Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the suspension of direct flights between Iraq and Belarus and the temporary withdrawal of the work permit of the honorary Belarusian consul in Baghdad. Ahmed Al-Sahaf, the Ministry’s spokesperson, said to Al-Iraqiya News, “the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has temporarily withdrawn the work …

Turkey’s lira weakened to an all-time low of 10 against the dollar on Friday, breaching the key psychological threshold on investor worries about monetary policy after the central bank began cutting interest rates in September. The lira, which has weakened by more than a quarter so far this year, touched …

Iraq’s Ministry of Defense reported the killing of an ISIS prominent official in Kirkuk governorate on Friday. The Ministry said in a statement, “The 3rd regiment launched an operation in the Albu Muhammad area of Wadi al-Shay in Kirkuk which resulted in the killing of the leader of the sniper …

Iraq recorded 892 COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Health said today, Friday. The daily epidemiological report on the COVID-19 situation stated that 26 COVID-19 deaths were registered today. On the other hand, 1452 patients have achieved full recovery. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 in …

France on Friday warned Russia against harming Ukraine’s territorial integrity, after the United States shared with European allies its fears over Russian troop movements on the Ukrainian border and over a potential attack. Four European diplomats told Reuters that US officials had raised their concerns about an attack on Ukraine …

The United States on Friday imposed sanctions on the Eritrean military and other individuals and entities as Washington steps up pressure on parties to the conflict to bring an end to fighting in northern Ethiopia. In a statement, the US Treasury Department said it blacklisted Eritrea’s ruling political party the …

Britain’s GSK and partner Vir said on Friday their antibody-based COVID-19 drug has shown in a trial to work as well when given as a shot in the arm when administered via the standard infusion, potentially offering more convenience. GSK said it would now speak to global regulators, including the …

The UK and the European Union inched away from a diplomatic cliff edge on Friday but remained miles apart in a post-Brexit spat that risks escalating into a cross-Channel trade war. Talks to resolve differences over Northern Ireland trade have dragged on for almost a month, with EU officials increasingly …

Indonesia’s top religious body has declared that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are forbidden under Islamic law and should not be traded in the world’s biggest Muslim majority nation. The country’s powerful Ulema Council issued a fatwah, or religious edict, as virtual currency trading soars in Indonesia and elsewhere. Fatwas have …

World powers will push for sanctions against anyone who disrupts Libya’s electoral process and political transition, according to draft conclusions of a conference they are holding later on Friday in Paris. The meeting, which will include the leaders of France, Libya, Germany and Egypt, as well as the US vice …

The United States and Qatar have agreed that Qatar will represent the diplomatic interests of the United States in Afghanistan, a senior US official told Reuters, an important signal of potential direct engagement between Washington and Kabul in the future after two decades of war. Qatar will sign an arrangement …

Belarusian and Russian paratroopers staged joint drills on Friday near the Polish and Lithuanian borders, during a standoff between Belarus and the EU over migrants camped in freezing forests at the frontier. The exercise at the Gozhsky training ground involved airborne units landing and carrying out combat training, including capturing …

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday pledged to deepen U.S. ties with Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) countries, including advancing fair and open trade as well as investment in the region and urged action to shore up the environment and global health. “Biden reaffirmed our interest in serving as a strong, …

Austria’s government is likely to decide on Sunday to impose a lockdown on people who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus as daily infections have surged to record levels, Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg said on Friday. Schallenberg did not say when the lockdown would take effect, but the two provinces …

Rebellious Tigrayan forces threatened on Friday to “hunt down” foreigners they said were supporting the Ethiopian government as mercenaries and technical experts in a year-long war. Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) spokesperson Getatchew Reda said the foreigners could be from Turkey, China, Israel, or the United Arab Emirates, without offering …

An explosion hit a mosque in the Spin Ghar district of Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan, wounding at least 12 people including the imam of the mosque, local residents said. Atal Shinwari, a resident of the area, said the blast occurred at around 1:30 p.m. when explosives apparently located in …

Leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum on Friday vowed to address economic recovery in the region by shoring up supply chains, tackling labor issues, and continuing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. They also pledged to work together to address climate and environmental challenges, they said in a …

The Directorate of Military Intelligence in the Iraqi Ministry of Defense arrested a terrorist in Kirkuk Governorate. The Security Media Cell said that, based on intelligence information, the authorities had arrested a terrorist responsible for distributing funds (Kafala) to the families of ISIS in Kirkuk. In the same context, a …