Day: August 24, 2024

Kamala Harris, Democratic candidate for the US presidential elections, pledged to reach a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Harris said that if she becomes President of the United States, she will stand by Ukraine but will never “court” dictators “unlike” her Republican opponent Donald Trump.

Speaking about the war in Gaza, the US Vice President stressed to her supporters at the Democratic Party conference that “now is the time to achieve an agreement on the hostages and a ceasefire agreement.”

Harris said that she is working with President Joe Biden “to end this war so that Israel is safe, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends, and the Palestinian people can exercise their right to dignity, security, freedom and self-determination.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

US President Joe Biden discussed last night in two phone calls with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad, the latest developments in the joint mediation efforts to end the war on the Gaza Strip.

The Spokesman for the Egyptian presidency, Ahmed Fahmy, stated in a statement via Facebook that Biden’s call with President Sisi “came within the framework of the intensive mediation efforts made by the two countries to stop the ceasefire in Gaza and exchange detainees.”

He explained that the two presidents reviewed during the call the latest developments in the negotiation round currently hosted by Cairo, noting that they “stressed the importance of the commitment of the concerned parties to overcome obstacles and show flexibility to complete the agreement.”

For his part, the Egyptian president stressed that “reaching an immediate ceasefire agreement is of utmost importance at this critical time, whether to put an end to the catastrophic humanitarian suffering in the
Strip, or to end the escalation and spare the region the woes of expanding the scope of the conflict, with its serious repercussions on all the peoples of the region.”

In Doha, the Qatari Emiri Diwan said in a statement that Biden’s call with Emir Tamim addressed “developments in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, and joint mediation efforts to end the war on the Strip.”

On August 15 and 16, the Qatari capital, Doha, hosted a round of talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and a prisoner exchange, at the conclusion of which the mediators announced that Washington had submitted a new agreement proposal to narrow the gaps between Israel and Hamas.

Meanwhile, an Israeli security delegation arrived in Cairo last Thursday to participate in the ceasefire talks in Gaza, with negotiations expected to resume today, Saturday, or tomorrow, Sunday.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said yesterday, Friday, that “the meetings that took place on Thursday between the Egyptian and Israeli delegations did not result in
any progress,” without mentioning further details.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The Pentagon reported that the new US aid package to Ukraine, worth $ 125 million, will include Javelin anti-tank groups, artillery shells, and rockets for HIMARS launchers.

According to the US Department of Defense, the new batch of aid included medical equipment (unknown), Javelin and AT-4 groups, 155 and 150 mm artillery shells, and rocket shells for HIMARS launchers.

In addition, the United States will deliver to Ukraine equipment and ammunition dedicated to combating drones and high-mobility ambulances (HMMWV).

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed the government’s intention to develop legislation to protect bloggers and support their work within the framework of the law and support credibility.

A statement by the Prime Minister’s media office stated: “Al-Sudani received, today, Saturday, the content makers participating in the (Flood Path) conference for bloggers, which was recently hosted by the capital, Baghdad.”

Al-Sudani, according to the statement, blessed the convening of the conference and the goals it adopted in supporting the just cause of the steadfast Palestinian people, and conveying a realistic picture of the crime committed against them, stressing that “Baghdad always welcomes everything that brings together positions supporting stability and media activities that present the truth and expose the media falsehood that contributed to passing the aggression.”

Al-Sudani reiterated that “the international community and major countries have failed to take positions that stop the (genocide) of
the Palestinians.”

He explained that “there are attempts to reduce the Palestinian issue to a normalization process here or there,” stressing that “the Palestinian people are the owners of the issue and the decision.”

The Prime Minister explained that “thanks to a number of bloggers with a living conscience, and thanks to citizen journalism, the true picture was conveyed that exposes the ugliness of the crime, so that public opinion around the world receives information without falsification, which is a great and honorable position in shedding light on what is happening, and innocent journalists and bloggers have been martyred while conveying the truth, especially since many of them are subjected to harassment in the West Because of these positions.

He pointed out: “The government’s position expresses the position of all the Iraqi people, with their various segments, spectrums and societal activities, most notably the supreme religious authority, and the effort to stop the aggression. Bloggers have previou
sly contributed to exposing ISIS crimes, as attempts to hide the truth will continue, in parallel with killing and targeting,” stressing the government’s intention to put in place legislation to protect bloggers and support their work within the framework of the law and support credibility.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced that Tehran is working on a plan regarding the war in Gaza.

Araghchi said in a television interview: “Regarding the insistence of some countries on ceasefire negotiations in Gaza without considering the desires of the Palestinian people, and regardless of Iran’s positions, our foreign policy will try to intervene effectively in this area.”

He added: “I asked my colleagues in the Foreign Ministry to develop a plan in this area, and we hope to have a specific plan and move based on that plan, and as the whole world recognizes Iran’s role in the field, it must also recognize our presence and political role.”

He added: “Certainly, we will support the people of Lebanon, the oppressed people of Palestine, especially in Gaza, the people of Yemen, and anywhere else in the Islamic world, especially in Al-Quds axis area,” indicating: “The resistance will be part of the policies of the fourteenth government, which does not change.”

Araghchi had previously confirmed t
hat Tehran seeks to manage the conflict with the United States, not to resolve it, noting that reviving the nuclear agreement and negotiations to lift sanctions have become difficult. He also confirmed to his British and French counterparts ‘Iran’s right to respond to the criminal and terrorist act carried out by the Zionist entity in Tehran,’ in reference to the assassination of the head of the political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, on July 31 in Tehran.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

Kirkuk Provincial Council held its first meeting since the formation of the local government, in the absence of representatives of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, the Arab Alliance and the Turkmen Front.

NINA’s correspondent said that the session, which was chaired by Council Chairman Mohammed Al-Hafez and attended by nine members, discussed supporting the free lecturers and guards and the mechanism for launching the appointment link and salaries for food security contracts.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

The leader of the National Coalition, Iyad Allawi, expressed his rejection of attempts by some political blocs to amend the Personal Status Law.

Allawi stressed during his meeting with a delegation of members of the 188 Alliance that these amendments are unacceptable and raise many questions.

He added that the situation in the country requires proceeding with the legislation or amendment of basic laws for the individual and society that address many issues such as poverty and unemployment, not amending a law in a way that threatens the unity of Iraqi society, exacerbates divisions, and enhances sectarianism and denominationalism.

Allawi called on the national political forces to overcome secondary differences and focus on the essential issues that affect the lives of the Iraqi citizen.

He stressed that preoccupation with issues that provoke divisions does not serve the interests of Iraq and its people.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency