BAGHDAD: The United States and Iraq said Thursday they will begin discussions on the future of American and other foreign troops in the country, with Baghdad expecting the talks to lead to a timeline for reducing their presence.
Washington has forces in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the Daesh group, but the country’s prime minister — whose government relies on the support of Iran-aligned parties — has called for the coalition to leave.
WASHINGTON: The United States has created a channel with Israel to discuss concerns over incidents in Gaza in which civilians have been killed or injured by the Israeli military and civilian facilities have been targeted, two US officials with knowledge told Reuters.
The channel was set up after a meeting earlier this month between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Israel’s war cabinet during which Blinken expressed concern about the “constant” reports of Israeli strikes that either hit humanitarian sites or resulted in large numbers of civilians.
LONDON: Palestine’s Environmental Quality Authority said on Thursday that 66 percent of people in Gaza are suffering from water-borne diseases such as cholera, chronic diarrhea and intestinal diseases, Palestine News and Information Agency reported.
This health crisis is due to a scarcity of potable water and the shutdown of all water desalination facilities, a situation exacerbated by the Israeli military attack on the occupied strip.