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Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly attack on defense company
Read full article: Turkey strikes Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria following deadly attack on defense companyTurkey’s air force has struck Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and Syria in an apparent retaliation for an attack at a key state-run defense company that killed five people and injured more than 20 others.
Turkey seeks to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, a Kremlin official says
Read full article: Turkey seeks to join the BRICS bloc of emerging economies, a Kremlin official saysA top Kremlin official says Turkey has formally applied for a membership in the BRICS bloc of developing economies as Russia and China seek to counter the West's global influence.
2 separate bus crashes in Pakistan leave at least 36 people dead, officials say
Read full article: 2 separate bus crashes in Pakistan leave at least 36 people dead, officials sayPakistani officials say at least 36 passengers have been killed and dozens more injured in two separate bus crashes that occurred hours apart.
Mourners in southern Pakistan attend funerals for 28 Shiite pilgrims killed in a bus crash in Iran
Read full article: Mourners in southern Pakistan attend funerals for 28 Shiite pilgrims killed in a bus crash in IranHundreds of mourners in southern Pakistan have attended the funerals of 28 Shiite pilgrims who were killed in a bus crash in Iran this week while heading to Iraq.
Bus carrying Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq crashes in Iran, killing at least 28 people
Read full article: Bus carrying Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq crashes in Iran, killing at least 28 peopleA bus carrying Shiite pilgrims from Pakistan to Iraq has crashed in central Iran, killing at least 28 people.
Top UN official tells Security Council that Islamic State group, affiliates gaining power in Africa
Read full article: Top UN official tells Security Council that Islamic State group, affiliates gaining power in AfricaA top U.N. counterterrorism official has told the Security Council that a vast stretch of Africa could fall under the control of groups affiliated with the Islamic State group and affiliated terrorist groups.
4 migrants die while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France
Read full article: 4 migrants die while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern FranceFrench authorities say four migrants have died while trying to cross the English Channel from France to the U.K. Their inflatable boat capsized and punctured off the coast of Boulogne-sur-Mer, in northern France.
Turkmenistan and Iran sign deal to supply gas to Iraq. Iran will build pipeline to aid delivery
Read full article: Turkmenistan and Iran sign deal to supply gas to Iraq. Iran will build pipeline to aid deliveryTurkmenistan and Iran have signed a contract for the delivery of 10 billion cubic meters a year of Turkmen gas that Iran will then ship to Iraq.
No points from Erdogan. Turkey's leader claims Eurovision Song Contest is a threat to family values
Read full article: No points from Erdogan. Turkey's leader claims Eurovision Song Contest is a threat to family valuesThe Turkish president has criticized the Eurovision Song Contest, accusing the annual event of allegedly encouraging “gender neutralization” and threatening the traditional family.
US repatriates 11 citizens from notorious camp for relatives of Islamic State militants in Syria
Read full article: US repatriates 11 citizens from notorious camp for relatives of Islamic State militants in SyriaThe United States has repatriated 11 of its citizens from sprawling camps in northeastern Syria that house tens of thousands of family members of suspected Islamic State militants.
Judge declares mistrial after jury deadlocks in lawsuit filed by former Abu Ghraib prisoners
Read full article: Judge declares mistrial after jury deadlocks in lawsuit filed by former Abu Ghraib prisonersA judge declared a mistrial after a jury said it was deadlocked and couldn't reach a verdict in the trial of a military contractor accused of contributing to the abuse of detainees at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq two decades ago.
Biden administration announces new partnership with 50 countries to stifle future pandemics
Read full article: Biden administration announces new partnership with 50 countries to stifle future pandemicsPresident Joe Biden's administration is launching a program that will help 50 countries identify and respond to infectious diseases, with the goal of preventing pandemics like the COVID-19 outbreak.
20 years later, Abu Ghraib detainees get their day in US court
Read full article: 20 years later, Abu Ghraib detainees get their day in US courtTwenty years ago this month, photos of abused prisoners and smiling U.S. soldiers guarding them at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison were released, shocking the world.
At UN, Russia brings US election into Mideast attacks and US vows to respond to Iran-aligned groups
Read full article: At UN, Russia brings US election into Mideast attacks and US vows to respond to Iran-aligned groupsRussia accused the United States of “aggression” against Iraq and Syria aimed at preserving its global dominance and salvaging the Biden administration’s “image” ahead of U.S. elections.
