Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi Ministry of Transport announced on Wednesday that a meeting was held with officials from the UAE to discuss steps to carry out the strategic project of the Development Road, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

The Iraqi ministry mentioned in a statement that the Minister of Transport, Razzaq Muhaibis Al-Saadawi, chaired a meeting that included delegations from Abu Dhabi Ports Group and Etihad Rail, as well as Iraqi officials and experts.

The meeting aimed to review the work plan, cooperation and investments in the giant Iraqi transport project, according to the statement.

During the meeting, representatives of the Italian consulting company, Progetti Europa & Global (PEG), made a detailed presentation on the projects of the Development Road and the Al-Faw Grand Port, the statement clarified.

Representatives of Abu Dhabi Ports Group gave a presentation on the UAEs ports and the companys working mechanisms, the statement added.

The meeting also addressed the economic feasibility of the Al-Faw Grand Port and the Development Road, in addition to possible openness to the economies of other countries.

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

The Development Road includes a railway where electric trains will pass through 10 Iraqi governorates.

The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, illustrated earlier that the project includes a railway to transport goods, with a capacity of 3.5 million tons in its first phase that will be increased to 7.5 million tons in the second phase.

Al-Sudani elaborated that the project 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, which is expected to be one of the largest cities in the Middle East.

The post Iraq, UAE discuss steps to carry out Development Road project appeared first on Iraqi News.

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The United States welcomed on Tuesday the agreement Iraq concluded one day earlier with TotalEnergies to boost production of oil, gas and renewable energy.

The White House national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, mentioned in a statement that the massive agreement signed this week in which regional and US companies are participating represents an Iraqi major step towards achieving energy self-sufficiency and meeting its climate goals.

TotalEnergies signed on Monday the long-awaited $27 billion energy deal expected to increase oil production and Iraqs capacity to produce energy through oil, gas and renewable energy projects, according to Reuters.

The deal was signed in 2021 to build four oil, gas, and renewable energy projects with an initial investment of $10 billion in southern Iraq over 25 years, but several setbacks amid disputes between Iraqi politicians over the terms hindered the deal.

The first of these projects involves the use of seawater to support oil extraction operations.

The second project is the Gas Growth Integrated Project (GGIP), which aims to improve Iraqs electricity supply by recovering flared gas at three oilfields and using the gas to supply power plants, helping to reduce the countrys import bill, according to Reuters.

The third project is to develop the Artawi oilfield to increase its production capacity to more than 210,000 barrels per day.

The fourth project is to develop a 1-gigawatt solar power plant to supply southern Iraq with electricity.

The post Washington welcomes Iraqs huge energy deal with TotalEnergies appeared first on Iraqi News.

Geneva The UN Human Rights Council voted Wednesday to condemn recent Quran burning incidents, but many countries declined to back the measure, fearing it encroached too much on free speech.

Despite overwhelming condemnation of the Muslim holy book being desecrated, the vote brought more division than unity as Western nations said that more negotiation could have resulted in a unanimous consensus.

Pakistan and other Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries brought forward a resolution after an Iraqi refugee burnt pages from the Quran outside Stockholms main mosque last month, triggering a diplomatic backlash across the Muslim world.

The United Nations top rights body backed the resolution by 28 votes in favour, with 12 against and seven abstentions.

Despite the vote passing to applause, there was little cheer in the chamber in Geneva.

US ambassador Michele Taylor said that with more time and open discussion, a consensus could have been reached.

Unfortunately our concerns were not taken seriously, she said.

Im truly heartbroken that this council was unable to speak with a unanimous voice today in condemning what we all agree are deplorable acts of anti-Muslim hatred while also respecting freedom of expression.

Lack of courage claim

There was scant sense of triumph in Pakistan ambassador Khalil Hashmis speech after the vote.

Speaking for the OIC, Hashmi said the resolution did not seek to curtail free speech, but was instead aimed at striking a prudent balance.

Regrettably, some states have chosen to abdicate their responsibility to prevent and counter the scourge of religious hatred, he said.

A message has been sent to billions of people of faith across the world that their commitment to prevent religious hatred is merely a lip service.

The opposition of a few in the room has emanated from their unwillingness to condemn the public desecration of the holy Quran.

They lack political, legal and moral courage.

The wording of the resolution condemns all manifestations of religious hatred, including public and premeditated acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, and underscores the need to hold those responsible to account.

It urges states to adopt laws to address, prevent and prosecute acts and advocacy of religious hatred that constitute incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence.

It also wants the UN rights chief Volker Turk to identify gaps in countries laws in light of the resolution.

Britain, the United States, the European Union countries including France and Germany, Costa Rica and Montenegro voted against the resolution.

Benin, Chile, Mexico and Nepal were among the abstentions.

