Iraq recorded 863 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said today, Thursday. The daily epidemiological report on the COVID-19 situation stated that 30 COVID-19 deaths were registered today. On the other hand, 1412 patients have achieved full recovery. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in …

The phenomena named by the scientists “space weather” can affect Earth in a variety of ways: from creating fascinating light shows like auroral displays, to actually causing damage to satellite infrastructure. Earth can brace itself for solar storms “cannibalising” one another to hit the planet in the upcoming four years, …

A new species of dinosaur has been discovered on the Isle of Wight off the coast of England. With its long bulbous nose, Brighstoneus simmondsi was around eight metres long and weighed about 900kg. The name Brighstoneus comes from the village of Brighstone, near the site where the remains were …

Two people have died after another hospital fire in Romania. The blaze broke out in the infectious disease wing of a hospital in the city of Ploiești, where 21 patients were receiving care, authorities said. The cause of the fire, which was quickly extinguished, is not yet known, but an …

The legacy of De Klerk’s role in South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy remains highly contested. The death of South Africa’s last white president Frederik Willem (FW) de Klerk has drawn mixed reactions. De Klerk, who negotiated the end of white minority rule and a peaceful transfer of power …

The Dutch government on Thursday was considering whether to impose Western Europe’s first partial lockdown since the summer, as new coronavirus cases jumped to the highest level since the start of the pandemic. A surge in infections that started when social distancing measures were lifted in late September has put …

Iraq decided not to recognize a degree from three Lebanese universities for “not adhering to standards.” The Iraqi Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research published a statement that included new instructions regarding Iraqis studying at foreign universities. According to the document, the Ministry suspended recognition degrees from the Modern …

Russia said on Thursday it had scrambled a fighter jet to intercept a British spy plane operating near Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Russia’s defense ministry said the British foray was part of a wider uptick in military activity by the United States …

The number of people around the world forced to abandon their homes likely increased to more than 84 million in the first half of this year, an increase fueled in particular by conflicts in Africa, the UN refugee agency said Thursday. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees said the number …

US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping were expected to hold a virtual summit on Monday, sources told Reuters on Thursday, amid tensions over trade, human rights, and military activities. Washington and Beijing have been sparring on issues from the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic to China’s expanding …

Large parts of the world are not ready for zero-emission vehicles, which is why Toyota Motor Corp did not sign a pledge this week to phase out fossil-fuel cars by 2040, the world’s largest automaker said on Thursday. Six major carmakers, including General Motors, Ford, Sweden’s Volvo Cars, and Daimler …

New cascades of red-hot lava tumbled into the Atlantic Ocean off Spain’s La Palma on Wednesday morning, sending up plumes of white smoke and extending a platform of volcanic rock created by earlier flows. The stream of molten rock from the Cumbre Vieja volcano, which began erupting in mid-September, reached …

A security source in Saladin reported that al-Hashd al-Shaabi (PMF) thwarted an attempt to blow up power transmission towers, southeast of Tikrit. The source told Al-Ghadeer News that a PMF force dismantled four explosive devices planted under power transmission towers on the outskirts of Mukaishifa district. No casualties were recorded. …

Swedish Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson will have a shot at becoming the Nordic country’s first female prime minister after the speaker picked her on Thursday to try and form a government from a fragmented parliament. Andersson was elected by the Social Democrat party to replace former Prime Minister Stefan Lofven …

Argentina’s Lionel Messi has recovered from the knee and hamstring worries that kept him out of Paris St Germain’s last two games and are in line to start in their World Cup qualifier against Uruguay on Friday. Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said staff had worked separately with the 34-year-old Messi …

Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has formed a new transitional council, headed by himself, to lead the country following the military takeover late last month, state TV reported on Thursday. Burhan’s deputy will remain Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with both men …

Ethiopian staff working for the United Nations or African Union do not live “in space” and will be punished for any lawbreaking, the government said on Thursday, after the arrest of several U.N. employees for unspecified offences. Ethiopia declared a state of emergency on Nov. 2 after rebellious forces from …

The “stiff competition” between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific does not have to turn into a new Cold War, U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Thursday, describing the United States as “doubling down” on its presence in the region. Earlier on Thursday China’s President Xi …

Countries bordering Belarus on Thursday warned the migrant crisis on the European Union’s eastern borders could escalate into a military confrontation while Ukraine said it would deploy thousands more troops to reinforce its frontier. Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia said Belarus posed serious threats to European security by deliberately escalating its …