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Shatt Al-Arab: Fishing up Iv fluid bags instead of fish 

In Shatt Al-Arab, fishing lines and nets no longer bring up fish but medical intravenous (IV) bags and human waste. The fish that once thrived can no longer grow. They have adapted…


Hala Abdullah / 22 May 2025

"Pack your bags. The striking force is on its way!" Faiq Al-Sheikh’s smile amid the regional inferno 

Nearly three years ago, former Iraqi MP, Faiq Al-Sheikh Ali, promised the arrival of a striking force that would overthrow Iraq’s political system. Since then, developments on the ground have given that…


Yahia Issam / 15 May 2025

Sweet, white and contested: The women fighting for Samawa’s salt 

In Samawa, southern Iraq, women salt gatherers are battling for their livelihoods after a private investor seized control of the region’s only salt mine – and with it, the future of the…


Nashwa Naeem / 8 May 2025

Driven out by noise: The quiet disappearance of Iraqi bats 

In Iraq, bats are known as Saḥayyir Al-Layl - “The one that stays up at night”. Long misunderstood and often viewed as ill-omened creatures that are the harbingers of bad luck. At…


Mortada Al-hudod / 24 April 2025

latest post

Shatt Al-Arab: Fishing up Iv fluid bags instead of fish 

In Shatt Al-Arab, fishing lines and nets no longer bring up fish but medical intravenous (IV) bags and human waste. The fish that once thrived can no longer grow. They have adapted…


Hala Abdullah / 22 May 2025

"Pack your bags. The striking force is on its way!" Faiq Al-Sheikh’s smile amid the regional inferno 

Nearly three years ago, former Iraqi MP, Faiq Al-Sheikh Ali, promised the arrival of a striking force that would overthrow Iraq’s political system. Since then, developments on the ground have given that…


Yahia Issam / 15 May 2025

Sweet, white and contested: The women fighting for Samawa’s salt 

In Samawa, southern Iraq, women salt gatherers are battling for their livelihoods after a private investor seized control of the region’s only salt mine – and with it, the future of the…


Nashwa Naeem / 8 May 2025

Driven out by noise: The quiet disappearance of Iraqi bats 

In Iraq, bats are known as Saḥayyir Al-Layl - “The one that stays up at night”. Long misunderstood and often viewed as ill-omened creatures that are the harbingers of bad luck. At…


Mortada Al-hudod / 24 April 2025

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Sweet, white and contested: The women fighting for Samawa’s salt 

Nashwa Naeem / 8 May 2025

In Samawa, southern Iraq, women salt gatherers are battling for their livelihoods after a private investor seized control of the region’s only salt mine – and with it, the future of the community’s traditional trade. This investigative report examines how...

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The deaf and mute in Iraq: neglect, isolation, and the barriers of language      

The deaf and mute community in Iraq had been living in complete isolation, struggling with neglect and a lack of facilities for daily life, most notably, the difficulty of communication. They face challenges...

Israa Tariq / 6 March 2025

Editorials

Editorials


“I’m afraid I’ll lose my money”: Shaimaa and Muhammad’s concerns about digital payment  

Muhaned Faris / 3 April 2025

The Iraqi government is mandating digital payments, a move strongly promoted by banks. But many Iraqis, like Shaimaa and Muhammad, remain hesitant, expressing fears they might lose their money in the transition.…


Rentier economy and liquidity: What do we know about the uncertain future Iraq is facing? 

Abdullah Al-Sa’ad / 20 March 2025

Seventy per cent of Iraqi cash is outside the banking system. Governmental and financial institutions are suffering from a shortage of Iraqi dinars, while oil prices may drop. So, what do we…


“Where is your father?” And the endless questions about my travels

Dhey Ahmed / 13 March 2025

Without my father, I would always be seen as a minor in the eyes of a state that officially recognises me as being in the first quarter of my twenties. Even though…


The deaf and mute in Iraq: neglect, isolation, and the barriers of language      

Israa Tariq / 6 March 2025

The deaf and mute community in Iraq had been living in complete isolation, struggling with neglect and a lack of facilities for daily life, most notably, the difficulty of communication. They face…


Three laws in one basket. Iraq insists on division and regression 

Gilgamesh Nabil / 27 February 2025

Iraqi decision-makers behave as if they are outside of the times. Indeed, they are — ignoring this critical stage that the country, the region, and the world are going through. At a…


Dissolving the PMF, Again

Adam Hussein / 20 February 2025

This is the story of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) or Commission, three rebellious factions, and the debate on dissolving the factions or integrating the commission into security institutions. What is happening…


The mountain is no longer a friend to the Kurds. How do northern villages survive under Turkish army bombardment? 

Rashid Sofi / 13 February 2025

The mountains, forests, and water springs have turned into war zones. Once, they were a tourist attraction and a hub for popular festivals celebrating nature. The songs of farmers and shepherds have…