The lush marshes of Iraq are regarded by some as the original Garden of Eden, but they were drained and decimated by Saddam Hussein. Now a major restoration programme has seen people and wildlife return to one of the world's most famous wetlands.
(Reuters) - Iraq has captured a suspected al Qaeda cell that planned to produce chemical poisons such as mustard gas to attack Iraqi forces and to ship overseas for attacks on Europe and the United States, the government said on Saturday.
The announcement was made as investigators look into allegations over the use of sarin nerve gas in next-door Syria where rebels and President Bashar al-Assad's forces have blamed each other for using chemical weapons.
Standard Chartered plans to open branches this year in Baghdad and the city of Erbil, followed by a third next year in the oil hub of Basra.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) will start producing crude at Iraq’s Majnoon oil field as early as next month and plans to increase energy investments in Saudi Arabia, its regional vice president said.
President Jalal Talabani meets with his medical team in Berlin: Doctors confirm that the President's health is improving.
Three Iraqi women journalists have won a United Nations contest which seeks to highlight the everyday challenges faced by women living in the Middle Eastern country.
Iraq is laying plans to rebuild its historic railways and become a transit hub for goods that would be shipped from Asia to Iraq's neighbours and beyond.
On May 3, 2013, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed Iraqi-U.S. relations and the importance of the bilateral ministerial coordination committees. Kerry officially invited the Minister to visit Washington next month...
There has long been a slight problem with the declaration of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world -- there was no proof it actually existed. Now, an Oxford University researcher says...
On Saturday, April 20, 2013, Iraq held its first elections since the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The voting process went smoothly without any major security incidents reported.
Iraq's southern marshes could become a centre for eco-tourism, based around floating hotels and guided wildlife tours, according to the winner of one of the world's most prestigious environmental prizes.
The marshlands between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers are frequently described as the Garden of Eden or the Cradle of Civilisation.
"...the Mesopotamian marshes are starting to flourish again as a result of Alwash’s advocacy. Almost half of the original area is now flooded again, and the Sumerians have begun to reestablish their lives. In what is perhaps the most telling evidence of his success elevating the importance of the environment in Iraq, the restored marshes are slated to be established as the country’s first national park in the spring of 2013."
On the 10th anniversary of the overthrow of Saddam Hussien, Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki penned an opinion piece in the Washington Post discussing the importance of the U.S.-Iraqi partnership.
Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA) and Mitsubishi Corp. (8058) will start capturing gas from Iraq’s oil fields next week in a $17 billion project known as Basra Gas Co.
“Basra Gas Co. will start operations officially on April 15,” said Ali Hussain Khudayir, director general of South Gas Co., which represents the Iraqi government’s controlling stake in the Basra Gas Co. venture.
