Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

Forgotten language: Kurdish sidelined in Iraqi curriculum
2025-07-08T15:38:24+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News Despite being recognized as an official language in Iraq for nearly two decades, Kurdish remains largely sidelined in Arabic-speaking public schools, where it is often taught...

Kurdish PKK militants to begin handing over arms in Iraq on Friday, Turkish media reports
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Youngsters hold a photograph of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the militant Kurdish group, or PKK, in Diyarbakir, Turkey earlier this year. [Metin Yoksu/AP] Militant fighters of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) will begin...

IRGC media calls for 1980s-style mass executions of Israel ‘collaborators’
In an article published this week, the semi-official Fars News Agency described current detainees accused of collaborating with Israel and Western intelligence agencies as “deserving of execution in the style of 1988.” “In the current conditions,...

‘We have surprises:’ IRGC warns enemies, as generals detail restraint in 12-day war
TEHRAN – Deputy Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Ali Fadavi declared Tuesday that Iran maintains "surprises" for any renewed enemy aggression, emphasizing that adversaries have consistently failed to...

Why Is the Media Normalizing Nuclear War and Its Effects on US Populations?
As a political journalist, I typically monitor about six or seven print publications and a somewhat absurd number of online ones. But I recently noticed a disturbing trend—a slew of articles with titles like “Apocalyptic map shows worst U.S....

Pakistan mourns loss of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq gas incident
Pakistan on Tuesday extended heartfelt condolences to Turkiye over the tragic death of 12 Turkish soldiers who were martyred after being exposed to methane gas during a military operation in northern Iraq. In an official statement, Foreign Office...

Pakistan mourns death of 12 Turkish soldiers in Iraq gas tragedy
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of 12 Turkish soldiers who lost their lives after exposure to methane gas during a mission in northern Iraq. The incident occurred during a search operation as part of...

‘Iraq, But Funny’
The world premiere of Atra Asdou's “Iraq, But Funny” at Lookingglass Theatre Company lives up to its title — and then some. Directed by Dalia Ashurina and performed by five amazing actors, it's an often hilarious, often harrowing...

Iranian media says ceasefire begins after waves of attack
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi file photo: VCGThe Israel-Iran conflict has seen dramatic developments in past few hours - Iran's Press TV says ceasefire begins after waves of attack. Earlier, Iranian foreign minister denied any...

Baghdad, KRG clash over Erbil drone strike blame on PMF
The KRG's Ministry of Interior on Friday accused PMF-linked groups of launching a drone that crashed in a deserted area near the Kurdish capital. [Getty] Iraq's federal government has firmly rejected accusations by the Kurdistan Regional...
Iraq launches 800-mln-USD oil refinery expansion project
BAGHDAD, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Iraq launched Monday an 800-million-U.S. dollar expansion project of the al-Diwaniyah Refinery in the southern province of Diwaniyah. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani inaugurated the al-Diwaniyah Refinery...
‘I needed to leave Man United to grow’: Zidane Iqbal on identity, Iraq and a new start in Utrecht
Zidane Iqbal is the Manchester-born-and-bred footballer who started out at Manchester United before moving to play first-team football for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands in 2023. Before that, he became the first British-born South Asian to play for...

Normalization process between Syria and Israel accelerating
BEIRUT — Israeli i24news revealed that an upcoming meeting in September—sponsored by President Donald Trump at the White House—will bring together Abu Muhammad al-Julani, Syria’s self-appointed president (currently known as Ahmed al-Sharaa), with...
ExclusiveZidane Iqbal on leaving Man United, identity, Iraq and a new start in Utrecht
Zidane Iqbal is the Manchester-born-and-bred footballer who started out at Manchester United before moving to play first-team football for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands in 2023. Before that, he became the first British-born South Asian to play for...

Sports News | AIFF Announces Reward for Fantastic Blue Tigresses
New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): The All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a reward of USD 50,000 for the Senior Indian Women's National Team following their outstanding performance in the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers held in Thailand...

Franklin County Family YMCA hires new fitness director
The Franklin County Family YMCA has announced the hiring of Lekeith Tolliver as its new fitness director. A Franklin County native and decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Mr. Tolliver brings an exceptional blend of leadership, athletic...

Iran Update Special Report: Iraq after the Iran-Israel War, July 13 - July 3, 2025
Information Cutoff: 2:00 PM ET The Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) publish the Iran Update, which provides insights into Iranian and Iranian-sponsored activities that...

Metro Detroit filmmaker tells rarely heard Iraqi American story in award-winning film ‘Pomegranate’
Courtesy of Pomegranate Pictures LLC Local filmmaker Weam Namou wrote and directed Pomegranate, a dramedy about a young Iraqi Muslim woman navigating her identity, religious expectations, and political tensions in a predominantly Christian Iraqi...

Unpacking Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court chaos
Amid regional turmoil in the Middle East, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court has faced a crisis of its own. Last month, six of the nine permanent justices and three of the four alternates submitted their resignations, effectively rendering the court...

Education Ministry dismisses claims of probe into Iraqi universities’ research integrity
2025-07-07T13:05:12+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – BaghdadOn Monday, Iraq’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research denied reports claiming it had formed a committee to investigate eight universities allegedly...