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On May 4, 2010, an unidentified gang abducted Zardasht Osman while going to college in Erbil. On May 5, his body was found dead in Mosul’s “Hay Mazaraa” street.
The perpetrators are still on the loose on the 12th anniversary of his assassination. His family has declared his case open to the public.
“The assassination of Zardasht Osman, journalists, and suppression of freedom of speech are open cases until they are closed by the court and the perpetrators receive their sentences in a free and fair trail,” the family of Osman added.
Zardasht Osman is one of the multiple journalists killed in the Kurdistan region in the last two decades. Many suspect the involvement of the Kurdish authorities.
Osman was born in 1987; he was an undergraduate student studying English at Erbil's Salahadin University. Osman was a journalist that focused on covering corruption and nepotism in the Kurdistan region.
The Ukrainian presidency announced the country's readiness for "a counterattack against Russia if the West provides us with a large amount of weapons." "We need enough weapons for several brigades to carry out a counterattack at the end of June," the Ukrainian presidency added.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched a global platform to raise funds to help Kyiv win the war against Russia and rebuild the country's infrastructure.
"With one click, you can donate money to protect our defenders, save civilians and rebuild Ukraine," Zelensky said in an English video message posted on his Twitter account.
Today, Thursday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the provision of humanitarian aid worth 200 million euros from the European Union to Ukraine.
By pledging this additional amount, von der Leyen said on Twitter that the union seeks to deliver a message to the Ukrainian people that "your battle is our battle... and we are with you."
The Kremlin said Thursday that it is well aware that the United States, Britain, and other NATO countries are providing the Ukrainian army with intelligence, stressing that this will not prevent Russia from achieving its goals.
The comment came from Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov to a report in the "New York Times" that Washington provided intelligence information that helped Ukrainian forces kill Russian military leaders.
Over the past months and since the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, the US assistance to Kyiv was not limited to the military, and the United States provided intelligence information about the Russian units, which allowed the Ukrainians to target and kill many Russian generals who died during that period, according to senior US officials.
Informed sources revealed that the Ukrainians killed nearly 12 generals on the front lines, a number that surprises military analysts.
It also made clear that the targeting assistance was part of a covert effort by the administration of US President Joe Biden to provide timely battlefield intelligence to the Ukrainians, according to a report carried out by the New York Times.
"We want to open Venezuela's representative office in Sulaimani, and commercial affairs office inside Sulaimani chamber of commerce with the backing of Sulaimani council of representatives and governmental offices in the city," the Venezuelan ambassador announced.
The speaker of the Sulaimani council of representatives said, 'Sulaimani possesses two large dams, an international airport, two international border-crossing, large fertile lands, large reserves of hydrocarbons, and an attractive geography. It has sufficient sunlight exposure and water to produce electricity, and the governorate constitutes 32% of Iraq industry.'
Amin declared his full support for opening the Venezuelan representative office in Sulaimani and asked the ambassador to share their experience in oil and gas industries, electricity, and agriculture.
This region, which is the historical stronghold of the Yazidi minority, a Kurdish-speaking group whose members profess a monotheistic mystical religion, has repeatedly witnessed similar clashes.
The director of the Department of Migration and Displacement and the Crisis Response Office in Dohuk, Dayan Hemo, said that the recent clashes "led to the displacement of families to Dohuk Governorate" in the autonomous Kurdistan region.
According to the latest statistics, he added, "The number of displaced people within three days has reached 1,711 families or 10,261 people."
These displaced persons were distributed among the camps for the displaced or with their relatives who already reside in the governorate, as the official explained, pointing out that the families received food and health aid for a week, with the support of the "Barzani Charitable Foundation" and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS), with the assistance of the Counter-Terrorism Group, CTG, foiled a terrorist attempt in Kirkuk and arrested the terrorists.
In a press statement on Friday, the Iraq Intelligence Service announced the arrest of two IS terrorists with the assistance of the CTG, in a military operation on Friday.
The terrorists traveled from Sulaimani to Kirkuk, where the CTG kept a close eye on them and discovered their whereabouts.
Both terrorists possessed explosives during their arrest and planned to use them during the days of Ramadan Eid.
The Sulaimani-based CTG has been effective in neutralizing terrorists throughout Iraq and cooperates with anti-terror groups worldwide. The group was founded in 2002 with US training and assistance. It acts as the executive wing of the Sulaimani-based Zanyari Intelligence Service, otherwise known as Zanyari Agency.
With the participation of PUK bureaus, offices, and organizations in Talary Hunar hall in Sulaimani, preparations for holding the PUK forum in Suliamani began.
Qubad Talabani, director of the PUK forum at the preparation meeting, said, “It is a forum for reorganization [of the PUK], it is a forum for bringing ideas back to the center of partisanship… and work to strengthen PUK again.”
Sarkawt Zaki, chair of PUK’s bureau of organization, said at the opening of the forum, “ PUK’s forum is for reorganization and reform, and for rearranging ideas and views of the PUK.”
“We are look forward to the forum with great hope because it is a great leap forward,” the Zaki added.
PUK forum is to be held on May 1 in Sulaimani with the participation of the PUK leadership to discuss challenges, opportunities, and future plans for the party.
According to a report by Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, one courier was killed and 29 injured in the border regions of Kermanshah.
Such extrajudicial killing has become the rule in the border regions between Iran and the Kurdistan region. Due to severe sanctions imposed on Iran and soaring inflation, most Kurds on the border regions try to make a living on the border.
