Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, and the Russian Minister of Energy, Alexander Novak, confirmed, during a phone call on Friday, their countries commitment to oil production cuts and the OPEC+ agreement, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Oil Ministry.

The statement elaborated that the two ministers stressed the importance of cooperation between oil-producing countries in OPEC+ to achieve a balance between supply and demand and contribute to the stability of global oil markets.

Abdul-Ghani and Novak emphasized the commitment of both Iraq and Russia to the OPEC+ agreement and the voluntary reduction of oil production until the end of 2023, the statement illustrated.

The two officials reviewed ways to enhance and develop the relations between the two countries, especially in the oil and energy sector, and discussed the latest developments in the oil markets and the challenges facing the global economy.

Last December, the OPEC+ group decided to adhere to its goals related to oil production by about two million barrels per day.

OPEC+ alliance approved in October 2022 a production cut of two million barrels per day, about two percent of the global demand, starting from November 2022 until the end of 2023.

OPEC+ attributed its decision to the weak expectations of global economic growth.

Oil prices started to fall last October due to the slowing growth worldwide and the increased interest rates.

The post Iraq, Russia commit to OPEC+ oil production cuts appeared first on Iraqi News.

Jerusalem Israels National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque compound Sunday, a controversial move by the extreme-right politician amid heightened tensions in annexed east Jerusalem.

The move came three days after Ben-Gvir and tens of thousands of Jewish nationalists marched through the Old City and just over a week into a fragile Gaza ceasefire.

Jerusalem is our soul, Ben-Gvir wrote on Telegram, alongside a photo of himself at the site in the heart of the Old City.

The threats of Hamas will not deter us, I went up to the Temple Mount! he wrote, using the Jewish name for the site.

Al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is administered by Jordan. Non-Muslims are permitted to visit the site, but not pray there.

The compound is also the most sacred site for Jews, who pray below it at the Western Wall.

Hamas, the militant group that rules Gaza, denounced Ben-Gvirs last visit to the site in January and again slammed his action on Sunday. 

Israel will bear responsibility for the barbaric incursions of its ministers and herds of settlers, the group wrote on Telegram.

The move confirms the depths of danger looming over Al-Aqsa, under this Zionist fascist government and the arrogance of its ministers from the extreme right, said Hamas.

Israeli police confirmed Ben-Gvirs visit in a statement, adding that it passed without incident. 

Later on Sunday, Israels top politicians held a rare cabinet meeting in the tunnels beneath the Western Wall.

Palestinians fear their use as a vast museum threatens the foundations of Al-Aqsa mosque.

Jerusalem is ours united forever! Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on Facebook, alongside photos from the subterranean meeting.

Dangerous and unacceptable

Jordan decried Ben-Gvirs actions as a provocative step and a dangerous and unacceptable escalation. 

It represents a flagrant and unacceptable violation of international law, and of the historical and legal status quo in Jerusalem and its holy sites, said foreign ministry spokesman Sinan Majali.

Tours of the site by Jewish nationalists have long been criticised by Palestinians and Arab nations, while Ben-Gvirs visits have taken on added weight since he took office in December.

The office of Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas said harming Al-Aqsa Mosque is playing with fire.

(It) will push the region into a religious war with unimaginable consequences that will affect everyone, said Abbass spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, in a statement published by the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

The timing of Sundays visit also holds significance, coming days a...

Marseille Three men died Sunday in an assault rifle attack in the French port city of Marseille, which has seen a surge of drug-related gang murders in recent months, police said.

The three were part of a group of five men in their 20s who left a nightclub shortly after 5:00 am (0300 GMT) and were driving away when their car was attacked by unknown men with Kalashnikov rifles, they said.

The two survivors of the attack which took place in a residential neighbourhood of Marseille, Frances second-biggest city  were unharmed and fled the scene, as did the shooters.

Police found a burning car nearby, but would not confirm immediately whether it was the gunmens getaway car.

The torched car would, however, be consistent with previous drug-related killings in Marseille where the perpetrators often set their vehicles ablaze to destroy any evidence.

Early indications were that the men who were attacked lived in a council estate with a high incidence of drug trafficking and were known to police, according to a source close to the investigation.

Regional prefect Frederique Camilleri told reporters at the scene that the entire police force has been mobilised to find the perpetrators of these despicable crimes and to dismantle the networks of the traffickers behind this violence.

This weekend alone, police had arrested five people for possession of firearms linked to the drugs trade, and seized three Kalashnikov assault rifles, a submachine gun and a handgun, she said.

The latest attack brings the number of drug-related homicides in Marseille since the start of the year to 21, according to an AFP count.

The victims are typically young men low in the hierarchy of drug gangs, and targeted by killers working for rival gangs.

Camilleri and the citys chief prosecutor Dominique Laurens had already warned last month that competition between rival organisation for control of the citys most lucrative drug-dealing spots was turning into a vendetta.

That statement came after a night of violence early April when three people were killed by gunfire, including a 16-year old, and eight people injured in the shootings.

Laurens said at the time that there was a worsening blood bath in Marseille and predicted that it would continue in the coming months.

Special police forces were deployed at key drug flashpoints in the city following that killing spree.

Marseilles mayor Benoit Payan said this month that this war has been going on for too long and called on the French government to act in a firm and strong way to stop the violence.

The killers dont even bother to hide anymore, Payan said.

The post...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) A South Korean parliamentary delegation announced on Saturday that recommendation has been submitted to their government to lift the travel ban to Iraq, the Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported.

The Iraqi Parliaments press office mentioned in a statement that the head of the Foreign Relations Committee, Dylan Ghafoor Saleh, and the chairman of the Iraqi-Korean Friendship Committee, Muhammad Siddiq Muhammad, received a Korean parliamentary delegation headed by special presidential advisor and former chairman of the South Korean-Iraqi friendship foundation, Han Byung-do, at the presence of the Korean ambassador to Iraq.

The meeting addressed ways to enhance and develop the bilateral relations between Iraq and South Korea through the activation of the friendship committee and the exchange of visits and experiences, according to the statement.

Saleh commended the continuous Korean support for Iraq, calling on Korean companies to invest in Iraq and establish pioneering projects as part of the joint cooperation between both countries, the statement illustrated.

The Iraqi official also urged the South Korean government to review its decision banning travel to Iraq and to convey a realistic picture of the stability Iraq is witnessing, the statement clarified.

Members of the Korean parliamentary delegation confirmed they submitted a recommendation to their government to lift the travel ban to Iraq, stressing that Iraq is now more secure, stable and prosperous, the statement elaborated.

The Korean officials expressed that they are encouraged to enhance communication and practical cooperation between both sides, the statement explained.

The Chairman of the Iraqi-Korean Friendship Committee suggested opening a Korean academy or institute in Iraq to teach the Korean language, the statement added.