Argentina, China, Cuba, India, South Africa, Ukraine a...

Jenin Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas is due Wednesday to visit the northern West Bank city of Jenin for the first time in over a decade, a week after the largest Israeli raid there in years.

Twelve Palestinians and one Israeli soldier were killed in the two-day raid on Jenin and its adjacent refugee camp, a regular site of fierce fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups.

The raid on the camp, which Israel views as a terrorism hub, employed hundreds of troops as well as drone strikes and army bulldozers that tore up streets and damaged scores of houses.

Soon after the raid, several top officials of Abbass Fatah party, including deputy chairman Mahmoud Aloul, had visited the camp only to be heckled by crowds of angry residents.

On Wednesday, Abbas was expected to visit the city as well as the camp, along with the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO).

He was due to review progress of work in the reconstruction of the camp and the city, his office said in a statement.

Ahead of Abbass arrival, hundreds of soldiers from the presidential guard were seen patrolling the streets of the camp, an AFP journalist said.

The Jenin camp was established in 1953 to house some of those among the 760,000 Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes in 1948 when Israel was created, an event Palestinians call the Nakba or catastrophe.

Over time, the camps original tents have been replaced by concrete, and it now resembles something closer to a neighbourhood.

The camp, which houses some 18,000 people, was also a hotbed of activity during the second intifada or uprising of the early 2000s.

Over the past 18 months, the security situation in the camp has deteriorated, with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority having little real presence there.

Abbas, 87, last visited Jenin in 2012 but had not toured the camp at the time.

While the PA remains somewhat present in the city, it has largely abandoned the camp to local armed groups such as the Jenin Brigade, which Israel alleges is backed by Iran.

Abbas had previously visited the camp itself in 2004 while running for the Palestinian presidential election after the death of leader Yasser Arafat.

During that trip Abbas was famously embraced by Zakaria Zubeidi, a senior militant in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, who for years was on Israels most wanted list. 

Experts were however sceptical of Abbass visit on Wednesday.

Through his made-for-camera visit, Abbas wants to show that he and his Palestinian Authority are firmly in control of Jenin, Hugh Lovatt, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told AFP.

In reality, making a rare visit outside of his Ramallah fiefdom will do little to r...

Nairobi The leaders of Iran and Kenya pledged to strengthen ties as their governments signed a raft of trade agreements Wednesday during Iranian President Ebrahim Raisis maiden visit to the East African nation.

The visit comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Raisi also due to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe this week on the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years.

In addition to meeting Kenyan President William Ruto, Raisi will head to Uganda later Wednesday for talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni and see Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Thursday. 

Africa has emerged as a diplomatic battleground in recent months, with Russia and the West also trying to court support over Moscows invasion of Ukraine, which has had a devastating economic impact on the continent, sending food prices soaring.

Western powers have also sought to deepen trade ties with the continent, along with India and China, which has been on an infrastructure spending spree in Africa.

Raisi described his visit to Kenya as a turning point in the development of relations between (the) two countries.

He said his talks with Ruto reflected the determination and resolve of both countries for expansion of economic and trade cooperation, political cooperation, cultural cooperation.

Ruto described Iran as a critical strategic partner for Kenya and said the two governments had signed five MoUs (memoranda of understanding) focusing on areas including information technology, investment promotion and fisheries.

These memoranda will enhance and further deepen our bilateral relations for sustainable growth and development between our two countries.

Ruto told reporters that Raisi had also shared plans for Iran to set up a plant in the port city of Mombasa to manufacture an indigenous Iranian vehicle that has now been given the Kiswahili name, Kifaru, meaning rhino.

Common political views

According to Irans official IRNA news agency, Raisi is heading a delegation that includes the foreign minister as well as senior businesspeople. 

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani earlier expressed optimism that the three-day trip could help bolster economic and trade ties with African nations. 

He also said on Monday that Tehran and the African continent share common political views, without elaborating further.

Iran has stepped up its diplomacy in recent months to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal.

On Saturday, Raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost ties with Algiers.

...

Los Angeles Hollywood actors on Wednesday anxiously awaited their unions decision on whether to strike, right at the peak of the film industrys key summer blockbuster season.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) has already agreed to one extension of talks with the likes of Netflix and Disney, who have now called in federal mediators to help resolve the deadlock over pay and other conditions.

If the latest deadline of midnight Wednesday (0700 GMT Thursday) passes without a deal, or another prolongation, actors will hit the picket line, joining writers who have already been marching outside studios for more than two months.

A double strike, not seen in Hollywood since 1960, would bring nearly all US film and television productions to a halt.

It would also prevent A-listers from promoting some of the years biggest releases such as Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer due to have its US premiere in New York on Monday just as the industry attempts to rebound from the lean pandemic years.

