Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, met on Tuesday with the British Secretary of State for Defense, Ben Wallace, where they discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries on the security and military levels, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The statement mentioned that both sides discussed capacity building in British military academies and colleges to enhance the capabilities of Iraqi military institutions.

The meeting also addressed Iraqs efforts to promote regional stability and the continued British support for Iraqs efforts at the security level.

The Iraqi Foreign Minister is on a visit to London after receiving an official invitation from the British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, James Cleverly.

Hussein also met with the British Deputy National Security Adviser for International Affairs, Sarah MacIntosh, to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Both officials held a meeting to talk about the latest developments in the region, organized crime, and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

The post Iraqi FM discusses security, military cooperation with Britain appeared first on Iraqi News.

Beijing Fifteen people are dead and four are missing after torrential rain lashed the Chinese metropolis of Chongqing, local officials and state media said Wednesday.

The latest round of torrential rains since Monday had killed 15 people and left four others missing in southwest Chinas Chongqing Municipality as of 7 am Wednesday, state news agency Xinhua said, citing local authorities, who confirmed the toll to AFP.

The heavy rains, mainly seen in the areas along the Yangtze River, have triggered floods and geological disasters, disrupting the lives of more than 130,000 people in 19 districts and counties, Xinhua added.

The confirmation of casualties comes after officials on Tuesday put in place an alert for rain-triggered disasters across large swathes of central and southwestern China.

And President Xi Jinping ordered that authorities at all levels must give top priority to ensuring peoples safety and property, Xinhua said Wednesday.

Xi underlined that leading officials at all levels must take the lead in fighting the floods, put the peoples safety and property first, and strive to minimise all kinds of losses, the agency added.

In a sign of how extensive the damage is, workers on Tuesday discovered that a closed-off railway bridge on the outskirts of Chongqing had collapsed after it was damaged by the impact of mountain torrents, state broadcaster CCTV said.

In neighbouring Sichuan province, authorities said more than 460,000 had been affected by the heavy rain this month, Xinhua reported.

About 85,000 people have been evacuated from their homes as a result of the rain, officials said, with flash floods in mountainous areas and possible mudslides in some parts of the country expected this week.

Scientists say that rising global temperatures caused largely by burning fossil fuels increase the likelihood of extreme weather events such as the flash floods and heatwaves experienced in many Asian countries in recent weeks.

The floods coincided with record heatwaves in other parts of China, with the countrys National Meteorological Center warning residents in the capital Beijing and a dozen other regions to stay indoors with temperatures topping 35 degrees Celsius.

China recorded an average of 4.1 days in which temperatures exceeded 35 degrees every month in the first half of this year, the highest since national records began in 1961, according to a National Meteorological Center statement on Sunday.

In June, Beijing sweltered through a total of 14 days of temperatures exceeding 35 degrees, matching the record set in July 2000, according to the state-run Beijing Evening News.

This weeks torrential rains in Chongqing represent one of the deadliest natural disasters to occur in China so far this year....

Manila The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday accused Chinese patrol vessels of blocking two of its boats in the disputed South China Sea, describing their actions as very dangerous. 

China claims almost the entire sea despite rival claims from other Southeast Asian countries including the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Its coast guard and navy vessels routinely block or shadow Philippine ships patrolling the contested waters, Manila says.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the latest incident happened on June 30 during a regular operation to re-supply marines stationed in a run-down navy ship grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal to assert Manilas territorial claim in the waters.

As they neared the shoal, the two Philippine coast guard boats assigned as escorts for the navy mission were approached by two Chinese coast guard vessels. 

One of the Chinese boats came within about 100 yards (90 metres) of the BRP Malabrigos bow, forcing its commanding officer to slow down to avoid a collision, Commodore Jay Tarriela told reporters.

They dangerously conducted different manoeuvres, even crossing the bow of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels and that kind of distance is very dangerous because thats already prone to collision, said Tarriela, the coast guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.

Manila refers to waters immediately to its west as the West Philippine Sea.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A similar incident happened in April when a Chinese coast guard ship cut off the Philippine patrol vessel Malapascua as it carried journalists near the Second Thomas Shoal.

