Germany seeks rapid deportation deals with Syria for rejected asylum seekers. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced plans to begin negotiations with Syrian officials. The government will prioritize removing criminals before targeting individuals without legal residency status.
Syrian deportations stopped in 2012 but voluntary returns increased after Bashar al-Assad's regime collapsed. Federal data shows 1,867 Syrians returned home voluntarily through August with government assistance. Germany currently hosts approximately 955,000 Syrian nationals across the country.
Dobrindt also revealed intentions to establish direct deportation flights to Afghanistan without third-party mediation. Previous removals required Qatari...
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani announced Saturday that foreign companies must follow the new Kurdistan Region export agreement. The deal requires all international firms operating in the area to honor their signed commitments. Companies will export between 180,000 and 190,000 barrels per day while keeping 50,000 barrels for regional refineries.
The agreement pays companies $16 for each barrel they produce under federal budget rules. Oil began flowing Saturday morning at 6:50 from Peshkhabour field through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to Ceyhan port. The restart ends a suspension that lasted more than two years.
Economic experts predict the deal will generate over $3 million daily for Iraq's treasury. The additional monthly revenue...
Mustafa Johari operates his sewing machine daily in a small shop within Ravansar's historic market. The 90-year-old tailor has practiced his craft for more than eight decades without interruption. Local residents call him Wasta Mustafa and respect his unwavering dedication to the profession. He opens his shop before dawn and continues working through holidays.
Johari has witnessed the evolution from foot-powered machines to modern electric models during his lengthy career. He previously crafted military uniforms, coats and trousers for customers throughout the region. His workshop contains religious books that he reads between serving clients. The tailor believes people should continue working until their final day of life.
His simple...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected any future role for terrorist groups in Syria during remarks to journalists after his United States visit. He emphasized Turkey's vision for peaceful coexistence among all Syrian communities regardless of their backgrounds. Erdogan cited his meeting with Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa in New York as significant for establishing international legitimacy for the Damascus government.
The Turkish leader warned that Israeli military actions would expand beyond Palestinian territories into neighboring regions. He accused Israel of conducting physical attacks in Syria while attempting to destabilize peace efforts there. Erdogan stressed the importance of lifting international sanctions against...
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian disclosed Saturday that America sought Iran's complete enriched uranium stockpile for temporary sanctions relief. Washington offered only three months of reduced United Nations penalties in exchange for the nuclear material. Pezeshkian rejected the terms as completely unacceptable to Tehran.
The disclosure came as UN sanctions automatically returned against Iran after a diplomatic deadline passed. European nations Britain, France and Germany triggered the penalty restoration over Iran's nuclear program violations. Pezeshkian's diplomatic efforts in New York failed to prevent the economic measures.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had already rejected direct nuclear talks with America before...
Kurdistan Region resumed oil exports Saturday morning after halting shipments for more than two years. The first crude began flowing at 6:50 a.m. from Peshkhabour station toward Turkey's Ceyhan port under a new three-month agreement.
Officials plan to export 190,000 barrels daily while keeping 50,000 barrels for domestic consumption within the region. The deal involves Kurdistan authorities, Iraq's federal government and international oil companies working together through a trilateral framework.
Iraq's state marketer SOMO will handle all global sales using a Swiss trading firm. The suspension began March 25, 2023, following an international arbitration ruling that severely damaged the regional economy.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani...
Kurdistan Region officials confirmed Saturday that oil fields have restarted exports to Turkey's Ceyhan terminal after more than two years of suspension. Khazal Auzer from the Ministry of Natural Resources said the halt forced local companies to sell below international prices and reduced production levels. The region plans to produce 240,000 barrels daily under a three-month agreement with Baghdad and international firms.
Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced the breakthrough during a religious conference in Erbil. He praised American officials for helping broker the deal between Kurdish and Iraqi authorities. The arrangement sends 190,000 barrels for export while keeping 50,000 for domestic consumption. Iraq's state marketer SOMO...
Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani addressed religious leaders Saturday during a conference marking 1,700 years since the Council of Nicaea convened. The gathering in Erbil brought together patriarchs and clergy from Iraq and Middle Eastern nations. Barzani emphasized his government's dedication to protecting religious diversity within the region.
The prime minister highlighted several initiatives supporting minority communities, including 50 schools teaching Syriac language and plans for four new churches. He announced that Kurdistan's oil exports resumed Saturday morning after a two-year suspension. Barzani credited the United States for helping broker the agreement with Iraq's federal government. He concluded by...
An academic conference honoring the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea started Saturday in Erbil with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani attending. Christian patriarchs and clergy from Iraq and the Middle East gathered to discuss unity and shared faith values. The original council took place in 325 CE when 318 bishops met in Nicaea under Roman Emperor Constantine I. Church leaders addressed problems that threatened both Christianity and the empire.
Prime Minister Barzani will give a major speech while religious leaders will speak about the council's modern relevance. The gathering aims to strengthen bonds between different faith communities and highlight the historical event's lasting influence on Christian...
