Two wounded in attack on office of Iraqi parliamentary candidate
Two wounded in attack on office of Iraqi parliamentary candidate/node/2619336/middle-east
Two wounded in attack on office of Iraqi parliamentary candidate
People drive their vehicles past electoral billboards on a street in Baghdad on October 14, 2025, ahead of parliamentary elections on November 11. (FILE/AFP)
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Updated 21 sec ago
AFP
Two wounded in attack on office of Iraqi parliamentary candidate
Armed gunmen opened fire early Saturday on the office of an Iraqi parliamentary candidate south of Baghdad, wounding two bodyguards, a security source said
Updated 21 sec ago
AFP
BAGHDAD: Armed gunmen opened fire early Saturday on the office of an Iraqi parliamentary candidate south of Baghdad, wounding two bodyguards, a security source said.
The attack on Sunni Muslim politician Muthanna Al-Azzawi’s office comes days after a bomb killed another candidate in the November 11 elections for the Shiite-majority parliament.
The gunmen fled after the attack in Yusufiyah, 25 kilometers (16 miles) south of the capital, the source told AFP.
Azzawi is a member of the Baghdad provincial council and belongs to the “Azem Alliance,” a centrist Sunni coalition led by Muthanna Al-Samarrai.
The candidate “firmly condemned the cowardly attack,” saying: “These acts will not stop us from continuing to serve our people.”
“The attackers will be punished for their actions sooner or later,” Azzawi added on his Facebook page.
A bomb killed fellow Baghdad provincial council member and election candidate Safaa Al-Mashhadani on Wednesday when it exploded under his car north of the city.
It also wounded three of his bodyguards.
Mashhadani was running with the Sovereignty Alliance, one of Iraq’s largest Sunni Muslim coalitions, led by businessman Khamis Al-Khanjar and parliament speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani.
The coalition condemned the “cowardly crime,” calling it “an extension of the approach of exclusion, targeting and treachery pursued by the forces of uncontrolled weapons and terrorism, all of which seek to silence free national voices.”
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani ordered an investigation into the attack on Mashhadani and called for the perpetrators’ arrests.
The majority of Iraq’s 329 lawmakers represent Shiite parties aligned with neighboring Iran.
The upcoming elections are the sixth since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which toppled longtime ruler Saddam Hussein.
In Iraq, the role of prime minister traditionally goes to a Shiite and the presidency to a Kurd, while the speaker of parliament is usually Sunni.
Gaza civil defense says 9 killed Friday when Israeli forces fired at bus
aza’s civil defense agency said that Israeli forces killed nine people in an attack on a bus Friday, while the military stated it had fired at a vehicle that crossed the so-called “yellow line“
Updated 7 sec ago
AFP
GAZA CITY: Gaza’s civil defense agency said that Israeli forces killed nine people in an attack on a bus Friday, while the military stated it had fired at a vehicle that crossed the so-called “yellow line.” “Civil defense crews were able to recover nine bodies following the Israeli occupation’s targeting of a bus carrying displaced persons east of the Zeitun neighborhood yesterday,” Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the agency, which operates under Hamas authority, told AFP on Saturday.
UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza/node/2619327/middle-east
UN aid chief foresees ‘massive job’ ahead on tour of ruined Gaza
UN relief coordinator Tom Fletcher: Gaza residents are ‘telling me most of all they want dignity’
Updated 25 min 23 sec ago
AFP
JERUSALEM: The United Nations’ aid chief took stock of the monumental task of restoring basic necessities in the devastated Gaza Strip on Saturday, and Israel received the remains of another October 7 hostage as a ceasefire entered its second week.
In a short convoy of white UN jeeps, relief coordinator Tom Fletcher and his team wound their way through the twisted rubble of shattered homes to inspect a wastewater treatment plant in Sheikh Radwan, north of Gaza City.
