The Global News Desk 115

Al-Kut, also known as Kut al-Imara, is mainly a Shia Muslim city in Iraq. BAGHDAD, Iraq  —   Police and health officials report that a massive fire in an al-Kut city superstore in eastern Iraq killed at least 60 people, with 11 still missing as of Thursday. Throughout the night, a major fire consumed the five-story self-service store in Al-Kut, while firefighters bravely fought to extinguish it, local media reported. The cause of the fire remains undetermined; however, the governor of the province has announced that preliminary investigation findings will be disclosed within two days.  No other piece of information about the deceased was immediately released by the Iraqi government authorities. Bodies were being taken to a hospital for identification.  "The governor informed the journalists, 'We have initiated legal action against the owner of the general store."

The 34th Arab League Summit kicked off in Baghdad on Saturday, focusing on Israel's war on Gaza and other regional issues.  Arab Summit 2025— Arab leaders at the 2025 Arab Summit highlighted the importance of Palestinian statehood and urged an urgent ceasefire in Gaza. They also discussed resolving some problems in Syria, Libya, Sudan, and Lebanon.  The decision was made as Israel continues its severe strikes on the Palestinian territory, leading to the loss of thousands of innocent civilian lives. The Gaza Health Ministry reported in early May that since October 7, 2023, the death toll in the ongoing Israeli conflict has risen to 53,272, with 120,673 individuals injured. During the Arab Summit 2025, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Abbas underscored the importance of Muslim solidarity and called for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine. Abbas urged Arab countries to come together and develop a plan to end the Gaza war and achieve "peace." He emphasized the importance of unity and...

The Gaza Government Media Office reports that 409 media activists and more than 210 journalists have been killed since Israel launched its bombardment on Gaza in October 2023. Since October 7, 2023, a total of 211 journalists, including 28 women, have died in Gaza.  This verified information highlights the severe risks media professionals face in conflict areas and the crisis's deep impact on truth-tellers.  This tragic toll underscores the dangerous conditions journalists endure to provide news globally. UNESCO says that at least 47 journalists have been killed while working. Meanwhile, the Palestinian authority's media office in Gaza reports that Israeli occupation forces have detained 48 journalists, with many experiencing torture while in custody.

TEHRAN, Iran —  The explosion at Bandar Abbas port devastated the Shahid Rajaee section, resulting in hundreds of injuries and 25 fatalities.  The explosion was reported at approximately 12:30 a.m. local time (2100 GMT/2:00 a.m. PKT) on Saturday. State media reported that an explosion occurred at the Shahid Rajaee port section after a fuel tanker blew up for unknown reasons.  The injured were quickly taken to different medical facilities across Hormozgan, leading local authorities to declare a state of emergency in the city.  This urgent measure ensured that medical staff and resources were ready and available to effectively manage the situation and provide the necessary care to those affected. The explosion was exceedingly violent, resulting in the shattering of windows and doors in nearby buildings and causing significant damage to vehicles, and  could be heard up to 55 kilometers away. The Bandar Abbas port is located in the Central District of Bandar Ab...

On Saturday, Iran and the United States announced that they will hold more talks next week.  Through an Omani official serving as a mediator, Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi exchanged messages. Both sides have classified Muscat's first round of indirect talks as productive. Iranian state TV said that the nuclear talks between the two countries happened in a "positive vibe. On April 13, President Trump stated that the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran in Oman are "progressing well." He made an announcement while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One before attending a UFC event in Miami.

President Masoud Pezeshkian of Iran posits that the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia have the potential to serve as a paradigm for regional cooperation. Masood added that Islamic countries must unite to achieve peace, security, and lasting economic growth in the region. He made these remarks during a Thursday meeting with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and his delegation.  Press TV reported that the Iranian president stressed the strong religious, cultural, and historical ties among Islamic countries and called for greater unity. "We consider you brothers, and ever since this government has started, we've been striving to strengthen the bonds among Islamic nations," adding that if Islamic countries come together in genuine unity, the Israeli regime wouldn't be able to cause tragedies like those occurring in Gaza today. The Saudi defense minister extended cordial greetings from His Majesty the King of Saudi Arabia and the Crown Prince to the...

"The Israeli military isn't relocating people from cleared areas as it used to," Israel Katz said on Wednesday. The Israeli defense minister, Israel Katz, has announced his intention to maintain its  armed forces' presence   in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza.  The Israeli government contends that these forces will remain in these regions indefinitely due to strategic imperatives and security concerns.  This decision underlines Israel's commitment to safeguarding its borders and ensuring stability in these areas, Israel said.  Meanwhile,  the Gaza Government Media Office reported that since the event on October 7, 2023, Israel has caused the deaths of over 61,700 Palestinians, including 17,881 children, 214 newborns, and 36,500 students who have been killed or injured by the IDF.  Under the pretext of the event of October 7, 2023, which involved Israeli civilian casualties, substantial portions of the border regions of Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza have been ...

