Social media activists have officially launched the “Kaaba Unites Us” online campaign to celebrate the Hajj Islamic pilgrimage. In a statement on Monday, a group of online activists said Hajj required special attention on the social media as it both united Muslims from all backgrounds and provided a unique way …
Read More »Trump names Brazil ‘major non-NATO ally of US’
US President Donald Trump has designated Brazil a so-called major non-NATO ally of the United States, a move that could potentially facilitate the expansion of Washington’s dominance over the Latin American country. “I hereby designate the Federative Republic of Brazil as a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States for …
Read More »Aoun warns Lebanese of ‘tough’ measures unless economic sacrifices made
President Michel Aoun warned Lebanese on Thursday of the risk of harsh financial measures from international institutions unless sacrifices are made to save the country from economic crisis. Aoun’s comments in a speech marking army day appeared to raise the possibility of Lebanon having to go to the International Monetary …
Read More »Iraq Monthly Roundup: 355 Killed or Found in Mass Graves.
Overall, at least 355 people were killed or found in mass graves during July. Another 127 were wounded. During July, at least 177 people were killed, and 113 were wounded in violence-related to Iraq and the Daesh terrorist group. At least 35 of them were civilians; 19 were security personnel, …
Read More »Iran says U.S. sanctioning of top diplomat ‘childish’ as tensions rise
Iran accused the United States on Thursday of “childish behavior” driven by fear after Washington imposed sanctions on its foreign minister, fanning tensions between two foes at loggerheads over Gulf shipping and Iran’s nuclear program. Fears of a Middle East war with global repercussions have risen since the United States …
Read More »Rwanda shuts border with DR Congo to stop spread of Ebola.
Rwanda has closed part of its border with DR Congo, where an Ebola outbreak has killed more than 1,800 people in the past year. At least two people have died from the virus in the past month in the crowded Congolese border city of Goma. It is the worst Ebola …
Read More »Osama bin Laden’s son is dead – reports.
US officials claim Washington has intelligence that the son and possible successor of Osama bin Laden have been killed, NBC reports. As of yet, the officials have provided few additional details. Three US officials who requested anonymity told NBC that Hamza bin Laden – son of terror leader and founder …
Read More »Baghdad, Ankara Agree on Building Three Water Dams in Kurdistan
Baghdad and Ankara have agreed on building three water dams in the Kurdistan Region, a Kurdish lawmaker in the Iraqi Parliament revealed on Tuesday. Mohammed Amin, a member of the agricultural committee, pointed out that the three water dams, which are planned to be established in Meegasor town of Erbil …
Read More »‘Russian asset’: Meme war between Trump and the Washington Post.
With the Washington Post stuck in a mud-slinging meme war with Senate Republicans and President Donald Trump, the capital’s paper of record has found itself on the receiving end of internet trolls’ meme-cannons. Confused? The sordid saga began Friday when the Post published an op-ed titled “Mitch McConnell is a …
Read More »At least 5 killed, 38 injured in a bomb blast targeting police in Pakistan
A powerful blast targeting a senior police officer in Pakistan’s Balochistan province has killed at least five people and injured a further 38, six of whom are in serious condition. Two security personnel died in the blast, which also left numerous women and children injured. It remains unclear whether it …
Read More »Beijing bans solo tourists from heading to Taiwan.
The Chinese government announced Wednesday that it will suspend a program allowing solo tourists from 47 cities to visit Taiwan, amid rising cross-strait tensions. In a statement, China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism said the travel ban would come into force on August 1, effectively banning all individual leisure travel …
Read More »Two hurricanes are moving toward Hawaii.
Two hurricanes, one of them a Category 3, are moving toward the Hawaiian islands — one heading straight for the island chain and another track slightly south. Hurricane Erick, the larger of the storms, is not expected to make landfall but parts of Hawaii could see increased wind gusts and …
Read More »Saudi Arabia drafts a security agreement with Iraq.
Saudi Arabia approved a draft agreement on security cooperation with Iraq on Tuesday evening, the Saudi press agency said, in a bid to strengthen ties with the neighboring country. King Salman chaired a cabinet meeting in the city of Neom that tasked the Minister of Interior, Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, …
Read More »Afghanistan war: UN says more civilians killed by allies than insurgents
Pro-government forces, including Nato allies, killed more civilians in Afghanistan in the first half of 2019 than insurgents did, UN figures show. The unprecedented figures for January to June come amid a ferocious US air campaign against the Taliban. Some 717 civilians were killed by Afghan and Nato-led forces, compared …
Read More »Brexit ‘no matter what’, Johnson promises as sterling falls.
Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised on Tuesday to lead Britain out of the European Union on Oct. 31 “no matter what” as sterling tumbled and Ireland warned that the bloc would not be renegotiating the thrice defeated divorce deal. The British pound fell on Tuesday as investors bet Johnson’s …
Read More »Oil prices boosted by expectations of Fed rate cut
Oil prices rose for a fourth day on Tuesday on optimism the U.S. Federal Reserve will this week cut interest rates for the first time in more than 10 years, supporting fuel consumption in the world’s biggest oil user. Brent crude LCOc1 rose 63 cents to $64.34 a barrel by …
Read More »Yemeni Parliament Regrets Arab and International Silence on Saudi Aggression
The Yemeni Parliament expressed its regret for the Arab and international silence towards the continuation of the alliance of Saudi aggression and American sponsorship of committing the terrible massacres against civilians in markets, houses and roads. The Council condemned the massacre carried out by the Saudi-led aggression coalition yesterday in …
Read More »Walmart shooting leaves two dead and an officer injured.
A shooting at a Mississippi Walmart left two people dead, an officer wounded and a community in shock. The gunfire broke out Tuesday morning at a store in Southaven, the third-largest city in Mississippi. Both the suspect and an officer who responded to the scene were shot and being treated …
Read More »Iraqi security forces have arrested a terrorist cell in the Muqdadiya
Iraqi security forces have arrested a terrorist cell in the Muqdadiya district of Diyala province, including women recruiting young people for terrorist groups. A court of inquiry in Baquba, headed by the Federal District Court of Appeal of Diyala, arrested a “terrorist cell” operating in Muqdadiya district. “The cell was …
Read More »Video: Pakistan aircraft crashes into a residential area, killing 18
At least 18 people were killed and several injured when a small military plane crashed into a residential area near the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi. Five crew members and 13 civilians were among the dead, rescue services said. The aircraft was on a training flight when it crashed and set …
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