“I drove through here seven to eight months ago when most of these buildings were still standing and, to see the devastation, this is a vast part of the city, just a wasteland, and it’s absolutely devastating to see,” he said.
The densely packed cities of the Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians, have been reduced to ruins by two years of bombardment and intense fighting between Hamas and the Israeli army.
Just over a week since US President Donald Trump helped broker a truce, the main border crossing to Egypt has yet to be reopened, but hundreds of trucks roll in daily via Israeli checkpoints and aid is being distributed.
Hamas has returned the final 20 surviving hostages it was holding and has begun to hand over the remains of another 28 who died.
On Friday night, it turned over a set of remains identified by Israel as Eliyahu Margalit, 75, who died in the October 2023 attack that ignited the war in Gaza. Digging latrines
Surveying the damaged pumping equipment and a grim lake of sewage at the Sheikh Radwan wastewater plant, Fletcher said the task ahead for the UN and aid agencies was a “massive, massive job.”
The British diplomat said he had met residents returning to destroyed homes trying to dig latrines in the ruins.
“They’re telling me most of all they want dignity,” he said. “We’ve got to get the power back on so we can start to get the sanitation system back in place.
“We have a massive 60 day plan now to surge in food, get a million meals out there a day, start to rebuild the health sector, bring in tents for the winter, get hundreds of thousands of kids back into school.”
According to figures supplied to mediators by the Israeli military’s civil affairs agency and released by the UN humanitarian office, on Thursday some 950 trucks carrying aid and commercial supplies crossed into Gaza from Israel.
Relief agencies have called for the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to be reopened to speed the flow of food, fuel and medicines, and Turkiye has a team of rescue specialists waiting at the border to help find bodies in the rubble. Hostage remains
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the ceasefire but is under pressure at home to restrict access to Gaza until the remaining bodies of the hostages taken during Hamas’s brutal attacks have been returned.
On Saturday, his office confirmed that the latest body, returned by Hamas via the Red Cross on Friday night, had been identified as Margalit, the elderly farmer who was known to his friends at the Nir Oz kibbutz as “Churchill.”
“He was a cowboy at heart, and for many years managed the cattle branch and the horse stables of Nir Oz,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a support group founded by relatives of the hostages.
“He was connected to the ‘Riders of the South’ group whose members shared a love of horseback riding for over 50 years. On October 7, he went out to feed his beloved horses and was kidnapped from the stable.”
Margalit had been married with three children and three grandchildren. His daughter Nili Margalit, also taken hostage, was freed during the war’s first brief truce in November 2023.
In a statement confirming he had been identified and his remains returned to his family, Netanyahu’s office said “we will not compromise ... and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen abductees, down to the last one.”
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Friday that the group “continues to uphold its commitment to the ceasefire agreement... and it will continue working to complete the full prisoner exchange process.”
Under the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, negotiated by Trump and regional mediators, the Palestinian militant group has returned all 20 surviving hostages and the remains of 10 out of 28 deceased ones.
Deceased hostage Hamas returned overnight has been identified as 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit
The Israeli military said on Saturday that the remains had been returned to Margalit’s family
Updated 17 min 6 sec ago
AFP
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said on Saturday that the body of a deceased hostage Hamas returned overnight has been identified as 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit.
The Israeli military “informed the family of the abductee Eliyahu Margalit... that (the body of) their loved one has been returned to Israel and his identification has been completed,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
It added that “we will not compromise... and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen abductees, down to the last one.”
The remains of the hostage who died in captivity were transferred to Israeli security forces in Gaza via the Red Cross, and returned to Israel for identification at a medical analysis center, the premier’s office said on Friday night.
The Israeli military said on Saturday that the remains had been returned to Margalit’s family.
Margalit was killed at Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war in Gaza, according to a military statement.
“Eliyahu, 75 years old at the time of his death... leaves behind a wife, three children, and grandchildren. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was also abducted and returned (under) the hostage release agreement in November 2023,” the statement said.