US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue their attacks
Read full article: US warns of further retaliation if Iran-backed militias continue their attacksAfter a weekend of retaliatory strikes, the United States is warning Iran and the militias it arms and funds that it will conduct more attacks if American forces in the Mideast continue to be targeted.
Pakistan recalls its ambassador to Iran over airstrikes by Tehran that killed 2 people
Read full article: Pakistan recalls its ambassador to Iran over airstrikes by Tehran that killed 2 peoplePakistan has recalled its ambassador to Tehran a day after Iran conducted airstrikes inside Pakistan that it claimed targeted bases for a militant Sunni separatist group.
Iran attacks alleged militant bases in Pakistan; Islamabad says 'unprovoked' strikes kill 2 children
Read full article: Iran attacks alleged militant bases in Pakistan; Islamabad says 'unprovoked' strikes kill 2 childrenIran has launched attacks in Pakistan targeting what it described as bases for the Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl, potentially further raising tensions in a Middle East already roiled by Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Turkey launches airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria after 9 soldiers were killed
Read full article: Turkey launches airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq and Syria after 9 soldiers were killedTurkey's Defense Ministry says that the military has carried out airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighboring Iraq and Syria.
Iran says at least 84 were killed in blasts at a ceremony honoring slain general
Read full article: Iran says at least 84 were killed in blasts at a ceremony honoring slain generalIran says twin bomb blasts killed at least 84 people at an event honoring a prominent Iranian general slain in a U.S. airstrike in 2020.
A boycott call and security concerns mar Iraq's first provincial elections in a decade
Read full article: A boycott call and security concerns mar Iraq's first provincial elections in a decadeBaghdad’s streets are nearly empty on Monday, the main day of polling in the country’s first provincial elections in a decade.
Who are the Houthis and why hasn’t the US retaliated for their attacks on ships in the Middle East?
Read full article: Who are the Houthis and why hasn’t the US retaliated for their attacks on ships in the Middle East?When Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen launched missiles and hit three commercial ships in the Red Sea, it triggered an immediate question: Will the U.S. military strike back.
Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria after US downed Turkish armed drone
Read full article: Turkish warplanes hit Kurdish militia targets in northern Syria after US downed Turkish armed droneTurkish warplanes have carried out airstrikes on sites believed to be used by U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in northern Syria.
Turkey hits Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and detains about 1,000 people days after Ankara blast
Read full article: Turkey hits Kurdish militant targets in Iraq and detains about 1,000 people days after Ankara blastTurkish warplanes have carried out new airstrikes against suspected Kurdish militant sites in northern Iraq days after a suicide bomb attack in the Turkish capital.
Netherlands and Belgium join international probe into crimes against Yazidis in Syria and Iraq
Read full article: Netherlands and Belgium join international probe into crimes against Yazidis in Syria and IraqThe European Union’s judicial cooperation agency says the Netherlands and Belgium have joined an international investigation into atrocities committed against the Yazidi minority in Syria and Iraq.
UN: World is failing to protect millions of civilians caught in conflicts
Read full article: UN: World is failing to protect millions of civilians caught in conflictsThe U.N. chief is decrying the “terrible truth” that the world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect a growing number of civilians caught in conflicts.
AP Month in Pictures: Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan
Read full article: AP Month in Pictures: Middle East, Afghanistan and PakistanThis photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan in March 2023.
Senate votes to keep 2001 authorization for war on terror
Read full article: Senate votes to keep 2001 authorization for war on terrorThe Senate has voted overwhelmingly to continue congressional authorization for the use of military force in the global fight against terror, turning back an effort by Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul to repeal the 2001 measure.
Turkey strikes in Syria, Iraq a week after Istanbul bombing
Read full article: Turkey strikes in Syria, Iraq a week after Istanbul bombingThe Turkish Defense Ministry says it has launched airstrikes over northern regions of Syria and Iraq, targeting Kurdish groups Ankara holds responsible for last week’s bomb attack in Istanbul.
17 Australian women, children return from Syrian camp
Read full article: 17 Australian women, children return from Syrian campAustralia says four women and their 13 children who were held in a Syrian camp since the Islamic State group fell in 2019 have become only the second group of Australians to be repatriated from the war-torn country.
