Category: General

The Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of two drug traffickers with 180,000 Captagon pills in their possession in Babylon.

The ministry said in a statement that “Babylon’s anti-drug police arrested two drug traffickers, and seized 180,000 Captagon pills in their possession in flagrante delicto,” noting that “the necessary legal measures were taken against them in accordance with the provisions of Article (28) drugs for the crime of drug trafficking, to obtain their punishment.”

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

ABU DHABI, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Al Shaiba Saeed Al Hameli Group of EST. (Al Firas General Cont and Maint Est), on the rehabilitation and employment of people of determination. ZHO allocates part of the mechanics workshop in its Department of Vocational and Agricultural Rehabilitation for training its candidate employees by the Group to repair manual and electronic equipment, and to hire four students of determination at the Group.

The MoU was signed by the ZHO’s Secretary General, Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan, and the Group’s Executive Director, Firas Fouad Meshaal. A number of leaders from both sides attended the signing ceremony that took place at ZHO’s headquarters.

According to the MoU, the Group will provide the necessary equipment and a specialized technician to train people of determination who are candidates for work on the use of machines and equipment designated for the training program, and grant four job opportunities for ZHO’s people of determination who hold a high school certificate, to be followed by another group, according to the vacancies available at the Group.

Abdullah Al-Humaidan welcomed the MoU’s signing with Al Shaiba Saeed Al Hameli Group of EST., calling it a positive step that confirms the commitment of establishments and companies to provide job opportunities for people of determination. “We strongly encourage and support these efforts, and welcome the efforts made by national companies to achieve our main goal of empowering and integrating our affiliates into society, creating job opportunities for them at the private sector, and enabling them to engage effectively in social and economic life,” he said.

He added, “We believe that investing in the employment of people of determination is an investment in the future, as it helps achieve sustainable development and encourages innovation and creativity in the economic and social system”.

In this vein, he called on all economic entities and national companies to adopt this approach and work to provide job opportunities for people of determination for a more equitable society and sustainable and inclusive development for all, expressing his happiness with the success achieved by people of determination in the jobs they get, a distinguished quantum leap for them and their families.

For his part, Firas Meshaal said, “In line with the vision of the wise leadership to achieve cooperation and shared coordination between public and private entities and establishments to serve people of determination and in implementation of its directives to provide equal and fair employment opportunities for citizens of determination in the private sector and their right to work to become active individuals and contributors to the process of construction and development.

” It is our pleasure and honor that Al Firas General Cont is a contributing and effective element in achieving this vision.”

He extended his thanks to ZHO and its officials for their great efforts to hone the talents of people of determination, develop their skills and integrate them into public and private jobs, stressing the Group’s continuous support and full commitment to achieving the wise leadership’s vision that supports people of determination.

Source: Emirates News Agency

The Turkish Defense Forces announced that 9 PKK militants were killed in an air strike in northern Iraq.

The Turkish defense stated in a statement today that one of the Turkish army units in charge of operations to Lock Claw in northern Iraq monitored the movements of a number of PKK fighters, as the Turkish warplanes launched an air strike on the locations of the militants, killing nine of them.

The Turkish army carried out a large-scale military operation on April 18 of last year, and it is still ongoing, dubbed Lock Claw, against the strongholds of the PKK in the regions of Matina, Zab, Afshin and Bazian in northern Iraq.

Source: National Iraqi News Agency

BILBAO, UAE Team Emirates hit the main goal of the kick-off of the Tour de France 2023 by winning stage one (Bilbao-Bilbao,182 km) and obtaining the first yellow jersey with Adam Yates, sweetening the deal with the third place by Tadej Pogaar, who paid a visit to the podium for receiving the white jersey.

Yates obtained his first stage victory in the Grande Boucle by preceding his twin Simon (Jayco Alula) on the final hill to the arrival, after that the duo had gone clear from a selected group of top riders at 9 km to go, on the downhill from the Cote de Pike.

Previously, UAE Team Emirates had worked hard in order to set a high pace in the peloton, especially with Mikkel Bjerg, Felix Grossschartner and Yates.

Tadej Pogaar was at the front of the race following main rival Jonas Vingegaard: the two main contenders had also led for some hundreds meters the stage together with the French rider Victor Lafay (Cofidis) on the hill of the Cote de Pike.

Yates’ victory is the 40th seasonal one for UAE Team Emirates, 22nd in the career for the British rider, who spent 4 days in the yellow jersey already in 2020 edition.