An AFP team was on another coast guard vessel and witnessed the near collision.

In that incident, the Malapascuas commanding officer Rodel Hernandez said the Chinese ship came within 45 metres of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.

The post Philippine Coast Guard accuses Chinese boats of dangerous manoeuvres appeared first on Iraqi News.

Iwaki The head of the UNs nuclear watchdog met with Fukushima residents and representatives Wednesday, seeking to reassure them about the planned release of treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant.

The planned, decades-long discharge of accumulated water from the devastated nuclear facility has been approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) as meeting global standards.

Its chief Rafael Grossi, at a meeting in Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture, acknowledged however that concerns remains.

All these complex graphs and statistics are one thing but the reality, the reality of people, the reality of the economy, the reality of the social mood and perceptions may be different, he told a meeting of local residents and officials.

Some 1.33 million cubic metres of groundwater, rainwater and water used for cooling has accumulated at the Fukushima site, which is being decommissioned after several reactors went into meltdown following the 2011 tsunami which badly damaged the plant.

Plant operator TEPCO treats the water through its ALPS processing system to remove almost all radioactive elements except tritium, and plans to dilute it before discharging it into the ocean over several decades.

The plan is opposed by some regional neighbours, with Beijing vocally condemning the plan, as well as some in Fukushima, particularly fishing communities who fear customers will shun their catches.

Grossi said the IAEA was not involved in the process to give cover to decorate something that is bad.

When it comes to this activity here, what is happening is not some exception, some strange plan that has been devised only to be applied here and sold to you, he added.

This is, as certified by the IAEA, the general practice that is agreed by and observed by many, many places, all over the world.

Still, there is palpable anger among some local residents who fear the reputational damage of the release.

Tetsu Nozaki, chairman of the Fukushima Prefectural Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations, argued Japans government was misrepresenting local sentiment, which he said remained strongly opposed to the plan.

We fishery operators are left with no choice but to react emotionally and harden our attitude, he told Grossi.

I beg you to realise that this project of the release of ALPS-processed water is moving ahead in the face of opposition.

Grossi said he had no magic wand that could assuage concerns but pointed out the IAEA will set up a permanent office to review the release over decades.

We are going to stay here with you for decades to come, until the last drop of the water which is accumulated around the reactor has been safely discharged, he said.

Grossi is due to visit the Fukushima plant l...

Los Angeles Spaniard Riqui Puig grabbed a 73rd-minute winner as the Los Angeles Galaxy beat Los Angeles FC 2-1 at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday in front of an MLS-record 82,110 spectators.

The July 4th Independence Day crowd beat the previous league record of 74,479 set by Charlotte in their debut in MLS last year, also featuring the Galaxy.

The Galaxy moved the game, from their own 27,000-capacity Dignity Health Sports Park, in a bid to set the record at the Rose Bowl, the venue for the 1994 World Cup final.

The Galaxy have had a dire season and sit next to bottom of the Western Conference, but they looked fired up for the latest edition of El Trafico.

The record five-times MLS Cup winners, took the lead in the 26th minute when Tyler Boyd cut in from the left and unleashed an unstoppable, curling drive into the far corner.

LAFC, the defending MLS champions, drew level in the 57th minute when Timothy Tillman whipped in a dangerous near-post corner and Ilie Sanchez glanced in a perfectly angled header.

But the Galaxy were in determined mood and another superbly worked goal earned them the three points Brazilian Douglas Costa swung the ball out left to Boyd who broke down the flank and put in a low cross which Puig, who had run half the field, slid into the net.

There were late chances to level for LAFC but Denis Bouanga could not keep a close-range header down and then saw a fierce shot well-parried by Galaxy keeper Jonathan Klinsmann.

Inter Miami, who ended a seven-game losing streak with a draw against Austin on Saturday, earned another point thanks to a late equalizer from Venezuelan Josef Martinez.

Lionel Messis future club fell behind against the Columbus Crew to a Darlington Nagbe volley in the 23rd minute but fought back after the break with a header from Ecuadorian Leonardo Campana.

