The nominal leader of Kurdistan's oil sector has stepped down after a 16-month tenure marked by bureaucratic turf wars, strained relations with oil companies, and health problems.

In their first in-person meeting, a political delegation from Erbil talked about terms for resolving the oil dispute with Baghdad while the Oil Ministry remains focused on technical implementation of the Federal Supreme Court ruling against the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector.

Iraq’s “white paper” laid out an internationally acclaimed roadmap for economic reform. But the problems are so pervasive — and political will to tackle them so weak — that progress has been slow.

The country's healthcare system is ill prepared for another surge, but government, health, and oil sector officials are hoping new variant's milder symptoms will soften the impact.

Five big takeaways from the provisional results of Iraq's Oct. 10 national elections.

Erbil has now received $138 million payments in both July and August, as a fragile political deal revives financial flows that had been stalled since October 2020.

Officials on both sides say a July financial transfer was a one-off deal, as political and technical disputes hold up further federal budget payments for Kurdistan.

Security forces in Sulaimaniya were mustered on behalf of respective party leaders as negotiations continue.

The budget transfer relieves some financial pressure on Erbil, though regular payments going forward are hardly assured.

Iraq's covid-19 infection rate has peaked for a third time, to a record high, putting dire pressure on an overloaded health care system.