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offsite link North Korea Increases Aid to Russia, Mos... Tue Nov 19, 2024 12:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Trump Assembles a War Cabinet Sat Nov 16, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link Slavgrinder Ramps Up Into Overdrive Tue Nov 12, 2024 10:29 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link ?Existential? Culling to Continue on Com... Mon Nov 11, 2024 10:28 | Marko Marjanovi?

offsite link US to Deploy Military Contractors to Ukr... Sun Nov 10, 2024 02:37 | Field Empty

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Human Rights in Ireland
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Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link News Round-Up Sat Aug 23, 2025 00:38 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Furious Anti-Migrant Campaigners Face Off With Counter-Demonstrators in Portsmouth Fri Aug 22, 2025 19:00 | Richard Eldred
Portsmouth has become the flashpoint for a weekend of anti-migrant protests and counter-demonstrations, with tensions set to spread nationwide as up to 30 asylum hotels face copycat protests after the Bell Hotel ruling.
The post Furious Anti-Migrant Campaigners Face Off With Counter-Demonstrators in Portsmouth appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Trans Woman Who Concealed Gender Before Performing Sex Act on Man is Found Guilty of Sexual Assault Fri Aug 22, 2025 17:00 | Richard Eldred
A biologically male trans woman who hid that he was male before carrying out sex acts on a man has been found guilty of sexual assault, after a jury ruled he couldn't have given informed consent.
The post Trans Woman Who Concealed Gender Before Performing Sex Act on Man is Found Guilty of Sexual Assault appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Labour MPs Now Back a Rwanda-Style Deportation Scheme For Small Boat Migrants Amid ?Dire? Asylum Fig... Fri Aug 22, 2025 15:00 | Toby Young
In an embarrassing U-turn, Labour MPs are now calling for a Rwanda-style deportation scheme to deal with the record-breaking number of asylum claims.
The post Labour MPs Now Back a Rwanda-Style Deportation Scheme For Small Boat Migrants Amid ?Dire? Asylum Figures appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Sorry, But Bakewell Tart is Not in Imminent Danger of Disappearing Due to Climate Change Fri Aug 22, 2025 13:00 | Chris Morrison
The Daily Sceptic?s Environment Editor Chris Morrison takes issue with a recent piece in the Telegraph that wrongly suggested a global almond shortage was endangering the traditional Bakewell Tart.
The post Sorry, But Bakewell Tart is Not in Imminent Danger of Disappearing Due to Climate Change appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

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Voltaire Network
Voltaire, international edition

offsite link Will intergovernmental institutions withstand the end of the "American Empire"?,... Sat Apr 05, 2025 07:15 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?127 Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:38 | en

offsite link Disintegration of Western democracy begins in France Sat Apr 05, 2025 06:00 | en

offsite link Voltaire, International Newsletter N?126 Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:39 | en

offsite link The International Conference on Combating Anti-Semitism by Amichai Chikli and Na... Fri Mar 28, 2025 11:31 | en

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Pope Visits Iraq Amidst COVID Crisis, Conflict, Soaring Poverty and Struggling Economy

category international | politics / elections | press release author Friday March 05, 2021 21:36author by Zachary Conti - Jubilee USA Report this post to the editors

Shia Muslim Leader and Pope to Meet

Pope Francis kicks off a 3-day Iraq tour and meetings with Muslim leaders, government officials and representatives of the country's dwindling Christian population.

Shia Muslim Leader and Pope to Meet

Pope Francis kicks off a 3-day Iraq tour and meetings with Muslim leaders, government officials and representatives of the country's dwindling Christian population. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, Iraq saw poverty numbers climb to 37% and an estimated 11% contraction in its economy.

"Iraq was already struggling before the pandemic hit and now the suffering is even worse," stated the Executive Director of the religious development group Jubilee USA Network, Eric LeCompte. LeCompte advises the Vatican and Catholic leaders on economic issues. "The coronavirus crisis for Iraq means poverty has doubled and the country can't make debt payments and also pay workers."

In February the International Monetary Fund reported the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decline in the country's main revenue source, oil. Coupled with challenges of corruption, the Fund estimated the downturn of Iraq's 2020 economy by 11%.

"The Pope's visit brings hope as Iraq's people suffer from the pandemic, conflict, corruption, soaring food prices and increasing poverty," shared LeCompte. "Like too many countries, it will take Iraq's economy years to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. Iraq's pre-pandemic economy wasn't great and already had too much suffering."

The IMF forecasts that Iraq's debt will steadily rise through 2023 and could see pre-pandemic economic outputs in 2024.

On Saturday, Pope Francis travels to Iraq's holiest city, Najaf, to meet with Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani who leads Iraq's Shia Muslims.

"The meeting between Ayatollah Sistani and Pope Francis signifies the Pope's commitment to tackle world problems with people of all faiths," stated LeCompte whose organization is composed of multiple faith groups including Muslims, Jews and Christians. "The Pope took the name Francis after the famed St. Francis who met with the Muslim Sultan Malek al-Kamil in 1219. The meeting between St. Francis and Sultan al-Kamil is a symbol for Pope Francis of the critical importance of interfaith dialogue."

Iraq is the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham, an important figure for Jews, Muslims and Christians.

Read the IMF's recent report on Iraq here.

Related Link: https://www.jubileeusa.org/pr_pope_iraq_covid_poverty
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