The post Parliamentary recommendation to lift travel ban from South Korea to Iraq appeared first on Iraqi News.

Cannes Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese were set for a victory lap at Cannes on Sunday after their Native American crime epic, Killers of the Flower Moon scored rave reviews, while the festival prepared to bow down before Jude Law as King Henry VIII.

Scorseses latest opus, about a wave of murders among oil-rich Osage Indians in the 1920s, was showered in words like searing, triumph and masterpiece by critics who scored the Cannes Film Festivals hottest ticket on Saturday night.

Based on a non-fiction bestseller, the film sees DiCaprio as a weak-willed man who marries a wealthy Osage woman and is drawn into the deadly schemes of his kingpin uncle, played by Scorseses other long-time muse, Robert De Niro. 

IndieWire said DiCaprio gives his best-ever performance, while The Guardian awarded five stars for a remarkable epic about the bloody birth of America. 

The stars were due to address reporters later on Sunday.

But the festival was already set for another glitzy premiere later in the day, with Firebrand starring Jude Law as 16th-century English king Henry VIII alongside Alicia Vikander as his sixth and final wife, Catherine Parr.

Drives me crazy

While Scorseses Apple-funded film had an out-of-competition slot at the festival, Firebrand is in the increasingly close race for its top prize Palme dOr, to be announced on May 27.

Among the entries is Natalie Portman and Julianne Moores new film May December which received positive reviews after its Saturday premiere.

The tale of a woman who caused a tabloid scandal by marrying a schoolboy and the actress who enters their lives years later to research a role was described as deliciously campy by IndieWire.

Portman told AFP she liked seeing women behave in morally ambiguous ways.

It always drives me crazy when people are like, oh, if only women rule the world, it would be a kinder place. No, women are humans and come in all different complexities, she said.

Arguably the current favourite for the Palme is British director Jonathan Glazers The Zone of Interest, a unique and horrifying look at the private life of a Nazi officer working at the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Critics were near-unanimous in their praise, Variety calling it chilling and profound. 

It was partly inspired by a book of the same name by British novelist Martin Amis, who died on Saturday at 73.

Also well received was Four Daughters, a heartbreaking documentary about radicalisation within a Tunisian family that is both inventive and engaging.

That may go down well with jury president Ruben Ostlund, last yearR...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The attorney representing Saddam Hussein at his trial, Khalil Al-Dulaimi, revealed, in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV, that the United States set out conditions to have the late President pardoned.

Al-Dulaimi explained that the US suggested the appointment of a Vice President with no key authorities to pardon the former President.

The Iraqi attorney explained that the Americans asked Saddam Hussein to stop the fight against the American forces in Fallujah, where they faced some of the heaviest combat since their war in Vietnam in 1968.

The lawyer clarified that the Americans also requested Saddam Hussein to leave the country after his release, but the late President refused their requests, noting that he transferred those conditions to Saddam himself.

Al-Dulaimi revealed that he and others were the link between the late Iraqi President and leaders of the Iraqi resistance, including leaders in the Iraqi army, as he used to exchange information with Saddam secretly during sessions of his trial.

The Iraqi lawyer confirmed that Saddam Hussein had information from decision-makers about the intention of the United States to divide Iraq, so he was passing messages during his trial to the Iraqi people and some Iraqi resistance factions.

The post Conditions the US offered to Saddam Hussein to be pardoned appeared first on Iraqi News.

San Salvador Twelve people were killed Saturday in a stampede at an El Salvador stadium where soccer fans had gathered to watch a local tournament, police said.

Authorities said initial reports pointed to a crush of fans who tried to enter Cuscatlan Stadium in the Central American countrys capital San Salvador to watch a match between teams Alianza and FAS.

The match was suspended as emergency personnel evacuated people from the stadium, where hundreds of police officers and soldiers gathered as ambulance sirens wailed.

Preliminarily, we have a negative result of 12 victims, nine who are here in the stadium and three more that we have been informed are in different hospital centers, National Civil Police (PNC) director Mauricio Arriaza told reporters.

Salvadoran soccer is in mourning, Arriaza said.

Health Minister Francisco Alabi said the countrys hospital network was providing medical care to all patients.

Interior Minister Juan Carlos Bidegain said the civil protection services first responders were on the scene.

Carlos Fuentes, spokesman for the emergency services group Comandos de Salvamento, said they were treating more than 500 people.

About 100 people in serious condition were taken to hospital, with some showing signs of asphyxia and other types of trauma, Fuentes said.

The stampede apparently started after a stadium gate fell, causing people to crowd together, he said.

At least two of the injured were in critical condition, according to police.

Everyone will be investigated

El Salvadors President Nayib Bukele said the PNC and the Attorney Generals Office would investigate the incident and those responsible would be punished.

Everyone will be investigated: teams, managers, stadium, box office, league, federation, Bukele said on Twitter.

He warned that whoever the culprits are, they will not go unpunished.

The Salvadoran Football Federation (Fesfut) said in a statement it deeply regrets the events that occurred at the stadium and expresses its solidarity with the families of those affected and killed.

Fesfut will immediately request a report of what happened and will communicate the relevant information as soon as possible, it said.

The tragedy comes seven months after 135 people, including more than 40 children, were killed in a stampede following a football match in Malang, Indonesia.

Police had tried to fend off fans with tear gas and many panic-stricken victims were crushed or suffocated while trying to use closed or narrow exit doors.

An Indonesian police officer and two match officials were jailed for 12-18 months over the disaster.

The post...

Istanbul Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cruises on Sunday into the final week before an historic runoff election as the big favourite to extend two decades of his Islamic-rooted rule until 2028.

Secular leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu gave the oppositions best performance of Erdogans dominant era in May 14 parliament and presidential polls.

The retired bureaucrat of Kurdish Alevi descent broke ethnic barriers and Erdogans stranglehold on the media and state institutions to win almost 45 percent of the vote.

But Erdogan still came within a fraction of a point of topping the 50-percent threshold needed to win in the first round.

The 69-year-old leader did it despite Turkeys worst economic crisis since the 1990s and opinion surveys showing him headed for his first national election defeat.

Kilicdaroglu will now need to rally his deflated troops and beat the odds yet again to wrest back power for the secular party that ruled Turkey for most of the 20th century.

The Eurasia Group consultancy put Erdogans chances of winning next Sunday at 80 percent.

It will be an uphill struggle for Kilicdaroglu in the second round, Hamish Kinnear of the Verisk Maplecroft consulting firm agreed.

Millions of patriots

Erdogan rode a nationalist wave that saw smaller right-wing parties pick up nearly 25 percent of the parallel parliamentary vote.

Kilicdaroglu is courting these voters in the second presidential round.

The 74-year-old revamped his campaign team and tore up his old playbook for the most fateful week of his political career.

