Iraq
President Talabani and Khazali exchanged views on the general situation in Iraq and the unification efforts to form a new government, stressing the need to resolve issues and intensify efforts to overcome obstacles and reach a national agreement based on genuine partnership within the framework of the constitution and public interest.
He also invited all political forces and parties to a national meeting to resolve issues at the negotiating table and reach an agreement to save Iraq from the political situation and form a government that will lead Iraq to political, social, and economic stability.
Bafel Jalal Talabani said that the PUK is committed to reaching an agreement and resolving the issues. Let us deepen the spirit of unity and harmony and move towards a brighter future together.
After Sadrists withdrew from the parliament, a PUK senior delegation went to Baghdad to help form the next Iraqi government.
All political forces and parties should participate in the new Iraqi government and put their differences at the service of achieving higher goals if they want to build a peaceful, prosperous and developed country; this is the right and wise policy that the PUK is working to achieve, Talabani added.
The Coordination Framework, which includes the PUK, called on all influential forces in the political arena to participate in the talks and expressed its readiness to negotiate with all parties, believing that the next government must be a strong and capable government that provides services.
PUK's visit comes after Sadr's parliamentary bloc all resigned in a move, Sadr called "opens the way to form the next government."
The Iraqi Ministry of Health spokesperson said that over a thousand had been admitted to hospitals due to heavy dust.
Iraqi Health Ministry spokesman Saif Badr said, 1,000 people had asthma in all Iraqi provinces and were admitted to hospitals. Most of them have been sent home. Badr urged citizens to follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health.
The spokesperson added that the increased number of admitted people does not affect hospital services.
Thick orange dust storms have regularly covered Iraqi skies since early 2022. It stalls everyday life, with flight suspensions and declaration of holidays.
"I accepted the candidacy [of PM] of His Eminence Sayyid al-Sadr in support of his national reform project, and now is the time to step back and apologize, thanks to His Eminence Muqtada Al-Sar, and the National Save the National Salvation Alliance for their trust." Jaafar Al-Sadr, the son of the prominent Shiite cleric Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr, said on Twitter.
Jaafar Sadr's withdrawal comes hours after Iraqi MPs from Muqtada al-Sadr's bloc resigned, in an attempt to facilitate forming the next government, Sadr claimed.
Soon, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed Halbusi approved the resignation of all Sadr lawmakers. The former PM candidate keeps a low profile and is the Iraqi ambassador to the UK.
Sadr's move opens the way for fresh elections and dissolution of the parliament, as no single block commands enough majority to form the next long-overdue Iraqi government.
The latest political development in Iraq was the warning of Sadr Movement leader Muqtada al-Sadr in recent days when he announced the option of the opposition to form a new government within a coordinated framework.
Earlier, the strong man cleric announced his intention of becoming opposition in the next government, saying if it helped to form the government. Sadr's move leaves the impression on Iraqis and his voters that he is not a hurdle in forming the next cabinet but somebody who truly works to form the next government.
Muqtada has 73 loyal MPs in Baghdad, shy by tens of PMs for the absolute majority constitutionally required to form a cabinet. Other parliamentary blocs and alliances are short of forming the majority, and with Muqtada's move, the prospect of forming the next Iraqi government is unclear.
The PM decided to suspend the chairman and members of the standing committee of the ninth-grade national examinations and Qasim Akili, director-general of education in Rasafa II, over leaked national exam questions.
Al-Kadhimi stressed that the directorate of education of the region is responsible for overseeing the ninth grade and other grades and can coordinate with the Ministry of Education and the relevant parties.
National exams are regularly leaked before exams start. "I bought the questions for two hundred USD, one and half hours before the start of the exams," a ninth-grader told KurdSat English.
Ninth-grade national exams scheduled for June 2 were delayed indeterminably in all Iraqi governorates except the Kurdistan region after leaked math exam questions. The exam questions were soon posted on social media, available for every student to view before the exams started.
On June 4, Iraqi National Intelligence Service (INIS) announced the arrest of three education ministry employees involved in leaking the questions on direct orders from the prime minister. It is probably the first known case of an intelligence agency involved in securing exam questions. The INIS, in coordination with the interior and education ministries, launched an investigation into the incident.
Though leaking questions have become a phenomenon in Iraq, the PM’s decision is the first to investigate the misconduct.
The Security and Defense Committee of the Iraqi Parliament formed a commission to investigate Turkish attacks on the Kurdistan region, since the last month.
