TNT:

Tishwash: Parliamentary Committee: Parliament will host the Central Bank Governor for this reason

The Presidency of the Council of Representatives agreed to host the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, during the upcoming sessions of the Council of Representatives.

Member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee Hadi Al-Salami confirmed, in a statement to the National Iraqi News Agency / NINA /, that "the Presidency of the Council of Representatives approved hosting the Governor of the Central Bank in the session of the Council of Representatives, the date of which will be determined later, within the framework of the supervisory role of the work of the Central Bank and its Governor, and in accordance with the Council of Representatives Law No. 13 of 2018, Articles 27-29 thereof."

He added, "Hosting the Governor of the Central Bank will be to answer the oral question before the Council of Representatives regarding the exchange rate in the parallel market, and the large financial difference from the official exchange rate, as well as what is related to the application of the standards of transparency and confidentiality and not announcing the daily bulletin of the Central Bank." link

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Tishwash: US State Department: We will take all measures to protect our interests in the Middle East

The US State Department announced today, Wednesday, July 31, 2024, that Washington will take every possible measure to protect American individuals and interests in the Middle East.

The US State Department said in a statement, "We have seen Hamas' statement regarding Haniyeh, but we do not want to speculate on any repercussions or reactions to the incident," referring to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.

She pointed out that "the US commitment to Israel's security and its defense against any reckless attacks that Iran may launch is firm and unwavering."

She noted that "her efforts to reach a deal and bridge the gaps are still ongoing and represent a priority for us and for the region." link

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Tishwash: Official to Reuters: US carried out strike in Iraq

The United States carried out a strike in Iraq on Tuesday in self-defense, a U.S. official told Reuters, hours after Israel struck Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and as tensions escalated in the Middle East.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the strike was caused by a threat to US-led coalition forces.

Explosions took place on Tuesday inside a base used by Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces south of Baghdad, killing four of its members and wounding four others, police and medical sources told Reuters.

The Popular Mobilization Forces is an official security agency that includes several armed groups allied with Iran.

Hospital sources said the initial death toll was one, but two people who were seriously injured in the blasts later died, and another body was recovered from the blast site.

The explosions came after several missiles were fired at Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base, which houses US-led forces, late Thursday, causing no damage or injuries, US and Iraqi sources said.

In a statement issued after the explosions, the Popular Mobilization Forces did not make any accusations, referring to an explosion of unknown origin.

Later, another statement by the Popular Mobilization Forces said that missiles launched by drones targeted two Popular Mobilization Forces patrols in the town of Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad.

An Iraqi military official said the cause of the explosion was still unclear and authorities would begin investigating the incident.

Two local leaders of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces accused the United States of carrying out airstrikes targeting the Popular Mobilization Forces base. There was no immediate comment from the US military.

Witnesses said ambulances rushed to the area where the camp is located, 50 kilometres south of Baghdad.

Iraq has seen a surge in tit-for-tat attacks since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out in October. It is a rare ally of both Tehran and Washington, hosts 2,500 US troops and has Iranian-backed militias linked to its security forces. link

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Tishwash: Iraqi Army receives seven Bell 505 helicopters from US

The Iraqi Army Aviation Command announced Tuesday that it has received seven Bell 505 helicopters from the United States.

The Bell 505 Jet Ranger X is an American/Canadian light helicopter developed and manufactured by Bell Helicopter.

In a statement, the Iraqi Ministry of Defense said the delivery is part of "pre-arranged contracts aimed at advancing the country's military training programs. The handover ceremony was attended by the representative of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Air Force Commander, senior officers from the Ministry of Defense, the US Military Attaché, and a representative from Bell Helicopter."

"This batch will significantly update and improve our training system with modern aircraft," said Major General Mohammed Abdul Karim Awfi, Commander of Army Aviation. "It will also help in preparing skilled pilots capable of protecting Iraq's airspace and executing missions with high efficiency."

In turn, the US Military Attaché described this step as "a pioneering to enhance the command's capabilities and train pilots under ambitious and advanced plans." link

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Mot: .. Bye! - Bye!