He has replaced chatty clips that he used to record from his kitchen with desk-thumping speeches and pledges to immediately rid Turkey of millions of migrants.

As soon as I come to power, I will send all the refugees home, he said in his first post-election address.

He has chased the endorsement of a little-known ultra-nationalist, whose tiny vote share pushed Turkey into its first presidential runoff. 

And he has punched back against Erdogans claims that he was associating with terrorists a code word for Kurdish groups fighting for broader autonomy in Turkeys southeast.

We have millions of patriots to reach, Kilicdaroglu said.

But Kilicdaroglus sharp right turn could prove costly with voters from Kurdish regions that overwhelmingly backed him in the first round.

Kurds embraced Erdogan during his first decade in power because he worked to lift many of their social restrictions.

They turned against him when Erdogan formed his own alliance with Turkeys nationalist forces and began to unleash purges after surviving a failed coup attempt in 2016.

Kilicdaroglus new and more overtly nationalist tone echoes a secular era during which...

Abu Dhabi Faced with mounting pressure over planet-heating pollution, Gulf Arab energy giants are turning to humble tech start-ups as they search for ways to remove emissions while keeping oil flowing.

Oil producers have for years touted capturing carbon before it goes into the atmosphere as a potential global warming solution, against criticism from climate experts who say it risks distracting from the urgent goal of slashing fossil fuel pollution.

With little investment and few projects in operation around the world so far, the technology is currently nowhere near the scale needed to make a difference to global emissions.

Now major players from Saudi Aramco to the United Arab Emirates ADNOC say that is about to change, as the UAE hosts climate negotiations this year with a message of cutting emissions rather than fossil fuels.

For the industry and for countries as well to achieve net-zero by 2050, I dont see us achieving this without embracing carbon capture, Musabbeh Al Kaabi, ADNOCs executive director of low-carbon solutions, told AFP.

I would love to see more wind and solar energy, but to be practical and transparent, its not going to solve the problem.

Carbon capture was a hot topic at a recent climate tech conference in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, home of ADNOC.

Start-ups displayed their advances in carbon capture and storage (CCS) which removes carbon dioxide as it is pumped from power plants and heavy industry.

There were also firms presenting their plans for direct air capture (DAC), a newer technology that extracts CO2 directly from the atmosphere. 

The UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says the existing fossil fuel infrastructure without the use of carbon capture will push the world beyond the Paris deals safer global warming limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. 

Industrial smokestacks

The debate between whether to primarily target fossil fuels or emissions is shaping as a key battleground at the COP28 climate talks, which will be held in UAE financial hub Dubai.

Citing the IPCC, the COP28 president-designate Sultan Al Jaber ADNOCs CEO and his countrys climate envoy last week said it was time to get serious about carbon capture. 

But environmentalists are sceptical about the central role that big energy firms are seeking in climate solutions, saying they have a vested interest in maintaining fossil fuel sales.

Julien Jreissati, programme director at Greenpeace MENA, labelled it a distraction.

ADNOCs Kaabi, however, argued that the oil giants engineering capabilities and deep pockets make them best placed to propel climate tech.

The world has two options: we could leave it to the smal...

Athens Greece votes on Sunday in a general election that promises to be the closest in more than a decade, with three main parties competing for seats in the 300-member parliament.

Outgoing prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of conservative New Democracy, former premier Alexis Tsipras of leftist Syriza and ex-European lawmaker Nikos Androulakis of the Socialists are aiming to lead their parties to victory.

During the last election in 2019, New Democracy unseated Syriza.

While Mitsotakis is heading into the election with opinion polls giving him a clear lead, the surveys also suggest that he is unlikely to garner a lead wide enough for an outright majority in parliament. This means that at least two of the parties will need to cooperate to form a government to avoid a fresh election by July.

Here is a look at the leaders of the main three parties.

The scion

Mitsotakis, 55, is seeking a second four-year term as prime minister on the strength of his record of economic growth, fiscal management and a robust foreign policy that includes a pair of key alliance deals with the US and France.

We have much more experience now to boldly move forward in order to carry out the changes that will make Greece a modern European country, he said in a televised interview earlier in May.

A Harvard graduate and former McKinsey consultant, Mitsotakis has warned that the country needs a strong hand at the helm amid the war in Ukraine and other challenges, and that failure to re-elect his conservative New Democracy party will undermine Greeces economic rebound after a near-decade debt crisis.

A scion of a Greek political dynasty dating to the late 19th century, Mitsotakis has long struggled to shake off his elitist image.

His father Constantine Mitsotakis was also prime minister three decades ago. His sister is former minister Dora Bakoyannis, the first woman mayor of Athens. The current Athens mayor, Costas Bakoyannis, is her son and Mitsotakis nephew.

Leader of the conservative New Democracy party since 2016, Mitsotakis is married to entrepreneur Mareva Grabowski, co-founder of the Zeus+Dione luxury clothing brand. They have three children.

The ex-radical

Tsipras, who was prime minister from 2015 to 2019 during some of Greeces rockiest crisis years, is asking voters for a second chance to show what his labour-friendly leftist Syriza party can truly do without the austerity shackles of EU-IMF supervision.

Enough is enough, the 48-year-old told a rally in Larissa, central Greece during the campaign hustings.

Enough with profiteering, inequality, nepotism, indifference, arrogance, injustice, he said, accusing Mitsotakis of showering billions of euros on political and family allies.

A sovereign debt crisis that began in 2009 plunged Gree...

Tando Allahyar At 82 years old, architect Yasmeen Lari is forging the way in fortifying Pakistans rural communities living on the frontline of climate change.

Lari, Pakistans first woman architect, has ditched a lifetime of multi-million dollar projects in the megacity of Karachi to develop pioneering flood-proof bamboo houses.

The few pilot settlements already constructed are credited with saving families from the worst of the catastrophic monsoon flooding that put a third of the country underwater last year.

We continued to live in them, said Khomo Kohli, a 45-year-old resident of Pono Colony village, which is a few hundred kilometres outside of Karachi. 

The rest of the residents had to move onto the road where they lived for two months until the water receded.

Now, Lari is campaigning to scale up the project to one million houses made from affordable local materials, bringing new jobs to the most vulnerable areas.

I call it a kind of co-building and co-creation, because the people have an equal part in embellishing it and making it comfortable for themselves, she said.

The architect, who trained in the United Kingdom, is behind some of Karachis most notable buildings, including brutalist constructions such as the Pakistan State Oil headquarters, as well as a string of luxury homes.

As she was considering retirement, a series of natural disasters including a massive 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods stiffened her resolve to continue working with her Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, which manages her rural projects.

I had to find the solution, or find a way by which I could build up the capacities of people so that they could fend for themselves, rather than waiting for outside help, she told AFP.

