Gold mines in Iran’s Kurdish regions: Between riches and sorrows

The gold-rich Kurdish regions of western Iran grapple with the serious environmental and health consequences arising from mining the precious commodity, launching a campaign to stop the drilling which has seen elevated instances of cancer and the destruction of local flora and fauna.

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Afro-Iraqis confront legacy of slavery, discrimination in modern Basra

Afro-Iraqis, long marginalized despite deep roots in Basra’s history, are at the center of a national debate after a controversial decision to allocate land exclusively to dark-skinned citizens. Critics call the move politically motivated and racially divisive, while activists recall centuries of systemic exclusion, from slavery under the Abbasids to modern political invisibility.

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From high-profile snubs to early leavers: Baghdad's disastrous summit

After nearly six months of preparations and millions of dollars spent, the Arab League summit hosted in Baghdad, and hailed by Iraqi authorities ended in disaster with only five of over 20 Arab head of states, and none but one from Gulf states, attending.

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Killed kolbar’s family decry lack of accountability

“What was my son carrying? Was he carrying narcotics? Was he carrying smuggled weapons?” asked Arman's mother

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Turkey-PKK peace process: Its influence on Iranian Kurds

In light of the historic Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) decision to end its armed campaign against the Turkish state, Kurds in Iran seek to ascertain the peace process' implications for their own situation within a country that has long denied them any degree of autonomy.

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Iraq's housing crisis deepens amid rising rents, failed promises

As Iraq faces a severe housing shortage, families are grappling with soaring rents, stalled government projects, and a lack of affordable options, leaving many young people viewing home ownership as an elusive dream always tantalizingly out of reach.

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Iraq taps dormant tax funds to pay salaries amid oil price woes, budget deficit

Facing a deepening liquidity crisis and fluctuating oil revenues, the Iraqi government has authorized the withdrawal of over 3 trillion dinars from long-idle tax trust funds to cover public employee salaries.

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Reviving Baghdad’s Jewish past: Isaac Gaon shrine restoration sparks both hopes and tensions

After decades of neglect, the shrine of Rabbi Isaac Gaon in Baghdad's historic Qanbar Ali neighborhood is undergoing restoration, reigniting conversations about Iraq’s Jewish heritage, interfaith coexistence, and national identity.

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Blame game atop apocalyptic ruins: How Iran is reeling from its port inferno

A port in flames, a nation in mourning—and a ruling elite in denial. Behind Iran's recent port explosion lies a web of secrecy, military links, and a government increasingly estranged from its own people.

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