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Friday that up to 136 people had been killed in a clash between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed rebels.  The Observatory claimed that clashes between the SDF and rebels also claimed the lives of 20 innocent people.  Heavy armament and Turkish drone assistance have been applied in a conflict, which is focused on significant locations such as the Tishrin Dam and the Qaraqozak Bridge. Both sides claim gains. 35 SDF soldiers, 81 members of a Turkish-backed militia, and 20 civilians, including a Turkish journalist and two children, were killed in the crossfire in 15 days, according to SOHR. US troops have set up a temporary outpost in northern and eastern Syria to discuss and ease conflicts.  

The Palestinian health ministry reported that Israeli airstrikes in Gaza on Saturday martyred at least 22 Palestinians. After recent brutal bombings on the Gaza Strip, Palestinians' death toll increased to 44,930 martyred and 106,624 wounded.  Doctors said in a statement that an assault near the municipality building in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, where civilians had gathered to receive aid, killed at least 10 people. According to a Gaza source, the assault martyred Diab Ali al-Jaru, the leader of the Hamas administrative committee in central Gaza, wounded were transported to the hospital. 4 others were killed in another incident in the area.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia  —  FIFA, the worldwide governing body of men's football, has announced that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 tournament, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco sharing the hosting responsibilities for the 2030 tournament.  The report said that to celebrate the competition's 100th anniversary, the 2030 tournament shall include matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.  The hosts of both World Cups were confirmed after a vote during Wednesday's Special Fifa Session.  Before the approval, Fifa Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom said that "all 211 member associations have effectively cast their vote before the conference" and that there was only one voting option for each of the three decisions.   Switzerland's Football Association (FA) said on Tuesday that it will approve Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup, but that FIFA and the International Labour Organization must observe human rights. Norway decided not to participate du...

Damascus, Syria  —  Russia has granted asylum to Bashar Assad, the former president of Syria, and his family on humanitarian grounds, according to a Kremlin security source. A Kremlin security source said Assad and his family arrived in Moscow on Sunday and were given asylum.  Additionally, it explained that Russia had given them refuge based on humanitarian grounds. RIA Novosti, a Russian state-run news agency, also confirmed that Asad and his family arrived in Moscow yesterday.  Al-Assad, who resigned after armed groups presently serving as Syria's transitional government forces took over Damascus on Sunday, had reportedly moved to Moscow with his family, according to reputable sources quoted by Russia's Vesti Nedelya news agency.

GULF NEWS —  Hamas gunman shoots at an Israeli civilians' bus in the West Bank, injuring 8 including 4 IDF members, 3 of whom are in critical condition. At least 8 people were wounded including 3 gravely injured, when a Hamas carried out the attack on a civilian bus near the West Bank town of Ariel on Friday. Hamas's armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, took responsibility for the shooting and revealed the shooter as Samir Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, 46, of the Einabus hamlet adjacent to Nablus.  After the shooting incident, security forces shot and killed the shooter. An initial Israeli military investigation found that the assailant drove from the Tapuah Junction to Gitai Avisar, a route free of internal checkpoints. The shooter parked his car on the side of the road, a few meters from a bus stop, and started fire on the bus as he approached it by foot, according to the IDF.

Gulf News —  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson said the Israeli cabinet is prepared to endorse a potential ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.  At a security conference with Israeli officials on Sunday evening, Netanyahu said he could endorse the Hezbollah ceasefire agreement. He said that he approved the ceasefire strategy on Monday. He further added that continued exchange fire between Israel and Hezbollah might change the scenario.  However, later Monday evening, a Lebanese official engaged in conversations confirmed that a ceasefire is likely to be declared "within 24 hours."  Several Lebanese government sources report that Lebanon has already agreed to the US-backed idea with Hezbollah's support. Israel has massacred and injured over 100,000 people in Palestine and Lebanon since October 7, 2023, including the families of the leaders of Hamas and Hizbollah.  Arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minis...

The Irish government has taken out millions of euros from several Israeli firms. About 3 million euros have been pulled from the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) global equities portfolio by the Irish National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA), according to a statement made by Yedioth Ahronot on Friday.  The move to divest includes shareholdings worth a total of 2.95 million euros in 6 entities: Bank Hapoalim BM, Bank Leumi-le Israel BM, Israel Discount Bank, Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd, First International Bank, and Rami Levi Chain Stores. Irish Finance Minister Michael McGrath described the measure as the "right decision." "ISIF believed that the risk profile of these investments no longer fits within its investment parameters and that the commercial objectives of these investments may be accomplished through other investments. " The decision will be implemented as soon as possible in the coming weeks," he added.  Irish Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik ...