My motto is zero carbon, zero waste, zero donor, which I think leads to zero poverty, she said.

Traditional techniques  

Climate change is making monsoon rains heavier and more unpredictable, scientists say, raising the urgency to flood-proof the country particularly as the poorest live in the most vulnerable areas. 

Pakistan, with the worlds fifth-largest population, is responsible for less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions but is one of the nations most vulnerable to the effects of extreme weather.

Pono Colony, with around 100 houses, was developed just months before catastrophic monsoon rains arrived last summer and displaced eight million people.

The villages elevated homes are protected from rushing water, while their bamboo skeletons pierced deep into the ground can withstand pressure without being uprooted. 

Known locally as chanwara, the mud huts are an improved take on the traditional single-room houses dotted along the landscape of so...

Washington Talks to avoid a US debt default were on a knife edge Saturday as President Joe Biden warned he would not accept extreme Republican demands but suggested there remained a path to success.

With the Treasury Department warning that the US government could run out of money as early as June 1 triggering massive economic disruption in the worlds biggest economy and likely around the globe the political battle in Washington see-sawed without any sign of imminent resolution.

Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, are demanding steep budget cuts as a price for allowing an extension of the governments borrowing authority. The White House is seeking to whittle down Republican demands, while arguing that the traditionally uncontroversial annual debt ceiling increase is being weaponized for political gain. 

Hopes for a settlement took a blow Friday when Republicans walked out of negotiations, declaring a pause.

However, the talks restarted later, leading White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to say we are indeed optimistic.

Biden, on the other side of the world at a G7 summit in Hiroshima, was briefed on the situation early Saturday, which was still Friday night in Washington, the White House said.

Biden communications director Ben LaBolt said Republicans are taking the economy hostage and pushing us to the brink of default, which could cost millions of jobs and tip the country into recession after two years of steady job and wage growth.

While Biden will not accept extreme Republican policies, there remains a path forward to arrive at a reasonable bipartisan agreement if Republicans come back to the table to negotiate in good faith, LaBolt said.

Tax and spending

More borrowing is required by the US government just to meet expenditures already made, meaning that refusal by the Republicans to lift the debt ceiling would leave Washington unable to pay its bills, triggering an array of economic shockwaves.

Republicans argue that the more than $31 trillion in US national debt is too high to accept and that there should be agreement on getting the books more balanced, rather than simply authorizing a still-higher debt allowance.

Democrats say that they are willing to discuss the budget but that first the debt ceiling needs to be raised without condition so that the existing bills can be paid and US financial credibility preserved.

Briefly calling off the talks on Friday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said: Weve got to pause, because we cant be spending any more money next year.

But Bidens team says the raft of spending cuts being demanded by Republicans are fueled by the agenda of the partys increasingly dominant hard-right wing.

In his st...

Jeddah (IraqiNews.com) During the 32nd Arab Summit, held by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Jeddah.

The discussion focused on bilateral ties between Iraq and Ukraine, as well as methods to strengthen collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

To establish a peaceful conclusion in Ukraine, Al-Sudani underlined the necessity of diplomatic measures and offering possibilities for negotiation. This would help to improve security, promote peace, and prevent future escalation.

According to the Prime Ministers office, the Ukrainian President stated his countrys firm commitment to expanding cooperation and developing ties with Iraq in a variety of spheres. He invited the Iraqi Prime Minister to visit Ukraine and praised Iraqs vital position in the region, recognizing its efforts to maintain security and stability.

The post Iraqi PM meets with Ukrainian President in Jeddah appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, called on Arab Leaders on Friday to hold the 2025 Arab League Summit in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during his speech at the 32^nd Arab League Summit held in the Saudi city of Jeddah, according to a statement issued by the Prime Ministers press office.

Many countries built successful economic blocs, where members do not share common elements, Al-Sudani stated.

Therefore, we must review economic interdependence and integration between our countries, Al-Sudani added.

The Iraqi Prime Minister explained that Iraq would host several conferences, including the Baghdad 2023 conference, for economic integration and regional stability, the statement illustrated.

The Prime Minister said that Baghdad is currently preparing to host the Development Route Conference, the promising project that will strengthen the bonds and serve the interests of the people, according to the statement.

On May 2, The Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced it sent official invitations to ambassadors and representatives of diplomatic missions of Iraqs neighboring countries and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to attend a conference on the Development Route that will be held in Iraq at the end of May.

The Ministry of Transport did not mention the exact date of the conference, elaborating only that it would be held under the auspices of the Prime Minister.

The Development Route is the name given by the Iraqi government to what was known as the dry canal that connects the Al-Faw Grand Port in the southern Iraqi governorate of Basra with the Turkish territories through railway networks and roads.

In a joint press conference held in March with the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Al-Sudani stated that the Development Route represents a global corridor to transport goods and energy.

The Iraqi Prime Minister illustrated that the project includes a railway to transport goods, with a capacity of 3.5 million tons in its first phase, and will reach a capacity of 7.5 million tons in the second phase.

Al-Sudani elaborated that the Development Route will also include a highway for land transport and pipelines to transport energy, in addition to the Al-Faw Grand Port, and the industrial city expected to be one of the largest cities in the Middle East.

The post Iraqi PM calls for holding 2025 Arab Summit in Baghdad appeared first on Iraqi News.

Los Angeles Jimmy Butler led a fourth-quarter fightback as the Miami Heat stunned the Boston Celtics 111-105 to take a 2-0 lead in their NBA Eastern Conference finals series on Friday.

Miami talisman Butler finished with 27 points as the eighth seeds grabbed a second straight victory at Bostons TD Garden to leave the Celtics with a mountain to climb if they are to reach the NBA finals.

Miami had trailed by 11 points early in the fourth quarter and the Celtics led by as much as nine with under seven minutes of the final frame remaining.

But Butler led a sensational 20-9 Miami run in the final minutes of the fourth quarter that turned the game on its head and leaves his team just two wins away from returning to the NBA finals as the best-of-seven series heads to Miami for games three and four.

We got some dogs, and I love it, I love every bit of it, an elated Butler said during an on-court interview after the Miami win.

Guys never quit, guys never give up, we love playing with one another we got so much faith and trust in one another.

Nine of Butlers 27 points came during the fourth-quarter rally, with the Miami star seemingly fired up after an angry nose-to-nose exchange with Bostons Grant Williams midway through the fourth quarter.

At that stage in the game, Boston led 96-89, but Miami launched a devastating late run that turned the contest decisively in favor of the Heat.

Just healthy competition, and I love it, Butler said afterwards of his exchange with Williams. 

Im always here to compete, I like to talk at times, as long as we get the win Im good with it though.

Butler received offensive support from Caleb Martin with 25 points off the bench, while Bam Adebayo delivered another all-round effort with 22 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists.