“Hamas is required to fulfil its part of the agreement and make the necessary efforts to return all the hostages to their families,” it added.
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement Friday night that the militant group “continues to uphold its commitment to the ceasefire agreement... and it will continue working to complete the full prisoner exchange process.”
Under a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas spearheaded by US President Donald Trump, the Palestinian militant group has returned all 20 surviving hostages and the remains of 10 out of 28 known deceased ones.
Under the terms of the agreement Hamas was to hand over all of the hostages, dead and alive, before Monday at 0900 GMT.
Iran says no longer bound by ‘restrictions’ on its nuclear program
The 2015 deal saw the lifting of international sanctions against the Tehran in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program
But the pact had already been in tatters after Washington unilaterally withdrew during President Donald Trump’s first term
Updated 18 October 2025
AFP
TEHRAN: Iran said on Saturday that it was no longer bound by restrictions on its nuclear program as a landmark 10-year deal between it and world powers expired, though Tehran reiterated its “commitment to diplomacy.”
The 2015 deal — signed in Vienna by Iran, China, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States — saw the lifting of international sanctions against the Islamic republic in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear program.
But the pact had already been in tatters after Washington unilaterally withdrew during President Donald Trump’s first term, with Iran later pulling back from its commitments.
The reimposition last month of UN sanctions at the urging of three of the deal’s European signatories rendered the accord effectively moot.
From now on, “all of the provisions (of the deal), including the restrictions on the Iranian nuclear program and the related mechanisms are considered terminated,” Iran’s foreign ministry said in a statement on the day of the pact’s expiration.
“Iran firmly expresses its commitment to diplomacy,” it added.
Western powers have long accused Iran of secretly seeking nuclear weapons — something it has repeatedly denied, insisting its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes such as energy production.
The deal’s “termination day” was set for October 18, 2025, exactly 10 years after it was enshrined in the UN’s Security Council resolution 2231.
The accord capped Iran’s uranium enrichment at 3.67 percent in exchange for sanctions relief and provided for strict supervision of its nuclear activities by the UN’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
But Washington left the deal in 2018 and reinstated sanctions, after which Tehran began stepping up its nuclear program.
According to the IAEA, Iran is the only country without a nuclear weapons program to enrich uranium to 60 percent. That is close to the threshold of 90 percent required for a bomb, and well above the level needed for civilian nuclear use. ‘Irresponsible actions’
In July, Iran suspended cooperation with the IAEA following the war with Israel, with Tehran pointing to the agency’s failure to condemn Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
The unprecedented bombing campaign by Israel and the retaliation by Iran during the 12-day war derailed ongoing nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
At the initiative of France, Britain and Germany, widespread UN sanctions against Iran returned into force in late September for the first time in a decade.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter addressed to the United Nations on Saturday that the expiration of the 2015 deal renders the sanctions “null and void.”
Britain, France and Germany accuse Iran of not cooperating with the IAEA and would like it to return to negotiations with the United States.
“Iran’s efforts to revive the exchanges (with the IAEA) that led to the agreement in Cairo were also sabotaged by the irresponsible actions of the three European countries,” the Iranian foreign ministry said in Saturday’s statement, referring to a recent framework to resume cooperation.
DUBAI: When Sarah Ahmed stepped outside her glamping dome in Hatta, the sun was rising over the mountains and the air felt cool and still — a calm far removed from her busy mornings in the city.
It looked like something out of a nature documentary — yet it was less than 130 kilometers from her home in Dubai.
“This is where I come with my family when I get the itch to travel,” she told Arab News. “It feels like a real escape, but we can be back home the same day if we want to.”
For Ahmed, and many other families in the Gulf, short and simple getaways like this have become the new norm.
Kayaking in Dubai's Hatta tourist resort. (Photo courtesy of hattawadiadventure.com)
Instead of long-haul flights and packed itineraries, families and single travelers are choosing nearby destinations that are affordable and easy to reach — yet still offer a feeling of discovery.