Christian Ramirez slid in at the back post to restore the Crews lead in the 69th minute but Miami were able to avoid a 14th defeat of the season thanks to an acrobatic volley from Martinez in the last minute.

Wayne Rooneys DC United enjoyed a 1-0 win at FC Dallas courtesy of a 73rd-minute strike from Greek forward Taxiarchis Fountas.

Orlando City crushed troubled Toronto 4-0 with the Canadian sides Italian winger Federico Bernardeschi sent off for an off-the-ball incident.

The post Galaxy defeat LAFC in front of MLS record 82,000 crowd appeared first on Iraqi News.

Hong Kong Asian markets sank Wednesday as another round of data showed Chinas economy continued to struggle in June, with little hope that the countrys leaders can unveil the blockbuster stimulus needed to kickstart growth.

With the Independence Day holiday keeping Wall Street closed, investors had few other catalysts to drive business, with the rally from last weeks US inflation data already running out of steam.

Focus now turns to the release of minutes from the Federal Reserves June policy meeting, which should provide an insight into officials thinking when they decided to pause interest rates for the first time after 10 straight hikes.

That will be followed Friday by closely watched jobs creation data, a key guide to the state of the worlds top economy.

While the Fed and other central banks battle against sticky inflation has been the overriding issue for investors this year, Beijings struggle to get growth back on track has also been a major cause of angst on trading floors.

A string of indicators in recent months has shown that policymakers have a lot of work to do to get the worlds number two economy and key driver of global GDP back up to speed.

The initial burst of activity seen after the lifting of the countrys zero-Covid policy at the end of 2022 has given way to torpidity, but apart from the odd pledge of action and some small interest rate cuts, authorities have done little to address the problem.

In the latest sign of trouble, the Caixin private survey of the services sector showed activity slowed sharply in June and at a much faster pace than feared.

That came after an official reading also pointed to weakness in the sector and added to a run of soft data on trade and consumer activity, among other things.

However, analysts said that while Beijing has said it plans to provide much-needed support, the scope will be limited owing to huge debt levels in the country, meaning the bazookas deployed in the past cannot be used this time.

Asian markets fell in early trade, with Hong Kong off more than one percent.

Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Wellington and Manila were also in the red.

Meanwhile, China-US relations remain an issue, and Xi Jinpings government this week added to their tech standoff by imposing export controls on key metals used in making microchips.

Officials said Mondays measure placed on shipments of gallium and germanium was to protect national security.

A day after that move, Xi urged countries to avoid decoupling and severing supply chains.

But SPI asset Managements Stephen Innes said: Although largely unheard of in our day-to-day lives, China is easily the worlds dominant producer of both, and the restriction pushes the global economy one step closer to high-tech decoupling.

Washington A US federal court on Tuesday restricted some top officials and agencies of President Joe Bidens administration from meeting and communicating with social media companies to moderate their content, a ruling that could curtail government efforts to fight online falsehoods.

The injunction was in response to a lawsuit brought by the Republican attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri, who alleged that government officials went too far in their efforts to get platforms to combat vaccine and election misinformation.

The ruling by a federal court in Louisiana marks a win for conservative advocates in the United States who allege that the government has pressured or colluded with social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to censor right-leaning content under the guise of fighting misinformation.

The order applies to a slew of top law enforcement agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the State Department, Justice Department as well as health agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It also applies to several prominent officials such as White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The decision restricts agencies and officials from meeting with social media companies or flagging posts for the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry hailed the historic injunction that he said will prevent the Biden administration from censoring the core political speech of ordinary Americans on social media.

In a statement, he accused senior federal officials of seeking to dictate what Americans can and cannot say on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms about COVID-19, elections, criticism of the government, and more.

Suppressing speech

The order could seriously limit top government agencies from notifying the platforms about false or hateful content that can lead to harmful consequences.

But the ruling said that the government could still inform them about posts involving criminal activity, national security threats and foreign attempts to influence elections.

A White House official said the Justice Department was reviewing the courts injunction and will evaluate its options.

This administration has promoted responsible actions to protect public health, safety, and security when confronted by challenges like a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections, the official said.

Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of...

London Mason Mount confirmed on Tuesday that he will leave Chelsea this summer, with media reports saying Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign the England midfielder.

The 24-year-old came through the Chelsea youth system and scored 27 goals in 129 Premier League appearances for the club since making his senior debut in 2019.

Man United have reportedly agreed a 55 million ($70 million) transfer for Mount.

Given the speculation over the last six months this may not come as a surprise to you, but it doesnt make it any easier to tell you that Ive made the decision to leave Chelsea, Mount said in a farewell message to Chelsea fans on Instagram.

I feel you deserve more than just a written statement, so I wanted to tell you directly how grateful Ive been for all of your support over the last 18 years.

I know some of you wont be happy with my decision, but its whats right for me at this moment in my career.

I joined Chelsea when I was six years old and weve been through a lot together.

Mount won the 2021 Champions League title with Chelsea, setting up Kai Havertzs winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the final.

He has scored five times in 36 appearances for England.

But Mount struggled for form and fitness in a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, netting just three times in 35 matches in all competitions.

Completing a deal for Mount would bolster the options for United boss Erik ten Hag in midfield.

Chelsea, under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, are seeking to reduce their bloated squad after a huge spending spree over the past year.

The west London club have sold goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and defender Kalidou Koulibaly to the Saudi Pro League and midfielder Mateo Kovacic has left to join Premier League champions Manchester City.

Midfielder NGolo Kante also left Stamford Bridge for Saudi champions Al Ittihad on a free transfer.

The post Mount confirms Chelsea departure after Man United reports appeared first on Iraqi News.

Sfax Youths in Tunisia called for vengeance on Tuesday at the funeral of a man stabbed to death during a scuffle between residents and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa.

Three African migrants were arrested as suspects in the stabbing death of the local man in Tunisias coastal city of Sfax, a court spokesman said.

The North African countrys second-largest city is a departure point for many migrants hoping to reach Italy, and tensions have been rising in Sfax for months.

Police had fired tear gas on Sunday to disperse residents and migrants throwing stones at each other.

Faouzi Masmoudi, spokesman for the Sfax prosecutor, said the victim, aged in his early 40s, was fatally stabbed late Monday during a scuffle between Sfax residents and migrants.

He said three suspects, from Cameroon according to initial information, had been arrested.

Locals in Sfax regularly protest against the presence of the migrants and call for them to leave.

News of the mans death spread quickly after Tarek Mahdi, a member of parliament for Sfax, posted a video on social media showing a body lying in the street and a trail of blood.

Reaction to the post, some with racist overtones, included calls for African migrants to be expelled from Sfax.

We are going to avenge his death! a group of young people chanted at the victims funeral on Tuesday, according to video footage published by a group which campaigns against illegal immigration in Sfax.

Clashes between migrants and residents were reported in several districts of the city on Tuesday.

Security boosted

The interior ministry said the police and security presence in Sfax was bolstered after Mondays killing.

Racial tensions in Tunisia have led to deadly violence before. In late May, police arrested three citizens on suspicion of stabbing to death a migrant from Benin.

Tunisia has seen a rise in racially motivated attacks on migrants and foreign students following President Kais Saieds comments in February accusing hordes of illegal migrants of bringing violence, crime and unacceptable practices. 

He also spoke of a criminal plot to change the countrys demographic make-up.

On Tuesday, Saied visited the interior ministry in the capital.

A presidency statement said he reiterated that Tunisia does not accept that anyone who does not respect its laws stays on its territory, or uses it as a transit country or to resettle nationals of certain African countries.

With a population of 12 million, Tunisia hosts an estimated 21,000 migrants from other parts of Africa, representing 0.2 percent of the population.

While some migrants come to Tunisia to study, many use the country as a springboard for attempts to reach Europe by sea, usually to the Italian island of Lam...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, discussed on Tuesday developing the infrastructure of communication networks in Iraq with representatives from British Telecom, according to a statement issued by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

The statement elaborated that Husseins meeting in London with British Telecom included representatives from the British Department for Business and Trade.

