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A massive explosion occurred inside one of the oil storage facilities in the Burjisiya oil field area, in the Al-Zubair district, west of Basra

The Burjisiya oil field area in the Al-Zubair district, west of Basra in Iraq, witnessed a massive explosion followed by a huge fire inside one of the oil storage facilities. Preliminary information indicated that the explosion was caused by a turbine inside the facility, which led to the outbreak of fire in the warehouse. The incident resulted in the death of the head of the “Zubair 1” unit due to burns and suffocation, while six others were injured and transported to hospitals. Three additional individuals remain missing. Firefighting teams rushed to the scene and are working to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby facilities.

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The Minister of Interior inaugurates the first helicopter used in rescue and firefighting operations

The Iraqi Ministry of Interior has introduced its first helicopters dedicated to rescue and firefighting operations, marking a historic milestone for both civil defense and the ministry itself. With this, the ministry now owns two helicopters as part of its fleet. These helicopters have already begun flying over the skies of Baghdad, proudly signaling the commencement of their operational duties in addressing fire incidents and related rescue operations. Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari confirmed that these two helicopters are among the most advanced in the world. They are capable of flying in various weather conditions, can carry search-and-rescue teams, and are equipped for firefighting missions. Furthermore, they can remain airborne for extended periods before requiring refueling. His Excellency emphasized that this significant step was supported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and praised the continuous efforts of the Interior Ministry's departments, which worked tirelessly around the clock to receive the KUH-1 rescue and firefighting helicopters, specially designated for civil defense tasks. He also highlighted the high efficiency of these helicopters in search-and-rescue operations and firefighting. The Minister added that the ministry will receive additional helicopters to operate in the provinces of Basra and Nineveh. He also mentioned that the ministry currently has qualified pilots and technicians who have completed their training, along with eight pilots and seventeen technicians who are undergoing training on this type of helicopter in the Republic of South Korea.

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Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani inspects the final stages of work on the Safwan General Hospital project in Basra Governorate

The Prime Minister followed up on the progress of work at the hospital, which has reached its final stages after years of delay. The project was expanded following his visit in September 2023, during which he directed the addition of a water desalination plant, an MRI building, a dental care facility, and a helipad. Al-Sudani toured the hospital’s corridors, inspecting its halls and the completion of the work. He emphasized the importance of precision in equipping the facility with medical devices and equipment that meet the required standards, so that the hospital can provide the best possible services to the residents of Safwan District and the surrounding areas, sparing them the hardship of traveling to distant hospitals. He stressed that the government has given special attention to strengthening the healthcare sector’s infrastructure since it began its work. He added that hospital projects in Basra Governorate will soon be operational, including the 455-bed specialized university hospital, which has reached its final stages, as well as Al-Hartha Hospital, the emergency hospital in Shatt al-Arab District, and several medium-capacity hospitals in Abu Al-Khasib and Al-Zubair.

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Chairman of the Media and Communications Commission, Nofal Abu Ragheef: We will not allow paid pages to obstruct institutional organization

In response to the fabricated recordings, the Chairman of the Media and Communications Commission, Dr. Nofal Abu Ragheef, announced that paid pages will not be allowed to obstruct institutional organization. Abu Ragheef emphasized in a tweet followed by our website the importance of protecting digital broadcasting from those he described as mercenaries and brokers, stressing that the judiciary is the only arbiter.

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A Letter to the General Director of Traffic, Dr. Uday Sameer

We have become accustomed to being different, and our media message has always stood out. From the beginning, Footage has adopted an Iraqi approach, supporting Iraq and the government’s efforts to serve the Iraqi citizen. Our role as media professionals and institutions is to monitor negative aspects, highlight them, and more importantly, support the hardworking government entities striving to provide better services to the Iraqi people. Therefore, today it is our duty to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to Dr. Uday Sameer Haleem, General Director of Traffic, for his daily efforts and continuous dedication to improving the level of services provided to citizens at traffic departments. Recently, citizens have witnessed the impact of your wise leadership and your constant commitment to simplifying procedures and improving the work environment between employees and citizens, which positively reflects on the quality of performance and public satisfaction. Your constructive initiatives and effective directives have played a significant role in developing Iraq’s traffic system, enhancing road safety, and serving the public interest. You have our utmost thanks and appreciation. We wish you continued progress and success in your professional journey.