The massive annual Comic-Con pop culture gathering in San Diego next week could be shorn of its stars, while a scheduled red-carpet launch this weekend at Disneyland for the new Haunted Mansion movie may be stripped back to a private fan event.

Such is the concern in Hollywood that powerful agency chiefs who act as gatekeepers to Tinseltowns starriest talent  have reached out to SAG leaders, offering to help smooth negotiations.

SAGs 160,000 actors and performers have pre-approved industrial action if a deal is not struck.

While the writers strike has already dramatically reduced the number of movies and shows in production, an actors walkout would shutter almost everything.

Some reality TV, animation and talk shows could continue. 

Fox on Tuesday unveiled a fall television schedule full of unscripted series such as Kitchen Nightmares and Lego Masters.

But popular series set to return to television this year face lengthy delays. And, if strikes continue, future blockbuster films would be postponed too.

which is due to take place on September 18, is reportedly mulling a delay to November or even next year.

An actors strike would mean a boycott of the ceremony by stars.

Time is running out

SAG-AFTRA said Tuesday that it had agreed to the studios last-minute request for federal mediation, while voicing skepticism about good-faith efforts on the other side.

We are not confident that the employers have any intention of bargaining toward an agreement, the union said in a statement.

Time is running out.

Should negotiat...

Nairobi Iran President Ebrahim Raisi held talks with his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto on Wednesday as he kicked off the first Africa tour by an Iranian leader in 11 years.

The visit, which was delayed by a day, comes as the Islamic republic tries to shore up diplomatic support to ease its international isolation, with Raisi also due to travel to Uganda and Zimbabwe this week.

In addition to meeting Ruto, Raisi will hold talks with his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Africa has emerged as a diplomatic battleground in recent months, with Russia and the West also trying to court support over Moscows invasion of Ukraine, which has had a devastating economic impact on the continent, sending food prices soaring.

Western powers have also sought to deepen trade ties with the continent, along with India and China, which has been on an infrastructure spending spree in Africa.

According to Irans official IRNA news agency, Raisi is heading a delegation that includes the foreign minister as well as senior businesspeople. 

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani has described the three-day trip as a new turning point which could bolster economic and trade ties with African nations. 

He also said on Monday that Tehran and the three African countries share common political views. 

Iran has stepped up its diplomacy in recent months to reduce its isolation and offset the impact of crippling sanctions reimposed since the 2018 withdrawal of the United States from a painstakingly negotiated nuclear deal.

On Saturday, Raisi welcomed Algerian Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in a bid to boost ties with Algiers.

Last week, Iran became a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which includes Russia, China and India. 

In March, Tehran agreed to restore ties with regional rival Saudi Arabia under a China-mediated deal. It has since been looking to re-establish relations with other countries in the region including Egypt and Morocco. 

In June, Raisi undertook a Latin American tour that included Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba before a trip to Indonesia. 

The post Iran president holds talks with Kenyas Ruto appeared first on Iraqi News.

Jakarta The war in Ukraine will not end until the West stops trying to defeat Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview with Indonesian media on Wednesday.

His comments came ahead of Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskys symbolic talks with NATO leaders at their summit in Lithuania on Wednesday.

In an interview with the Indonesian newspaper Kompas ahead of meetings with his Southeast Asian counterparts in Jakarta this week, Lavrov lambasted the United States and its allies for supporting Ukraine.

It will continue until the West abandons its plans to maintain dominance and its obsession with inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia through the hands of its puppet, Kyiv, he said of the Ukraine conflict.

There has been no sign of a change in their position and we are seeing how America and its accomplices are continuously pumping weapons into Ukraine and pushing (Zelensky) to continue fighting.

Lavrov is due to attend the East Asia Summit and ASEAN Regional Forum foreign ministers meetings on Friday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The pair last met briefly in March at a G20 meeting in India.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the biggest attack on a European country since World War II when he ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed and wounded on both sides, according to Western estimates.

Turning to Indonesia, Lavrov praised what he called Jakartas independent foreign policy on the conflict.

President Joko Widodo was the first Asian leader to visit both Moscow and Kyiv after the invasion began.

Lavrov said Western nations were ignoring initiatives coming from developing countries after Kyiv did not take up Widodos offer to mediate or a controversial proposal from Indonesias defence minister that referendums be held in the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine.

Western backers of Ukraine have sent weapons worth tens of billions of dollars to help it fight back against Russias invasion. 

NATO leaders vowed after the first day of their summit that Ukraines future is in NATO, and shortened the eventual process Kyiv would have to go through to enter the alliance.

But they did not offer a timeline on Ukraines prospective membership, reflecting concerns in Washington about being dragged into a nuclear conflict with Russia.

In a bid to reassure Zelensky, G7 nations are expected to issue a declaration on how they will help Ukraine defeat Russia and deter any new aggression in the coming years.

