BAGHDAD
What you need to know about Julian Assange, WikiLeaks' controversial founder
Julian Assange, who recently secured his freedom through a plea deal with US authorities, is a polarizing figure known for his role in WikiLeaks. Seen by many as a champion of press freedom, he gained global attention by releasing classified US military documents, including the infamous Iraq and Afghanistan war logs. Assange's legal troubles began with allegations in Sweden, followed by seeking asylum in Ecuador's embassy in London to avoid extradition to the US, where he faced charges under the Espionage Act.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange pleads guilty in deal with US that secures his freedom, ends legal fight
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, pleaded guilty to obtaining and publishing U.S. military secrets, ending a prolonged legal battle over press freedom and national security. The deal, struck in Saipan, allows Assange to return to Australia without U.S. prison time. Assange had been jailed in the UK since 2019, resisting extradition. The plea resolves a Trump-era criminal case and highlights Assange's role in revealing military misconduct. His wife expressed relief, and Assange's supporters celebrate his impending freedom.
Assange's plea deal sets a chilling precedent, but it could have been worse
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, has reached a plea deal with prosecutors, affecting American press freedoms but allowing him to walk free after more than five years in British custody. The agreement, concluded on Wednesday in a courtroom in a remote U.S. commonwealth in the Western Pacific, involved Assange pleading guilty to one charge of violating the Espionage Act.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to plead guilty in espionage act case in US court, will be freed from prison
Julian Assange, founder of WikiLeaks, will plead guilty to conspiring to obtain and disseminate classified US defense information under a deal with the US Justice Department. This agreement concludes a decade-long legal battle involving multiple countries. Assange will appear in a federal court in the Mariana Islands to enter his plea, after which he will return to Australia. The case has sparked significant debates over press freedom and national security.
Iran inters its late president at holiest Shiite site in nation after fatal helicopter crash
Iran interred late President Ebrahim Raisi at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad after a fatal helicopter crash. Acting President Mohammad Mokhber has assumed leadership responsibilities, engaging in diplomatic meetings. Raisi's burial at the shrine signifies a major honor for the cleric.
Iran's supreme leader to preside over funeral for president and others killed in helicopter crash
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will begin the service at Tehran University, the caskets of the dead draped in Iranian flags with their pictures on them. On the late President Ebrahim Raisi's coffin sat a black turban - signifying his direct descendance from Islam's Prophet Muhammad.
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Iran's Cabinet holds emergency meeting after president's death
President Ebrahim Raisi dies in a helicopter crash in Iran's East Azerbaijan province, leading to condolences from Pakistan and Iraq. Houthi leader mourns, highlighting Iran's support in Yemen conflict against Saudi-led coalition. The crash may have implications on Middle East tensions.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, who died in chopper crash, was Iran's anti-Western top diplomat
Iran Helicopter Crash: Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, known for his anti-Israel stance and ties to the Revolutionary Guards, tragically died in a helicopter crash with President Ebrahim Raisi. Amir-Abdollahian sought to end Iran's isolation, restore ties with Saudi Arabia, and navigate US sanctions. His diplomatic career was marked by efforts to revive negotiations on Iran's nuclear program, with strong links to the IRGC. He was born in 1964 in Damghan and held degrees from the University of Tehran.
Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad shot dead in Baghdad
Iraqi TikTok star Om Fahad, whose real name is Ghufran Sawadi, was tragically shot dead in a late-night attack outside her home in Baghdad. The assailant, who arrived on a motorcycle and wore dark clothing and a helmet, approached her vehicle and fired shots, as captured by surveillance footage. Om Fahad was known for her popular TikTok videos, where she danced to pop music and had nearly half a million followers. Earlier, she had faced legal issues, including a prison sentence, for videos deemed to contain "indecent speech." The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has initiated an investigation into her killing.
Calls for calm after reported Israeli strike on Iran
World leaders appealed for calm Friday after reported Israeli retaliation against Iran added to months of tense spillover from the war in Gaza, with Iranian state media reporting explosions in a central province. After state television said explosions were heard near the city of Isfahan, Iran activated its air defence systems over several cities, official media reported.
Iraq's deputy prime minister, in US meeting, calls for regional restraint
Iraq has called for restraint amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, as talks on the complex U.S.-Iraq relationship begin in Washington. Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ali Tamim co-chaired a meeting of the U.S.-Iraq Higher Coordinating Committee with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Iraq is concerned about its region being "dragged into a wider war that will threaten international security and safety."
