Shafaq News/ Iraq came out second to last in the Henley Passport Index, which ranks 199 countries based on the number of destinations that passport holders can access without a prior visa. Iraq passport holders can head to 28 countries without waiting for a visa.

The Iraqi passport was trumped by the Syrian (29) and Pakistani (31) passports. Only

Shafaq News/ Poverty is on the course to rise in Iraq, pushing nearly one-quarter of the population below the poverty line, spokesperson to Iraq's Ministry of Planning Abdul-Zahra al-Hindawi said on Monday, stressing that the food security bill will mitigate this issue.

"The Ministry will begin soon a poverty survey in the country and identify its

Shafaq News / Tehran appointed Hussein Al Sadek as the new Iranian ambassador to Baghdad today.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday that the new ambassador will begin carrying out his duties next week, noting that Iraq's Minister of foreign affairs might visit Tehran in the next few days.

Media reports revealed that

Shafaq News / A senior Danish delegation arrived in Baghdad today, headed by the Danish Defense Minister, Trine Bramsen.

The Ministry said in a brief statement that the delegation includes the Danish Chief of Staff, the Deputy Secretary-General and the Danish ambassador to Iraq.

A source in the Ministry told Shafaq News agency that the delegation