Eid al-Fitr will begin on Monday May 2 as the Shawwal moon was not sighted on Saturday, Kurdistan region’s minister of Endowment and Religious Affairs announced in a press conference this evening, Saturday.
Countries which marked the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan on April 2 will thus conclude the 30th day of Ramadan on May 1.
The Kurdistan region, Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan and Turkey also announced that the first day of Eid al-Fitr will be May 2, the International Astronomical Center said on Twitter.
Eid al-Fitr celebrations follow the end of Ramadan which lasts 29 or 30 days based on when the crescent moon is sighted.
Muslims follow a lunar calendar consisting of 12 months in a year of 354 or 355 days.
Al-Halboosi will meet top Iranian officials to discuss various issues, but chief among them is the formation of the next Iraqi cabinet.
Speaker of the Iraqi parliament and a delegation of lawmakers headed to Tehran amid a stalemate to form the next Iraq government, which was due months ago.
Bafel Jalal Talabani stressed developing human and military resources. "We continue our efforts to form a formidable and modern force. Extensive and continuous exercise and providing supplies are essential to an army. We want to prepare the Peshmerga forces in the best way." Talabani said.
The PUK leader noted the importance of intelligence capabilities and said, "they have to be based on accurate intelligence. There should be cooperation and coordination between the forces, and protecting the security and stability of Kurdistan region is above any other interests."
The meeting discussed the resurgence and activities of IS. Talabani instructed the military commanders to do their best to counter IS activities and plans that threatened the Kurdistan region's stability. For that matter, he mentioned the importance of cooperation between the Peshmerga forces and Iraqi security forces.
Talabani confirmed that "Peshmerga and other security forces of Kurdistan region are the real protectors of the Kurdish people and their properties. Therefore, they would not allow anyone to possess personal armed forces and completely oppose any such acts.
The People’s Democratic Party (HDP) leader, Pervin Buldan, said Turkey resorts to war to settle its issues, bringing instability and Turkey and the Middle East.
“The police and Turkish security forces have detained more than 20 HDP members without evidence. Erdogan wants war, but the HDP and the people are tired of war,” Buldan added.
Last week the Turkish armed announced Claw-Lock military operation in the Kurdistan region to eliminate the PKK fighter that maintains bases in the mountains on the Iraq-Turkish border. Turkey ceased the operation without any clear aims achieved.
Kalar police department arrested a group of drug traders and dealers in the Garmian region. The detainees possess a substantial amount of narcotics.
Ali Jamal Qadwree, the speaker of the Garmian police department, said, “After thorough investigation and securing the order from Garmian police court, a group of seven drug traders and dealers were arrested. Six of the arrested are from Kalar, while one is from Erbil.”
The speaker noted that the suspects were in possession of crystal meth, narcotics, and drug tools.
Qaduree added, “the suspects are detained per article 30 of anti-narcotics law, and investigations continue.”
Pervez Khan border crossing relations and media office announced, that the crossing’s officials met with Iranian senior officials to deliver their worry to Tehran about an incident involving ten Iranians attacking a Kurdish driver using knives.
Supreme justices of Qasre Shirin and officials from the Islamic republic confirmed that they would not allow the reoccurrence of such acts and would secure the border crossing.
A delegation from Pervez Khan border crossing has told the Islamic republic that “Kurdish drivers disapprove of laborers’ attitudes on the Iranian side of the border and expressed their consternation at the threats, beatings, and humiliation from Iranian workers.”
the delegation has asked Iran to “ control the border and investigate people who commit such acts and disturb the peace and security and cause problems to the people at the border.”
"We will continue at the fastest pace to take steps to enhance and develop our country's nuclear capabilities," Kim said, according to a report published by the official North Korean Central News Agency.
The agency noted that Kim delivered his speech late Monday during a military parade marking the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Korean People's Revolutionary Army in Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang.
North Korea is subject to strict US and UN sanctions over its nuclear weapons program, and multiple negotiations with Kim have so far not convinced him to put an end to his nuclear program.
Kim said the country's nuclear weapons are a "symbol of national strength" and should be diversified.
"In preparation for the turbulent political and military situation and all kinds of crises in the future, we will strengthen our nuclear power as quickly as possible," he added.
The North Korean leader added that although the primary role of nuclear weapons in his country is deterrence, they can be deployed if North Korea's "essential interests" are attacked.
The agency stated that the display included North Korea's largest intercontinental ballistic missile, "Hwasong-17", called "The Beast," and hypersonic ballistic missiles and others launched from submarines.
The massive missile was first tested last month. Still, South Korean officials believe efforts to conduct a full test ended with an explosion over Pyongyang.
"The viewers cheered and were very excited when they saw the Hwasongfu-17 ICBM that soared into the sky on March 24 to demonstrate the sheer power of (the doctrine) of Juche Korea and the strategic position of our republic in front of the world," the agency said.
The North Korean Central News Agency has not published any pictures of the military parade.
The source added that several PMF fighters had been injured and two military vehicles destroyed.
Last week, Turkish Bayraktar drones struck a PMF base in Zumar County, claimed the lives of two militia and injured several others, even though the Iraqi security committee denied the incident.
Turkey targets Iran-linked PMF groups due to apparent cooperation with the PKK, the outlawed Turkish party that operates in Iraq, Syria and Turkey.