Regional conflict drains Lebanon amid escalating tensions

Shafaq News As tensions escalate along the southern border and political divisions deepen internally, Lebanon finds itself entrenched in a broader regional struggle pitting the so-called “Islamic Resistance” (Hezbollah’s military wing) against... Read more »

Iraq’s investment story: From security to opportunity

Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq’s improving security conditions, combined with economic policy shifts, are turning the country into an increasingly visible investment destination. Over the past two years, the near elimination of... Read more »

Pollution gnaws at Iraq: Laws without teeth, fines without impact

Shafaq News Pollution is silently infiltrating Iraq—particularly the capital, Baghdad—through noise, air, water, and soil, posing a daily threat to millions. Despite longstanding environmental laws, contamination across the country is escalating, with... Read more »

Quotas without a cause: Iraqi Women counted, rights discounted

Shafaq News Iraq’s Parliament counts more women than ever before, yet their presence has not translated into stronger protections for women’s rights. Quotas guarantee seats, but real gains remain elusive. Women’s Seats... Read more »

Iraq on World Humanitarian Day: From Canal Hotel attack to climate-driven displacement

Shafaq News World Humanitarian Day (WHD) is marked each year on August 19 in honor of aid workers and people affected by crises. The date was chosen after the 2003 bombing of... Read more »

Security Briefing: Deadly clashes, drug busts, and arrests mark Iraq’s day

2025-08-18T21:34:36+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News Below is a summary of key security incidents reported across Iraq on August 18, 2025. Violent Dispute (Maysan) A girl was killed... Read more »

Europe joins Zelenskyy in Washington to shape Ukraine’s future

2025-08-18T22:28:42+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Washington US President Donald Trump met on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven senior European leaders at the White... Read more »

Captagon Empire: How Syria fuels a $2B regional drug trade

Shafaq News Syria has emerged as the epicenter of the Middle East’s booming captagon trade, serving both as a production hub and a transit corridor feeding a narcotics market estimated at more... Read more »

EXPLAINER: From the fight against ISIS to US withdrawal talks

2025-08-18T10:43:47+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News More than a decade after the US-led Global Coalition was formed to defeat ISIS, Iraq is entering a decisive phase. The 2022... Read more »

Iraqi Banking reform: Between necessary change and crippling conditions

2025-08-17T14:03:00+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News Iraq’s banking sector is facing one of its most critical junctures in years as the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) rolls out... Read more »