarabay «re-advancement of the process come to an end as soon as the war requires the concerted efforts comes in the forefront of the role of the banking system, because the banking sector is the basis for the entrance of each process of economic growth, and continues to achieve good results». And the word of Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Arab Thought Foundation, which was delivered on his behalf by the Director General of the Foundation Henry Aluwayt, saying that «the integration of culture in the Arab world, and in these difficult in particular circumstances, are in dire need to acquire, and to translate them in various fields, so you see us in the the founder of the missionaries, and Petrsakhha thought and practice ». Aluwayt He stressed that «the most effective way to go out than blundering its domestic crises, and to gain immunity that protects us from regional and international ambitions, but it is a serious endeavor to promote joint Arab action, through the creation of a wider network of partnerships and cooperation between the bodies and institutions and organizations, both governmental and private, and between the official and private sectors ». And concluded that «we are called to feed the Integration Fund Borsdtna and Odaiana and to subscribe to the preferential shares, and reap the benefits and revenues rewarding». The Central Bank of Lebanon Governor Riad Salameh, the bank «administrative structure of the banking sector has developed, and demanded that the banks have major centers and branches compliance department confirmed the legitimacy of the money involved it». He stressed that «the Lebanese sound banks and achieved a solvency ratios exceeded 12 percent set by the standards« Basel 3 », which reached 14.42 percent in June 2015». He stressed that the Central Bank of Lebanon policy «will remain to prevent the bankruptcy of any bank of any size, and the law allows the merger of the banks of the Bank of Lebanon to achieve it. We will also continue to regulate the proliferation of banks outside Lebanon and control in addition to Tozivadtha abroad ». He said that the safety of this approach is «allowed to avoid the negative repercussions of the crises experienced by countries which existed Lebanese banks, and prevent the transmission of crises overseas markets to the domestic market». And declared that «the Lebanese pound stable, and the potential of the Bank of Lebanon and assets in foreign currencies allow us to confirm the continuation of the stability of the lira-dollar exchange rate». As the stability of the currency is «a pillar of stability purchasing power of the Lebanese and confidence in the economy and monetary sector, as stability in the benefits structure». Although Lebanon's Ratings Low, explained that «the benefits structure has remain lower than those adopted in countries in the region and emerging markets, despite the enjoyment of the latter compiles the best of it». He said «We look forward to a stable future for the benefits, we will intervene when necessary to protect the stability». http://www.alhayat.com/Articles/14781664/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%83%D9%8A%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%83%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%84

