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• POLITICS: New Head Of UNAMI Arrives In Iraq; Iran’s Foreign Minister Visits Baghdad, Signals Interest In De-Escalation – On October 13, the new head of the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI), Mohammed al-Hassan arrived in Baghdad to assume his position following the departure of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. On the same day Hassan met with PM Mohammed al-Sudani for talks that focused on the relationship between Iraq and the UN during the remainder of UNAMI’s time in Iraq, which expires on December 31, 2025. The new UNAMI chief then traveled to the Kurdistan region where he had several meetings with political leaders to discuss preparations for the region’s parliamentary elections, which are scheduled to take place on October 20. On October 13, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi visited Baghdad for talks with Iraqi PM Sudani that focused on efforts to end Israeli attacks on Gaza and Lebanon and prevent the conflict from spreading. Araqchi said the objective of his visit was to carry out consultations about the trajectory of events and enhance coordination between Iraq and Iran. At a joint press conference with Araqchi, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein emphasized that Baghdad seeks to keep Iraq away from war, adding that war and peace decisions belong to the Iraqi state and the formal branches of government – a reference to the role of Iran-backed militias in attacks on Israel. Hussein also reiterated Baghdad’s objection to the use of its territory for attacks on neighboring countries, noting that Israel’s use of Iraqi airspace to attack Iraq was unacceptable. Meanwhile, the Iranian minister told reporters that his country was ready for war, but at the same time wanted peace and was not in favor of further escalation with Israel. In other developments, on October 12, PM Sudani received a…

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Prosecutors in the Netherlands on Wednesday asked judges to convict a Dutch woman for joining Islamic State in Syria and keeping two Yazidi women as slaves and sentence her to eight years in prison.

Hasna Aarab, 33, faces charges of taking part in slavery as a crime against humanity for enslaving two Yazidi, between 2015 and 2016, while she lived in Raqqa with her small son and her Islamic State fighter husband.

She had told judges earlier in the trial that she moved from the Netherlands to Islamic State-held territory in Syria in 2015 with her young son to try to change her life for the better.

One of her alleged victims, identified only as Z., told the district court in the Hague she viewed Aarab as partly responsible for Islamic State crimes against Yazidis and the enslavement of not only herself but also her two daughters who were kept as domestic slaves in other households.

“I burned inside when I saw her with her son while I did not have my own children around me,” Z. said as a tearful Aarab listened. Yazidi refugees stand behind fences as they wait for the arrival of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Special Envoy Angelina Jolie at a Syrian and Iraqi refugee camp in the southern Turkish town of Midyat in Mardin province, Turkey, June 20, 2015. (credit: UMIT BEKTAS / REUTERS)

Islamic State controlled swathes of Iraq and Syria from 2014-2017, before being defeated in its last bastions in…

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with new United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) chief Mohamed al-Hassan on Tuesday in Erbil, discussing Baghdad and the Region’s relations, minority groups, and election processes. 
 
“President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated Dr. Al-Hassan on his appointment, wished him success and reaffirmed the Kurdistan Region’s support for the success of UNAMI’s mission,” read a statement from the Kurdistan Region presidency.
 
Hassan also serves as the special representative for the UN Secretary-General. He assumed his post in Baghdad on Thursday. Hassan “expressed his pleasure to visit the Kurdistan Region,” according to the statement. 
 
The Kurdistan Region will hold parliamentary elections on Sunday with special voting on Friday. While UNAMI does not have an official role in monitoring the election, the mission has conducted regular meetings with officials in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC).  
 
“The two sides also discussed the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, the relationship between Erbil and Baghdad, and the status of the communities, with particular emphasis on the Yezidis,” read the statement.
 
Within that context, Barzani expressed “his gratitude to the United Nations for its support to the Independent High Electoral Commission.”
 
UNAMI shared a post on X of the meeting with Barzani, discussing the UN mission’s technical assistance and advice to conduct a free and smooth process.
 
Hassan also met with Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani during his visit to Erbil.
 
The UNAMI mission is set to end on December 31, 2025. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani made the request in May through a letter submitted to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, stressing bilateral relationships should…

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Iraqi premier received the new head of the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) Mohamed al-Hassan on Sunday in Baghdad, discussing the UN’s future in the country following the conclusion of the UNAMI mission and regional stability.

“The meeting discussed the nature of the relationship between Iraq and the United Nations, particularly following the issuance of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2732, which ended the mission of UNAMI in Iraq,” read a statement from the office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani.

