The delegation accompanying the Minister of Health, Dr. Saleh Mahdi Al-Hasnawi, visited the Tehran Factory for the production of medicines and medical supplies in Iran today, Sunday. According to a statement by the Ministry, the delegation toured the corridors of the factory and was briefed on the techniques of manufacturing medicines, medical supplies and other advanced technologies. The delegation affirmed the Ministry’s endeavor to enhance health cooperation, especially in the field of the pharmaceutical industry and its development between the two countries. Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Shakhwan Abdullah Ahmed, received in his official office in Baghdad today, Sunday, the head of the Iraqi Kickboxing Federation, Qassem Kadhem Al-Wasiti, with a delegation from the federation. A statement by his office stated that during the meeting, issues related to the sports aspect, the federation’s activities, achievement of achievements, and preparations for holding a tournament in Erbil Governorate this month on 7/20 were discussed, while the sports city project in Babylon was discussed. Abdullah stressed the importance of state institutions supporting the youth and sports sector, investing energies and developing sports talents, creating the appropriate capabilities, requirements and atmosphere for holding sports tournaments in all governorates of Iraq, and encouraging tourism in a way that enhances the movement of the economy at the country level. Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Prices of real estate transactions have been on a steady downward slope since the first half of 2022, this decline is accompanied by a price rate hike especially within Asima and Hawally governorates, as per Ministry of Justice data. The first half of this current year marked a sharp 41 percent plunge in the number of transactions within the residential sector with 1,526 deals struck (total value of KD 736 million) compared to 2,592 in the same period last year (total value of KD 1.75 billion). Despite this obvious decline in the number of deals, the average value of a single deal increased to KD 483,000 per deal from KD 414,000 in 2022, a 16.6 increase, this speaks to private residence price increases namely within Asima and Hawally while prices in other governorates remain intact. The investments sector was also subject to decrease as 589 deals were registered in first half of 2023 compared to 687 deals in the first half of the previous year, marking a 14.2 percent decrease. However, unlike the residential sector, average value of single transaction within investments sector declined by 9.8 percent from KD 854,000 per deal last year to KD 770,000 this year. Data shows that the commercial sector plummeted by 74 percent from 111 deals in first half of 2022 to only 39 deals first half of this current year, whereas average value of single deal shot up from KD 3.513 million to more than KD 5 million. Commenting on the real estate market, expert Mohammad Al-Sughair attributed decrease in transactions to the dwindling number of offers and new land plots, this very same reason contributes to the increase of prices. Chair of real estate company Al-Moasher Ahmad Al-Nabhan, spoke of the increasing interest rate on Kuwaiti dinar saying this drove brokers in