Hussein Al-Amiri, a Security and Defense Committee member, said that “the parliamentary committee discussed in detail the continuous aggression of Turkish forces on border towns, villages and cities within Iraqi territory, which have resulted in the loss of life and property.”
Recent Turkish attacks have resulted in the evacuation of villages and settlements across the Turkish-Kurdistan Region border.
“The committee has set up a research commission. This commission will soon visit the areas assaulted by the Turkish forces and prepare a detailed report for the Parliament,” Al-Amiri added.
Turkey has conducted two operations since 2022. It has established more than 50 military bases spread across the Turkish-Kurdistan Region border.
Acting Iraqi Electricity Minister Adel Karim said over 60 billion dinars had been spent on the electricity sector since the liberation process in 2003, the electricity sector has not improved to meet the country's needs.
He added that Iraq currently produces 19,000 megawatts of electricity. To supply 24/7 power to citizens, Iraq needs an extra 13,000 megawatts of electricity.
He noted that the food security law had allocated 2 billion and 700 million dinars for the electricity sector, which can solve the electricity problem to an extent.
Iraq faces electricity shortages in the summertime as its usage soars due to rising temperatures.
Kurdish factions in the Iraqi House of Representatives express their opposition to the food security support bill. A member of the House of Representatives says they will not vote for articles that do not guarantee the rights of the Kurdish people.
Narmin Maruf, a member of the Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, said that the food assistance bill provides food coupons for the Iraqis, plus three hundred and eight billion for the financial merits of farmers of the Kurdistan Region, who have sold their agricultural produce to Baghdad, waiting Baghdad to pay for their products.
A section of the bill provides a large budget for developing the Iraqi provinces, but the least attention is given to the Kurdistan region governorates. The section that excluded the rights of the people in the Kurdistan region is supported with an extra eight trillion Iraqi dinars.
She said that tomorrow, as Kurdish parties, they will vote for articles in the interests of the Kurdistan region but would not vote for other sections of the bill.
Harem Kamal Agha, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan faction in the Iraqi house of representatives, told Kurdsat News that the Kurdish factions and members of the Finance Committee met to discuss the food security emergency support bill. We unanimously support Kurdish rights.
He said the provisions in the people's interest include social welfare, food, electricity and wheat assistance, but 8 trillion dinars allocated for developing the governorates exclude the Kurdistan region.
The bill is scheduled to be voted in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
The two tourists stood before Karkh court in orangish prison uniforms. During the trial, the judge informed the convict that the death sentence had been reduced to 15 years in prison due to his age.
The court acquitted German tourist Volkar Waldman, saying there was no evidence to charge him, so the court ordered his immediate release.
According to Article 41 of the Iraqi Culture and Archeology Law, anyone who deliberately smuggles historical artefacts out of Iraq is punishable by death.
Fitton's lawyer said he was surprised by the verdict. Fitton did not know that the pottery fragments were considered artefacts. Fitton will appeal the ruling because there was no criminal intent, the lawyer said.
On March 20, the two tourists were arrested at Baghdad airport with 20 pieces of historical artefacts. Iraq is home to many historical sites dating back to different historical periods.
IS destroyed many historical sites in Iraq's western and northern regions in 2014. The terrorist organization smuggled artefacts out of the country. On July 25, 2014, IS destroyed the tomb of Jonah, known as Nabi Yunus in the Middle East. The tomb was a historical and cultural site visited by thousands every month.
On Monday, the Iraqi Observatory for Human Rights (IOHR) said Iraqi officials are ignoring climate change and have no plans to address it, warning that Iraq and its population are facing disaster due to drought and increased waves of dust, and a new wave of displacement is likely to occur, especially in the South. He called on them to take urgent measures to protect the lives of citizens and prevent their displacement.
A study by the Iraqi Ministry of Environment, viewed by the IOHR, indicates that 92 percent of Iraq's territory is subject to desertification.
Iraq is in the midst of a water scarcity crisis stemming from record low levels of rainfall, poor water resource management, and reductions in water flow into the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from upstream countries.
Drought conditions in Iraq have been exacerbated by the threat of climate change, which has contributed to record low rainfall and increasing temperatures throughout the country. As a result, the drought has affected northern Iraq since early 2021, while governorates in the South have witnessed decreased water supply and quality for several years.
Crop and livestock production have since plummeted, impacting vulnerable communities that have been affected by conflict and displacement over the last several years. At least seven million people in Iraq have been affected by the drought.
