Iraqis in Basra block roads as new PM appointment deadline looms

Iraq is at a crossroads as the losers of the country's recent elections are using violence in an attempt to overturn the results of the vote. At the same time, a genuine opposition is emerging for the first time.

One protester was killed as security forces confronted thousands of people protesting against military rule in Sudan's capital Khartoum on Sunday (January 30), medics linked to the demonstrations said. The 27-year-old, Mohamed Yousef Ismail, was hit in the chest, the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) said.

Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged as the biggest winner in Iraq's election. But early results showed a voter turnout of just 41%, which is the lowest since the US-led invasion that removed Saddam Hussein from power.

With several million pieces of mines and explosives lying under the rubble and soil across Iraq, many internally displaced people prefer living in camps to returning home.

Decades of conflict has made Iraq a hotbed for trafficking. From weapons to drugs, Iraq has dominated headlines. However, less attention has been focused on the trafficking of wild animals. In fact, the Middle East is considered one of the hubs of animal trafficking. Our correspondent in Iraq, Lucile Wassermann, went to meet the players in the trading of wildlife to understand the drivers behind it.

The US said it is working with the Iraqi and the regional Kurdish governments to get missile defense capabilities after Iran attacked Erbil.

A new round of fighting has driven some 1,000 Yazidi families from their homes. The security situation remains fragile, despite a cease-fire agreed on earlier this week.

In a UN Security Council briefing, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said the streets in Iraq could "boil over" if political leaders were unable to end a political stalemate that has gripped the country for over seven months.

A 66-year-old British man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to smuggle ancient artifacts out of Iraq. A German arrested alongside him was acquitted.

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The migration crisis, the rise of nationalism and the Covid-19 pandemic have put borders back in the headlines. Although frontiers had never disappeared, globalisation and modern forms of transport had seemed to render them obsolete, at least in many regions. FRANCE 24 brings you a documentary series on four borders that are emblematic of our times. Our reporter Lucile Wassermann travelled to the Arar border crossing between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which is coming back to life in the middle of the desert.

Iraqi officials have blamed Turkey for an airstrike on the Kurdistan region that killed at least eight tourists. But Turkey distanced itself from the shelling, saying it was a "terror attack."