Basra residents protest government decision on informal housing

Dozens of Basra residents protested on Sunday against a federal decision to regulate informal housing, calling it unfair and harmful to lower income families.

Articles

Basra struggles with rising foreign labor, leaving local youth jobless

Officials and activists in Iraq’s Basra province are raising alarms over a sharp increase in foreign workers, especially in the oil sector, while thousands of local residents remain unemployed.

Articles

From Basra to the Gulf: One man’s mission to keep traditional crafts alive

In the heart of Basra’s old market, Mohammed Hussein runs the city’s oldest traditional goods shop, handcrafting and shipping palm-leaf mats, brooms, and clay pots to customers across the Gulf.

Gallery

Proposal to make al-Zubair a province sparks uproar over Basra’s future

A controversial proposal by MP Rafiq al-Salhi to turn al-Zubair into a standalone province has triggered political backlash in Iraq

News

Basra archaeological restoration project uncovers British, Ottoman soldier inscriptions

Restoration work at Qasr Mudhay palace in Basra has uncovered messages and writings left by British soldiers who occupied the palace in 1941 during World War II, as well as earlier engravings by Ottoman troops, according to the Basra Antiquities and Heritage Authority.

Articles

Basra development stalls due to financial crisis, delayed government funding

A financial crisis has brought major development projects in Basra to a standstill, with local officials blaming the central government for delaying funds.

Articles

Iraq’s Sudani attends operational launch of Grand Faw Port

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia’ al-Sudani attended the handover ceremony for five newly-completed berths at the Grand Faw Port in Basra on Thursday.

News

‘We all have dreams’: Basra’s ThreeAin rock band stands out

ThreeAin formed in 2021. Initially, members practiced at home or in other public spaces, but faced difficulties due to family disapproval of loud music and societal stigma associated with public musical performances.

Features

Shafqat Al-Amel: Basra's biggest squatter crisis

Largest informal settlement: Shafqat Al-Amel and 100,000 land encroachments in Basra

Features