Duncan Robinson added 15 points from the bench including three three-pointers.

A shellshocked Boston meanwhile were left reflecting on another shattering defeat at home despite 34 points from Jayson Tatum.

Jaylen Brown finished with 16 points but had a wayward shooting night, making only 7-of-23 from the field, while Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon had 13 points apiece.

Game three takes place in Miami on Sunday.

The post Butler brilliance as Miami stun Boston appeared first on Iraqi News.

Hiroshima Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday headed to Hiroshima to join G7 talks, after winning long-sought US support for access to advanced fighter jets and training for Kyivs pilots.

The rare long-haul trip is a chance to confer with allies like US President Joe Biden, but also to woo key unaligned powers at the summit, including India and Brazil.

Zelenskys surprise appearance he had previously been expected to appear by video comes after a stop in Jeddah to address the Arab League and a breakthrough in his long-running campaign to convince Washington of Ukraines need for F-16s.

Momentum had been building for providing the planes, but US support is key because its approval is legally required for the re-export of US equipment purchased by allies.

The United States had previously cited long pilot training times and high costs as a reason not to supply the jets, with officials insisting there were more cost-effective ways to boost Kyivs air defences.

But F-16s now appear likely to join the list of advanced systems, including Western tanks and long-range weaponry, that Ukraines supporters have agreed to provide after initial reluctance.

Biden told G7 leaders in Japan that Washington would now support the request, in a move hailed by Zelensky as a historic decision.

The two leaders will meet in Hiroshima to discuss practical implementation of the plan, Zelensky said, with the White House saying Biden was looking forward to the talks without confirming a date.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan insisted the fighter jet decision did not reflect an about-turn in US policy.

Nothing has changed. Our approach to the provision of weapons, material, training to the Ukrainians has followed the exigencies of the conflict, he told reporters in Hiroshima.

Weve reached a moment where its time to look down the road and to say What is Ukraine going to need to be able to deter and defend against Russian aggression?

F-16s, fourth-generation fighter aircraft, are part of that mix. The obvious first step there is to do the training and then to work with allies, partners and the Ukrainians to determine how to do the actual provision points as we move forward.

Avoid World War III

The timeline for that training remains unclear, with US officials previously estimating it could take up to 18 months.

Still, the decision was welcomed by allies including the United Kingdom.

The UK will work together with the USA and the Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark to get Ukraine the combat air capability it needs, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted, adding: We stand united.

Sullivan denied providing the planes would further es...

Los Angeles NBA superstar and Ohio kid LeBron James led the tributes to NFL great Jim Brown on Friday, after the legendary Cleveland Browns running back and civil rights campaigner died at the age of 87.

We lost a hero today, James said in an Instagram post that also featured a video of four-time NBA champion James, then playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers, bowing to Brown as he sat courtside at a game.

Rest in Paradise to the legend Jim Brown, James wrote. I hope every Black athlete takes the time to educate themselves about this incredible man and what he did to change all of our lives.

We all stand on your shoulders Jim Brown.

Brown played for the Browns for all of an NFL career spanning 1957-65.

He led the NFL in rushing eight of those seasons and retired in July of 1966 with a then-record 12,312 career rushing yards.

Browns excellence on the field was what first made the young LeBron James an admirer, but now the Los Angeles Lakers star known for his work on social justice issues says Browns efforts during the turbulent civil rights movement was his real gift to todays athletes.

If you grew up in Northeast Ohio and were Black, Jim Brown was a God, James wrote. As a kid who loved football, I really just thought of him as the greatest Cleveland Brown to ever play.

Then I started my own journey as a professional athlete and realized what he did socially was his true greatness.

When I choose to speak out, I always think about Jim Brown. I can only speak because Jim broke down those walls for me.

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the African-American athletes who attended the 1967 Cleveland Summit organized by Brown in a show of support for Muhammad Alis refusal to serve in the Vietnam War, also paid tribute to his civil rights legacy.

Jims dedication to the fight for equal rights was a lifelong effort and something that enabled me to maintain our friendship for over 50 years, Abdul-Jabbar wrote on social media. The world and I will miss him greatly.

Former US President Barack Obama also joined the tributes to Browns legacy.

I was too young to remember Jim Browns playing days, but I knew his legacy, Obama tweeted. One of the greatest football players ever, he was also an actor and activist speaking out on civil rights, and pushing other Black athletes to do the same. Our thoughts are with Jims wife Monique, his children, and everyone who knew and admired him.

Browns transformational talent was also recalled by those who followed him in the NFL, including former Dallas Cowboys running backs Tony Dorsett and Emmitt Smith and Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders.

There isnt a man who played running back in the NFL who didn...

London Frank Lampard has urged his Chelsea plyers to learn from the example set by Manchester Citys treble challenge when the teams meet at the Etihad on Sunday.

City will retain the Premier League title and win the first of the three trophies they are chasing this season if they beat Chelsea, and could already be champions by the time they kick-off depending on Arsenals result on Saturday.

If City take the title, it will be the fifth time in six seasons that Pep Guardiolas team have been crowned champions of England.

They then have a second Champions League final in three years to come against Italys Inter Milan plus the FA Cup final against local rivals Manchester United.

Citys brilliant form was there for all to see with a 4-0 humiliation of European champions Real Madrid on Wednesday, a 17th win in their last 19 games.

Chelsea, once a challenger for major trophies, are currently languishing in 11th place despite co-owner Todd Boehly splashing out some 600 million ($747 million) on transfers during the last 12 months, 

Caretaker Chelsea manager Lampard, who may be replaced by Mauricio Pochettino should the former Tottenham supremo be confirmed as the Blues new permanent boss, said his side should take heart from Citys work ethic. 

The only inspiration the young players should need is what its taken Man City to get where theyve got, said Lampard.

Its not the moment of lifting the cup, its Kevin De Bruynes journey, and (Erling) Haalands journey, and (Ilkay) Gundogans journey, and John Stoness journey.

The former Chelsea and England midfielder added: A player has to understand that the cup-lifting moments are because of all the work done over the years against the odds, whatever it is, how hard they work. 

That team clearly works hard and then when one has to stop working hard the next one steps in and works hard. Thats what the players have to understand.

Lampard said he had watched the documentary series The Last Dance, about NBA side Chicago Bulls success in the 1990s, in preparation for Chelseas final games of the season.

The interim manager, who will stand down following the final game of the season against Newcastle on May 28, said the series had some valuable lessons for his squad.

Any group that lifts trophies has to understand what standards are and how you push and what you do, and that the weekend is a culmination of everything you do through the week, from how you prepare, how you train, that you train at a level that then transfers onto the pitch, said Lampard, a multiple medal-winner at Chelsea.

He added: Theres a lot of failure on the way to success. I think thats the thing that a player in the modern day has to liste...