Hussein stressed the importance of communication between ministries and encouraged private companies such as British Telecom to work in Iraq to provide the necessary support effectively.

The two sides expressed their commitment to continuous cooperation, with a focus on developing innovative solutions and exchanging technical expertise.

Both sides also stressed the importance of this partnership to create a connected digital society and a prosperous economy in Iraq, according to the statement.

Representatives of British Telecom expressed their gratitude for the opportunity given to them to present their proposals to enhance cooperation between the two countries in terms of communications and information technology.

The Iraqi Foreign Minister is on a visit to London after receiving an official invitation from the British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, James Cleverly.

The post British Telecom offers to develop communication networks in Iraq appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The first river taxi trips were launched in Baghdad as part of a government project to relieve traffic jams, where statistics indicate that there are more than eight million cars inside the capital, Baghdad.

The river taxi might be the most effective way to avoid traffic congestion. The Iraqi government started to carry out this project as one of the solutions to relieve traffic jams inside the Iraqi capital.

A fleet of environmentally friendly boats was provided by the Iraqi Ministry of Transport to inaugurate the first phase of the project.

The currently available river taxis include boats that can accommodate 40, 30 or 10 people and enjoy international safety standards.

The river taxi operates from morning until evening with two stations back and forth from the Al-Kadhimiya area to Al-Mutanabbi and vice versa, which is the busiest route during official working hours for employees and university students.

Additionally, the project is also a beautiful way to boost tourism because tourists will get to know the old neighborhoods of Baghdad.

According to the latest official statistics of the General Traffic Directorate, there are eight million cars in Baghdad alone, which exceeds the capacity of the capitals streets.

The river taxi is not only a way to avoid traffic jams but also a source to attract tourists at affordable prices.

The post Iraq launches river taxi to ease traffic in Baghdad appeared first on Iraqi News.

Al-Majar al-Kabir Thousands of dead fish have washed ashore in southeast Iraq, prompting an official investigation into the wildlife disaster that officials said Monday may be linked to drought conditions.

An AFP photographer saw thousands of small fish washed up on the banks of the Amshan river in Majar al-Kabir, an area in Maysan province that borders Iran.

The region is home to fabled marshes in the floodplain of the Tigris river, already suffering from the effects of global warming.

Iraqs agriculture ministry on Sunday announced it was forming a committee to look into the causes of the fish deaths, according to state news agency INA.

Environmental campaigner Ahmed Saleh Neema said a rise in temperatures leading to increased evaporation, coupled with reduced water flow contributed to a lack of oxygen and high salinity in the river.

Largely arid Iraq is ranked by the United Nations as one of the worlds five countries most impacted by some effects of climate change.

It endures blistering summer heat and frequent dust storms. Declining rain over the past four years as well as upstream dams have reduced the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers where ancient civilisations flourished.

Khodr Abbas Salman, a Maysan province official overseeing its marshes for the Iraqi environment ministry, told AFP that according to terrain analyses we have conducted, the level of oxygen (in the water) is zero, in addition to a rise in salinity levels.

He joined a mission on Monday to inspect the deaths of tonnes of fish, he said, noting the Amshans waters are home to nine species.

The fish keep dying even now, he said.

Samples from both the fish and the water will be analysed to determine if there is any presence of chemical substances, Salman added.

But the high salinity levels may be enough to cause considerable damage.

The water can no longer be used for agriculture. It would scourge the land if farmers use it for irrigation, Salman said.

He warned of further risks of pollution in the water and surrounding lands the more animals die.

Any dead animal rots which raises the level of pollution, he said. The waters toxicity might increase and infiltrate the land too.

In a similar phenomenon in 2018, fishermen in the central province of Babylon found dead carp in their thousands, but an investigation failed to discern what had caused it.

The post Iraqs Agriculture Ministry to investigate fish deaths appeared first on Iraqi News.

Hong Kong Asian markets struggled for direction on Tuesday as investors weighed signs of a slowing US economy against hopes the Federal Reserves interest rate hiking cycle could be nearing its end.

Data showing a sharp drop in the central banks preferred gauge of inflation for May fuelled a rally across equities in New York last week and Asia on Monday.