The UNAMI mission is set to end on December 31, 2025. Sudani made the request in May through a letter submitted to the UN Secretary-General and Security Council, stressing the bilateral relationship should be “based on bilateral consultation and respect for Iraq’s will and sovereignty.”

After meeting with Hassan, the Iraqi statement “expressed appreciation for the efforts made by UNAMI over the past years and emphasized that Iraq’s relationship with all international institutions and organizations will continue.”

UNAMI has not released a statement on the meeting.

Hassan was appointed as the new UNAMI chief and the Secretary-General’s special representative for Iraq in July, succeeding Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. He arrived in Baghdad to assume his post and responsibilities on Thursday.

UNAMI was established in August 2003 at the request of Iraq under the Security Council Resolution 1500 to support Baghdad’s developmental efforts. Its mandate was extended annually.

The Iraqi government has cited greater security and stability for ending UNAMI’s mission.

During the meeting with Hassan, the Iraqi side affirmed its commitment to stability and regional security, while condemning “Zionist aggression” in Lebanon on the UN Interim Force In Lebanon. 

“[T]his attack demonstrates the Zionist entity’s disregard for international laws and norms, stressing the need for an international response,” read the PM’s statement.

While UNAMI does not directly implement developmental and humanitarian programs, it plays…

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Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson of the secretary-general of the United Nations, spoke to Rudaw in an interview on Wednesday in New York about the UN’s role in Iraq’s first census since 1997 and the first official population count including provinces in the Kurdistan Region since 1987. Haq said that the United Nations’ role is entirely “technical” and “it will be the responsibility of the Government of Iraq to use that data in order to create a transparent census.”

A major concern by Kurds with the implementation of the census has to do with it being conducted in areas like Kirkuk which remain disputed under Article 140 of the Iraqi constitution. When asked, Haq responded that “the UN has encouraged the Government of Iraq to reach out to all its communities and be sensitive to all their concerns.”

The mandate for the UN Assistance Mission to Iraq (UNAMI) completes at the end of 2025. Haq detailed that “its mandate has been streamlined,” and the census “is not a responsibility of the UNAMI mission.” Haq emphasized that through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the Iraqi government is being supported technically “to conduct a transparent, a unbiased census.

Below is the transcript for the interview.

Rudaw: Farhan, thank you so much for the opportunity. My first question: How will the United Nations collaborate with Iraq to facilitate the first census since 1997?

Farhan Haq: What the United Nations is trying to do, including through the UN Population Fund – what’s known as UNFPA – is to basically offer contemporary methodologies that will help allow for the best way of disseminating census results, and then using them for the purposes of development data. So, we’re just trying to make sure that this will be, technically, the most up-to-date way of conducting a census.

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TEXAS (KXAN) — Order up! Yelp released its Top 100 restaurants list for 2024, and foodies across the country had plenty of love for the sunbelt region. Top-ranked restaurants in Arizona, Florida and Texas comprised 30% of this year’s list, with notable love for the San Antonio and Houston areas in the Lone Star State.

Here’s a breakdown of all the Texas restaurants included in this year’s roundup.

No. 9: Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy in San Antonio

Located at 13210 Huebner Road in San Antonio, Gino’s Deli Stop N Buy is noted for its Philly cheesesteaks that feature ribeye, provolone cheese, bell peppers, onions and jalapeños. Each day, Gino’s sells almost 250 of those sandwiches, according to Yelp’s coverage.

No. 27: Burger-chan in Houston

Yelp acknowledged this burger restaurant has landed on its Top 100 list for the second consecutive year. Located at 5353 W. Alabama St., Ste. 110 in Houston, Burger-chan is noted for its “unami-powered burgers,” per Yelp’s analysis, adding offerings include beef, chicken, fish and falafel entrees with a secret sauce on top.

No. 38: Tacos Doña Lena in Houston

Twice-recognized Tacos Doña Lena returns to Yelp’s rankings. The fast-casual spot at 8788 Hammerly Blvd., Ste. G in Houston, features tacos, tortas, handmade gorditas, sopes and birria tacos.

No. 61: Avesta Persian Grill in Houston

For nearly a decade, Avesta Persian Grill has been serving up stews, kabobs, rice, curries and appetizers. Located at 11165 Westheimer Road in Houston, owner Zaffar Anvari’s restaurant pulls recipes from his home country of Tajikistan, per Yelp.