The post Lavrov says no end to Ukraine war until West stops trying to defeat Russia appeared first on...

Chilpancingo Mexican authorities on Tuesday secured the release of 13 security personnel who had been taken captive the previous day by protesters allegedly infiltrated by a criminal group, a senior official said.

Several thousand demonstrators had overrun the city of Chilpancingo in the crime-plagued southern state of Guerrero on Monday, demanding the release of two suspected members of a drug gang, according to the government.

After negotiations with the authorities, the protesters also agreed to stop blocking the highway to the nearby resort city of Acapulco, Guerrero state governor Evelyn Salgado said on Twitter.

Without repression or confrontation, we achieved the release of 13 detained public servants, who are already being provided with medical attention to ensure their good physical condition, Salgado said.

The protesters also returned an armored police vehicle that they had used to smash open an entrance to the governors palace in Chilpancingo.

Salgado did not say if any concessions had been made to secure the release of the 13 captives, who included five members of the National Guard, five police officers and three officials, including a federal agent.

According to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the protesters had demanded the release of two members of the Los Ardillos drug trafficking group who were arrested last week.

We wont be hostages to anyone, he told reporters.

Security Minister Rosa Icela Rodriguez said that the government had chosen the path of dialogue with the demonstrators.

Guerrero, one of Mexicos poorest states, has endured years of violence linked to turf wars between drug cartels.

Chilpancingo was shaken over the weekend by the murder of five taxi drivers.

Violence in the city escalated after a video leaked on July 5 showed the citys mayor, Norma Otilia Hernandez, who is affiliated with Lopez Obradors party, meeting with a Los Ardillos gang leader.

Lopez Obrador ordered an investigation into the meeting, which Hernandez described as a chance encounter. 

The president has struggled to curb the brutal violence plaguing Mexico since taking office in 2018.

The leftwing populist championed a hugs not bullets strategy to tackle violent crime at its roots by fighting poverty and inequality with social programs, rather than with the army.

His critics argue that the approach has left swathes of the country under the control of organized crime.

Evil cannot be confronted with evil, Lopez Obrador said on Tuesday, arguing that the cartels flourished in states like Guerrero because previous governments had allowed them to build support by giving out gifts.

Mexico has registered more than 350,000 murders and some 110,000 disappearances most attributed to criminal groups since the...

Seoul North Korea has fired a long-range ballistic missile, the South Korean military said Wednesday, days after Pyongyang threatened to down US spy planes that violated its airspace.

Relations between the two Koreas are at one of their lowest points ever, with diplomacy stalled and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un calling for increased weapons development, including tactical nukes.

In response, Seoul and Washington have ramped up security cooperation, vowing that Pyongyang would face a nuclear response and the end of its current government were it to ever use its nuclear weapons against the allies.

South Koreas military said it had detected the launch of a long-range ballistic missile fired from the Pyongyang area around 10 am (0100 GMT).

The ballistic missile was fired on a lofted trajectory and flew 1,000 km (620 miles) before splashing down in the East Sea, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, referring to the body of water also known as the Sea of Japan.

A lofted trajectory involves firing a missile up and not out, a method Pyongyang has previously said it employs in some weapons tests to avoid flying over neighbouring countries.

The launch is a grave provocation that damages the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and violates UN sanctions on Pyongyang, the JCS said, calling on North Korea to stop such actions.

Pyongyang last fired one of its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missiles in April the purportedly solid-fuelled Hwasong-18 and in February launched a Hwasong-15, which flew a similar 989 km.

The flight time of around 70 minutes is also similar to some of North Koreas previous ICBM launches, experts said.

Given what we have at this point, its about 90 percent certain that it was an ICBM launch, Choi Gi-il, a professor of military studies at Sangji University, told AFP.

He added that it could also have been North Korea attempting to re-test its satellite launch technology to prepare for another attempt to put a spy satellite into orbit, after a May launch failed.

Provocative US actions

Wednesdays launch came after North Korea on Monday accused a US spy plane of violating its airspace and condemned Washingtons plans to deploy a nuclear missile submarine near the Korean peninsula.

A spokesperson for the North Korean Ministry of National Defence said the United States had intensified espionage activities beyond the wartime level, citing provocative spy plane flights over eight straight days this month.

There is no guarantee that such shocking accident as downing of the US Air Force strategic reconnaissance plane will not happen in the East Sea of Korea, the spokesperson added.

Kims powerful sister Kim Yo Jong said that a US spy airc...

Istanbul Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has performed one of his trademark policy U-turns on Swedens accession to NATO that culminates a gradual pro-Western tilt of course since his May re-election.

Erdogan ended more than a year of wrangling and struck a deal Monday that will allow the Nordic nation to become the 32nd member of the US-led defence bloc.