Many US veterans land behind bars. A unique, new law may change that, NBC News reports
Read full article: Many US veterans land behind bars. A unique, new law may change that, NBC News reportsTony Miller killed countless enemy forces while deployed in Iraq, where his Army unit captured so many high-value targets that they received a valor award.
Lawmakers reach deal to help veterans exposed to burn pits
Read full article: Lawmakers reach deal to help veterans exposed to burn pitsCongressional bargainers have announced a deal on legislation to boost health care services and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spencer Solves It: Returning the award 1 brave Army Vet thought was gone forever
Read full article: Spencer Solves It: Returning the award 1 brave Army Vet thought was gone foreverBill Spencer returns the Purple Heart award that U.S. Army veteran Nathanial Ingebritson lost more than 10 years ago. Something he never thought he'd see again.
Two Fox journalists killed in Ukraine, underscoring dangers
Read full article: Two Fox journalists killed in Ukraine, underscoring dangersTwo journalists working for Fox News were killed in Ukraine after the vehicle they were traveling in with another reporter came under fire, the network said Tuesday.
UN: War in Ukraine to hurt poor nations importing grain
Read full article: UN: War in Ukraine to hurt poor nations importing grainThe U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is warning that poorer countries in northern Africa, Asia and the Middle East that depend heavily on wheat imports risk suffering significant food insecurity because of Russia's war in Ukraine.
Pres. Biden seeking more health care for vets exposed to burn pits
Read full article: Pres. Biden seeking more health care for vets exposed to burn pitsPresident Joe Biden says U.S. veterans are the “backbone, the spine, the sinew” of the nation, as he pushes for better help for members of the military who face health problems after exposure to burn pits and other hazards.
House backs bill to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pits
Read full article: House backs bill to help veterans exposed to toxic burn pitsThe House has passed legislation that would dramatically boost health care services and disability benefits for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran holds mass funeral for '80s war dead amid nuclear talks
Read full article: Iran holds mass funeral for '80s war dead amid nuclear talksThousands of mourners have poured into the streets of Iranian cities for the mass funeral of 250 victims of the Iran-Iraq war — remains recently recovered in a testament to the brutal conflict’s scale and enduring legacy after 35 years.
US warns that Islamic State extremists still a world threat
Read full article: US warns that Islamic State extremists still a world threatAs the Biden administration rapidly completes the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan, members of the global coalition fighting the Islamic State are meeting to plot future steps against the extremist group.
U.K.'s newest carrier joins IS fight, stirs Russian interest
Read full article: U.K.'s newest carrier joins IS fight, stirs Russian interestBritish Royal Navy commanders say the U.K.’s newest aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth is helping to take on the “lion’s share” of operations against the Islamic State group in Iraq.
Bipartisan group of Texans in the U.S. House support ending president’s authority to use military force in Iraq
Read full article: Bipartisan group of Texans in the U.S. House support ending president’s authority to use military force in IraqAll Texas Democratic members backed the bill, along with five Republicans: U.S. Reps. Michael Burgess of Lewisville, Michael Cloud of Victoria, Lance Gooden of Terrell, Louie Gohmert of Tyler and Chip Roy of Austin.
UN experts: Islamic State committed genocide against Yazidis
Read full article: UN experts: Islamic State committed genocide against YazidisThe head of a U.N. team investigating atrocities in Iraq says it has found “clear and compelling evidence” that Islamic State extremists committed genocide against the Yazidi minority in 2014.
Death toll in fire at Iraqi COVID-19 hospital surpasses 80
Read full article: Death toll in fire at Iraqi COVID-19 hospital surpasses 80Iraq’s Interior Ministry said Sunday that 82 people died and 110 were injured in a catastrophic fire that broke out in the intensive care unit of a Baghdad hospital tending to severe coronavirus patients.
