Iraq to phase out cash and expand electronic payments
The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced plans to reduce cash use and expand electronic payments, expecting the volume of transactions to reach $60 billion by 2035. The move is part of a broader reform plan to modernize the banking system.
Kawa Abdulqadir, the leader of the New Generation Movement list in Erbil, said the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) have failed to achieve anything for the people. He described the upcoming November 11 election as a day of revenge against both parties.
The Iraqi Election Commission has expelled a PUK candidate from Sulaimanyah constituency after discovering that his education certificate was forged. The Ministry of Education confirmed the document’s falsification.
Residents of several villages in Erbil gathered to protest poor services, accusing the outgoing government of neglecting their areas. They say streets have been left destroyed for months and schools remain unfinished.
The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Interior has denied reports that number plates will be issued to vehicles without starters, calling such claims part of election propaganda. Officials say only the ministry has the authority to issue number plates, amid reports of 100,000 unregistered vehicles smuggled for political gain.
After Turkish Airlines, Turkish carrier AJet announced it will begin operating flights between Istanbul and Sulaymaniyah starting December 2, 2025.
The Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Refugees announced that over 19,000 citizens have been repatriated from Syria’s Al-Hol Camp as part of a national rehabilitation and reintegration program.
New Generation Movement supporters accuse the KDP of tearing down their campaign materials in Duhok, saying the move reflects fear of the movement’s rising popularity ahead of the elections.
Erbil police said a man was killed in a shooting last night following an old dispute between two friends. The suspect was arrested shortly after confessing to the crime.
The Kurdistan Region began distributing August salaries today, causing long queues at banks. This will be the last payment before the elections, with future salaries still uncertain.
From prison, Shaswar Abdulwahid urged citizens to vote for the new generation movement on November 11, calling it the only path to change and criticizing the ruling authorities for decades of deception.
A 37-year-old man was shot dead in Duhok, and police arrested his father for the alleged murder.
The Metro Center urged the KRG to end pressure on journalists, apply the Journalism Law instead of the Penal Code, and release NRT Director Shwan Adil, who remains under detention.
Iran’s foreign minister said Tehran is open to dialogue with the West and the US while maintaining its right to enrich uranium. Western demands to limit missile range were rejected, prompting renewed UN sanctions.
NRT Director Shwan Adil was arrested in Erbil after a complaint by the KDP’s Aylul Agency and sentenced to two weeks in prison.
Iraq’s non-oil revenues have doubled to 14% amid expanding economic partnerships and government efforts to strengthen the private sector.
Forty Kurdish refugees from Libya have been repatriated to Erbil, with efforts underway to return 35 others.
Finance Minister Taif Sami told NRT that August salaries, exceeding 950 billion dinars, will be sent today. The remaining salaries of the year remain uncertain.
US envoy Mark Savaya said he aims to strengthen ties with Iraq, highlighting the country’s growing potential and expressing his wish to “make Iraq great again.”
IHEC has prepared over 23 million ballot papers with advanced security features to prevent counterfeiting. The ballots will be securely stored after the elections.
A two-year-old boy from Ashkawta village drowned in a pond in Harir. Students passing by discovered the child, whose body was later taken to Harir Hospital.
PUK forces in Halabja have started demolishing houses built without planning permission. Locals warn that neighboring homes may also be affected.
Iraq will resume large-scale oil exports from Kirkuk, with 12 tankers set to depart through Turkey’s Ceyhan port next month, marking a major step after a two-year suspension.
Iraq’s Ministry of Commerce announced the arrival of more than 40,000 tons of Thai rice at Umm Qasr Port. The rice will undergo laboratory testing before being distributed to citizens as part of the national food basket program.
A US organization says Washington has reversed its decision to withdraw forces from Iraq. American military advisers will remain at bases such as Ain al-Assad and Harir despite the end of combat operations.
Iraq has built a modern oil refinery in Basra capable of producing 4.2 million liters of gasoline daily, meeting 20% of local demand. The Oil Ministry plans further expansion projects to boost exports and support the national economy.
Brent crude climbed to $64.65 and U.S. WTI reached $60.49 per barrel after Washington imposed sanctions on Russian oil companies and warned of further measures amid rising tensions.
A crude oil pond near Dukan Lake risks contaminating the water. Locals say authorities have not acted to contain the spill, which threatens drinking water, farmland, and livestock in the area.
A joint Iraq-Syria operation seized around 400 kilograms of drugs and arrested several international traffickers. The operation took place inside Syrian territory and involved the destruction of a large quantity of narcotics.
A mass grave was found in Sawan village near Damascus, highlighting ongoing discoveries of graves in Syria since the Assad regime’s fall.