Iraqi Businessmen Union urges the government to strengthen the industrial sector A +a - Comment ( ) Version: paper - InternationalWednesday, March 30 / March 2016 (01:00 - GMT) Last Updated: Wednesday, March 30 / March 2016 (01:00 - GMT)BAGHDAD - Adel Mahdi The head of the «Iraqi Businessmen Union» Ragheb Blibl, the Iraqi industry that suffer major disruptions, represent only 2 to 3 percent of GDP, has been unable to Ministry of Industry moving the wheel of the domestic industry, as absent visions and characterized the planning of weakness at a time spread phenomenon of dumping commodity that has cast a shadow on the laboratories and factories, especially in the private sector, through the phenomenon of the consumption of imported goods. He Blibl in an interview with the «life» on the sidelines of the workshop organized by the Union on the industrial sector and investment, said that «the general planning for the sector RPR weak after 2003, but in relation to the initiative of industrial and recent amendments to the investment law and the declaration of some important strategies, including the development strategy the private sector and development, and strategic industrial and industrial loans, which also suffers from weak enforcement mechanisms ». He pointed out that some government attempts to activate investment, collided with the financial and administrative corruption, bureaucracy and weak enforcement of laws for the supporting-makers. He Blibl: «business agenda in the eight provinces covered by the workshop looked at the possibility of raising awareness and promoting planning». He pointed out that «industrial initiative recently launched by the government, which included the principles of good merits able to develop the industrial sector and activating the role of the private sector, but at the level of theory only, but the application and tracks implementation mechanisms were not required level, which is very slow, despite more than six months after the Announcement industrial initiative by the government ». He added that «execution paths are still lagging behind and is not serious, at a time when the country desperately needs an active industrial sector to substitute for the oil sector and as another source of funding can supplement the budget.» He pointed out that «the positive results expected, will contribute to move the wheel of production and absorb the phenomenon of unemployment and curb the phenomenon of dumping commodity and bring life to the Iraqi products, and therefore the necessity currently serving activate industrial initiative and draw a roadmap for rapid implementation and optimization». Blibl He explained that «a number of laws governing legislation for the market, such as tariffs, consumer protection, antitrust and protect Iraqi products laws, tumble political Balaradat, since these laws have not entered into the application, despite its importance to the market». He pointed to the «amendments included provisions in the Investment Law, give a large expanse of investors both domestic and foreign investment companies in the investment opportunities available and contained in the investment map, which was one of the main impediments to investment in the eight provinces.»He warned of «the phenomenon of financial and administrative corruption faced by the industrial sector, specifically in relation to extortion in the implementation of investment projects by investors and industrialists, which is one of the main obstacles facing the improvement of the business environment.» He said Blibl «allocation of public sector companies step towards the development of the economy and increase growth by keeping up global technology», adding that «among the orientations of the private sector have an important role in shaping economic policy and the transition towards a market economy». He said that «developing nations adopted a privatization policy for several reasons, including funding problems arising from the trade deficit in the balance of payments and public budgets, as some public sector units by turning to the private sector, especially that customization includes radical changes in the curriculum of the political, economic and social state, it led to the change in the production and service behavior. » He stressed Blibl that «allocation should be based on the successful foundations, without following swift action to cause problems in the community, and we must take into account operating in metamorphic projects hand surplus, especially the private sector works in accordance with the economic feasibility and the success of the project». The workshop discussed the recent amendments to the Investment Law No. 13 of 2006, and the initiative and industrial mechanism for granting loans and ways to promote growth through the simplification of strategies, policies, laws and regulations and facilitate the implementation and application of transparency and adoption of accounting performance and enhance competitiveness. http://www.alhayat.com/Articles/14758665/%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D8%B1%D8%AC%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B9%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AD%D9%83%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A8%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B2%D9%8A%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%B9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%86%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%8A

Thu Mar 31, 2016 4:40 ISIL Using Hospitals as Military Bases TEHRAN (FNA)- The ISIL has moved its important military bases to health centers and hospitals in the city of al-Hawija in Kirkuk province, informed military sources announced. "The ISIL terrorists have moved to inside health centers and hospitals in al-Hawija city in order to use patients and people as human shield," the Arabic-language Sumeria news quoted Iraqi volunteer forces commander Jabar al-Ma'mouri as saying on Thursday. He reiterated that al-Hawija hospital's main building has turned into ISIL's religious police in Kirkuk province. "The ISIL is using ambulances to transfer its militants and weapons to the frontline," Ma'mouri added. The ISIL captured al-Hawija and its surrounding areas in June 2014. In a relevant development on Wednesday, the Iraqi fighter jets struck a strategic ISIL-controlled military base near the city of Mosul, killing scores of Takfiri terrorists, including a senior commander. Abu Zainab, ISIL's notorious leader, was killed in Iraqi airstrikes on ISIL's Al-Ghazlani military base was hit by the Iraqi warplanes near Mosul city in Nineveh province. At least 20 other ISIL terrorists were killed in the Iraqi fighter jets' bombardments. Al-Ghazlani military base is located near Zanavir village in the Southern part of Mosul city. Also on Tuesday, the Iraqi army and volunteer forces killed a notorious ISIL leader near Mosul city. The ISIL governor identified as Mohammad Ahmad Sha’yeb was killed by the Iraqi government troops near the city of Mosul in the Northern part of Nineveh province. "Ahmad Sha'yeb was the third ISIL commander who was killed by the Iraqi army over last 48 hours," Iraqi defense ministry announced on Tuesday. Also on Sunday, the Iraqi army and volunteer forces continued their advances near Mosul city, and seized back several strategic villages. "We have liberated at least 10 ISIL-controlled villages, including Qudila, Qarmadi, Mahanah, Khattab, al-Nasr, Hamidat and Kharbardan since Thursday during military operations to take control of Mosul city which is located 400 kilometers to the North of Baghdad," Brigadier General Najm Abdollah al-Jubouri said. Scores of the ISIL terrorists were killed and wounded in heavy clashes with the Iraqi government troops over taking control of the villages near Mosul city. Brigadier General al-Jubouri reiterated that the ISIL tried to penetrate in the newly-liberated villages by dispatching suicide bombers, but to no avail. Also on Saturday, the Iraqi government troops are engaged in heavy fighting with the ISIL terrorists at the entrance of Mahana village in Makhmour region of Nineveh province. Meantime, the Iraqi air force pounded and destroyed the ISIL's military positions in al-Bashir region in the Southern part of Kirkuk. The Iraqi fighter jets carried out targeted attacks on the ISIL's gathering centers in Al-Ban region in Nineveh province. The Iraqi Army and popular forces have begun military operations to retake the Northern province of Nineveh from ISIL since Thursday. http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950112000321