Recent dust storms have halted everyday life. Flights have been suspended, and schools closed. Yet, as the country recovers from the war on IS, climate change obscures its chances.
According to the Iraqi Ministry of Commerce, if the wheat received this year reaches 1.5 million tons, they would still need three more million tons of imported wheat.
Earlier, the Iraqi Ministry of Commerce requested the necessary budget to import wheat. It needs three months to reach the silos.
The war in Ukraine has increased the price of wheat globally. Recently, Iraq has come to depend on foreign grain, especially from Ukraine, Russia, and Canada.
Many Iraq regions have faced consecutive draught for the past four years, making a poor and little grain harvest.
IS terrorists assaulted the Iraqi army in the Bastamli region of Khurmatu district. The Iraqi army forces responded to an IS attack and pushed back the terrorist, leaving one Iraqi army soldier wounded, KurdSat News field correspondent reported.
Today a thick layer of dust blanketed Iraqi cities forcing the government to declare holidays and reducing visibility to only meters.
Iraqi army commanders say IS has taken advantage of the dust to move closer to Khurmatu district due to low visibility, killing several people.
Kirkuk’s Khurmato region has been a hot spot for IS terrorist activities in the past two years. The group covered by the dust could increase attacks and claim more lives with severe dust storms.
The member of the Integrity Committee said that there are many violations and waste of public funds and other corruption acts through contracts that have wasted Iraqi wealth. Hence, the committee intends to open all corruption cases in the coming day. All corruption cases of Kazemi's government will display in the House of Representatives.
Since the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003, successive Iraqi governments have been accused of grand corruption by siphoning off billions of dollars.
In 2021 Iraq was listed as the 20th most corrupt country in the world. Although, since assuming office in 2020, Mustafa Al- Khadimi promised to eradicate corruption and promote transparent governance, his government is frequently charged with corruption.
Iraqi Environment Minister Jassim Falahi, said, 'fighting climate change is a priority for the government, especially after waves of dust severely restricted movement in the country, and sent thousands to hospital.'
'The lack of greenery, and encroachment on green areas are increasing the impact of climate change,' Falahi added.
The minister announced that tackling climate change was a top priority for the government, and its recent decisions to prevent conversion of agricultural land for residential or investment purposes were to stop the decline of greenery in the country.
Thousands of people have been hospitalized in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region since the beginning of this year with one loosing his life to a dust storm.
The country has been facing consecutive draught since 2020. A United Nations report suggest that the 2020-2021 rainfall season was the second driest in the last 40 years, caused a reduction of water flow in Tigris and Euphrates by 29% and 73% respectively.
Turkey's controversial Ilisu Dam, has reduced fresh water in Iraq, putting millions of Iraqis living on the proximities of Tigris and Euphrates to lack fresh water.
Iraq is a country that experiences all major economic, security, political and environmental crisis simultaneously.
According to officials, the evacuation of 14 hamlets, most of which lie in the Salahadin Governorate, provides the opportunity for IS terrorists to use them as a refuge and threaten the provinces of Kirkuk, Salahadin, and Diyala.
Currently, a substantial security gap exists between Diyala and Salahadin, an opportunity that IS terrorists might take at any time.
The Popular Mobilization Forces announced they had successfully protected an area between Diyala and Salahadin.
IS has benefited the security vacuums in central and western Iraq. The terrorist organization uses villages as bases to attack Iraqi security forces or set up checkpoints in remote regions and kidnap civilians for ransom.
Saifi Badr, the spokesperson for the Iraqi ministry of health, said, "according to preliminary data, two thousand people have visited the hospitals, but no death is recorded.'
'the elderly and chronic disease patients shall stay home.' He assured that medicines and all health supplies were available.
The Iraqi Ministries of Higher Education and Education suspended exams in schools, universities, and colleges for today.
A public holiday was declared in Baghdad, Najaf, Babylon, Diyala, Kirkuk, Wasit, and Diwaniya provinces. Flights to Baghdad and Najaf airports have been suspended indefinitely.
‘138 people have been sent to hospitals this morning due to the dust storm. The dust is dangerous, and citizens should protect themselves,' Kirkuk health department announced.
Dust storms have been sweeping the country every two weeks since early 2022, which is unprecedented in the country's history.
The first signs of desertification are occurring throughout Iraq. Its freshwater supplies are diminishing, complemented by a frequent dust storm that potentially brings Iraq's economic activity to a halt.