Latest news with #Iraqis
Shafaq News
an hour ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
47,000 Iraqis left Turkiye in 2024
Shafaq News – Ankara/Baghdad A total of 47,517 Iraqis left Turkiye for other countries in 2024, according to data released by the Turkish Statistical Institute on Saturday. The figure marks a notable drop from the 66,300 departures recorded in 2023. Despite the decline, Iraqis remained the largest group of foreign nationals exiting the country, followed by Afghans and Russians.
Shafaq News
18 hours ago
- Health
- Shafaq News
Rwanga Foundation rescues ailing Erbil Kolbar with furnished house
Shafaq News – Erbil The Rwanga Foundation in Erbil has donated a fully furnished home to a young Kolbar* suffering from kidney disease, honoring his resilience and daily struggle to support his family amid severe economic and health challenges. In a statement on Friday, the foundation said its team, under the direction of its President Idris Nechirvan Barzani, visited Aland Hamid Rashid, a young man whose story went viral this week after he appeared in a video speaking about the high cost of living and his fight against illness. Despite suffering from a serious kidney condition, Rashid works from 7 am until nightfall, earning just 5,000 Iraqi dinars (about $4) per day to help provide for his family. The foundation described Rashid as a symbol of 'hope, dignity, and strength,' and said the gift of a home reflects Rwanga's broader mission to support vulnerable Iraqis facing extreme hardship. 'This initiative embodies our core values of compassion, solidarity, and empowerment,' Rwanga said in its statement, reaffirming its commitment to uplifting individuals who demonstrate courage and perseverance in the face of adversity. Rwanga, a non-governmental organization based in Erbil, has been active since September 2013 and operates across Iraq in four main sectors: education, youth, environment, and vulnerable communities.
Focus Malaysia
a day ago
- Politics
- Focus Malaysia
Israel-Iran conflict: When will the West learn?
THE world once again watched in alarm as the United States (US) launched military strikes against Iran, citing concerns over its nuclear weapons development. The international reaction has been largely cautious, with many nations urging diplomacy over aggression. But for those who remember the early 2000s, this latest development feels eerily familiar. History, it seems, is repeating itself and the lessons of the past remain unheeded. In 2003, the US, backed by Britain, Australia and other allies, invaded Iraq under the claim that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). That assertion was later proven to be false. No WMDs were ever found, and the war, arguably based on a fabricated premise, led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, destabilised an entire region, and fuelled a generation of extremism. Yet, two decades later, not a single senior figure from the US or Britain faced civil or criminal liability. No tribunal, no sanctions, no legal consequences for initiating what some international law experts have labelled a 'crime of aggression'. The architects of the war continued their careers, published memoirs, gave lectures, and disappeared into quiet obscurity. Justice, for Iraq and for the world, was never served. Now, the same narrative is playing out with Iran. Allegations of nuclear weapons development, despite Iran's repeated insistence that its nuclear program is civilian in nature, are being used to justify military action. Meanwhile, the same countries that invaded Iraq with righteous fury remain silent about North Korea, a nation that has not only developed nuclear weapons but has conducted multiple missile tests aimed at showcasing its long-range strike capabilities. North Korea's Hwasong-14 and -15 missiles, launched in 2017, demonstrated potential range to strike US territories. As recently as 2024, North Korea conducted mock nuclear warhead launches and fired dozens of short-range ballistic missiles in defiance of US-South Korean military drills. Despite these provocations, the US has refrained from military strikes. Why the double standard? The answer may lie in geography, risk, and resources. North Korea, while dangerous, does not sit atop vast oil reserves. It is also bordered by China, a military and nuclear superpower, making any aggressive miscalculation potentially catastrophic. Iran and Iraq, on the other hand, are oil-rich nations located in a region where the US has long sought influence through both diplomacy and force. Control of oil routes, access to resources, and support for regional allies like Israel and Saudi Arabia have all contributed to the Middle East being a frequent target of Western military interventions. But what is often overlooked in this calculus is the human and cultural cost of these interventions. Iraq is not just a battlefield: it is Mesopotamia, the cradle of civilisation, home to some of the world's earliest writings, laws, and cities. Iran is not merely a 'nuclear threat': it is Persia, a land of poets, scientists, and empires that shaped human history. To reduce these nations to talking points in a geopolitical chess game is to insult their legacy and ignore their potential. If we continue to allow military might to dictate global norms without accountability, we not only erode the principles of international law, we risk destroying civilisations that have enriched humanity for millennia. The world deserves better than a system where power excuses everything and history is rewritten by the victors. The cradle of Mesopotamia, the gardens of Persia, the philosophies, the poetry, the science—these are not threats. They are treasures. And if they are lost, it will not be the fault of tyrants alone, but of those who stood by while empires masked greed as justice. Let us finally hold to account those who manipulate truth to justify violence. If the West is sincere in its pursuit of justice, it must understand that peace is not imposed; it is earned through humility, restraint, and the courage to see others as equals. ‒ June 27, 2025 Dr Sheila Ramalingam is the Deputy Executive Director of UMLEAD, International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), and Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya. The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia. Main image: Reuters
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Al-Sistani representative urges tighter arms control in Iraq
Shafaq News – Karbala On Thursday, a senior representative of Iraq's top Shiite authority warned that the country remains exposed to escalating regional conflict, urging the state to control arms and corruption. During a ceremony marking the start of the month of Muharram on the Hijri calendar, and the symbolic changing of the Imam Hussein shrine's banner in Karbala*, Sheikh Abdul-Mahdi al-Karbalai, representing Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, described the current regional landscape as a 'battle between justice and tyranny,' cautioning that Iraq cannot remain insulated from its consequences. 'These are not distant developments,' he emphasized. 'Iraqis must remain vigilant and help lay the foundation for a stable, well-governed state.' The cleric urged national leaders to act with integrity and prioritize public welfare. 'Those in charge must fear God, protect the country's gains, and address challenges without retreating, despite setbacks and accumulated failures,' he asserted. Sheikh al-Karbalai also called for correcting the country's political trajectory, curbing external interference, and enforcing a monopoly on arms through official state institutions. *Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar and holds deep religious significance for Muslims, particularly Shiites. Its 10th day, known as Ashura, commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein ibn Ali—the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad—who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqis acquire 480 homes in Turkiye by May 2025
Shafaq News – Turkiye Iraq ranked fifth globally in home purchases in Turkiye during the first five months of 2025, with a total of 480 properties bought by Iraqi nationals, according to new data from the Turkish Statistical Institute. The institute's report shows that Iraqi buyers acquired 103 homes in January, followed by 99 in February, 72 in March, 70 in April, and a rebound to 107 in May. This represents an 8.54% increase compared to the same period in 2024, when Iraqis bought 439 homes. However, it marks a sharp 68.5% decline from 2023, when purchases totaled 809 homes during the same timeframe. Russia topped the list of foreign homebuyers in Turkiye during the January–May period with 1,329 properties, followed by Iran with 709, Ukraine with 537, and Germany with 460. Iraqis had led foreign home purchases in Turkiye from 2015 until early 2021, when they dropped to second place behind Iran. Since April 2022, Iraq has maintained a lower ranking, overtaken by Russian dominance in the Turkish property market.