General: Obama Could Decide on Greater Troop Presence in Iraq Soon SHARE TWEET EMAIL Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair USMC General Joseph Dunford Jr. / Reuters BY: ReutersMarch 31, 2016 9:09 am WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama will have the chance to decide on whether to increase the number of U.S. forces in Iraq in the “coming weeks,” the top U.S. general said on Wednesday. The extra troops would bolster the capabilities of Iraqi forces preparing for a major offensive against the Islamic State militant group in Mosul, U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a news briefing. U.S. and Iraqi military officials have been discussing a plan to retake Mosul, which fell to Islamic State in June 2014, and how U.S. forces could support their efforts, Dunford said. “Those recommendations are being made and the president will have an opportunity to make some decisions here in the coming weeks,” Dunford said. “I brought it to the secretary (Defense Secretary Ash Carter). The secretary will engage with the president.” Dunford said last week he expected an increase in the level of U.S. forces in Iraq from the current 3,800, but that those decisions had not been finalized. U.S. officials have said they hope to capitalize on recent battlefield successes against Islamic State, such as the retaking of Ramadi by Iraqi forces late last year. “The timing really now is focused on the next phase of the campaign, which is towards Mosul, and maintaining the kind of momentum that we had in Ramadi,” Dunford said. http://freebeacon.com/national-security/general-obama-decide-greater-troop-presence-iraq-soon/?

