Drone hits oil field in Iraq's Kurdistan for second day
A drone loaded with explosives struck an oil field in Iraq's northern Kurdistan region on Thursday, Kurdish forces said -- the second attack in two days on the Norwegian-operated site.
"At 10:55 am (0755 GMT) a new attack by an explosives-laden drone hit" the DNO-operated Tawke field in Zakho disrict, Kurdistan's counterterrorism services said.
No casualties or damage were reported.
Similar attacks on Wednesday forced the Norwegian firm to suspend operations at the Tawke and Peshkabir oil fields.
Another two attacks targeted an oil field operated by the US firm Hunt Oil in Duhok province.
In the past few weeks, Kurdistan has seen a spate of unclaimed drone attacks, which have come as the regional government and the federal authorities in Baghdad wrangle over control of export revenues from the Kurdistan fields.
Several oil fields in the region have been hit in the space of a week.
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) -- which represents international oil firms in the region, including DNO, and Hunt -- condemned the attacks Wednesday.
It added that the majority of its members have suspended production "totalling over 200,000 barrels per day".
Long plagued by conflict, Iraq frequently experiences such attacks, often linked to regional proxy struggles between Iran and the United States and its ally Israel.
There has been no claim of responsibility for any of the past week's attacks, and Baghdad has promised an investigation to identify the culprits.
But a Kurdish official, who requested anonymity, blamed the recent attacks on the Popular Mobilisation Forces -- Hashed al-Shaabi in Arabic -- a coalition of pro-Iran former paramilitaries now integrated into the regular armed forces.
"We hold the Iraqi government responsible because they are funding the PMF, which is attacking the oil infrastructure," he told AFP Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
2 hours ago
- Economic Times
Student loan forgiveness IBR: Why relief is delayed, and what you can do now
AP The U.S. Education Department has paused student loan forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, despite no legal barriers preventing it. Borrowers who've completed their repayment term are left in limbo as the department cites vague 'system updates' for the delay. (Representative Image) The US Department of Education has quietly paused student loan forgiveness under the Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, a move that has surprised many, given that IBR is the only major income-driven repayment plan not affected by ongoing legal battles. While other plans like SAVE, PAYE, and ICR are currently blocked due to federal court injunctions, IBR was created by Congress and explicitly authorizes loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments. Also Read: How rich was Malcolm-Jamal Warner? Inside the late actor's career earnings and net worth Despite this legal clarity, thousands of eligible borrowers who have reached their forgiveness milestone have found their relief stalled with no clear explanation. This sudden pause comes amid overall disruption in the federal student loan system, marked by massive processing delays, legal uncertainty, and significant policy shifts under the Trump administration. The Education Department has attributed the IBR freeze to 'system updates' in response to the SAVE-related court rulings, but critics and legal experts argue that no such updates should interfere with IBR discharges. The IBR plan is one of several income-driven repayment (IDR) options for federal student loan borrowers. It helps borrowers by lowering their monthly payments based on their income and family size. After 20 or 25 years of qualifying payments, borrowers are supposed to get their remaining loan balance makes IBR unique is that it was created by Congress, and unlike newer plans such as SAVE, it has clear legal authority for forgiveness. That's why recent court rulings do not apply to IBR. Despite its legal backing, the Education Department has paused forgiveness processing under IBR, citing "system updates."In a recent update, the department said: 'Currently, IBR forgiveness is paused while our systems are updated… forgiveness will resume once those updates are completed.'There is no clear timeline for when this pause will end. Some borrowers who met the 20- or 25-year threshold have been waiting since mid-2024 without getting their promised discharge. Other IDR plans like SAVE, PAYE, and ICR are blocked due to a court injunction from a lawsuit challenging the legality of the SAVE plan. Since these were created by regulation, not by Congress, they are on hold. However, Congress passed IBR into law, and courts have not blocked forgiveness under it. The Department of Education itself confirmed: 'ED can and will still process loan forgiveness for the IBR Plan, which Congress separately enacted.'The IBR pause is happening alongside massive disruptions across the student loan system: Over 1.5 million IDR applications are stuck in a backlog. The Department recently told borrowers on SAVE to switch to IBR, even though IBR forgiveness is currently paused. Interest will restart in August for borrowers previously under SAVE forbearance. Under the recently signed " Big, Beautiful Bill, " a new plan, the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), will replace SAVE, PAYE, and ICR. Current IBR borrowers will be allowed to stay enrolled and qualify for forgiveness, but new borrowers won't have access to the plan once RAP takes you've already reached your IBR forgiveness threshold but haven't received a discharge: You can continue making payments; any extra payments beyond your qualifying 20 or 25 years should eventually be refunded. You can also ask your servicer for a temporary forbearance, but be aware that interest will continue accruing during this time.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
UK, Canada and 26 other countries say the war in Gaza must end now
London, Jul 22 (AP) Twenty-eight countries including Britain, Japan and a host of European nations issued a joint statement Monday saying the war in Gaza 'must end now" — the latest sign of allies' sharpening language as Israel's isolation deepens. The foreign ministers of countries also including Australia and Canada said 'the suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths." They condemned 'the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food." The statement described as 'horrifying" the recent deaths of over 800 Palestinians who were seeking aid, according to the figures released by Gaza's Health Ministry and the UN human rights office. 'The Israeli government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity," the countries said. 'The Israeli government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law." Israel and US reject the criticism Israel's Foreign Ministry rejected the statement, saying it was 'disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas." It accused Hamas of prolonging the war by refusing to accept an Israeli-backed proposal for a temporary ceasefire and hostage release. 'Hamas is the sole party responsible for the continuation of the war and the suffering on both sides," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein posted on X. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul wrote on X that he spoke with Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar on Monday and expressed the 'greatest concern about the catastrophic humanitarian situation" in Gaza as Israel's offensive widens. He called on Israel to implement agreements with the EU to enable more humanitarian aid. A worsening humanitarian crisis Gaza's population of more than 2 million Palestinians is a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, now relying largely on the limited aid allowed into the territory. Israel's offensive has displaced some 90 per cent of the population, with many forced to flee multiple times. Most of the food supplies Israel has allowed into Gaza go to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an American group backed by Israel. Since its operations began in May, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in shootings by Israeli soldiers while heading to the sites, according to witnesses and health officials. The Israeli military says it has only fired warning shots at those who approach its forces. Israel's 21 months of war with Hamas have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine, sparked worldwide protests and led to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant against Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel has brushed off previous criticism Allies' criticism about Israel's actions has had little clear effect. In May, Britain, France and Canada issued a joint statement urging Netanyahu's government to stop its military operations in Gaza and threatening 'concrete actions" if it didn't. Israel rejects criticism of its wartime conduct, saying its forces have acted lawfully and blaming civilian deaths on Hamas because the militants operate in populated areas. It says it has allowed enough food in to sustain Gaza and accuses Hamas of siphoning off much of it. The United Nations says there is no evidence for widespread diversion of humanitarian aid. The new joint statement called for an immediate ceasefire, saying countries are prepared to take action to support a political pathway to peace in the region. Israel and Hamas have been engaged in ceasefire talks but there appears to be no breakthrough, and it's not clear whether any truce would bring the war to a lasting halt. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed. Speaking to Parliament, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy thanked the US, Qatar and Egypt for their diplomatic efforts to try to end the war. 'There is no military solution," Lammy said. 'The next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire." Hamas triggered the war when militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, but fewer than half are thought to be alive. Israel's military offensive has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Its count doesn't distinguish between militants and civilians, but the ministry says more than half of the dead are women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas government, but the UN and other international organisations see it as the most reliable source of data on casualties. (AP) SKY SKY (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 03:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Did Ex-FBI boss James Comey 'botch' Hillary Clinton's email probe? Declassified docs make shock revelation
A set of newly declassified documents from the Department of Justice's probe into former FBI Director James Comey's handling of Hilary Clinton's email controversy seems to have put Comey in a tight spot. Hillary Clinton.(AP) Coming on the heels of Tulsi Gabbard's allegations that the Obama administration manufactured the 'hoax' around Donald Trump's Russia link, this new set of documents, released by Senator Chuck Grassley, alleges that Comey deliberately did not investigate Hillary Clinton's email servers. Senator Grassley's office released a statement saying that the DOJ Inspector General's Clinton annex shows that the FBI obtained thumb drives during the Clinton investigation but failed to conduct further targeted searches on them. It alleges then-FBI Director Comey, Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, former Agent Peter Strzok, and others did not examine their contents. The Hillary Clinton email controversy, one of the key Republican agendas of the 2016 US election, refers to Clinton using a private email server for official communication during her time as the US Secretary of State, from 2009 to 2013, under Obama. The Clinton email controversy sparked an FBI probe over allegations that potentially classified documents were compromised. The FBI, under James Comey, probed the incident and concluded in 2016 that Hillary Clinton was "extremely careless" with her handling of the email server. Of the 30,000 work‐related emails handed over to the State Department for the probe, 110 emails (across 52 chains) were found to have contained classified information. Also read: Maurene Comey fired by Pam Bondi over Epstein files row with James Comey? What we know Trump Posts AI Video Of Obama's Arrest After National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard's allegations that the Obama administration manufactured the "hoax" around Russia's interference in the 2016 US elections, President Trump posted an AI-generated video of Obama's arrest on his social media handle. Here's the video: In the video, Obama can be seen being handcuffed by FBI agents in the Oval Office, with Trump watching and smiling, and later Obama wearing an orange jumpsuit in a jail cell.