From Oman’s cool mountain foothills to the wadis and mangroves of the UAE, this growing trend is reshaping how families spend their weekends, emphasizing connection and nature over distance and extravagance.
ֱ is also reinventing itself as a haven for family staycations, blending breathtaking natural landscapes, immersive heritage sites, and glamping destinations.
From the majestic sandstone cliffs of AlUla and the dramatic escarpments of the Edge of the World, to the serene Al-Wahbah Crater and lush valleys near Riyadh, the Kingdom provides locations that attract families in search of adventure and relaxation.
Cultural exploration goes hand-in-hand with outdoor adventure, with destinations such as Rijal Almaa, Ushaiqer Heritage Village, and Riyadh’s historic Dirab Valley delivering an authentic taste of Arabian traditions.
Thadiq, a heritage city located 165 kilometers northwest of Riyadh, is one excellent escape for people on staycation in the Kingdom. (SPA)
Hatta in the UAE is just one of many spots in the region drawing families outdoors. In the mountain enclave, a growing number of residents are trading city weekends for cool air and glamping stays surrounded by natural scenery.
Just a 90-minute drive from Dubai, Hatta has become one of the UAE’s most accessible nature escapes, offering dome-style tents, cabins, and lodges equipped with modern comforts, set against a backdrop of dramatic peaks.
“It’s become our go-to escape,” Ahmed said. “The drive is short, but once we’re surrounded by the mountains, it feels like we’re far away from everything.”
Families spend their days kayaking on the dam, cycling along gravel trails, or watching the sunset from their terraces.
“It’s the one place where my kids forget about screens,” said Ahmed. “They spend the whole day outside — biking, exploring, just being kids again.”
The concept of glamping — camping with comforts — has made Hatta a popular cool-season retreat, where residents can disconnect from city life without leaving behind convenience or style.
Just a few hours’ drive across the border, in Oman’s Jabal Akhdar, travelers are drawn to the same calm — but in a much cooler climate.
Amazing hiking trip to the stunning deserted historical Wadi Bani Habib Village in Jabal Akhdar in Oman. (Shutterstock)
igh in the Hajar range, the plateau — whose name means Green Mountain — is up to 15 degrees Celsius cooler than the coast, attracting visitors looking to escape the Gulf heat.
James Reeves, general manager of a holiday property in Jabal Akhdar, said the mountain attracts two distinct types of visitor.
During the winter season, it is mainly European travelers exploring Oman, while in summer it is a mix of local and regional guests escaping the high temperatures.
He described the area as offering “families the perfect balance of escape and convenience,” with many especially drawn to the region’s cultural and natural diversity.
The walking trails range from gentle paths suitable for children to more challenging routes that cross ancient terraces and abandoned mountain villages.
Reeves said many families also visit the falaj irrigation channels — a 1,000-year-old UNESCO-recognized water system that still nourishes farms in the area.
James Reeves, general manager of a holiday property in Oman’s Jabal Akhdar. (Supplied)
“Families today are looking for more than just a hotel and relaxation stay,” Reeves told Arab News. “They want experiences that are enriching, memorable, and suitable for all ages.”
The mountain helps visitors reconnect with the past and discover a more authentic side of Oman, he said.
While convenience plays a role, Reeves said the shift also reflects something deeper — a growing desire for presence.
After years of fast-paced travel and screen-heavy routines, families are seeking experiences that feel more rooted in place and culture.
It is a pattern emerging throughout the Gulf, as more residents look for adventures close by that combine discovery, nature, and connection.
For Dubai resident Ruth Bradley, those shorter adventures have taken on a more personal meaning.
For Dubai resident Ruth Bradley and her 13-year-old son, Rafi, in Oman’s Wadi Tiwi. (Supplied)
The British-Italian mother of three decided to drive to Oman with her 13-year-old son, Rafi, over the Eid break rather than fly abroad.
