Iraq: three days of national mourning for wedding fire incident in Qaraqosh

Today's news: pro-Russian oligarch and 'philanthropist' Ruben Vardanyan arrested, over 50,000 Armenians fleeing Nagorno-Karabakh; Singapore climbs two places and now fifth in the world on the Global Innovation Index; Over 56 thousand schools closed in Pakistan's Punjab due to an escalation of conjunctivitis cases; North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un wants a fleet of submarines.

IRAQ
From Riyadh to Lebanon, via Russia and the United States, the condolences for the "massacre" at a Christian wedding in Qaraqosh are unanimous. A fire in the hall caused by fireworks caused at least 115 deaths and over 500 injuries. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani declared three days of national mourning, while the funerals of the victims took place. Survivors report infernal temperatures, lack of safety doors and severe burns for many of the injured.

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN
The former state minister of Nagorno Karabakh Ruben Vardanyan, oligarch and pro-Russian "philanthropist", was arrested by Azerbaijani soldiers at the Lachin border post while he was trying to go to the city of Goris in Armenia. Transferred to Baku by Azerbaijan's immediate reaction forces, he was handed over "to the state bodies" to decide his fate. Meanwhile, over 50 thousand Armenians have abandoned the enclave, out of an original population of 120 thousand.

SINGAPORE
Singapore rose two positions - to 5th place - in the Global Innovation Index (GII), the first nation in the South-East Asia, East Asia and Oceania (SEAO) region. The ranking examines the most innovative economies, using 80 indicators to monitor the trends and progress of 132 global economies. Singapore continues to lead in 11 of 80 indicators, including government effectiveness, access to information and communications technologies and venture capital.

PAKISTAN
More than 56,000 schools will close for the rest of the week in an attempt to curb an escalation of conjunctivitis cases, at least 357,000 since the start of the year. Millions of students will remain at home after Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, announced a general freeze on classes. The provision, explains the education department, is intended to "protect" the population.

TIBET - CHINA
The Chinese authorities have arrested Tsultrim for the second time, a Tibetan from the municipality of Tsaruma, in the county of Kyungchu of Ngaba, because he had a photo of the Dalai Lama on his cell phone (considered an act of "separatism" by Beijing). The arrest dates back to February, which was followed by precautionary detention until April which then resulted in a two-year prison sentence

NORTH KOREA
Envying foreign forces that have submarines, Kim Jong-un has required every citizen in diplomatic missions abroad to "donate" 100 dollars to a fund for the construction of "state-of-the-art" submarines and warships. This is the first order of business imposed by the North Korean dictator upon returning from a trip to Russia, in which he visited military facilities. At the same time he adopted a constitutional amendment to strengthen nuclear power ambitions.

RUSSIA
Moscow is trying to rejoin the UN Human Rights Council, from where it was excluded a year and a half ago after the invasion of Ukraine, to prevent it from becoming "an instrument at the service of the political aims of some countries" . He is currently proposing supplies of grain and weapons to the poorest members, to obtain support for the elections on October 10th.

UZBEKISTAN
The Ministry of Industry and Trade in Tashkent has signed an agreement with the Chinese Byd 26 for the joint production of electric and hybrid cars to be carried out in Uzbekistan through Uzavtosanoat. The first phase is 50 thousand cars, which when fully operational should produce 300 thousand per year, becoming a leader in the field of electric cars outside of China.

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