Los Angeles Denver coach Michael Malone thinks the world should wake up to the greatness of two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets teammates who incidentally have a 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

But if a media spotlight on the Lakers motivates his team, thats OK too.

Whatever we can use for motivation, Malone said after the Nuggets erased an 11-point deficit to beat the Lakers 108-103 in game two at Ball Arena in Denver on Thursday.

That followed a 132-126 victory in game one, in which the Nuggets built a commanding lead only to find themselves fighting off the surging Lakers in the fourth quarter.

You win game one of the (Western Conference Finals) and all everybody talked about was the Lakers, Malone said.

Lets be honest, that was the national narrative, (it) was hey, the Lakers are fine. Theyre down 1-0 but they figured something out. No one talked about Nikola who just had a historic performance.

Malone noted that Jokics 13 career playoff triple-doubles put him third all-time behind Magic Johnson (30) and LeBron James (28).

What hes doing is just incredible, Malone said of the Serbian star. 

But the narrative wasnt about the Nuggets, the narrative wasnt about Nikola. The narrative was about the Lakers and their adjustments.

You put that in your pipe, you smoke it and you come back and you know what were going to go up 2-0.

While Jokic came through with yet another triple-double, it was Jamal Murrays 23-point fourth-quarter explosion that carried the Nuggets past the Lakers on Thursday.

Murray said the top-seeded Nuggets are not concerned about being overlooked against the glamorous Lakers franchise led by the superstar duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis and gunning for a record 18th NBA crown.

The outside noise is the outside noise, Murray said. Were the Denver Nuggets, were used to that.

Even when we win, they talk about the other team. Same old, same old. It fuels us a little more and will be sweeter when we win the chip.

Despite his bravado, Malone said the Nuggets were keenly aware as the series shifts to Los Angeles on Saturday that the hardest work remains.

We havent done anything yet, Malone said. Youve got to win a game on the other teams home court if you really want to do something in a series. We know how great that team is, especially on their home court.

Were not celebrating, Malone said. This is not cause for celebration. This is a cause to continue to dig deep and find ways to be better.

The post...

Belgrade Tens of thousands of people gathered in the Serbian capital Belgrade on Friday, amid growing concern at rising levels of violence following two mass shootings that killed 18 people this month.

The rally marked the third major Serbia against violence protest in recent weeks, which has brought thousands to the streets calling for the resignation of top officials.

We are in shock, disbelief and we are angry, protester Jelena Mihajlovic told the crowd gathered in front of the parliament on Friday. And a question echoes with all of us what kind of country are we leaving for our children?

The protests are some of the largest rallies to rock Serbia since mass demonstrations triggered the fall of former strongman Slobodan Milosevic more than two decades ago.

The demonstrators want the government to revoke the broadcasting licences of television channels promoting violent content, and a ban on pro-government newspapers that stir tensions by targeting political dissidents.

They have also called for the resignation of the interior minister and the head of the intelligence service.

On Friday, members of the pro-European opposition stormed out of a special session of parliament, accusing the ruling party and its allies of aiming to silence the rally rather than address the issues raised by the demonstrators.

We dont want to be a part of that we will join the citizens in the protest, Zoran Lutovac, the president of the Democratic Party, told reporters.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has dismissed the protests as a political stunt.

He scheduled a separate demonstration for his own supporters next week that he has billed as the biggest gathering in Serbian history.

Vucics close ally Prime Minister Ana Brnabic has also accused foreign intelligence services of stirring unrest after the shootings to destabilise Serbia.  

Following the shootings, Vucic has vowed to disarm Serbia with an ambitious plan that would crack down on legal and illicit firearms. 

Serbia has the highest level of gun ownership in Europe, with roughly 39 out of 100 people owning firearms, according to the Small Arms Survey research group.

The post Tens of thousands protest growing wave of violence in Serbia appeared first on Iraqi News.

Cannes Chinese filmmaker Wang Bing got incredible access to the inner workings of his countrys textile industry by spending five years with its employees, but he fears it may be more difficult for him to work there in future.

Wang, who has delivered some of the most important and immersive documentaries about China, made Youth (Spring) from 2,600 hours of footage.

The unflinching but tender portrait of young workers in textile factories premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday a rare documentary to be included in the main competition for the Palme dOr. 

The factory managers are filmed openly as they negotiate dirt-cheap wages and tell workers to leave if they arent happy footage gained thanks to Wangs many years on the ground. 

Bit by bit as I got to know all these managers from the factories, I was really able to get total freedom from them and even very strong support on their part, he told AFP. 

But now Wang worries he may not have such access to film in China again. 

It will be more and more difficult to shoot there because China is entering a phase in its history where denunciation is becoming the heart of society, he said.

China has seen a tightening of its authoritarian rule in recent years under Premier Xi Jinping. 

The concrete changes that are happening, that we can see and are real, are totally unexpected and surprise me. I must say it is totally incomprehensible to me, Wang said. 

Patient observer

Filmed in Zhili, the Chinese garment capital on the Yangtze River, the movie shows the small textile factories in bleak grey concrete high-rises strewn with garbage.

Wangs camera patiently observes the daily lives of young people who have come from rural regions to join the sprawling workforce.

In long takes we see their rapid mechanical movements hunched over sewing machines, often against a background of banter and blaring music.

But it also shows its young subjects as they relax, joking with each other, flirting, drinking and talking about everything from abortion to marriage.

The filmmaker knows the 212-minute running time will put off many viewers but he said his priority was staying true to his subject.

Whats essential for the director is to feel that the length corresponds with the true length of the subject being treated, he said.

Nine hours

And he is not done yet. 

Since 2021, Wang has been editing in Paris and plans two more parts of Youth, to create a trilogy of more than nine hours.

The premiere in Cannes on Thursday received a standing ovation, and early reviews were broadly positive.

Deadline hailed an exceptional documentary that paints a grim picture of life for young Chinese w...

Washington The United States added hundreds more companies and individuals to its sanctions blacklist Friday as it broadened efforts to choke of Russias global supply chains and starve its economy over its war on Ukraine.

The new sanctions took particular aim at the firms and research institutes involved in Moscows investments into future energy production including plans for exploiting Artic resources.

They also sought to shut down networks for acquiring restricted technologies that operated surreptitiously out of Liechtenstein, India, Finland, Estonia, and the Netherlands, and Russian financial networks operating out of Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.

And they targeted companies supplying components that Russia needs to produce its Orlan reconnaissance drone, including a Chinese firm.

In all about 300 individuals, companies, institutes, ships and aircraft involved in alleged sanctions-violating activities were added to US Treasury and State Department blacklists.

The announcement came in parallel with the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where leaders vowed to increase global economic pressure on Moscow to end its unprovoked 15-month-old invasion of Ukraine.