“My husband was traveling to the UK, and I didn’t want to stay in Dubai,” she told Arab News.
“I felt like an adventure, but I only had four days, so I started looking at what we could do by road. I didn’t want to waste time flying somewhere when we could experience amazing views on a drive through Oman.”
They spent one night in Nizwa, then continued to Wadi Tiwi, where they hiked, swam in natural pools, and jumped from cliffs surrounded by green valleys.
“It was one of the most breathtaking things we’ve ever done together,” she said. “At one point it felt like we were in a Jurassic World movie set. I could have cried from the beauty of it all — and I saw that same wonder in Rafi’s face,” she told Arab News.
The trip ended farther south at the Ras Al-Jinz Turtle Reserve, where they watched sea turtles lay their eggs before sunrise.
Ras Al Jinz beach, also known as the 'Turtle Beach,' is one of the most popular tourist spots in Oman. (Wikimedia Commons: hotshoe!)
Bradley described the journey as safe, affordable, and easy to manage.
The guesthouses she booked — part of the Nomad Inn Oman group — cost less than 500 Emirati dirhams ($136) a night, while the biggest expense was petrol for more than 24 hours of driving.
“Oman is such a safe country,” she said. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Being a lone parent on the road with my son was important to me — you only get 18 summers with your children, and I want to make every one count.”
Bradley said the region’s mix of landscape and hospitality makes short road-trip adventures especially rewarding.
She is already planning to return to Wadi Tiwi in December so her husband and older children can experience it too. She hopes more destinations in the Gulf region will offer affordable options for families and adventure seekers.
The Arabian Peninsula is “especially beautiful,” said Bradley, who hopes to show her son “every inch of it — from Oman’s wadis to AlUla, Petra, and even Socotra one day.”
Across the region, the definition of a holiday is shifting. Families are trading the once-a-year big trip for shorter, more frequent getaways.
This shift has spurred new investment in accessible destinations like Hatta, Jebel Jais, and Al-Ain, where adventure parks, nature trails, and eco-glamping sites now cater to families looking for safety and spontaneity.
In Ras Al-Khaimah, for example, the Jebel Jais mountains now have ziplines, sky tours, and cycling trails that draw visitors from Dubai for the day.
Similarly, in Al-Ain, Jebel Hafeet Desert Park has become a favorite with families who prefer exploring ancient tombs and desert trails close to home.
General view of the ancient city of AlUla in western ֱ. (SPA)
Farther west, ֱ’s AlUla has evolved into one of the region’s most sought-after short-break destinations.
Families visit for its sandstone canyons, heritage villages, and open-air museums, combining history and nature in a setting that feels remote yet remarkably accessible.
These projects — some run by local entrepreneurs, others backed by tourism authorities — are part of a larger regional movement to bring leisure closer to where people live and work.
Local guides and small businesses “are playing a huge role in this shift by creating authentic, hands-on experiences, whether it’s farm tours, cooking classes, or storytelling sessions in historic villages,” Reeves said.
This community-based approach is redefining tourism as participation rather than consumption.
A view of Al-Wahbah crater near Taif. From stark black cones to craters that plunge deep into the Earth, ֱ’s volcanic landscape offers some of the most breathtaking geological sights in the region. (SPA photo)
This increase in local travel has also had ripple effects beyond leisure. For many Arab families, it is a way of rediscovering the beauty and diversity of their own region — from the mangroves of Abu Dhabi to the volcanic landscapes of Yemen’s Socotra.
In doing so, it fosters a sense of pride and environmental awareness.
Reeves said travelers are now staying longer — sometimes beyond 10 days — using Jabal Akhdar as a base to explore Oman’s wider natural and cultural heritage.
“People are realizing how much there is to see within a few hours’ drive. And because they’re saving on flights, they’re investing more time in exploring.”
As new destinations across the GCC continue to emerge, the message is the same: “Adventure doesn’t have to mean far away.”
Sometimes, the best memories begin just a short drive from home.