Iraq PM visits UAE, discusses Development Road, 1 GW solar plant

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S Al-Sudani met UAE leaders and officials in Abu Dhabi to advance cooperation in trade, energy and petrochemicals, including a 1,000-megawatt solar project by Masdar in Iraq, his office said. Al-Sudani met UAE...

International News Briefs for Thursday, October 2, 2025

HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Thursday, October 2, 2025. Israeli Forces Abduct Hundreds of Activists in Raid of Gaza-Bound Humanitarian Aid Flotilla Oct 02, 2025 Israel’s Navy...

In Gaza, outrage spreads at Trump’s ‘Governor Blair’ plan

Amid growing controversy over Donald Trump’s plan to end the war on the Gaza Strip, one aspect has caused particular concern. That is the suggestion Britain’s former prime minister Tony Blair could be a “temporary governor” of Gaza. Palestinians,...

Iraq president approves Jaafari personal status code

2025-10-02T14:15:26+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid has ratified the Jaafari Jurisprudence Code, a legal text linked to the Personal Status Law (PSL) that allows Shia Muslims in...

Iraqi forces intercept 80K pills in balloon smuggling bid

2025-10-02T14:01:00+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad On Thursday, Iraqi Border Forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle narcotics using a balloon along the frontier, only two days after foiling a similar operation. In a...

Iraq expands air links with Najaf–Lahore route

2025-10-02T16:09:59+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq’s national carrier on Thursday added Pakistan’s Lahore to its scheduled destinations. In a statement, Iraqi Airways said it has launched a new route connecting...

Iraq backs Syrian industry with Hama cement plant expansion

2025-10-02T14:41:09+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Damascus An Iraqi investment group will rehabilitate and expand Hama cement plant under a new contract signed with the Syrian government, the Ministry of Economy announced on...

Reporting from Iraqi Kurdistan: How Religious Freedom Built Iraq’s Safest City

Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, photo by Antonio Graceffo When I first arrived in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, I wasn’t sure what I would find or whether people would be willing to be photographed or to talk to a journalist. But as I strolled...

Baghdad Wins Bid to Host Global Expo 2029 Garden

Baghdad has been chosen to host Expo 2029 Garden, following a vote at the 77th Annual Congress of the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) in Ghent, Belgium. The Iraqi capital’s bid won over proposals from Thailand,...

Iraq veteran first to receive UK-made ‘Call of Duty’ bionic arm

An American military veteran who lost her left arm in the war in Iraq has become the first to be fitted with a “rugged” bionic arm inspired by the Call Of Duty video game and made by a British firm. Danielle Green, now 45, lost the arm when she...

Iraq, Kurdistan join Turkish–Arab forum in Istanbul to boost trade

2025-10-02T14:16:08+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Istanbul The 16th Turkish–Arab Economic Forum kicked off in Istanbul on Thursday, with Iraq and the Kurdistan Region taking part in high-level discussions on strengthening...

Iraq completes over 50 oil well projects in Q3 2025

2025-10-02T15:38:41+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Basra Iraq completed 53 oil well projects in the third quarter of 2025, according to the state-owned Drilling Company. The work covered 15 newly drilled wells and the...

Six years on, Iraq's 'Tishreen' protesters still face repression

Government spokesperson Sabah al-Nueman declined to comment when asked by The New Arab whether any measures had been taken to bring perpetrators to justice. [Getty] Six years on since "the Tishreen protests" that erupted in October 2019, Iraq...

Ryan’s Democratic Veterans caucus and others blast Trump speech to top military brass

KINGSTON, N.Y. — U.S. Rep. Pat Ryan, who is an Iraq War veteran, and members of his Democratic House Veteran caucus, blasted President Donald Trump for a speech he gave in front of 800 military brass. In a letter to Trump, 15 members of the...

President congratulates Iraqi President

Sana'a - Saba: President of the Supreme Political Council Mahdi al-Mashat on Thursday sent a congratulatory cable to President of the Republic of Iraq Abdullatif Rashid. In the cable, al-Mashat congratulated Rashid on the occasion of the Iraqi...

Government shutdown live updates: Trump threatens to cut Democrats’ ‘favorite projects’ amid impending mass layoffs

Weekend votes 'unlikely' if shutdown continues past Friday, Thune says Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the chamber is “unlikely” to hold votes on funding over the weekend if the shutdown is not resolved by Friday, CNN reports. The Senate,...

Rights group condemns continued persecution of Tishreen activists by Iraq authorities

Amnesty International condemned Iraqi authorities on Tuesday for their continued persecution of activists and protesters six years after the nationwide Tishreen demonstrations. The organization also criticized the Iraqi authorities for failing to...

Iraq, UAE Leaders Meet to Strengthen Bilateral Relations

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani met on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to review bilateral relations and opportunities to advance them across fields of shared interest. Talks centred on enhancing...

Excelerate Wins Initial Nod From Iraq on Gas Import Terminal

US Excelerate Energy has received an award letter from the Iraqi government to develop a floating LNG import terminal, the company announced Wednesday, saying it marked “a significant milestone in the country’s energy diversification strategy.”

John Shearer: Random Thoughts About Military, Baylor-McCallie, And Commerce Union And Till Anniversaries

Newspaper articles about Emmett Till case Newspaper articles about Emmett Till case Liberty Tower building photo by John Shearer Liberty Tower building photo by John Shearer Republic Centre building in front photo by John Shearer Republic Centre...