Pope Francis to visit Hungary in September, cardinal says
Read full article: Pope Francis to visit Hungary in September, cardinal says(AP Photo/Yara Nardi, pool)BUDAPEST – Pope Francis will travel to Hungary's capital in September where he will participate in the closing Mass of a multiday, international Catholic gathering, according to the cardinal of Hungary's Roman Catholic Church. Francis will instead visit on the final day of the eight-day 52nd Congress in Budapest on Sept. 12, he said. Ad“Today we can perhaps learn the most from Pope Francis, and not only about faith and humanity. Traveling back to the Vatican from a trip to Iraq on Monday, the pope told Italian media that following his visit to Budapest he may visit Bratislava, the capital of neighboring Slovakia. While that visit isn't confirmed, Slovakia's president, Zuzana Caputova, said she had invited the pontiff to visit during a meeting in the Vatican in December.
Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuild
Read full article: Where IS ruled, pope calls on Christians to forgive, rebuildPope Francis celebrates mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium in Irbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Sunday, March 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)IRBIL – Pope Francis urged Iraq’s Christians on Sunday to forgive the injustices against them by Muslim extremists and to rebuild as he visited the wrecked shells of churches and met ecstatic crowds in the community’s historic heartland, which was nearly erased by the Islamic State group’s horrific reign. Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, was at the heart of the IS so-called “caliphate” and witnessed the worst of the group’s rule inflicted on Muslims, Christians and others, including beheadings and mass killings. Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, became IS’s bureaucratic and financial backbone. Things are difficult for those living here.”At Qaraqosh, Francis urged its residents to continue to dream, and forgive.
The Latest: Pope Francis delivers sermon in Baghdad church
Read full article: The Latest: Pope Francis delivers sermon in Baghdad churchPope Francis, center arrives to concelebrate a mass in the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021. Francis honored Iraq’s persecuted Christians by celebrating Mass on Saturday at the Chaldean Catholic cathedral in Baghdad. ___6:30 p.m.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is pleased to see the historic visit by Pope Francis to Iraq. The pope hopes to ensure the place of Iraq's Christian population, dwindling under years of violence and discrimination. Francis’ interfaith meeting in Ur came after his historic encounter in nearby Najaf with Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.
Pope, top Iraq Shiite cleric deliver message of coexistence
Read full article: Pope, top Iraq Shiite cleric deliver message of coexistenceWomen wait outside the Chaldean Cathedral of Saint Joseph, in Baghdad, Iraq, Saturday, March 6, 2021, where Pope Francis, depicted on a giant poster at their back, is concelebrating a mass. AdTogether, the day’s events gave symbolic and practical punch to the central message of Francis’ visit, calling for Iraq to embrace its diversity. Al-Sistani is one of the most senior clerics in Shiite Islam, deeply revered among Shiites in Iraq and worldwide. Later, Pope Francis evoked the common reverence for Abraham to speak against religious violence at the inter-faith gathering at the Plains of Ur, near the southern city of Nasiriyah. Associated Press journalists Anmar Khalil in Najaf, Iraq, and Samya Kullab in Baghdad contributed.
Biden signals support to replace war power authority
Read full article: Biden signals support to replace war power authorityThe U.S. has blamed the militia for numerous attacks targeting U.S. personnel and interests in Iraq in the past. But several leading members of Congress, including members in Biden’s own party, denounced the strikes — the first military action he has authorized. Kaine and others argued offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. A U.S. contractor died after at least 10 rockets slammed into the base early Wednesday. “If we assess further response is warranted, we will take action again in a manner and time of our choosing,” Psaki said.
Turkey vows to expand anti-PKK operations in northern Iraq
Read full article: Turkey vows to expand anti-PKK operations in northern IraqTurkish soldiers carry the national flag-draped coffin of Turkish soldier Er Sedat Sorgun, one of thirteen soldiers, police and civilians who had been abducted by Kurdish insurgents and found killed in northern Iraq, during the funeral in the city of Erzurum, Turkey, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Tuesday to expand cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, following the killings. (IHA via AP)ANKARA – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed on Tuesday to expand cross-border operations against Kurdish militants in northern Iraq, following the killing of 13 Turkish soldiers, police and civilians who had been abducted by Kurdish insurgents. Turkey has long been seeking to form a secure zone along its borders with Iraq and Syria to force Kurdish insurgents away from the frontier. Tens of thousands of people have been killed since the PKK began an insurgency in Turkey’s majority Kurdish southeast region in 1984.
