An awesome job for Arabic speaking journalists/researchers: occrp.org/en/occrp-jobs/…

Civil activists of the #Tishreen movement are gathering in Baghdad's #Nisour Square now, in the shadow of the city's tower, expressing their frustrations re the ongoing political crisis. Peaceful, lots of security, chanting of 'we are the young who will build the country.' #Iraq

'Sadr believes he can control the angry masses ...but only if he can control the system. His unleashing of the Sadrists for 24 hours was that message in graphic form.'

Muqtada Sadr now live from Najaf:
-says those dead and those doing the killing are now in hell
-thanks ISF, Hashd members (not leaders), Commander-in-Chief
-gives 60 minutes for all to withdraw from IZ & Parliament
-doesn’t want anymore protests, peaceful or otherwise

Worth hearing: Clear and concise explanation from one of best analysts on/in Iraq.

For context, the majority of Sadrists today are young, do not follow any Marja and pay no attention to Haeri. With Sadr announcing his ‘resignation’ it leaves the crowd freer to do what they want, giving him no accountability. His instructions were the constraint

Well past midnight and still lots of drone bombs, RPG, mortar, rocket fire in addition to shooting in Baghdad, though calmer elsewhere. I wonder if this show of muscles, despite the awful casualty toll, will be brief. Tomorrow gives much to ponder on where this country is headed

This is a story about Baghdad & Middlesbrough. [TW: suicide, torture]

In 2006, Ausama al Khalil arrived in Middlesbro', a large town in North East England which hasn't quite become a city. He came from an ancient metropolis, Baghdad, and why he left is both easy and hard to say.

Job in Baghdad: hawa.jobs/job/social-med…

Breaking: in dramatic development, three days before the presidential election session, Muqtada Sadr, an ally of KDP, asks his Mps not to vote for KDP candidate Hoshyar Zebari for the post of President if they consider that he does not meet the conditions for the position. #Iraq

🙆🏽‍♀️jane arraf knows Iraq so well and always comes up with the most interesting stories, ones that show all of the sides of this wonderful country ...from the wonderful (like this story) to terrible and sad. 🌟

Iraq's state TV battles racism with the historic hiring of a remarkable young woman: A Black Iraqi’s Sudden Career in TV News: ‘They Wanted to See All Colors’ nytimes.com/2022/02/04/wor…

Baghdad’s first streetwear brand, Zuqaq13 opens its renovated store today 🙌

'Farhadi wishes it could be the same for the English Language Department; the U.S. and British consulates have seldom offered help, he said.
“They don’t support us at all,” he said.'

In light of today’s Neil Young / Spotify news, I took down the paywall on this post from Jan. 13 about the company’s misinformation mistake: it promoted a policy that it ultimately was not willing to enforce

platformer.news/p/how-spotify-…

The ISIS prison break in Syria is turning into an insurgency. They appear to control a portion of the prison and nearby streets. SDF is battling to take back control. Civilians are fleeing. This is how it started in 2013-14

Iraqi journalism alert. Very nice potential award from Metrography, in memoriam: metrography.org/kamaran-awards/

If the framework cannot get recognition for the largest bloc, then it will accept the Sadrist government and not be a part of it, form an opposition and try to bring it down soon to get early elections

A last story from the Middle East before Christmas, one that looks at the great 2021 Christmas tree infiltration of Baghdad. Every year there seem to be more trees, more Santas and more (non-Christian) families celebrating. dw.com/en/in-iraq-chr…

'It will take time and education; in many ways #Yazidi #women led by example, during and after the #genocide . They were at the forefront of everything that happened and in many ways became symbols of the people' (Murad Ismael)

💛 Nadia Murad (but not only)