Biden to host Iraqi leader as Mideast tensions soar, raising more questions about US troop presence
Biden meets Iraqi leader amid Middle East tensions. Talks cover U.S. troop deployments, economic issues, Iranian proxies' attacks. Focus on Baghdad's financial pressure, al-Sudani's Iran balancing act, Troell, Tsurkov cases, Iraqi dollar supply.
Donald Trump says Iran attack on Israel shows US 'weakness' under Joe Biden
Trump, who while in office ordered the killing of a top Revolutionary Guard leader in Baghdad and withdrew the United States from the Iran nuclear accord, has repeatedly accused his Democratic opponent of a soft approach toward Tehran.
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange may be near the end of his long fight to stay out of the US
Assange faces what could be his final court hearing in London next week as he tries to stop his extradition to the U.S. The High Court has scheduled two days of arguments over whether Assange can ask an appeals court to block his transfer. If the court doesn't allow the appeal to go forward, he could be sent across the Atlantic.
Pentagon used 'Flying Ginsu' missile to kill Iraqi militia leader in Baghdad strike
The Pentagon recently used a modified Hellfire missile, known as "the flying Ginsu," to target a Kataib Hezbollah member in Baghdad. This missile, with six blades, aims to reduce collateral damage in precision strikes. The use of such unconventional weaponry reflects a shift towards precision and civilian protection in US counterterrorism tactics. However, legal and ethical concerns persist, with experts emphasizing the need for accurate intelligence. This event may signal a broader change in US military engagement in the Middle East.
US drone strike kills Iran-backed militia leader in Baghdad
The leader belonged to Kataib Hezbollah and was "responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on US forces in the region," the Pentagon said, without naming them. "The United States will continue to take necessary action to protect our people."
US reprisals against Iran-linked groups anger Iraq, Syria
Overnight airstrikes were carried out by the United States against Iran-supported factions in Iraq and Syria, eliciting criticism from the respective governments on Saturday. The airstrikes were in response to a deadly attack on US troops, specifically a drone attack on a US base in Jordan, which the United States attributed to Iran-backed forces.
A rocket attack targets the US Embassy in Baghdad, causing minor damage but no casualties
A rocket strike on the heavily fortified U.S. Embassy in Baghdad caused minor damage but no casualties. Iran-backed militias in Iraq have allegedly targeted U.S. bases, with 78 recent attacks reported by the U.S. military. The attack on the embassy, the first confirmed since the Israel-Hamas conflict began, saw rockets hitting nearby gates and the river. No specific group claimed responsibility, but Iran-aligned militias were indicated. Iraq condemned the attack, promising pursuit of the perpetrators.
US military official confirms 'self-defense strike' in Iraq
"A self-defense strike was carried out on a drone staging site," the official said on condition of anonymity. It took place "in the vicinity of Kirkuk" and targeted "an imminent threat", he added.
US troops targeted in Iraq rocket attacks escape unharmed
US troops stationed at two bases in Iraq have been targeted with rocket attacks that caused no casualties. Armed factions close to Iran have threatened to attack US interests in Iraq over Washington's support for Israel. The attacks come after factions loyal to Iran stepped up threats against the United States. One of them, the Hezbollah Brigades, demanded that US forces "leave" Iraq.
Protesters try to storm Baghdad's Green Zone over the burning of Quran and Iraqi flag in Denmark
An Iraqi asylum-seeker who burned a copy of the Quran during a demonstration last month in Stockholm had threatened to do the same thing again Thursday but ultimately stopped short of setting fire to the book. He did, however, kick and step on it, and did the same with an Iraqi flag and a photo of influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr and of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Protesters try to storm Baghdad's Green Zone over the burning of Quran and Iraqi flag in Denmark
Hundreds of protesters attempted to storm Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses foreign embassies and the seat of Iraq's government, early Saturday following reports of the burning of a Quran carried out by a ultranationalist group in front of the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen.
Iraq orders the expulsion of Sweden's ambassador as a man desecrated the Quran in Stockholm
The diplomatic blowup came hours after protesters angered by the planned burning of a copy of the Islamic holy book stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire.
Videos purport to show protesters storming Swedish Embassy in Baghdad in anger over Quran burning
The videos showed dozens of men climbing over the fence at the complex, with the sound of them trying to break down a front door. Another showed what appeared to be a small fire being set. Other footage showed men, some shirtless in the summer heat, inside what appeared to be a room at the embassy, an alarm audible in the background. Others later performed predawn prayers outside of the embassy.
2,800-yr-old Assyrian stone tablet unveiled at Iraqi museum
The tablet was recently returned by Italy to the Iraqi government. It bears the insignia of Shalmaneser III, the Assyrian king who ruled the region of Nimrod, in present-day northern Iraq, from 858 to 823 BC.
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