It followed a dramatic day during which Erdogan upped the stakes by suddenly demanding a clear path for Turkeys long-stalled accession to the European Union in return.

The new ask secured him a private meeting with EU chief Charles Michel and a pledge from Sweden and NATO to support efforts to reinvigorate Turkeys EU accession process.

The agreement allows NATO to stand more united at a two-day summit that started Tuesday in Vilnius with the aim of showing Western resolve in the face of Russias war on Ukraine.

But it also highlights a strategic shift in thinking that appears to have occurred in Ankara since Erdogan nearly lost his two-decade grip on power in May elections.

The vote coincided with a dire economic crisis that Erdogan tried to buffer through deals with rich Gulf countries and to the Wests growing alarm Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Erdogans refusal to budge on Sweden added to the growing perception that NATO member Turkey was turning into a Kremlin tool for sowing divisions in the West.

That image began to change after Erdogan turned to Wall Street-trained economists who want to improve relations with Western investors post-election.

He then hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for more than two hours of talks Friday that created huge unease in Moscow.

The deal on Sweden followed a call with US President Joe Biden during which Erdogan raised both EU accession and Turkeys desire to acquire a large batch of F-16 fighter jets.

Ankara wants to improve its relations with Europe and the West, European Council of Foreign Relations analyst Asli Aydintasbas remarked.

The recent policy balance had shifted too much towards Russia.

Transactional style

Erdogan has long tried to leverage Turkeys strategic location between Europe and Asia to play off Russian and Western interests for maximum gain.

Few expect his westward turn to represent a fundamental or long-term shift.

We tend to think of Erdogan as unpredictable. But thats not entirely true, said veteran Turkish analyst Salim Cevik.

Once you understand his transactional style, he is quite predictable.

Many note that Erdogans change in tactics followed a June mutiny by Wagner mercenaries group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin that created mayhem in Moscow and suddenly left Putin looking weak.

Erdogan ended hi...

Paris US tech titan Mark Zuckerberg has plunged into a high-stakes game of brinkmanship with the European Union by withholding his new Threads app from users in Europe, but analysts say he will struggle to win the fight.

Threads, billed as the killer of Twitter, a platform that has tumbled into chaos under the leadership of mercurial tycoon Elon Musk, has added more than 100 million users in its first week in app stores.

But Zuckerbergs firm Meta said it could not be released in Europe because of regulatory uncertainty around the Digital Markets Act, an antitrust regulation that will not come into force until next year.

The reason they gave made me laugh, said Diego Naranjo, head of policy at campaign group European Digital Rights.

The regulation is not uncertain, its very certain, its just that Meta doesnt like it.

His theory is that Meta will give Threads to the rest of the world and Europeans will become so vexed at missing out that they will pressure the EU to water down the DMA.

Naranjo, for one, thinks the ploy will fail.

But either way, the rest of the big tech platforms will be glued to their screens as this fight could shape the future regulatory landscape in Europe for all of them.

Fatal blow

Meta and the rest are already regularly in trouble with EU regulators over their data gathering and retention policies.

They struggle to keep to the terms of Europes mammoth five-year-old data privacy regulation (GDPR).

When the DMA was announced, their reaction was muted as it seemed to be about business and competition, a simpler topic for them though not without pitfalls.

The DMA bans the biggest tech firms from favouring their own platforms, particularly problematic for the latest launch as Threads and Instagram accounts are linked.

But the DMAs Article 5.2 contained a bombshell: the firms will be banned from transferring user data across platforms unless they get consent.

Berin Szoka, president of the pro-business US think tank TechFreedom, said the DMAs rules would require Meta to ask for the consent of someones Instagram contacts before their data could be transferred to Threads.

In practice, this could prove fatal to Threads rollout, he said, as the network effect would be dead on arrival.

I dont really see a good way out here for Meta.

Naranjo has little sympathy for Meta, saying the European embargo was just a political push by the firm against the EU.

We will see who loses more, he said. My guess is that Meta will lose more from not having 450 million potential customers on their network.

Question of time

The European Consumer Group (BEUC) said the Thr...

Jakarta Indonesian maritime authorities seized an Iranian-flagged tanker carrying more than 200,000 metric tons of light crude oil after a suspected illegal transfer at sea, they said Tuesday.

Iran has been accused by the United States and its allies of using crowded shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere to circumnavigate Western sanctions on its nuclear programme.

The MT Arman 114 under the Iranian flag was suspected of carrying out illegal transshipment activities in Indonesias exclusive economic zone, the maritime security agency said in a statement.

The tanker was seized on Friday after authorities found it conducting a suspected transfer of crude oil to Cameroon-flagged ship MT S Tinos, the statement said.

The two ships were caught red-handed carrying out crude oil transshipment activities, it added.

