Iraq's parliament ammended a law protecting girls against child marriage, now allowing brides as young as 9 years old.

Baghdad and BP's negotiations over a major deal to redevelop Kirkuk's oil and gas fields must include Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, the Kurdish Prime Minister told Reuters, flagging a potential conflict with the central government.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani is working on Elizabeth Tsurkov's release, the Iraqi foreign minister says

The ongoing oil dispute between Baghdad and Kurdistan intensifies as US intervention sparks backlash and highlights the power struggle over oil resources and regional autonomy.

"We are not against development in principle, but we are against the mechanism," the premier stated, highlighting the need for a trilateral meeting to ensure proper coordination.

The amendments to Iraq's personal status law allow clerics to rule on marriages based on their interpretation of Islamic law.

The Kurdish Prime Minister urged inclusion in Kirkuk’s oil and gas redevelopment talks between Baghdad and BP. Historical tensions persist over the resource-rich region, with calls for a trilateral meeting to ensure constitutional compliance.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Thursday that Erbil must be included in the ongoing negotiations over a major deal between Baghdad and British Petroleum to develop the disputed province of Kirkuk’s oil fields.

Punjab's Minister for Mines, Sher Ali Gorchani, has said that gold reserves worth approximately 700 billion Pakistani rupees are present in Attock.

Opponents to the amendments say they effectively legalize child marriage in Iraq and mark a significant step backward for women's rights in the country. The passage of the amendments also sets a precedent for other governments seeking to pass similar bills to adhere to their interpretation of Islamic law.

A customer feeds a cat at a cat cafe in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) A customer poses for a photo at a cat cafe in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood) A customer plays with cats at a cat cafe in Baghdad, Iraq, Jan. 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Khalil Dawood)

The exchange rate for the US dollar compared to the Iraqi dinar remained steady on Thursday in Baghdad and Erbil.