As per the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Israel killed 83 Palestinian journalists in the Gaza Strip since October 7. The Israeli army has also executed the families of numerous journalists.  The Syndicate claimed to have proof of the Israeli army's killing of 83 journalists and the injuries of over ninety-nine more with its shells and missiles.  It further pointed out that the targeting of Palestinian reporters, which usually happens with the targeting of their families, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of the reporters' family members.  Wa'el Dahdouh, the Al-Jazeera office in Gaza, lost fourteen family members in the rocket attack that targeted their home, including his wife, son, daughter, and grandson is the worst example of Israeli atrocities against the Journalists.  Furthermore, when the Israeli army fired missiles at Wa'el Sharafi's home, the journalist from Al-Jazeera lost his parents and twenty family members, including his siblings and their fam...

Mohammad Hamada, the spokesman for the Palestinian Resistance Movement (Hamas), was martyred by Zionist forces in northern Gaza.  As per a Saturday report from Palestine's Maan news, Hamada, who was also a member of the Hamas communication center, was killed as a result of Israel's recent air strikes on Jabalia in northern Gaza by the Zionist tyranny.  In September 2023, during an interview with the Islamic Republic News Agency, Hamada underlined that the reasons for the increased aggression were the US's support of the occupiers, Europe's apathy, and some Arab states' rush to establish diplomatic ties with the regime. According to reliable sources who talked to Maan, the Hamas spokesman passed away a few days ago during the Zionist onslaught.  Hamada from occupied Quds was one of the Palestinian detainees released in 2011 as part of a prisoner swap arrangement with the Zionist authorities and lived in the diaspora in Gaza.

Baghdad, Iraq - Yahya Rasul, the spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces, said on Friday that the Iraqi army had killed 13 ISIL militants across the country. According to al Sumeria news, an Iraqi forces command spokesman reported that Iraqi security forces found isis members during operations in Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Diyala provinces. He said that Iraqi air force raids in the kara Chok mountains in Iraq's Mahmur province killed Islamic State fighters. Haider Jawad Kadhim al-Abadi had declared victory against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIL) in July 2017, when Mosul city was collapsed to Iraqi forces, however, some remaining elements are spreading chaos and havoc to penetrate security forces and civilians in order to expand further control in the strategic constituencies of Iraq and Syria.

Tehran - According to the state news agency IRNA, a high-ranking Iranian scholar was stabbed on Friday.  It further reported that the incident took place in the central city of Isfahan.   The cleric was slightly injured and his life is not in danger.  The neck of Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabai-Nejad was scratched in an attack, police said. Security officers apprehended the attacker, who was around 25 years old, according to Hassan Shahzeydi, the cleric's deputy.  According to semi-official news, Ayatollah was  relocated after treatment and looked unhurt in an interview with state television.  "It was a young man who had a problem and suddenly attacked, and he couldn't do anything except hit my neck with a blow, but he was restrained.  His intent must be investigated "In the interview, Isfahan's Friday prayers imam, Ayatollah Yousef Tabatabai-Nejad, said.  Two Iranian clerics were stabbed to death and one was injured in April at the country's...

The gunman killed at least five people in Bnei Brak city before being shot and killed.  According to local media, the incident took place on Tuesday in Bnei Brak, an ultra-Orthodox suburb of the Israeli city of Tel Aviv. "Sadly, we must release information that five people have died," said Magen David Adom, the head of the emergency services. According to a ZAKA rescue service spokesperson, one more person suffered serious injuries. Police said that a man with an assault rifle opened fire on people in Bnei Brak, east of Tel Aviv, at two different locations. When the cops arrived, they shot him dead.  To stem the tide of violence, Israel's Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett, has convened an emergency meeting of top security officials. Nearly a dozen Israelis were killed during the week of violent attacks in Israel.   As per Israeli media outlets, most of the attacks were staged by ISIS elements.  

On Sunday, two Arab gunmen killed two policemen on a lane avenue in a town in Israel before being shot dead as the US secretary of state and three Arab foreign ministers arrived for a summit.  Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in a message posted on its Telegram channel.  According to Israeli security officials, the two attackers in Hadera, a town about 50 kilometers north of Tel Aviv, were Israeli Arab citizens and sympathizers of ISIS "We condemn today's terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel," tweeted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. "We are with our Israeli partners and offer our condolences to the families of the victims," ​​ Antony Blinken  added further. The attack came five days after an Arab from southern Israel killed at least four Israelis with a knife and crashed into a vehicle in Beersheba.   The authorities did not immediately reveal any additional information on the deceased or assailants.