No. 63: Pappa Gyros in Katy

RELATED: Austin food truck named best taco spot in Texas by Yelp

Pappas Gyros marries midwestern comfort diner…

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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) on Wednesday welcomed the start of the Kurdistan Region’s parliamentary elections campaigning period and called for a peaceful process.

“The United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) welcomes the commencement today of the campaign period for the upcoming Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections scheduled for 20 October 2024,” UNAMI said in a statement.

The UN mission emphasized the need for a campaign free of violence and intimidation.

“UNAMI looks to all candidates, other political actors and the media to foster a climate of respect, inclusivity and open dialogue throughout the campaign,” continued the statement.

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) on Tuesday announced September 25 as the first date of election campaigns which will last until midnight on October 15.

A total of 1,191 candidates are vying for the 100-seat Kurdistan parliament, according to IHEC. That number includes 823 men, 368 women, and 38 candidates from minority communities.

Nearly 2.9 million people are eligible to vote, including around 215,000 early voters. There will be 1,400 polling stations, including locations in the disputed areas and most Iraqi provinces, for eligible voters.

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Tuesday called on the political parties to run a peaceful campaign, while remaining respectful to women and the symbols of ethnic and religious minorities.

Early voting for security forces and internally displaced persons (IDPs) is scheduled for October 18, while the general vote will take place on October 20.

The electoral process has faced numerous challenges, with interference from Baghdad exacerbating tensions between the Kurdistan Region’s political parties, particularly between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). 

The Kurdistan Region last held elections in 2018. The upcoming elections were initially scheduled for 2022, but have been delayed several times.

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Published: 2:00 pm EDT September 23, 2024Published: September 23, 2024Updated: 1:00 pm EDT September 23, 2024

Image via Desis of Doylestown, Facebook.

Desis of Doylestown welcomed more than 200 people for its Garba Fundraiser event held on September 20 at Unami Middle School in Chalfont,

Desis of Doylestown welcomed more than 200 people for its Garba Fundraiser event held on September 20 at Unami Middle School in Chalfont, writes Emily Neil for WHYY.

The Bucks County nonprofit, which counts among its members people of Bangladeshi, Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, and Sri Lankan descent, organized the fundraiser to raise money for its fourth annual free Diwali celebration. The upcoming event will be held at Pearl S. Buck House on October 27.

Garba is an Indian circle community dance that celebrates the divine feminine supreme Durga — a Hindu goddess — and marks the passage of time. On Friday, participants dressed up in their best sarees and ghagras and danced in concentric circles as they provided a glimpse into what the nine-day festival looks like in India.

Desis of Doylestown’s youth group planned the event with the aim of educating and sharing more from both within and beyond the local South Asian community to make sure that the children do not feel like they are outsiders.

“Desis are Pennsylvanians, part of this community,” said Desis of Doylestown co-founder Sheela Rai. “We are integral to the community.”

Read more about the Garba fundraiser and how Bucks County’s South Asian community is celebrating their culture in WHYY.

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Baghdad – INA
 
Hussein Al-Alawi, advisor to the Prime Minister, stated on Sunday that Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ Al-Sudani will lead Iraq’s delegation at the United Nations General Assembly, where he will discuss key sustainable development indicators and advocate for productive diplomacy for international cooperation and concluding the UNAMI mission.

Al-Alawi confirmed that the Prime Minister will formally present Iraq’s comprehensive development strategy during the Assembly sessions.
In remarks to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Alawi articulated, “Iraq is embracing a proactive diplomatic approach designed to foster sustained international cooperation within the global framework, while simultaneously facilitating the transition for ending the mission of UNAMI. This effort is complemented by ongoing collaboration with various United Nations agencies.”

He underscored Iraq’s commitment to leveraging the opportunity presented by the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in 2024 as a global platform for dialogue. This session will enable the Iraqi government to communicate its policies and development strategies effectively, allowing for discussions on progress across multiple sectors, including labor, social issues, and governance.
Al-Alawi highlighted the government’s focus on developmental renaissance through the announcement of a five-year plan, alongside initiatives to adapt to climate change and combat the effects of global warming.
He also noted the launch of the “Zero Flame” initiative aimed at eliminating gas flaring, which the government has actively pursued for the past 23 months, emphasizing that these initiatives have invigorated the oil, gas, and renewable energy sectors, setting Iraq on a transformative path toward a new era. Furthermore, he mentioned that the government is targeting an increase in the utilization of flared gas from 69% to 75%, with aspirations to position Iraq among the world’s top five gas producers. Ongoing efforts are also directed toward enhancing energy production and establishing a robust industrial environment reliant on gas to achieve…

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