The readings followed a series of indicators suggesting the economy remained in rude health, putting pressure on the Fed to keep tightening monetary policy.

Bank boss Jerome Powell has warned more hikes are in the pipeline owing to still-elevated inflation and the strong labour market, though analysts question whether it will follow through with that.

However, while traders take the view that bad news is good news as it gives the bank room to hold rates, the possibility of a contraction was keeping the optimism in check.

On Monday, a closely watched survey of US factory activity showed the sector shrank again in June and hit its lowest level since May 2020.

The reading from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) also indicates the ongoing contraction in the sector is picking up pace.

Wall Street limped to a positive close with business thinned by traders winding down for the July 4 holiday but Asia was unable to maintain Mondays momentum

Hong Kong and Shanghai edged up, along with Wellington, Taipei and Jakarta, though Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Seoul and Manila dipped.

However, Jim Bianco, president and founder of Bianco Research, warned that while inflation was still falling, the Fed should be on alert as it could begin to climb again after getting to as low as three percent still above the banks two percent target.

If the inflation rate bottoms at three and starts drifting higher, the Feds going to find this unacceptable, and that two rate hikes that we have priced in for the rest of the year will happen, if not three, he told Bloomberg Television.

Oil prices edged up on Tuesday, a day after dropping more than one percent as an initial rally sparked by Saudi Arabia and Russias announcement of further output cuts faded away.

While the cuts will mean tighter supplies, rising interest rates and the lingering threat of recession are weighing on demand expectations.

It was not too surprising that Saudi Arabia decided to roll over its additional, voluntary cuts, Warren Patterson, at ING Groep NV, said.

Fundamentals are not having as much influence on price direction as one would expect. Instead, the uncertain macro outlook is what the market is focused on.

Investors are keeping tabs on China-US relations after Beijing on Monday imposed export controls on two rare metals essential for the manufacture of semiconductors, citing security concerns.

The move comes...

Washington Russia on Monday granted the United States consular access to jailed Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich after a more than two-month gap, with the US ambassador reporting him in good health.

The State Department said Ambassador Lynne Tracey met Gershkovich at the Lefortovo prison in Moscow, only her second such meeting with him since he was arrested on March 29 during a reporting trip in the Urals.

Ambassador Tracy reports that Mr. Gershkovich is in good health and remains strong, despite his circumstances, a State Department spokesperson said.

Gershkovich, who previously worked for AFP, is the first Western journalist arrested and accused of espionage by Moscow since the Soviet era, amid a sharp deterioration of relations over the Ukraine war.

The United States, The Wall Street Journal and Gershkovich strongly deny he was a spy.

The State Department said it would keep pressing for Gershkovichs release and, until then, for consistent consular access. 

Russia had denied requests for further visits after the ambassadors April meeting, drawing protests from Washington that Russia was violating protocol.

Russia indicated it was retaliating for the United States not issuing visas for Russian state-affiliated media who sought to visit New York during a trip to the United Nations by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking last week at the Council on Foreign Relations, voiced concern about Russias denial of consular access to Gershkovich and said the United States was pushing virtually every day.

At the same time, we are continuing to explore ways to bring him home, as well as Paul Whelan, a former US Marine jailed for more than four years, Blinken said.

Tracy last saw Whelan in May. He is imprisoned in Mordovia, some 400 kilometers (250 miles) southeast of Moscow, a region notorious for harsh prisons. 

A Moscow court on June 22 rejected an appeal to free Gershkovich. Tracy attended the hearing and said the United States was extremely disappointed.

The United States has sharply curtailed high-level contact with Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 but has made contact to arrange two prisoner swaps.

In December, Russia freed basketball star Brittney Griner, who was arrested over traces of cannabis, in return for the release of Viktor Bout, imprisoned in the United States over weapons smuggling.

The post US ambassador says jailed journalist in Russia in good health appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) In a staggering scene, thousands of fish floated in the Al-Ezz River in the southeastern Iraqi governorate of Maysan due to water scarcity and the high level of salinity.

Social media activists shared videos of fish deaths with angry comments about the situation in their areas because of water scarcity.

