NEWSWORTHY
Iraqis pick parliament speaker, opening way to new government four months after election
Amid escalating political wrangling, Iraqi lawmakers elected an Iran-backed Sunni Arab as speaker of parliament on Saturday, the first step in forming a new government four months after national elections. The 37-year old speaker was supported by the pro-Iran bloc inside parliament, the Building coalition, ...
In warning to Iran and Russia, U.S. Marines conduct big drills with rebels in south Syria
A Syrian rebel commander said on Thursday rare military exercises with U.S. Marines in southern Syria sent a strong message to Russia and Iran that the Americans and the rebels intend to stay and confront any threats to their presence. Col. Muhanad al Talaa, commander ...
Reopened Baghdad-Fallujah railway a tentative sign of progress in Iraq
The newly revived railway between Baghdad and Fallujah snakes across the western Iraqi desert, through a landscape of burned-out tanks, abandoned cars and collapsed buildings. For the last month, Capt. Imed Hassun has taken pride in once again driving the route between the capital and ...
Struggling for normalcy: Two hospitals reopen in war-ravaged Iraqi city of Mosul
Two hospitals reopened on Sunday in the heavily damaged western sector of Mosul, over a year since Iraqi security forces seized the city back from the Islamic State group. The hospitals — one an emergency centr, the other specializing in gynacology and obstetrics — replace ...
Iraqis protesting poor public services burn Iranian Consulate in Basra
Protesters stormed the Iranian Consulate in Iraq's southern city of Basra on Friday, turning their wrath on Iraq's powerful neighbor after five days of deadly demonstrations in which government buildings have been ransacked and torched. Demonstrators broke in and began damaging the offices, shouting condemnation ...
Fires rage in government sites in Iraq's Basra as protesters vent ire
Flames engulfed several government buildings in the southern Iraqi city of Basra Thursday, as protesters again took to the streets over poor public services. Oil-rich Basra has been the epicenter of demonstrations that have rocked Iraq since July, with anger fueled by pollution of the ...
Iraq forces open fire on protesters during new clashes day after six are killed
Iraqi security forces opened fire on protesters Wednesday as the two sides clashed in the southern city of Basra, a day after six people were killed in demonstrations over poor public services. An AFP journalist reported gunshots and tear gas were fired by security personnel ...
Five protesters killed in Basra in second night of clashes with security forces
Five protesters were killed and 16 more were injured during a second day of clashes with security forces in Iraq's main southern city Basra, local health and security sources said. Twenty-two members of the security forces were also wounded, some by a hand grenade, the ...
Israel signals it could launch attack on Iranian weaponry in Iraq
Israel on Monday signaled it could attack suspected Iranian military assets in Iraq, as it has done with scores of airstrikes in war-torn Syria. Citing Iranian, Iraqi and Western sources, Reuters reported last week that Iran had transferred short-range ballistic missiles to Shiite allies in ...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday warned Syria against launching an attack on the country's last rebel stronghold with the help of Russia and Iran, saying the offensive could trigger a "human tragedy." The warning came as Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javed Zarif, met with ...
In warning to enemies, Iran has moved missiles to Iraq, sources say
Iran has given ballistic missiles to Shiite proxies in Iraq and is developing the capacity to build more there to deter attacks on its interests in the Middle East and to give it the means to hit regional foes, Iranian, Iraqi and Western sources ...
U.S. investigators are probing claims AstraZeneca and other medical giants that worked with the Iraqi government between 2005 and 2009 provided drugs and supplies that would go on to be used to fund terror attacks. In a filing with U.S. regulators last week, AstraZeneca said ...
