Fire in packed hall turns wedding joy into tragedy in northern Iraq, killing more than 100 September 28, 2023By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A Christian wedding party meant to celebrate the joining of young lives turned into a nightmare when a lit flare set the packed hall in northern Iraq on fire, killing more than 120 people and injuring some 250 others, according to local sources, as authorities warned the death toll is expected to rise with many more people still missing.
Iraq minorities, including Christians, still struggle 20 years after U.S.-led invasion and 6 years after victory over Islamic State April 23, 2023By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News Twenty years after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq started and six years after Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State, whose attacks started in 2014, the country’s religious minorities are still trying to surmount challenges.
New earthquake hits Turkey and Syria, killing 6; death toll from earlier quake rises to 47,000 February 21, 2023By Dale Gavlak OSV News Filed Under: Feature, News, World News A new earthquake struck the border area between Turkey and Syria the night of Feb. 20, sparking fear and anxiety for people already bereft and for those helping them since the Feb. 6 temblor. Six people were reported killed in the new quake.