The vessel was carrying a crew of 28 Syrian nationals and three other passengers, as well as 272,568 metric tons of light crude oil worth tens of millions of dollars.

The agency did not directly link the transfer to the Iranian government or accuse Tehran of involvement.

In May, the two countries signed a trade agreement in Indonesias capital Jakarta, where President Joko Widodo hosted his Iranian counterpart Ebrahim Raisi, as Tehran looked to boost its international trade ties.

Indonesias maritime authorities said the tanker refused to respond to communication from Indonesian authorities, had turned off its shipping information system, and did not fly its flag.

The listed owner of the vessel did not respond to a request for comment.

When approached, the MT Arman 114 tried to escape before being chased into Malaysias exclusive economic zone.

Indonesian authorities carried out the seizure with the help of Malaysian authorities, who deployed special maritime troops using helicopters, it said.

Tehran has increased actions against tankers in the Persian Gulf since the United States tightened sanctions on Irans oil exports and other areas of its economy.

The US military said last week it had blocked two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman, including one case in which the Iranians fired on the tanker.

The tightened US sanctions, which aim to cut into Irans export earnings, have led to the United States seizing Iranian-controlled tankers and shipments of crude to other countries.

President Joe Biden took office hoping to return to a 2015 nuclear accord with Iran that had been scrapped by his predecessor Donald Trump. 

But EU-mediated talks collapsed and mass protests in Iran made Washington increasingly hesitant to strike a deal with the clerical state.

The post...

Kabul Twitter owner Elon Musks freewheeling approach to the platforms handling of censorship has won support from an unlikely quarter Afghanistans Taliban.

Anas Haqqani, a senior Taliban leader without an official portfolio, said late Monday that Twitter had two important advantages over other social media platforms following the launch of Meta-owned rival Threads. 

The first privilege is the freedom of speech. The second privilege is the public nature & credibility of Twitter, he tweeted.

Twitter doesnt have an intolerant policy like Meta. Other platforms cannot replace it.

The remarks drew an angry reaction from some users, who noted the Taliban government did not allow its own citizens the same rights.

The Taliban had a low-key presence on social media until they stormed back to power in August 2021. Before that, many of their accounts and those of sympathisers were frequently blocked as fast as they were created.

Now the government uses Twitter as a major vehicle for announcements, and most ministries and provincial departments have official accounts, although none appear to have paid for a blue tick since Twitter scrapped its verification system earlier this year.

Meta owner of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and now Threads is still actively shutting down accounts associated with the Taliban.

Social media observers say accounts with the name Taliban, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan or featuring the movements distinctive flag rarely last long.

Last year Facebook shuttered the pages of state-owned Radio Television Afghanistan and Bakhtar News Agency, saying at the time it was complying with laws in the United States listing the Taliban as a terrorist organisation.

Under Musk, who bought Twitter last year, bans on tens of thousands of accounts including former US president Donald Trump were swiftly reversed.

Many had been suspended for reasons such as denying US election results, spreading misinformation about Covid, peddling conspiracy theories or promoting extremist ideologies.

Sweet veneer

Haqqani son of famed anti-Russian mujahideen fighter turned Taliban Jalaluddin Haqqani, and brother of interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani is one of the movements youngest political leaders.

With more than half a million followers on Twitter he frequently opines often in English on subjects ranging from cricket and poetry to local and global politics.

Several people were swift to criticise his free speech comments Tuesday, pointing to what they characterised as the hypocrisy of the remarks.

The social media activity of ordinary Afghans is closely monitored by the Taliban authori...

Gedaref Human Rights Watch on Tuesday called on the International Criminal Court to investigate possible war crimes in Sudans Darfur region where fighting has intensified despite calls for an end to the conflict.

The New York-based group charged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militias summarily executed at least 28 members of the Massalit ethnic minority when they ransacked and torched much of the town of Misterei in May.

Efforts to broker an end to the violence have continued, and the east African regional bloc IGAD on Monday led a renewed push, calling on the warring parties to sign an unconditional ceasefire.

The Sudanese army nonetheless boycotted the gathering in Addis Ababa, dampening hopes for an end to the nearly three-month-old conflict with the RSF.

Air strikes again shook the capital Khartoum, residents said Tuesday as they sheltered from gunfire.

Experts believe army leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, have opted for a war of attrition and are hoping to extract more concessions at the negotiating table.

US ambassador John Godfrey, who along with other diplomats was evacuated near the start of the conflict, warned that a military victory by either of the belligerents in the Sudan conflict would entail unacceptable human cost and damage to the country.

Horrific deaths

Godfrey called instead for a negotiated exit from the crisis, which he said does not and cannot mean returning to the status quo that existed before April 15.

Before the conflict erupted that day, the two generals had jointly ruled the country following an October putsch that derailed Sudans fragile transition to civilian rule.