Biden administration suspends some sanctions on Yemen rebels
Read full article: Biden administration suspends some sanctions on Yemen rebels(AP Photo/Hani Mohammed)WASHINGTON – The Biden administration on Monday suspended some of the terrorism sanctions that former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo imposed on Yemen’s Houthi rebels in his waning days in office. The Treasury Department said it would exempt certain transactions involving the Houthis from sanctions resulting from Pompeo's designation of the group as a “foreign terrorist organization” on Jan. 10. The sanctions Pompeo imposed had taken effect Jan. 19, just a day before President Joe Biden was inaugurated, and had been roundly criticized by the United Nations and relief organizations. Six years of war between a U.S.-backed Arab coalition and the Houthi rebels have been catastrophic for Yemen, killing more than 112,000 people and reducing infrastructure from roads and hospitals to water and electricity networks to ruins. Saudi Arabia has advocated the terror designation, hoping it would pressure the rebels to reach a peace deal.
US to move aircraft carrier out of Mideast amid Iran tension
Read full article: US to move aircraft carrier out of Mideast amid Iran tensionThe Pentagon announced Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, that the USS Nimitz, the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, will return home to the U.S. West Coast. Navy via AP)WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has decided to send home the only Navy aircraft carrier operating in the Middle East, a move that will reduce American firepower in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran. Sending the aircraft carrier, the USS Nimitz, home to the U.S. West Coast would seem at odds with the idea that a show of force is needed to deter Iran. “Some friendly health advice to Iran: If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. The U.S. has maintained a near-continuous aircraft carrier presence in the Persian Gulf region since the USS Abraham Lincoln was sent in May 2019 amid concerns that Iran was considering attacking U.S. interests in the region.
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
Read full article: US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning IranA U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East. Because of the potential for escalation that could lead to a wider war, the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks. Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the United States for that attack. That flight was repeated this week, with two B-52s flying nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf.
US general says IS in Iraq and Syria still long-term threat
Read full article: US general says IS in Iraq and Syria still long-term threatHe said a solution must come from a joint effort by diplomatic, security and humanitarian organizations. The U.S. also has about 3,000 troops still in Iraq; on Tuesday the Pentagon announced that Trump had ordered a drawdown to 2,500 in Iraq with no change for Syria. Trump has pushed for the repatriation of foreign fighters in Syria, but their home countries have largely refused to take them back. In the short run, McKenzie said, IS is in no position to pose a major security threat to the United States. The al-Qaida extremist group and like-minded militants also are severely hobbled but not eliminated, he said.
Acting Pentagon chief cites risks during troop reductions
Read full article: Acting Pentagon chief cites risks during troop reductions“After this retreat, there will still be American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. “We believe that there is strong bipartisan support from Congress and the administration for both Iraq and Afghanistan,” they wrote. That person, whose title is assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict, currently reports to the defense secretary through the undersecretary of defense for policy. This change in the administrative chain of command for special operations was required by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. There currently is no Senate-confirmed assistant secretary of defense for special operations and low-intensity conflict; Ezra Cohen holds the job in an acting capacity.
Pentagon to cut troop levels to 2,500 in Iraq, Afghanistan
Read full article: Pentagon to cut troop levels to 2,500 in Iraq, AfghanistanTrump has refused to concede his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, who takes office Jan. 20, just five days after the troop withdrawals are to finish. Miller, who refused to take questions from reporters after reading a prepared statement before TV cameras at the Pentagon, said the U.S. will reduce troop levels in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500, and in Iraq from about 3,000 to 2,500. It also runs counter to his guidance that troop withdrawals be based on the conditions on the ground, not a date on the calendar. He has accused his predecessor, Barack Obama, of setting a timetable for troop withdrawals in Iraq and Afghanistan that worked against the achievement of military goals. Biden has sounded less absolute about troop withdrawal.
New US citizen refugees excited for first presidential vote
Read full article: New US citizen refugees excited for first presidential voteUK was a small child when his parents fled Myanmar, leaving him and his siblings to be cared for by their maternal grandmother. Through its citizenship classes, the International Rescue Committee has helped around 6,000 refugees and other newcomers become Americans each of the last few years. Born in Iraq and now a U.S. citizen living in Jacksonville, Florida, Alawee said she also plans to cast her first presidential ballot Nov. 3. “I can't wait.”___BAWI UK was a small child when his parents fled Myanmar, leaving him and his siblings to be cared for by their maternal grandmother. The family resettled in Phoenix, where they all became U.S. citizens.