Major scandal ousted officials of power in Iraq, most notably al-Shahristani An investigation of the investigative Institutes Fbervaks Media and Haventgon Post largest bribe in Iraq in the oil its contracts which included high-ranking Iraqi officials, including the current Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Hussain al-Shahristani. The probe publication, on Wednesday, several media of the two institutes named, said that " a number of prominent names in Iraq that are directly related to this scandal , notably the Minister of Higher Education Hussein Alchehrs Tani who was oil minister in the former government and the deputy prime minister for energy affairs in the previous government as well as the names Abdul Karim and coffee and oil minister in the previous government and Jafar al - Musawi , director of the southern oil company and Kifah Numan , who took over as director of the southern oil under former oil minister Thamer Ghadhban, as well as Uday Qurashi , a senior official at the South oil company. " He added that the "deal of corruption included Basil Jarrah, an Iraqi resident outside the country and has extensive relationships with Iraqi officials present, which is a link between the Iraqi officials and oil company unaoil which owned a business from neighboring countries, based in Monaca," noting that "the company's role boils to communicate with the major oil companies across the world to ensure that their contracts in Iraqi oil fields. " And explains the investigation that "the mechanism of contracts for the sale of Iraqi and tenders of oil to large companies through wounds and some of the oil companies," pointing out that "millions of dollars spent in bribes to Iraqi officials during the period between 2005 until 2014, some obtained by Shahristani and coffee directly in addition to bribes paid directly by the surgeon and other oil company officials to the smallest. " He said the investigation published that "one of the contracts that the company has expanded it is the signing of a contract Hewanda company where he offered a company Hewanda pay seven million dollars if they wish to obtain the contract, worth $ 100 million, which is the thrust of a presentation by the surgeon to address the Hyundai," noting that "a bribe of seven million dollars part of which goes to the al-Shahristani and another person named Ahmed al-Jubouri, who was the link between the surgeon and al-Shahristani." The investigation confirmed that "one of the messages said make sure the surgeon approval Jubouri to receive an amount of US $ million, compared to ensure the victory of Petrofac Company and SBM Dutch holding Garraf fields," noting that "the surgeon agreed to pay twenty million dollars for Jabouri in 2010 and 2011 to influence Shahristani Allaibi and to persuade them to grant a stake in the pipeline project for Leighton marine company. " He noted that the investigation "in 2011 paid a bribe paid one of the largest in the history of companies valued at $ 16 million to win the support of al-Shahristani, in order to get a hold of the pipeline is estimated at $ 600 million." http://www.iraaqi.com/news.php?id=21704&news=1#.Vv0tFPkrLct

Minister of Finance signed a loan for Iraq from Japan 16:12:00 31.03.2016 | (Voice of Iraq) - Baghdad 's Ministry of Finance announced on Thursday that the minister Hoshyar Zebari signed a loan provided by Japan for Iraq worth $ 220 million. The ministry said in astatement that "Finance Minister Hoshyar Zebari received today, Japan 'sambassador to Iraq , Fumio Iwai presence of the President Japanese Agency for international cooperation Office (JICA) Yoho Hayakama. " the statement added," the Finance Minister made during the meeting to sign a loan development policy of financial reform in the amount of 250 billion yen , equivalent to $ 220 million , a direct cash loan to support the 2016 budget. " He continued , "this loan is part of a co - financing with the World Bank , which already is the other , and provided a loan to Iraq to support thedevelopment of financial reform policy." he praised Zebari, according to thestatement, " the role of the Japanese government and people in support ofIraq in the development process and economic reform as well as support continuous for Iraq in its war against the entity Daash. " the Ministry ofFinance signed on Monday (25 May 2016), with Japan on the two loans facilitators energy and sanitation , $ 909 million. Read more:http://www.sotaliraq.com/newsitem.php?id=324902#ixzz44UJU6Urx

Baghdad demos continue amid calls for new Iraq gov't Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr denies reports of Iranian mediation aimed at ending ongoing protests in Baghdad by his supporters 30.03.2016 Iraq politics, world, middle east related news Turkey holds nearly 700 Daesh suspects so far this year Suicide bomber kills four in Baghdad: Security sources Iraqi lawmakers give PM three days to unveil new gov't Iraq: Mosul offensive suspended due to weather conditions Iraq's Kurds demand at least 20 percent of new gov't posts By Ibrahim Salih BAGHDAD Prominent Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has warned that his bloc in parliament would vote to withdraw confidence from Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi if the latter failed to appoint a new government by Thursday, while demonstrations by al-Sadr's supporters continued outside Baghdad's Green Zone. "Parliament has given the prime minister until Thursday [to present a new government] and he must abide by this deadline," al-Sadr said in a message to supporters camped outside Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone. "If he [al-Abadi] fails to do so, we will… vote to withdraw confidence from him," he warned. Al-Sadr’s "Ahrar" bloc in parliament holds 34 seats in the 328-seat assembly and three ministerial portfolios in Iraq’s current government. On Monday, parliament gave al-Abadi a three-day deadline to present a new cabinet lineup or face a vote of no-confidence. The move came amid large protests by al-Sadr’s supporters aimed at pressuring the prime minister to appoint a government of "technocrats" untainted by corruption or sectarianism -- both of which, critics say, have hamstrung Iraq’s previous post-invasion governments. - No Iranian mediation Al-Sadr, meanwhile, denied reports of Iranian mediation aimed at ending the protests by his followers. "No one has dared to negotiate with me or try to convince me to withdraw [demonstrations by my supporters] from outside the Green Zone," al-Sadr told Al-Itesam daily on Wednesday. "There is no Iranian mediation; I don't think the Iranians would get involved," he said. Al-Abadi, for his part, says he has presented a reform program aimed at fighting rampant corruption. "The program also includes mechanisms for choosing non-party technocrats for top [government] posts," he said. The prime minister, however, did not clarify as to whether he would abide by the three-day deadline set by parliament for him to present a new government lineup. Last summer, Iraq’s parliament approved a sweeping raft of reforms proposed by al-Abadi. The reforms are aimed at meeting popular demands to eliminate government corruption and streamline state bureaucracy. http://aa.com.tr/en/world/baghdad-demos-continue-amid-calls-for-new-iraq-govt/546437?