Around 3,000 people have been killed in the violence, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

Godfrey further slammed irresponsible calls for continued fighting, pointing to the horrific deaths by air strike of at least six people in Khartoum North on Monday and of at least 22 people on Friday in Omdurman.

US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee was due to meet regional and Sudanese officials Tuesday in Addis Ababa.

IGAD on Monday said it would request the African Union to look into possibly deploying the East Africa Standby Force usually tasked with election observer missions in Sudan for the protection of civilians and humanitarian access.

But such a move would likely face hurdles as the conflict has seen multiple successive ceasefires violated.

Kenyan President William Ruto, who leads the IGAD quartet tasked with finding a solution to the Sudan conflict, on Monday reiterated calls...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) The Iraqi school student, Khattab Omar, won first place in the Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition, World Association of Mental Arithmetic Schools (WAMAS-2023), held in the city of Antalya, Turkey, from July 5 to 6, 2023.

Omar pulled ahead of more than 600 participants from 20 countries.

The 12-year old Iraqi kid from Salah Al-Din governorate also won first place in the previous edition of the competition held in Dubai, UAE, in 2021, Almayadeen News reported.

The Iraqi Minister of Education, Ibrahim Namis Al-Jubouri, congratulated the winners for their scientific and mental capabilities that are unmatched by anyone.

The Ministry of Education mentioned in a statement that the Iraqi team won the title once again in the championship, where 30 Iraqi school students won.

Al-Jubouri also emphasized his full support for the winners to develop their abilities and talents.

The annual WAMAS competitions are held to motivate students, so each mental arithmetic school can show the achievements of its students on the world stage.

The post Iraqi school student wins Worldwide Mental Arithmetic Competition appeared first on Iraqi News.

Reykjavik Despite warnings to stay away from Icelands latest volcanic eruption near Reykjavik, a group of curious visitors told AFP they couldnt resist the lure of lava that is orange like the sun.

While volcanologists say the eruption remains low intensity for now, initial estimates indicate that its flow is significantly more powerful than the two previous eruptions in 2021 and 2022 on the Reykjanes peninsula.

When the wind is coming in this direction, its not so hot its warm like a campfire, said Niall Lynch, a 23-year-old Irish guide AFP met in front of the fresh lava flows next to the small peak of Litli Hrutur.

But on the other side of the fissure, the gas released by the eruption makes the area unbearably hot.

Its much too hot to stay there for any extended amount of time. I mean its like 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,800 degrees Fahrenheit), he added.

The uninhabited area 30 kilometres southwest of the capital had been dormant for eight centuries but has experienced a resurgence of volcanic activity in the last two years.

The eruptive faults reached a total size of around 900 metres overnight, compared with 200 to 300 metres initially, according to the latest update from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) Tuesday.

When you look in the centre of the lava flow, its a lot brighter than I was expecting it to be, Lynch said.

I was thinking a lot more like the darker colours of blacks and browns, like the rock when it starts to solidify. But right in the centre its pure orange like the sun. Its amazing.

Dangerously high levels of volcanic gases, particularly sulphur dioxide, will accumulate close to the eruption, warned the IMO, which advised tourists not to visit the area.

Access to the site was closed on Monday evening. 

During the six months of the March 2021 eruption, and the three weeks of the August 2022 eruption, hundreds of thousands of visitors came to admire the hypnotic spectacle of lava on the outskirts of Mount Fagradallsfjall and the Meradalir and Geldingadalir valleys.

Unlike explosive eruptions that spew out thousands of tonnes of dust, such as the famous Eyjafjallajokull eruption that paralysed air traffic in Europe in 2010, so-called effusive eruptions have little impact, apart from lava flows and locally toxic gas spikes.

Big barbecue

The handful of visitors who managed to reach the site before it was closed describe it as the experience of a lifetime. 

From the nearest road, you have to traverse a challenging path, the last three winding kilometres of which are through moss and rocks embedded in the soil. 

When the lava finally comes into view, with the tiny Litli Hrutur (Little Ram&#822...

Taipei Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn withdrew from a $19.4 billion deal with Indias Vedanta to make semiconductors in the South Asian nation owing to challenging gaps, it announced Tuesday.

The worlds top iPhone assembler signed an agreement in September with Vedanta to set up a chip factory which would also produce display screens for phones and tablets in Indias Gujarat state. 

The plan was to boost New Delhis self-reliance in the technology supply chain, given that semiconductors are an essential component of nearly all modern electronics powering everything from coffee machines to electric cars. 

But Foxconn on Thursday said both parties mutually agreed to part ways.

There was recognition on both sides that the project was not moving fast enough, there were challenging gaps we were not able to smoothly overcome, as well as external issues unrelated to the project, Hon Hai Technology Group Foxconns official name said in a statement.

