Baghdad: Thursday's newspapers spotlighted the concerted efforts by parliament to tackle the burgeoning financial deficit, alongside Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's anticipated visit to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. According to National Iraqi News Agency, the semi-official Al-Sabah newspaper, part of the Iraqi Media Network, detailed how both legislative and executive branches are urgently working to manage a growing financial crisis threatening economic stability. The crisis is intensified by the increasing costs of salaries, pensions, and social welfare payments, with official warnings highlighting the widening budget deficit's impact on public service projects and obligations. Al-Sabah reported that as part of these parliamentary efforts, MP Haider Mohammed Kadhim al-Mutairi emphasized the necessity of expediting the auditing of outstanding advances, recovering owed funds, and collecting taxes from foreign companies. He also highlighted the importance of following up on reports from the Federal Board of Sup reme Audit to enhance the treasury with non-oil revenues. Furthermore, he underlined the significance of expanding electronic automation within state institutions to control data, prevent duplication of work, and reduce waste. In addition, MP Riyadh al-Tamimi, a member of the parliamentary finance committee, disclosed the establishment of a parliamentary team to review all revenue collection and investment contracts, noting that some contracts allow the investor's share to reach 75% of the revenue. He assured that salaries for 2026 are secured, with current efforts focused on preparing for 2027 through genuine financial solutions based on institutional reform and resource maximization, avoiding the need for borrowing. The Al-Zaman newspaper (Iraq edition) reported on Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi's planned visit to Riyadh to discuss security, economic, and investment cooperation. This visit follows mediation efforts that have eased tensions between Baghdad and Riyadh after recent attacks on Popular Mobi lization Forces (PMF) sites in various provinces, resulting in 55 casualties. The newspaper noted that diplomatic sources indicated successful contacts by international, regional, and domestic political parties to mitigate tensions. The Al-Zaman article added that as a result of these mediations, al-Zaidi's postponed visit to Saudi Arabia is scheduled for next week, aiming to agree on security, economic, and investment issues. The sources stated that Saudi Arabia intends to present al-Zaidi with evidence during his visit to Riyadh, confirming that the attacks against it originated from within Iraqi territory. Two days earlier, al-Zaidi had emphasized the need to prevent threats from Iraqi territory against neighboring countries and announced the formation of a joint security committee to address challenges and establish deterrent mechanisms to prevent future incidents. Separately, the Al-Zawraa newspaper, affiliated with the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, reported on a meeting where Prime Minister al-Zaidi st ressed the alignment of all institutions with the government's program. During this meeting, attended by the head of the Martyrs Foundation and the head of the Political Prisoners Foundation, discussions focused on improving services for families of martyrs and political prisoners and ensuring their financial and administrative obligations are met. The Prime Minister highlighted the importance of aligning institutional work with the government's reform plans to promote justice and fairness for all societal segments, particularly those who have made sacrifices.