The local authorities in Maysan announced on Saturday that they had monitored the deaths of fish in the Al-Ezz River, warning of serious diseases at the same time.

An Iraqi official told Al-Arabiya News that the reason behind the deaths of fish is the significant shortage of water in the area, adding that agriculture almost disappeared during the summer season due to the same reason.

Iraq has been suffering from a severe water crisis for several years, but it reached its peak in the past two years and reached dangerous levels during the current year as many rivers, tributaries and marshes dried up.

The water levels in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers have declined to less than a meter in some areas, and people can cross rivers on foot in some other areas of Iraq.

According to the United Nations, Iraq has become one of the five countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change because of the continuous rise in temperatures and the increasing water shortages every year.

The post Thousands of dead fish in Maysan shock Iraqis appeared first on Iraqi News.

Amman Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Jordans top diplomat Ayman Safadi met Monday in Damascus and discussed war refugees and a crackdown on cross-border drug smuggling, Ammans foreign ministry said.

Safadis visit comes at a time of increasing regional engagement with the Assad regime, peaking with Damascuss return to the Arab League after years of isolation since Syrias war began in 2011.

The meeting focused on the issue of refugee returns and the necessary measures to facilitate the voluntary return of Syrian refugees from Jordan, the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Assad and Safadi also discussed humanitarian, security and political steps towards a comprehensive solution to Syrias crisis, it added.

Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 over Assads brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests which spiralled into a conflict that has killed more than 500,000 people and displaced millions.

In May, the pan-Arab body readmitted Damascus, despite no political settlement to the conflict in sight.

Arab states hope to find a solution for the millions of Syrian refugees living in neighbouring countries, including 1.3 million in Jordan.

Several Arab countries are also seeking increased security cooperation with Syria, which has turned into a narco-state with a roaring illegal trade in the stimulant drug captagon.

The Jordanian statement said Safadi discussed with Assad the dangers posed by drug smuggling across the Syrian border into the kingdom, and the need for cooperation to confront it.

During his visit, Jordans foreign minister also met with his Syrian counterpart, Faisal Mekdad.

The two discussed a joint committee to combat drug smuggling that would meet in Amman as soon as possible, the Jordanian foreign ministry said.

Jordanian security forces have tightened border controls in recent years and occasionally announce thwarted drugs and weapons smuggling attempts from Syria.

The post Jordan foreign minister, Assad discuss Syria refugees, drug smuggling appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fuad Hussein, held talks with the Managing Director of Engineering and Design in the Middle East and Africa at Serco, Phil Malem, to settle disputes and develop the civil aviation sector in Iraq, according to a statement cited by the state news agency (INA).

The spokesperson of the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Al-Sahaf, clarified in the statement that Hussein settled outstanding disagreements between Serco and the concerned Iraqi authorities.

Officials from both sides discussed Sercos upcoming mechanism in Iraq and ways to promote the Iraqi civil aviation sector, according to the statement.

Serco provides airport operations, facility management, and air navigation services that, combined with those of other regions, make Serco the largest non-government operator of civilian air traffic control in the world.

Serco brings decades of safe and efficient air traffic control services and credentials in air traffic safety training not matched by any other non-government entity.

The post Iraq settles disputes with Serco to promote civil aviation appeared first on Iraqi News.

Riyadh Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is the latest star name to make the move to Saudi Arabia after signing a deal to become head coach of Al-Ettifaq.

The 43-year-old has been out of the game since being sacked by Aston Villa in October.

Gerrard had previously said he had turned down an offer to head to the Gulf state, but has now been lured by the riches on offer.

Where legends are found. Were thrilled to announce Steven Gerrard is our new head coach, the club said in a post on Twitter.

Al-Ettifaq finished seventh out of 16 clubs in the Saudi Pro League last season.

Backed by the nations sovereign wealth fund, the Saudi Pro League is luring big names from the major European leagues with the promise of huge salaries.

Cristiano Ronaldos move to Al Nassr in January started the trend.

His former Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema and French World Cup winner NGolo Kante of Chelsea have recently joined Al-Ittihad.