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Widespread public praise for the efforts of the General Directorate of Traffic and its Director, Major General Uday Sameer

Through his continuous daily field visits, Major General Dr. Uday Sameer, Director General of Traffic, is always keen to personally follow up on the progress of citizens' transactions in order to provide better services and address any issues promptly, if they arise. In turn, citizens have praised the efforts of the Director General of Traffic and all the staff at the Traffic Directorate for facilitating their procedures. They also noted that the implementation of the appointment reservation system before attending has significantly reduced the burden of waiting and congestion. As media professionals, we are pleased to see such dedicated individuals working directly in the field, staying close to the citizens and solving their problems — not from behind desks, but on the ground.

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Planting **89,400 trees and shrubs** and **204,000 seasonal plants** as part of the **major afforestation campaign

بتوجيه من امين بغداد المهندس عمار موسى كاظم تم زراعة 89400 شجرة وشجيرة و204 آلاف نبتة موسمية ضمن اطار حملة التشجير الكبرى التي انطلقت، منذ بداية الحملة في 2025/10/1 ولغاية 2025/10/14 ، والاستمرار في تنفيذ الحملات الزراعية الخريفية في المواقع المحددة ضمن قاطع كل دائرة بلدية لحين اكمال زراعة (300) ألف شجرة وشجيرة ، الى جانب التنسيق مع الجامعات والمدارس لاشراك الطلبة في هذه الحملات ، تشجيعا للوعي المجتمعي بأهمية الغطاء النباتي .

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**Qasim al-Araji:** *Sectarianism in Iraq is over. The Iraqi people are aware and will not vote for those who speak in sectarian or ethnic terms. A true patriot is one who works for all of Iraq without discrimination

Here's the **English translation** of your full paragraph: --- **In a special interview on the program *"Min Al-Akher"* with journalist Hossam Al-Haj,** National Security Advisor **Mr. Qasim Al-Araji** offered advice to those who use sectarianism as a tool for electoral competition, saying: *"Sectarianism in Iraq is over. The Iraqi people are aware and will not vote for anyone who speaks in sectarian or ethnic terms. Whoever has an electoral program should present it to the public without resorting to deceptive tactics or attempts to discredit others."* He added: *"A true patriot is the one who works for all of Iraq and for the unity of the Iraqi people. A citizen from Mosul can now travel freely across all provinces of Iraq, just as a citizen from Basra can."* He cited, as an example, the **Arbaeen pilgrimage of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him)**, noting that: *"The province that supplies Karbala with the most ice during Arbaeen is Anbar, and many of the service caravans (Mawakib) come from Sunni areas. Imam Hussein does not belong to one sect or religion."

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Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani heads to Egypt to participate in the Sharm El-Sheikh summit on Gaza.

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Lieutenant General Dr. Uday Sameer, Director General of Traffic, continues his field tours and is surprised to find an electricity pole that could cause a traffic disaster

During his daily tours to assess citizens’ needs, facilitate their transactions, and reduce traffic violations, Lieutenant General Dr. Uday Sameer Halim, Director General of Traffic, was surprised to find an electricity pole in the Al-Shaab area. This follows a street widening operation during which the pole was neither removed nor marked, posing a serious risk of traffic accidents and potentially fatal incidents, God forbid, if it remains in its current position. During his tour, Dr. Sameer Halim also instructed that streets should not be exploited for personal use, emphasizing that roads belong to everyone, not to any individual or specific entity.

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Ashraf Al-Dahhan emphasizes the importance of national monitoring of elections to ensure their integrity during his participation in a panel discussion on election observation held in the presence of the President of the Republic.

Ashraf Al-Dahhan, Director General of the Non-Governmental Organizations Directorate, emphasized the importance of national monitoring of the elections to ensure their integrity. His remarks came during a panel discussion attended by the President of the Republic, national election monitoring networks, civil society organizations, the Independent High Electoral Commission, the United Nations Mission in Iraq, as well as a number of experts, legal professionals, and those interested in following the electoral process.

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The Prime Minister inaugurates the Al-Zuhour Central Water Project, which serves the Al-Husseiniya and Al-Intisar areas in the north of the capital, Baghdad, with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per hour.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani today inaugurated the Al-Zuhour Central Water Project, which serves the Al-Husseiniya and Al-Intisar areas in the north of the capital, Baghdad, with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per hour.