Wednesday, March 30, 2016 - 05:50 Abadi denies "allegations" a Saudi newspaper on a "coup" by reference Denied Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi, on Wednesday, "allegations" a Saudi newspaper on a "coup" supreme religious authority by asserting that his relationship with the religious authority "excellent and continuing." He said theInformation Office of the Prime Minister in a statement received by Agence Nun ,news reporting, a copy of it, that "Prime Minister categorically denies relationship with any of the Osath or his associates , including published in Al - Hayat newspaper today about the supreme religious authority the position of prime minister." the statement added that " the authority Grand Ayatollah Sistani is thesafety valve for the Iraqi people and is driving us toward reform and the fight against corruption and establish good governance , "he said , adding that" there are those who try to securities mixing in spreading lies and rumors and conspiracy to reference the state and sabotage the political process in order toachieve ends despicable. " He continued, the statement, that" the Prime Minister confirm that his relationship and communication with the upper reference to Sayyed Sistani is excellent and continuing for the citizens and the best interests of the country 's interest and Eminence supports what we are doing towards reforms and the fight against corruption. " the newspaper" life "Saudi Arabia said in its edition of Wednesday, the religious authority in Najaf" flipped "the government of Prime Minister Haider al - Abadi . http://www.non14.net/70400/

I hope they're realizing that if they DON'T RV they face a total economic collapse.

Soon .. Iraq contracted with the World Bank for the reconstruction of 8 projects 03/30/2016 BAGHDAD / JD / .. Minister of Construction and Housing and public municipalities Tariq Kikhany announced that the ministry will sign a contract with the World Bank to finance the reconstruction of a devastating eight projects of roads and bridges sector in the provinces of Diyala, Salahuddin after their liberation. He Kikhany in a statement / KD / received a copy of it: that these projects are funded within allocated to the Ministry of the World Bank loan and $ 140 million and is part of the emergency loan the reconstruction of liberated areas, indicating that the cost of these eight projects account for about 35% of the allocated total value of the loan the ministry. He Kikhany These projects include two projects in Salahuddin province, namely Emaar bridges big Dhuluiya and small project reconstruction of bridges Alhychen Bjnabiah left and right, either in Diyala province, are the implementation of six projects, a project of Khanaqin, Mandali Road and Road Project Mandali box oil and Emaar breasts bridge project reconstruction bridges Narain the concrete and iron and reconstruction project bridges the old and new Alharonih project and the reconstruction of bridges in front of Lewis (4) and (7). For his part, Essam Abbas, Director General of Roads and Bridges Department, "the authority supervising the implementation of these projects," the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Public municipalities are the first point of sectoral government has fulfilled the obligations and standards for the conditions of the World Bank and we are proud that the engineering and technical staffs in our circle completed what is required of them under the stage The first of these projects, carried out by the executive companies affiliated to the ministry implementation of the project if the signing of the joint contract between the ministry and the World Bank. http://www.dananernews.com/News_Details.php?ID=7105