Former Tottenham manager Nuno Espirito Santo and ex-Benfica Jorge Jesus are among the coaches to head to Saudi.

Since retiring from a glittering playing career, Gerrard did have success during his spell in charge of Scottish giants Rangers, where he won the clubs only league title in the past 12 years in 2020/21.

The post Gerrard joins Saudi influx to take charge of Al-Ettifaq appeared first on Iraqi News.

Dubai The oil-rich United Arab Emirates said it would triple renewable energy production as part of a raft of environmental initiatives announced on Monday, months before it hosts UN climate talks.

The UAE, one of the worlds biggest exporters of emissions-producing crude oil, also unveiled national strategies on hydrogen and electric cars.

Few details were revealed about the new policies, announced five months before the COP28 talks in Dubai where nearly 200 nations will wrestle with how to tackle global warming and its impacts.

Ministers approved an updated national energy strategy that aims to triple the contribution of renewable energy over the next seven years, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubais ruler, said after a cabinet meeting.

Up to 200 billion dirhams ($54 billion) will be invested over the same period to meet growing electricity demand, he said in a statement. 

Another initiative aims to consolidate the countrys position as a producer and exporter of low-emission hydrogen over the next eight years by developing supply chains and infrastructure, and setting up a research and development centre, Sheikh Mohammed said.   

The UAE, a desert nation of about 10 million people, most of them expatriates, will also build a national network of charging stations as part of a national policy for electric vehicles.

Chinese-based WeRide will receive the countrys first national licence for self-driving cars, the statement added.

The UAEs hosting of the November-December COP negotiations has been criticised by climate activists who question whether one of the worlds biggest oil producers should have such a key role in the fight against global warming.

The Gulf monarchy argues that oil remains indispensable to the global economy and is pushing the merits of carbon capture the process of removing carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, as fuel is burned, or from the air.

In 2021, ahead of COP26 in Glasgow, the UAE said it was targeting net zero domestic carbon emissions by 2050 a calculation that does not include pollution from exported oil.

The post COP28 host UAE pledges to triple renewables appeared first on Iraqi News.

London The family of a jailed British-Egyptian activist on Monday held a vigil outside the foreign ministry in London to highlight a call by 100 British lawmakers for fresh approaches to secure his release.

The pro-democracy and rights campaigner Alaa Abdel Fattah is serving a five-year prison sentence for spreading false news by sharing a Facebook post about police brutality.

He was a key figure in the 2011 revolt that topped Egyptian autocrat Hosni Mubarak, and was given British citizenship in 2022 through his British-born mother.

The lawmakers voiced concern about the lack of progress despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak raising the case directly with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi during the COP27 climate summit in November last year.

Private lobbying of the Egyptian government even at the highest levels is yet to deliver results. This calls for fresh approaches, the lawmakers from the lower and upper house of the UK parliament say in a letter to Foreign Secretary James Cleverly which was submitted on Monday.

French President Emmanuel Macron also took up the 41-year-olds case with Sisi and US President Joe Biden raised human rights issues.

Abdel Fattahs sister, Mona Seif, told AFP the family wanted to see the British government make his case a top priority.

We are asking them to shift gear. They have been using this approach of soft diplomacy and raising Alaas case for over a year-and-a-half now and they havent received anything in return, she said.

Rights groups say there are more than 60,000 prisoners of conscience who have been jailed in Egypt under the rule of President Al-Sisi.

Sisi deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, before being elected the following year.

Hunger strike

At the time of the climate meet in the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, Abdel Fattah had been on hunger strike for seven months.

On the day the conference opened he had begun refusing water too.

The British lawmakers want the UK to take the lead on a joint statement on Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council and to update the UKs travel advice to align it with the United States.

The US government warns that US citizenship does not provide protection from detention or arrest in Egypt and that those detained may be subject to prolonged interrogations and extended detention.

Abdel Attahs sister Mona added that she believed a joint statement on Egypt at the UN Human Rights Council would almost certainly be effective in persuading the Egyptian government to move on the case.

We know that a lot of countries would be willing to join in on a statement but it needs to be led by the UK government because they have a higher stake, they h...