Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.
 
    
  Dutch centrist D66 party revels in election success as Wilders loses support
The centrist D66 party has made huge gains in close-run Dutch elections, as the party of far-right leader Geert Wilders lost support, with tough coalition talks expected to follow. Whichever party gains the most seats will have the first...
Iraq’s August Oil Exports Reach 3.49 Million Barrels Daily
Iraq’s surging oil exports of 3.49 million barrels per day should be cause for celebration, yet they underscore the nation’s most dangerous vulnerability. The Petro-State Paradox Iraq’s August oil export figures from the State Oil Marketing...
 
    
  Abu Dhabi’s critical metals deal reshapes Gulf security strategy
Matein Khalid Critical minerals have become a national security priority for GCC states as China has weaponised its dominance over supply chains, refining capacity and magnet production. These materials, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, tin,...
 
    
  Washington Urges Baghdad to Disarm Militias
The United States has renewed pressure on Iraq to curb the power of armed groups, urging the government to disarm Iranian-backed militias. The appeal came during a phone call between Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, and Mohammed Shia Al Sudani,...
 
    
  Reliance Industries shares rise after purchase of Middle Eastern crude amid global supply shifts
Shares of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) rose 0.97% to Rs 1,478 on the BSE on Thursday, October 23, following reports that the company has stepped up purchases of Middle Eastern crude oil in recent days, potentially indicating a shift in its...
Iraq Oil Exports Reach 3.49 Million Barrels Daily in August
Iraq’s surging oil exports of 3.49 million barrels per day represent both the nation’s greatest strength and its most dangerous weakness. The Petro-State Paradox Iraq’s announcement through its State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) that August...
 
    
  Standard Chartered Offers OPEC+ Meeting Prediction
In a report sent to Rigzone by the Standard Chartered team on Wednesday, Emily Ashford, Head of Energy Research at Standard Chartered Bank, offered a prediction for OPEC+’s next meeting, which is scheduled to be held on November 2. “OPEC+ [is]...
Industrial Sector Records Steady Growth, Strengthening Investment Climate and Job Creation
Ammon News - The industrial sector is on an upward trajectory, marking eight consecutive months of growth this year, a performance that underscores renewed investor confidence, economic stability, and the sector’s expanding role in driving...
 
    
  Iraq’s elections and Muqtada al-Sadr’s endgame of power
In a statement last month, Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr said his movement would boycott the November elections, hinting he wants to “change the faces and save Iraq” – reportedly his endgame since he withdrew his bloc from parliament in June...
 
    
  Iraq must rethink fiscal strategy to avert crisis, economist urges
2025-10-19T08:59:59+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq needs to overhaul its fiscal system to generate growth and jobs without widening its deficit, the Asul Foundation for Economic Development warned on Sunday,...
 
    
  What’s The West Up To In Its Talks With Iraq Over Building Out An LNG Sector?
There is a lot more than meets the eye to a series of meetings by U.S. and European firms recently to talk to Iraq’s leadership about opportunities in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, LNG has become the...
 
    
  Reliance Industries buys more West Asian crude as global pressure on Russian oil rises
NEW DELHI: Mukesh Ambani backed Reliance Industries bought West Asian crudes last week and may place more orders, signalling that Western pressure against Russian oil may be starting to impact its procurement patterns. The refiner bought at least...
 
    
  'UK forces on tense mission to help Gaza peace must remember lessons of Iraq'
Chris Hughes is the Daily Mirror Defence and Security Editor. Chris won specialist journalist of the year in 2013 at the UK Press Awards. He has reported from frontlines in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Ukraine and terror attacks...
 
    
  Officer killed in Baghdad gas pipeline blast
2025-10-22T19:30:13+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad A gas pipeline explosion at an Energy Police facility in northwestern Baghdad killed one officer, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. According to a statement,...
 
    
  Lukoil to Sell Foreign Assets to Gunvor After U.S. Sanctions
By Vladimir Soldatkin and Oksana Kobzeva MOSCOW, Oct 30 (Reuters) – Lukoil said on Thursday it had accepted an offer from global commodity trader Gunvor to buy its foreign assets, which Russia’s second-largest oil company is seeking to sell after...
 
    
  Vision Education, Together Association partner to advance sustainability in Iraq
2025-10-22T21:14:23+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Erbil The Erbil-based Vision Education Foundation and Together to Protect Human and the Environment Association signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in...
 
    
  Iraq launches banking reforms to attract investment
2025-10-18T12:02:03+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Washington Iraq unveiled a new set of banking and economic reforms aimed “to strengthen the country’s financial system and attract foreign investment,” a senior Iraqi...
BRICS+ Series: India, Russia and the Energy Equation
As the geopolitical spotlight turns to India’s oil diplomacy, a deeper story emerges, one that reveals not dependence, but strategic design. The question is no longer whether India can do without Russian oil, but rather how its energy pragmatism...
 
    
  Energy diplomacy: How India is playing its oil game
India's foreign policy has long been defined by strategic autonomy and multilateral engagement. This stance has become more visible amid growing global polarisations due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Recent developments surrounding Russian oil have...
 
    
  Back on Washington’s radar: Iraq’s return to the US strategic map
Shafaq News A single sentence by US President Donald Trump during a summit on Gaza in Sharm El-Sheikh unexpectedly shifted the focus to Iraq: “Iraq is a country full of oil… but it doesn’t know what to do with it. That’s your problem.” The remark,...