Yemen's Houthi rebels attacked a Dutch cargo vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday. The group justified striking the MV Minervagracht by claiming the owner company violated their ban on entering Palestinian ports. Two crew members sustained injuries when the projectile hit the ship and caused a fire. The same vessel faced an earlier assault on September 23 while traveling to Djibouti.
The Houthis control much of Yemen and frame their maritime operations as backing Palestinians during the Gaza conflict. They have fired missiles and drones at Israeli targets repeatedly. Israeli forces retaliated with airstrikes on Thursday that killed nine people in Sanaa after a Houthi drone targeted southern Israel. The escalation occurs as President...
The federal government entered a shutdown Wednesday after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to agree on funding extension. Approximately 750,000 workers face furloughs while the administration considers permanent layoffs to reduce federal workforce size. Democrats demand restored Affordable Care Act subsidies as insurance premiums climb for millions of Americans. Republicans control the Senate but cannot pass legislation without 60 votes.
Trump experienced two previous shutdowns during his first presidency. The longest lasted 35 days over border wall funding disagreements. Senate Democrats refuse compromise without healthcare affordability provisions while Republicans blame the opposition party. House Speaker Mike Johnson...
Turkey declared its commitment to eliminating terrorism beyond national boundaries during a National Security Council session chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The two-hour meeting produced statements rejecting any terrorist presence in neighboring regions while supporting Syrian and Iraqi territorial integrity. Ankara pledged opposition to forces destabilizing either country through separatist activities.
Erdogan told reporters that terrorist groups hold no future role in Syria after meeting Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa at the United Nations General Assembly. The Turkish leader called for lifting international sanctions against Damascus while supporting economic reconstruction efforts. He accused Israel of attacking multiple...
Kurdistan Democratic Party and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leaders held positive discussions Tuesday about forming the next regional cabinet. Parliament spokesperson Saman Ahmad said staff completed preparations for resuming legislative sessions within two weeks after political parties finalize their agreement. The assembly will elect leadership positions through a secret ballot requiring absolute majority support under Article 48 of election law.
October 2024 voting distributed 100 seats among nine parties, with the Kurdistan Democratic Party securing 39 seats and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan winning 23 seats. The New Generation Movement gained 15 seats, while smaller parties and quota allocations filled the remaining positions...
Iran expects 120 citizens to arrive from the United States within 48 hours as part of deportation actions under President Donald Trump. Foreign ministry official Hossein Noushabadi said American immigration officials plan to remove nearly 400 Iranians who mostly entered without authorization. The first group departed Louisiana late Monday with a scheduled stop in Doha before reaching Tehran on Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed direct messages were exchanged during recent United Nations meetings despite Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling American diplomacy futile. Washington deported only 20 Iranians during the 2024 fiscal year, compared to hundreds planned under current policies. The shift marks a departure...
Kurdistan Regional Government deposited 956.928 billion Iraqi dinars into the Finance Ministry account at Erbil's Central Bank branch for July salary distribution through MyAccount. The digital payment system serves 501,500 workers from over 900,000 registered public employees beginning on Wednesday. President Nechirvan Barzani completed his registration on Monday and praised the young professionals managing the financial reform program.
Education Minister Alan Hama Saeed credited MyAccount with eliminating outdated cash collection methods where principals transported money in sacks from banks. Teachers receive direct deposits instead of administrators handling physical currency for staff payments. Participating banks must deploy ATMs...
Duhok Municipality advanced environmental initiatives through the construction of eight parks across eastern and western districts while planning an 11,000-square-meter green space. Municipal spokesman Sherwan Hassan reported the city achieved 15 percent vegetation coverage with projections reaching 20 percent after completing Aloka Park's 1,575,000-square-meter development. Officials began greening Mount Zawa and Mount Spi to enhance air quality and address climate impacts.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani opened Sarhaldan Park on September 20 at a former automotive repair location that features recreational and sports amenities. The municipality incorporated youth designs through painted Zozan neighborhood stairs and an artificial...
President Donald Trump gave Hamas several days to accept his Gaza peace proposal or face severe consequences. The 20-point framework demands the group disarm within 72 hours and release hostages while Israel withdraws from occupied areas. Qatar hosted discussions on Tuesday with Hamas alongside Turkish and Egyptian delegations to review the American blueprint.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged both sides to commit while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged military action if negotiations fail. The White House plan establishes a transitional government under international oversight with Trump as chairman. Regional powers expressed cautious support, though Hamas has not issued formal remarks about the...
Sulaimani will host its seventh international book fair from October 3 through 13 with participation from 150 publishers. Organizer Hassan Rahim said the event features improvements in exhibits and book variety compared to past years. About 70 foreign publishers from 16 countries will display titles alongside 80 regional companies.
Officials arranged 40 buses to transport attendees between the city and the exhibition grounds during the 10-day event. The fair opens at 10 a.m. for dignitaries before welcoming general visitors at 2 p.m. Daily hours run from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. through the closing date.
The annual gathering began in 2016 to strengthen reading habits and support the publishing sector across the Kurdistan Region. Sulaimani...
