Twin suicide attacks leave scores dead in southern Iraq

Agencies
September 15, 2017

Iraq, Sept 15: At least 74 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in twin gun-and-car bomb attacks near the city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq.

The attacks in the southern province of Thi Qar on Thursday started with unidentified gunmen opening fire inside a restaurant on the main highway that links the capital Baghdad with the southern provinces.

Shortly afterwards, an explosives-laden car targeted a security checkpoint in the same area.

"There are now 74 deaths and 93 wounded," said Abdel Hussein al-Jabri, Thi Qar's deputy health chief.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the suicide attacks, according to the group's Amaq news agency.

Yahya al-Nassiri, provincial governor, told AP news agency the majority of the dead were likely Iranian visitors who were inside the restaurant.

Thi Qar is located about 320km southeast of Baghdad.

Al Jazeera's Imran Khan, reporting from the northern city of Erbil, said southern Iraq has been spared much of the violence that the rest of the country has suffered, particularly in the west and north.

The latest attacks follow a series of setbacks that ISIL has faced at the hands of US-backed Iraqi forces.

In July, Iraq retook control of Mosul, a key ISIL stronghold in the north, after a campaign of nearly nine months.

In August, Iraqi forces dislodged ISIL from 70 percent of Tal Afar in northwest Iraq.

ISIL still controls the town of Hawija in the oil-rich province of Kirkuk and western areas in the country's largest province of Anbar.

"This is a message really from the ISIL group saying that you may have beaten us in Tal Afar and Mosul and surrounded us in Hawija, but we are still able to attack you in places that you wouldn't expect," said Khan.

"This is a real challenge for the Iraqis - do they move troops to the south or continue their battle up in Hawija?" he said.

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News Network
April 20,2020

Sharjah, Apr 20: Air Arabia announced on Monday it will operate new repatriation flights from four cities in India to Sharjah carrying UAE nationals back home.

The special flights will operate from Mumbai and Delhi to Sharjah International Airport on April 20 while special flights will operate from Kochi and Hyderabad to Sharjah International Airport on April 22.

Air Arabia remains committed to bring stranded citizens back home as well as supporting requests to operate repatriation flights and is working closely with UAE authorities in this regard, the airline said.

Air Arabia announced earlier that it’s operating a mix of repatriation flights as well as cargo flights during the month of April to multiple destinations.

Further information about the repatriation and cargo flights is available on the website or can be obtained by contacting the Air Arabia call centre on 06 5580000 or respective travel agent.

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News Network
April 23,2020

Dubai, Apr 23: UAE announced on Thursday 4 deaths, 518 new coronavirus cases and 91 recoveries.

According to the Ministry of Health and Prevention, an additional 29,000 COVID-19 tests were performed, which revealed 518 new positive cases, bringing the total number of cases to 8,756. The new patients identified are in a stable condition and undergoing treatment, according to the ministry.

UAEGov

@uaegov
 · 4h
An additional 29,000 Covid-19 tests were performed, which revealed 518 new cases bringing the total number of cases to 8756. The new cases identified are in a stable condition and undergoing treatment, @mohapuae announced today. #UAEGov

UAEGov

@uaegov
Also, @mohapuae announced that four Asian expats who tested positive for COVID-19 died due to complications. This brings the total death toll to 56. The Ministry of Health and Prevention expressed sincere condolences to the families of the deceased.

The ministry announced that four Asian expats who tested positive for COVID-19 died due to complications. This brings the total deaths to 56. The ministry expressed sincere condolences to the families of the deceased.

The total number of recovered cases has reached 1,637 with 91 patients fully recovered on Thursday, after receiving treatment.

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News Network
January 16,2020

Dubai, Jan 16: The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment on Wednesday announced that it has banned the import of birds, some eggs and meat products from Hungary and Slovakia.

The ministry said the decision was taken following a notification from the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) on the outbreak of a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N2, in the two countries.

Accordingly, the ministry has banned "the import of all species of domestic and wild live birds, ornamental birds, chicks, hatching eggs, meats and meat products and non-heat-treated wastes from Hungary and Slovakia".

It has also regulated the import of poultry meat and non-heat-treated products, requiring a health certificate for the export of meat and meat products from the two countries to release consignments into the UAE.

A health certificate will be needed for the import of eggs, the ministry added.

However, thermally-treated poultry products (meat and eggs) have been cleared for import from all parts of Hungary and Slovakia.

Kaltham Ali Kayaf, Acting Director, Animal Development & Health Department at the ministry, said: "These measures reiterate the ministry's keenness in achieving its strategic objectives including enhancing bio-security levels and eliminating pathogens before they enter the country. In doing so, the ministry prevents the bird flu virus and related risks and impacts on the country's poultry health and safety, in addition to protecting public health and well-being."

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