Todays actions will further tighten the vise on (Russia President Vladimir) Putins ability to wage his barbaric invasion, said US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

Our collective efforts have cut Russia off from key inputs it needs to equip its military and is drastically limiting the revenue the Kremlin receives to fund its war machine, she said in a statement.

The new sanctions included dozens of Russian defense industry firms and technology traders, the countrys leading gold miner and aides to already-blacklisted senior Russian officials.

They include Russias top gold producer Polyus, and companies and individuals allegedly involved in stealing grain from Ukraine.

A particular focus was on institutions involved in Russian energy development, including universities that develop and train people in mining and energy processing technologies, oil and coal industry support firms, and institutions financing future developments.

The Treasury said the effort is taking targeted action to limit Russias future extractive capabilities, coming after Ukraines Western allies instituted a price cap on Russian oil exports to limit its potential foreign exchange earnings.

The sanctions aim at locking those named out of global commercial and financial markets by banning US citizens and entities including banks with US branches from doing business with them and handling transactions involving them.

Todays actions implement new commitments made at the G7 Leaders Summit and demonstrate our shared resolve to hold Russia accountable for its mounting atrocities in Ukraine,...

Azaz Hundreds protested in rebel-held northern Syria on Friday against President Bashar al-Assads participation in the Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia after a more than decade-long suspension, AFP correspondents said.

The people want the fall of the regime, chanted demonstrators in Azaz one of the main slogans from the waves of peaceful protests that broke out in Syria in 2011.

Syria cannot be represented by Assad the criminal, read a banner at the protest in the town, which is under the control of pro-Turkish groups.

Anti-Assad protests took part in other rebel-held areas, including in the northern city of Afrin where a crowd held up a large flag opposition flag.

Assad on Friday was attending his first Arab League summit since the body suspended Syria in late 2011 over the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators that led to civil war.

More than half a million people have been killed and around half of the countrys pre-war population has been forced from their homes due to the conflict.

We call on the Arab peoples to put pressure on their governments to go back on the decision (to re-admit Syria) and for Bashar al-Assad to leave, said Issam Khatib, a lawyer originally from the northern city of Aleppo.

Assad had been politically isolated in the region since the war began, but a devastating February 6 earthquake that killed thousands in Turkey and Syria sparked Arab outreach.

A flurry of diplomatic activity has been underway in recent weeks as Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and the Syrian governments ally Iran patched up ties, shifting regional relations.

The regional detente with Damascus is a heavy blow to Syrias political and armed opposition, which received Arab support particularly in the conflicts early stages.

Damascus now controls most of Syria, after clawing back much of the ground it had lost with the crucial support of allies Iran and Russia.

The shattered country is at the mercy of foreign powers, with Russian, Iranian, Turkish and American forces all present.

The rebel-held areas of Syrias north and northwest, controlled by Islamist groups and Turkish-backed fighters, are home to more than four million people, at least half of whom have been displaced from other parts of the country.

The post Syrians in rebel-held north protest Assads return to Arab League appeared first on Iraqi News.

Cannes Artificial Intelligence may have been used to make Harrison Ford decades younger in parts of his final film as Indiana Jones, but the 80-year-old actor said Friday he loved being older, and has no plans to slow down.

Ford, whose Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny premiered in Cannes on Thursday night, has vowed this will be his last adventure as the swashbuckling archaeologist after more than four decades in the role.

And Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm, which also produces the Star Wars franchise, gave a resounding no at a press conference when asked if AI technology would be used to keep Ford coming back to the role in the future.

An emotional Ford, who welled up several times reflecting on his long career and co-stars, and also cracked several jokes, said he was real happy with age.

I dont look back and say, I wish I was that guy again, because I dont. I love being older, it was great to be young but, shitfire, I could be dead, I am just older.

And, he has no plan to slow down, confirming he would do another season of Western drama series 1923 as well as the comedy Shrinking.

Mixed reviews

Ford first swung onto screens as the quick-witted and intrepid archaeologist with his trademark fedora and whip in Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, which was followed by two hugely popular sequels. 

Though a fourth film in 2008 made a lot of money, it was widely panned.

An emotional Ford received a surprise honorary Palme dOr ahead of the premiere of the fifth instalment.

He is joined in the new adventure by Phoebe Waller-Bridge as his witty and more sprightly sidekick, with Mads Mikkelsen as a villainous Nazi scientist.

The movie sees him fighting Nazis from Manhattan to Sicily, but he struggled against critics who gave the film mixed reviews. 

For some critics, the logic-defying scenes and rousing theme song provided solid sentimental fun.

The finale is wildly silly and entertaining (but) Indiana Jones still has a certain old-school class, said The Guardian.

Empire also enjoyed the ride, saying it remained true to its fantasy leanings, but that the barmy finale might divide audiences.

The Hollywood Reporter was less impressed with the rinse-and-repeat formula of chases and gunfights and how glaringly fake so much of it looks.

Elsewhere at the worlds leading film industry shindig, three of the 21 movies in the running for the top prize Palme DOr were premiering Friday on a rain-drenched day on the French Riviera.

Friday evening British director Jonathan Glazer presents his much-awaited film The Zone of Interest about the banalities behin...

Washington The United States on Friday promised $103 million for Sudan and neighboring countries to support displaced people as a month of war between rival generals triggers a humanitarian crisis.

Samantha Power, chief of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), announced the new assistance on a visit to Chad, which before the latest fighting was already the host of some 600,000 refugees, mostly from Sudan.

USAID said it was committing $50 million to address needs inside Sudan as well as $22 million for South Sudan, $17 million for Chad and $6 million for Egypt.

In Chad, the assistance will go through the UNs World Food Programme to provide food and cash assistance to more than 135,000 people, including newly arrived refugees from Sudan.

The United Nations said Wednesday that $3.03 billion would be needed to provide urgent aid for Sudan as well as for the more than one million people expected to flee into neighboring countries this year.

USAID noted that Chad was already stretched thin. South Sudan has been coping with its own internal humanitarian disaster.

The conflict in Sudan forces humanitarian partners across the region to make difficult choices about how to address compounding needs with limited resources, a USAID statement said.

The United States urges other donors to help us address critical funding gaps.

Sudan descended into war on April 15 in a conflict between the army and a powerful paramilitary unit as they rejected a plan to merge under a promised transition to civilian rule.

The United States and Saudi Arabia have been leading mediation in hopes of reaching another at least temporary ceasefire to allow in assistance.

The post US offers $100 mln to help Sudan, neighbors cope with displaced appeared first on Iraqi News.

Jeddah Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused some Arab leaders of ignoring the horrors of Russias invasion of his country during a speech Friday at an Arab League summit in Saudi Arabia.

Unfortunately, there are some in the world and here, among you, who turn a blind eye to those cages and illegal annexations, Zelensky told summit attendees, urging them to take an honest look at the war.