Iran vows 'hit' on all involved in US killing of top general
Read full article: Iran vows 'hit' on all involved in US killing of top general“We took out the world’s number one terrorist and the mass murderer of American troops and many, many troops and many people all over the world,” Trump said. Very bad guy.”Salami rejected the report of an Iranian plot to assassinate Ambassador Lana Marks, but made clear that Iran intends to avenge the general's death. “Do you think we hit a female ambassador in return to our martyred brother?’ the general said. You should know that everybody who had role in the event will be hit, and this is a serious message. Trump has stepped up economic pressure on Iran with sanctions since he pulled the United States out of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers in 2018.
Trump bestowing Medal of Honor on soldier for hostage rescue
Read full article: Trump bestowing Medal of Honor on soldier for hostage rescueMaj. Payne will receive the honor in a White House ceremony on the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Trump picked the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to honor Sgt. The team used bolt cutters to break the locks off the prison doors, freeing 38 hostages, according to the White House. Once the door was kicked opened, both American and Kurdish commandos escorted about 30 more hostages out of the burning building. He was initially given the Army’s second-highest award, the Distinguished Service Cross, for the special operations raid, which was upgraded to a Medal of Honor.
Shiite Muslims mark holy day of mourning in virus' shadow
Read full article: Shiite Muslims mark holy day of mourning in virus' shadowA health worker sprays disinfectant to sanitize the inside of the holy shrine of Imam Abbas during Muharram procession in Karbala, Iraq, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020. Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a month of mourning for Shiites in remembrance of the death of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq in the 7th century. (AP Photo/Anmar Khalil)
Asia Today: SKorea records 113 new cases, most from overseas
Read full article: Asia Today: SKorea records 113 new cases, most from overseasSEOUL South Korea has reported 113 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 over the past 24 hours, its first daily jump over 100 in nearly four months. The KCDC said 86 of the new cases were linked to international arrivals while the other 27 were local transmissions. It said the imported cases included 36 South Korean workers who returned from Iraq and 32 crew members of a Russia-flagged cargo ship docked in the southern port of Busan. South Korean officials consider imported cases as less threatening than local transmissions as they mandate tests and enforce two-week quarantines on all overseas arrivals. He said 89 of the 293 South Korean workers who arrived home Friday aboard two military planes from Iraq were exhibiting symptoms.
There are as many National Guard members activated in the US as there are active duty troops in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan
Read full article: There are as many National Guard members activated in the US as there are active duty troops in Iraq, Syria and AfghanistanThat represents approximately the same number of active duty troops deployed in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. As of Monday, nearly half of the US has activated guard members to respond to civil unrest. Additionally, about 45,000 National Guard members are supporting the Covid-19 response across all 50 states, three territories and D.C., bringing the total number of activated National Guard soldiers and airmen to 66,700. President Donald Trump said Monday in the Rose Garden that the United States is taking new measures to quell riots across the United States. This mass activation of the National Guard comes amid a seventh day of protests over the death of Floyd, a black man who died at the hands of a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
US sending additional forces to protect embassy threatened by protesters in Iraq
Read full article: US sending additional forces to protect embassy threatened by protesters in IraqThe US had sent two Apache helicopters to fly over the embassy in a show of force, a US official told CNN earlier Tuesday. The US also earlier deployed about 100 US Marines from a crisis response task force based in Kuwait to bolster security at the embassy. The embassy, in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, has been put under lockdown, but protesters have not been able to breach the compound, an embassy spokesperson told CNN. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!” Trump tweeted.
Houston energy insiders, Iraqi nationals have very different worries about unrest brewing in Middle East
Read full article: Houston energy insiders, Iraqi nationals have very different worries about unrest brewing in Middle EastHOUSTON – Iraqi nationals living in Houston worry their countrymen back home will face the immediate backlash of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani’s death. Oil prices already jumped following Soleimani’s death. “Many of the abuses was directed and ordered by Qassem Soleimani,” said Al Bayati. Al Bayati and Aldulaimi said peaceful protesters, who are pushing for government reform, became the frequent target of attacks by Iran-backed militia groups. Al Bayati, a political activist, said many of the protesters simply want a government that is accountable to the people.