The deal would have seen Vedanta one of Indias biggest mining companies take a 60 percent share in the joint venture, while Foxconn would have the minority stake. 

Both companies had also projected that the facilities would be operational by 2024. 

Foxconn will not make a loss because of the withdrawal as it has not injected capital or fixed assets into the joint venture, the statement said. 

While Vedanta did not confirm the pull-out, it reiterated that it is fully committed to its semiconductor fab project, adding that there are other partners in line to set up Indias first foundry. 

Vedanta has redoubled its efforts to fulfill (Prime Minister Narendra Modis) vision for semiconductors and India remains pivotal in repositioning global semiconductor supply chains, its spokesperson said, adding that Vedanta now has a licence for production-grade technology to create 40-nanometer chips. 

We will shortly acquire a licence for production-grade 28 nm as well.

The vast majority of the worlds top chips are made in Taiwan primarily by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and in South Korea by Samsung. 

To join the race for semiconductors, India in late 2021 approved a $10 billion incentive scheme to kickstart its own domestic industry by agreeing to cover up to half of all project costs.

The post Foxconn pulls from $19.4 bn deal in India to make semiconductors appeared first on Iraqi News.

Hong Kong Stock markets rose Tuesday, with Hong Kong and Shanghai lifted by China moves to support its struggling property sector and authorities pledged further help for the economy.

The gains extended gains in New York and Europe as traders look ahead to the release of key US inflation data this week, which could provide a fresh indication of the Federal Reserves interest rate plans.

However, concerns remain about the upcoming earnings season owing to the high valuations, ever-tightening monetary policies and signs of a slowdown in the economy.

Hong Kong was again one of the best performers Tuesday, a day after a tech-fuelled advance that came after Beijing hit fintech firms Ant Group and Tenpay with big fines and signalled a sector crackdown was almost over.

On Monday, authorities urged banks and other financial institutions to provide easier terms for ailing developers by renegotiating the terms of their loans, with the aim of ensuring homes under construction are delivered.

And on Tuesday, state-run financial newspapers said more announcements were in the pipeline as well as measures to boost business confidence.

The moves come as the vast property industry in China strains under the weight of enormous debts, with some firms such as Evergrande on the verge of collapse.

The crisis has sent shivers through the worlds number two economy, which has in turn weighed on global growth. The chairman of Australian mining titan Rio Tinto warned this week of a knock-on effect on the commodities sector.

Beijing has come under immense pressure in recent months to unveil new growth-fuelling policies following a series of below-par indicators showing the post-Covid rebound has run off the tracks.

Chinas latest policy support toward the property sector was a bit surprising given the low expectations on the property market, said Zhou Hao, of Guotai Junan International Holdings.

The policies are intended to hedge against the strong headwinds in the market.

However, observers warn there is limited scope in the amount of stimulus officials can provide owing to huge local government debt and leaders desire to recalibrate the growth model from a vast state investment model.

Hong Kong and Shanghai enjoyed healthy gains, with Sydney, Mumbai, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei, Manila, Bangkok and Jakarta also up. Tokyo eked out marginal gains.

London, Paris and Frankfurt opened higher.

The release of US consumer and producer inflation data this week is now in focus as investors gird themselves for the Fed to resume its rate hiking drive after last months pause.

While data has pointed to a slowdown in US jobs growth and a tempering of economic activity, most bets are for borrowing costs to go up this month and possibly at least once more before the end of the year.

Several centra...

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) According to a press statement from the company, Wood plans to bring on more than 200 new employees in Iraq to assist with new contracts as part of its commitment in the growth and development of the nations labor force. The company will accept 25 fresh Iraqi graduates as part of this, reaffirming its continuous dedication to cultivating local engineering talent.

More than 500 Iraqis will work for the consulting and engineering firm, which will provide engineering solutions for challenging energy-related projects, including vital decarbonization initiatives.

Furthermore, Wood is expanding its personnel in Basra by 60% across engineering, operations, maintenance, procurement, logistics, and IT in response to newly granted contracts to provide engineering for significant energy projects.

The Middle East is a strategically important market for Wood and investing in Iraq and its people is core to this, said Shaun Dewar, Senior Vice President for Operations in the region at Wood.

Our recent contract awards and increased scopes on existing projects are creating opportunities to grow our teams in Basra and Dubai as we work with clients to ensure energy security and support opportunities for a more sustainable energy future too, added Dewar.

According to the press release, Wood invests in the growth and advancement of its employees by offering training, competence, and skills programs to all Iraqi nationals. The Basra Graduate Scheme, one of Woods premier development initiatives, has been running since 2016. Since then, more than 60 University of Basrah graduates have enrolled in the four-year multidisciplinary engineering program.

The Basra division at Wood executes projects in Iraq with assistance from the companys engineering headquarters in Dubai.

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