The post Zelensky says some Arab leaders turn blind eye to Russian invasion appeared first on Iraqi News.

Srinagar Elite Indian commandos patrolled the streets of Srinagar on Friday ahead of a G20 tourism meeting next week, with China and Pakistan condemning holding the event in the disputed territory of Indian-administered Kashmir.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been disputed between New Delhi and Islamabad, both of which claim it in full, since their independence 75 years ago. 

The Indian-controlled portion has been roiled for decades by an insurgency seeking independence or merger with Pakistan, with tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and Kashmiri rebels killed in the conflict.

Police said security had been beefed up at vulnerable locations to avoid any chance of terrorist attack during the G20 meeting, the first diplomatic event in the territory since New Delhi revoked its limited autonomy and took direct control in 2019.

The three-day gathering starts Monday at a sprawling, well-guarded venue on the shores of Dal Lake in Srinagar.

Roads leading to the location have been freshly black-topped, and electricity poles lit up in the colours of Indias national flag to show what officials say is normalcy and peace returning to the region.

India has been promoting tourism in Kashmir and more than a million of its citizens visited last year.

But no Chinese delegates will be attending the event. India and its northern neighbour are locked in a military standoff along their mostly undemarcated border in the Ladakh region. Beijing also claims the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh in full as part of Tibet, and it considers Kashmir a disputed territory.

China firmly opposes holding any form of G20 meeting in disputed territory and will not attend such meetings, foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters Friday.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are reportedly also unlikely to join.

India holds the Group of 20 presidency for 2023 and has planned more than 100 meetings across the country Beijing has already stayed away from events in both Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.

Non-G20 member Pakistan controls a smaller part of Kashmir and said holding the tourism meeting in the territory violated international law, UN Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreements.

Pakistans foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said India was displaying its arrogance to the world and that it shows their pettiness, triggering a sharp retort from New Delhi.

India accuses Pakistan of training and supporting militants in Kashmir, which Islamabad denies.

Hartosh Singh Bal, executive editor of Indian current affairs magazine The Caravan, said the choice of location was clearly an attempt to try and show that Kashmir is all normal.

But he added that China and some other countries not going to the meet is not surprising. 

If any Wes...

Kyiv Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday said he had arrived in Saudi Arabia to address an Arab League summit, ahead of an expected trip to Japan for a G7 meeting.

Arrived in Saudi Arabia. I will speak at the Arab League summit. I will meet with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman al-Saud and hold other bilateral talks, Zelensky said on social media.

The post Zelensky arrives in Saudi Arabia for Arab League summit appeared first on Iraqi News.

Khartoum On a scorching sidewalk, Ibrahim Said hopes to withdraw his savings from a Sudanese bank, but the wait seems as unending as the war that has brought the countrys financial system to a standstill.

Said is one of dozens of depositors who have queued at a branch of the Bank of Khartoum in Madani, a city about 160 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of the capital, to recover their savings.

I have been here since seven in the morning hoping to withdraw money from my account, he told AFP.

One of half a million people who fled Khartoum for safer cities, Said escaped with what little cash he happened to have in the house when the capital was rocked on April 15 by air strikes and shelling that have not stopped since.

Now, he is locked out of his savings as the fighting between the army under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy-turned-foe Mohamed Hamdan Daglos paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shows no signs of abating.

Ishraq al-Rih has been coming to the same bank branch for three days, and on each occasion it has been the same.

At around 3:00 pm, they open the doors, let in a very small number of people, and if youre not one of the lucky ones you have to come back the next day, she said.

Every passing day brings more anxiety, as families ration their cash to make ends meet, terrified of what footage shared online of looted banks and empty safes means for their savings.

 Locked out

We dont know what to do. We have money in the bank but we cant touch it, Ahmed Abdelaziz told AFP, standing outside the closed gate of Omdurman National Bank.

The 45-year-old civil servant thought he was safe in Madani, where tens of thousands of people have settled but cannot escape the impact of the battles that rage in the capital.

The servers that control every banks operations are all in Khartoum, and employees cant get to them because of the fighting, said Mohamed Abdelaziz, who works in the banking sector.

Even in states untouched by the violence, branches have lost contact with the headquarters that used to validate operations, leaving managers unable to replenish reserves and allow withdrawals, he said.

In a move questioned by observers considering the entire sector is at a standstill, army chief Burhan declared a freeze on RSF assets this week and dismissed the central bank governor.

Bank-to-bank payments have been completely cut; we cant transfer any money between accounts, said an employee of Sudanese French Bank who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Sudan was brought to its knees by two decades of international sanctions against former dictator Omar al-Bashir, as well as rampant corruption and the 2011 independence of South Sudan which held almost all the countrys oil....

Paris Iran on Friday executed three men convicted of killing security force members during protests triggered by Mahsa Aminis death last year, the judiciary said, drawing condemnation from rights groups.

Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashemi and Saeed Yaghoubi were found guilty of moharebeh or waging war against God for shooting dead three members of the security forces at a demonstration in the central city of Isfahan on November 16, the judiciarys Mizan Online news website said.

Iran witnessed waves of nationwide protests following the September 16 death of 22-year-old Amini, an Iranian Kurd who had been arrested for an alleged breach of the Islamic republics strict dress rules for women.

During the protests, which Tehran generally labelled as foreign-instigated riots, thousands of Iranians were arrested and hundreds killed including dozens of security forces.

Fridays hangings bring to seven the total number of Iranians executed in connection with the demonstrations.

Kazemi, Mirhashemi and Yaghoubi were arrested in November and sentenced to death in January.

They were also charged with membership of illegal groups with the intention of disrupting national security and collusion leading to crimes against internal security, Mizan said.

It noted evidence and documents in the case and the clear statements made by the accused showed that the shootings carried out by these three people led to the martyrdom of three security forces.

Surge in executions

A video shared on social media on Friday showed Tehran residents chanting Death to the Islamic republic and other anti-regime slogans.

AFP was unable to immediately verify the footage from the capitals Ekbatan district, a middle-income area that saw repeated anti-regime actions in the past months.

The cases of the three men have caused concern abroad, including in Australia where some of Kazemis family live.

His cousin Mohammad Hashemi wrote an open letter to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong asking for her support.

Majid is only 30 years old. He is a compassionate, loving, and strong-willed person. He, like many other Iranians, participated in peaceful demonstrations to raise his voice and demand change, Hashemi wrote in the letter, published on the petition website change.org.

Wong on Friday condemned the execution, which she said exemplifies the regimes brutality against its people.

Australia stands with the people of Iran, Wong tweeted.

Iran executes more people a year than any other nation except China, according to human rights groups including Amnesty International.

The authorities last year carried out the executions of four protesters, prompting intern...