Adam Yates said: “Honestly, I don’t even know what to say. I’m just super happy. It’s always a big honor and a privilege to win a stage at the Tour de France. We set up the climb for Tadej [Pogacar], and then he attacked but they looked at each other in the descent, and I came back. Then I attacked from behind and my brother came across to me, so we could work together. At first, I didn’t know if I should work with him, so I asked on the radio and they told me to go. I knew Simon was doing well. We speak every day, as we are very close. To share this experience with him is very nice. He did most of the work at the front, and I could even skip some turns. I wish he had taken it a bit easier, though, as he almost dropped me in one moment! I had the Yellow Jersey once, in 2020, and back then it was a special moment. But as of now I just want to keep my feet on the ground. Tadej is the boss. He has proven to be the best in the world. Over the next three weeks, he will show it again. I’m not the leader of the team, but rather a support rider for Tadej. From here on, it’s all for Tadej and I’m sure we are going to do a good job at taking the race on and gaining as much time as possible with him.”

Stage 2 will start from Vitoria Gasteiz and will end in San Sebastian at the end of a 208,9 km course which will have the passage on the iconic climb of Jaizkibel (at -15,5 km from the arrival) as a key moment.

Stage 1 results 1. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 42’49” 2. Simon Yates (Jayco Alula) +4″ 3. Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates) +12″

General classification after stage 1 1. Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) 42’39” 2. Simon Yates (Jayco Alula) +8″ 3. Tadej Pogaar (UAE Team Emirates) +18″

Source: Emirates News Agency

The Baltimore Police Department is investigating a mass shooting in which 30 people were gunned down at a block party in the US city of Baltimore.

Acting Commissioner Richard Worley said police received “numerous calls” about a shooting in the 800 block of Greta Avenue just after 12:30am local time.

He said 30 people were shot, three of which are in a critical condition and two are dead.

“This is an extensive crime scene, our detectives are going to be here quite a while,” he said.

The mayor of Baltimore, Brandon Scott, said the city was “grieving the lives that we lost here”.

“This was a reckless, cowardly act that happened here and that has permanently altered many lives,” he said.

Scott and police officials urged anyone with information to come forward and help find those responsible. The mayor also said he is mobilizing every resource available to assist the investigation.

Source: Qatar News Agency

ABU DHABI, The General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation has announced the opening of nominations for the 2024 “Date Palm International Photography” competition, which is held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, and Chairman of the Award’s Board of Trustees.

Professional photographers, and photography enthusiasts from throughout the world are invited to participate in the 15th edition of this international competition, which is held in appreciation of the date palm tree and to enhance the role of photographers in enriching a places’ memory and reviving its environmental heritage. The Award’s General Secretariat also announced the opening of nominations for the 8th edition of the Date Palm International Poetry competition.

Poets from all Arab countries are invited to participate in this international competition, in appreciation of the date palm tree, and Arabic poetry in both dialects (Nabati and Fasih) will be accepted for consideration. As it is an important tool that embraces developing the public’s awareness of the importance of the date palm tree, in terms of heritage, agriculture, food and economy, and in strengthening the role of poetry in enriching a location’s memory and reviving its agricultural heritage.

This came in a press statement made by Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid, Secretary-General of the Khalifa International Award for Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation, and highlighting the great success achieved in the past editions, as this is reflected in the significant increase in the number of participants from around the world and the quality of the materials received.

The two competitions aim to help strengthen the bond between human beings and date palm trees, and reflect the unlimited support of Sheikh Nahyan for the blessed tree by employing the art of photography and Arabic poetry to develop public awareness of the importance of the date palm tree, and creating a space for the exchange of cultures from across the world, Dr. Abdelouahhab Zaid added.

Regarding the categories and awards of the two competitions, the Award’s Secretary-General indicated that the “Date Palm International Photography” competition consists of two categories: the Date Palm Category and the Date Palm Handicrafts Category, while the “Date Palm International Poetry” competition comprises two categories: Fasih Poetry and Nabati Poetry.

As for the winners’ awards of the two competitions, they are as follows: the first-place winner in each category will receive AED15,000, with second- and third-place winners each receiving AED10,000 and AED5,000, respectively.

With the deadline set as 31st December, 2023, submissions can be sent exclusively through by registering on the website and going to the participation page. The poetry award will have the same deadline, with submissions to be sent through

The winners of the competitions will be announced in February, 2024.

Source: Emirates News Agency