IRAQ-Goodbye,” a woman dressed in a black shawl murmured in Kurdish, as she kissed the outstretched hand of an elderly cleric. “Pray for me,” said the next woman in line, as she bowed her head and kissed the old priest’s hand. This was a farewell ceremony for 66 women and children who had all been former captives of the armed Islamist movement known as ISIS. Most of those gathered here suffered unspeakable crimes at the hands of the jihadi militants. And all of the victims were Yazidis, members of an ancient ethnic and religious minority whose future in Iraq is now in question. (CNN NEWS/ cnn.com)…[+]

“The fine system at the Energy Company Suriname (EBS) and the Suriname Water Company (SWM) is mostly being used as a source of income instead of correcting consumers,” said Albert Alleyne, chairman of the Consumers’ Circle Suriname. Alleyne pointed out that giving somebody a fine is supposed to encourage that person to change his or her behavior. “I am not saying that it must cease to exist,” said Alleyne who explained that the consumer is not being taken into account when fines are given. If somenbody is not able to pay the fine that person must be given the chance to pay it the next month…[+]

The ex director of the Energy Company Suriname (EBS), Kenneth Vaseur, was arraigned on Friday. Vaseur’s defense attorney has already requested that his client be released from police custody. The former director was arrested and taken into police custody on Wednesday. He was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement, fraud and complicity in fraud. According to the police, Duiker and Vasseur were arrested on the same charges. Vasseur has reportedly told investigators that he is innocent. According to Vaseur, Duiker is the one who has violated the financial rules of the EBS. Investigators found out that Vasseur signed the first contract with Greenland Development NV when he was still general director at the EBS…[+]

LONDON- Britain’s second most powerful man, George Osborne, will lead a trade delegation to Iran next year if the Islamic Republic honors a nuclear deal with world powers, the Financial Times reported. Six world powers agreed in July to lift sanctions in return for Iran accepting long-term curbs on a nuclear program that the West suspected was aimed at creating a nuclear bomb. Tehran has always denied seeking nuclear arms. In a signal of how Western ties have thawed with Iran, Britain reopened its embassy in Tehran last month and British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said sanctions could start to be lifted as early as spring next year…[+]

The next two days will be filled with socializing, good foods and presents for Muslims countrywide. The three-day Muslim holiday of Eid-ul-Adha began yesterday. Muslims around the world will celebrate the story of Abraham or Ibrahim and his willingness to fully submit to God. The holiday is both religious and a fun-filled time. Muslims throughout the world honour Abraham by sacrificing their own animals- usually a bull, lamb or a sheep. Most people choose to have it done through a butcher rather than undertaking the task themselves. They may also carry the animal for the sacrifice to be done at a Masjid. In a story that appears in both the Quran and the Bible, Abraham is commanded by God to kill his son. Muslims believe the intended victim was Ishmael; Jews and Christians believe it was Isaac. Either way, Abraham is about to do the ghastly deed when God offers him a ram to sacrifice instead. Traditionally, the sacrifice evolves into an act of charity. It is customary for Muslims to give one-third of the meat to the poor and one-third to friends and family, and to keep one-third. Mohamed Mujay, a member of the McDoom Jamaat, said that they slaughtered about 16 animals (cows) and distributed the meat to the villagers. He explained that whatever meat is left, it will be distributed to the members of the Masjid. (KAIETEUR NEWS/PHOTO: KAIETEUR NEWS)…[+]

WASHINGTON – House Speaker John Boehner is resigning his position as the top House Republican and his seat in Congress at the end of October, a senior leadership aide said Friday. Boehner announced his decision to colleagues Friday morning, sharing the news with House Republicans during a closed-door conference meeting.

The abrupt decision comes after he faced heavy pressure from conservatives in his party to take a harder line on their causes, most recently over defunding Planned Parenthood. Boehner, who has served as House Speaker since 2011, explained during the closed-door meeting that he had only planned to serve two terms as speaker but decided to hold onto his post after then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his seat during a primary last year, a Republican lawmaker in the room told CNN. Boehner also told the lawmakers that Pope Francis’ visit to Congress the day before was a crystallizing moment, according to the lawmaker. Boehner’s decision came as a shock to many, with his top deputy House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy finding out moments before. The House Speaker is third in line for the presidency after the vice president. (CNN/PHOTO: washingtontimes.com)…[+]

SEATTLE – At least four international college students were killed when a tour bus and a duck boat tourist vehicle collided Thursday morning in Seattle, officials said. The students attended North Seattle College, which said several students are in critical condition, while other students and a North employee had serious injuries. “Because the deceased were international students, government officials are working to contact next of kin,” the school said.   “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of these deceased students, as well as to the students and employee who sustained injuries.” In the hours after the accident, fire officials said 44 people were hospitalized, 12 of whom were in critical condition.(CNN/PHOTO: CNN.COM)…[+]

SAUDI ARABIA- stampede during one of the last rituals of the Hajj season — the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca — has killed more than 700 people and injured 800 others in Saudi Arabia. The stampede occurred Thursday morning during the ritual known as “stoning the devil” in the tent city of Mina, about 2 miles from Mecca, Islam’s holiest city. Footage taken just after the stampede — obtained by CNN Arabic — shows a disturbing scene. Bodies piled upon bodies, a few moving, but most appearing lifeless. Workers in hard hats and reflective vests can be seen working the edges of the pile of faithful, pulling dead bodies away to get to those who are still alive.(CNN NEWS/cnn.com)…[+]

GUYANA-Venezuela’s military aggression close to Guyana’s border has incensed Guyanese. Some have opted to take the ‘Not a blade of grass’ message to the Venezuelan Embassy at, Thomas Street, Georgetown. From about 8:00hrs Wednesday social activist Dennis Atwell began a one-man picketing exercise outside of the Venezuelan Embassy. As the day progressed passersby, including the aged, as well as uniformed school children joined in, albeit brief for some.Other Guyanese in vehicles drove by honking their horns in support of the action and shouting “not a blade of grass!” However, this is just one day of more than two months of protest action around Guyana by this one man who vows to continue daily until the issue is resolved.(KAIETEUR NEWS/ kaieteurnewsonline.com)…[+]

GUYANA-Public Security Minister Khemraj Ramjatan has said that he would welcome the Australian Government’s offer to share information on how it dealt with issues related to border security.The issue was among several other security-related matters discussed yesterday when Minister Ramjattan hosted Australian High Commissioner to Guyana, Mr. Ross Tysoe during a courtesy call. Based in Trinidad and Tobago, he also holds accreditation as Australian High Commissioner to CARICOM. At the meeting with Minister Ramjattan, the discussions focused on issues such as the treatment of refugees, border security, deportation, gun amnesties, territorial sovereignty and potential for economic development.(KAIETEUR NEWS/ kaieteurnewsonline.com)…[+]