The mysterious death of Dr. Ban Ziyad, a young female psychiatrist in Basra early this month, has gripped Iraq and fuelled widespread anger. While initial inquiries suggested suicide, photos and videos that began circulating shortly after the incident raised suspicions of an assassination. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani ordered a follow-up investigation on Friday. A government source told the state-run Iraqi News Agency that the prime minister instructed a thorough follow-up of the investigation into the causes of her death, stressing the need for results to be announced quickly ...

Renowned author Sally Rooney has made headlines after penning an opinion article vowing support for the now outlawed group Palestine Action, and saying she will use her royalties from the BBC to fund the group. Rooney, author of Normal People, published her article in theIrish Times, where she wrote: "I would happily publish this statement in a UK newspaper – but that would now be illegal." The article sheds light on how UK police earlier this month arrested more than 500 peaceful protesters in London for expressing support for Palestine Action. Palestine Action, established in 2020, carried o...

Tens of thousands of people from across the US gathered in New York City on Saturday for a demonstration called “Stop starving Gaza: mass march for humanity” in protest against Israel's forced starvation of the Palestinian enclave. After weeks of small demonstrations in different US cities, more than 200 organisations came together on a hot Saturday afternoon at Bryant Park to protest Israel’s assault and blockade on Gaza that have led to starvation, exorbitant food prices, and killings of Palestinians at aid distribution sites. “People have been seeing starvation on their phone screens, and w...

Israeli actress Gal Gadot has blamed the failure of Disney's live-action remake of Snow White on "pressure on celebrities to speak out against Israel". The film, in which Gadot played the role of the Evil Queen, tanked at the box office and was poorly received by critics. It grossed a mere $205.7 million worldwide, failing to make back its huge production budget, and garnered an average 38% rating on the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator site. Critics highlighted its bland production choices, uneven tone, and hit-or-miss songs. The film also suffered a wave of negative press in the months lead...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined three key areas of EU support for Ukraine during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Von der Leyen said Europe will continue strengthening Ukraine’s defense, focusing especially on drones. She stressed that Ukraine should face no restrictions on its armed forces. "We are ensuring that the defense needs of member states and Ukraine can be matched, and that Ukraine's industrial defense base is strengthened. I am thinking in particular of drones here. This is in our mutual interest, and I intend to trav...