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Dr. Nofal Abu Ragheef meets with the Ukrainian Ambassador to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of communications and combating false information and misleading news.

The Chairman of the Communications and Media Commission (CMC), Dr. Nofal Abu Ragheef, received the Ukrainian Ambassador to Iraq, Mr. Ivan Dovhaniych, at the Commission’s headquarters in Baghdad to discuss mechanisms of joint cooperation in the communications sector, as well as practical measures to counter disinformation campaigns and promote reliable sources of information. The meeting addressed aspects of the disinformation campaigns targeting Ukraine through highly sensitive accusations and media statements related to alleged illegal activities in both the Iraqi and regional contexts. The Ukrainian Embassy reaffirmed its categorical denial of such fabricated and false news. Ambassador Dovhaniych stressed that his country does not engage in any activities related to resources or issues outside its own territory, emphasizing Ukraine’s full commitment to international law and its rejection of any subversive acts or behaviors. For his part, Dr. Abu Ragheef affirmed that the Commission closely monitors the verification of information and the fight against misleading content, highlighting the efforts of the relevant departments in this regard. He also underscored the need for local media outlets to redouble their efforts to ensure accuracy, rely on official and credible sources, and avoid spreading rumors or being drawn into malicious campaigns.

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The Deputy Commander of Joint Operations confirms that there will be no curfew imposed on Election Day

The Deputy Commander of Joint Operations confirmed that no curfew will be imposed on Election Day. The goal is to provide a safe environment that allows citizens to vote freely. During the press conference, he announced the readiness of various security sectors to ensure the security of the voting process in all cities of Iraq.

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The Prime Minister launches the work on a 100-bed hospital project in Rahmania, Shula

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani launches the executive work on a 100-bed hospital project in the Rahmania Shula area, located in the western side of Baghdad (Karkh District). This is one of 16 hospitals of this capacity being implemented under the Iraqi-Chinese agreement. Al-Sudani praised the efforts of the Ministry of Health staff in providing the best services, highlighting the government's plans to establish hospitals at the district level. This aims to spare citizens the hassle of traveling to provincial centers, reducing the pressure on services. The new hospitals will feature the latest designs and will be equipped with all the necessary medical devices.

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Al-Sudani chairs a meeting to activate procedures for financing industrial initiative projects.

The Iraqi Prime Minister chaired a meeting devoted to approving recommendations for activating financing procedures for industrial initiative projects. The meeting was attended by the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank, and a number of advisors and members of relevant committees. During the meeting, progress was reviewed in implementing the industrial initiative, a key pillar of the government's development support policy. A detailed report was also presented on the position of government banks participating in the initiative, which has seen progress in the number of projects funded. Al-Sudani stressed the importance of expediting industrial loan transactions and addressing incomplete applications. This should be achieved by enhancing coordination between the Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank, and government banks to streamline promotion and financing procedures and ensure fairness and transparency in loan granting, particularly for projects with real economic feasibility across various sectors, to support national production. He also directed that the Industrial Bank undertake lending for the projects and investment opportunities presented at the Iraq Investment Forum held in Baghdad, considering them to be unique projects that represent strategic opportunities to support the national economy and enhance partnerships between the public and private sectors. The Prime Minister pointed out that the industrial initiative represents a national platform for supporting the private sector, stimulating local production, and reducing reliance on imports. He explained that the increasing demand for industrial financing reflects a positive shift in businesspeople's orientation toward establishing factories and productive projects.

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The General Traffic Director launches a service to deliver market vacations to homes

Director General of Traffic, Major General Dr. Uday Samir Halim, launched the service of delivering market vacations to homes This was after he conducted a tour of the vehicle registration sites and the issuance of driving licenses, during which he listened to the opinions of citizens and learned about their problems. During his visit, he noticed the accumulation of previous market vacations, some of which may reach a year and a half since their issuance, and their owners did not come to collect them. The Directorate will publish numbers through which it can be communicated to deliver market vacations to their owners

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A taxi driver sends a message to the mayor of Baghdad

When the Mayor of Baghdad, Ammar Musa, was planting trees as part of a afforestation campaign in all areas of the capital, a taxi driver stopped and addressed the Secretary, “I wish you all the success because you are an honorable person and love Iraq.” Wishing him success for what he offers to Iraq and the Iraqis. It is worth noting that this campaign is one of the most important campaigns to make Iraq and Baghdad a green city in order to regain its power.