Author: DispatchTimes News Desk

Najaf airport in Iraq has suspended all flights to and from Iran, after Baghdad ordered the measure as part of its enforcement of US sanctions on Iranian airlines. Hussein Muhanna, the airport’s director, said the decision followed a directive from the Iraqi prime minister’s office to the governor of Najaf. Iranian airline services were halted early on Thursday morning. The airport, in the holy city south of Baghdad, is a major gateway for Iranian visitors travelling to sacred sites in Iraq and for Iraqi Shia pilgrims visiting holy cities in Iran. The routes are also used by Iraqi students studying…

Leaders from Lebanon, Iraq and Pakistan are due to address the United Nations General Assembly as its fourth day gets under way, with the US-Israel war on Iran remaining a central focus of proceedings. The speeches come during live discussions at the UN General Assembly, where attention is expected to remain on the conflict as world leaders continue their appearances.

Michael Whatley is betting that an unqualified embrace of Donald Trump will carry him to victory in North Carolina’s closely watched Senate race, despite trailing Democratic nominee Roy Cooper and facing signs that Republican financial support is beginning to weaken. Whatley has appeared alongside the president at his midterm convention, defended the Iran war and rejected blanket pauses on new data-centre construction. He has also welcomed visits from Mr Trump and Vice-President JD Vance — a distinction no other Republican Senate candidate can claim. “I am still with that guy,” Whatley said during an appearance in Gastonia, near Charlotte, referring…

Eli Lilly is widening its lead over Novo Nordisk in the obesity drug market, despite an ambitious attempt by the Danish company to revive growth beyond its blockbuster Wegovy and Ozempic treatments. Novo’s shares came under pressure after investors were presented with plans for a new generation of medicines at its capital markets day on Monday. The targets were viewed as broadly in line with the wider pharmaceutical industry, rather than sufficient to restore the rapid growth that once set the company apart. The concerns come as Lilly continues to gain ground in both injectable and oral treatments for obesity,…

Celtic and Rangers have held discussions with Arsenal over possible January loan moves for teenage prospect Max Dowman, amid reported interest from more than a dozen clubs. Journalist Ekrem Konur reports that Arsenal could consider sending Dowman out on loan once he turns 17 on December 31. The midfielder is not expected to receive regular first-team football in the short term, making a temporary move an option for the north London club. Konur said: “Celtic & Rangers held talks with Arsenal over loan move for Max Dowman. Interest – over a dozen clubs contacted Arsenal. Situation – eligible for loan…

New York City will host the 25th Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk on Sunday, September 27, with thousands of participants retracing the route taken by FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller on September 11, 2001. The 3.5-mile event will begin in Brooklyn at 9.30am and finish in Manhattan. It follows Siller’s final journey through the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, formerly known as the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, towards the World Trade Centre. Siller, who was off duty when the attacks began, strapped on around 60lb of firefighting equipment and ran through the tunnel after it had been closed to traffic. He died…

A dog walker has claimed he saw an eight-foot-tall, hairy creature while walking his dog in Bramham, West Yorkshire, in October 1998. The unnamed witness said the sighting was only reported recently, after years of keeping the account private. He described being left “paralysed with fear” when his dog began reacting to something on a dark farm track. The walk took place at about 8pm, after he had finished work. As they continued along the track, the dog suddenly stopped, stared ahead and began growling before barking loudly. “When I turned to look up the track again, I couldn’t believe…

Senator Tammy Duckworth has urged the Pentagon and Federal Aviation Administration to reject Donald Trump’s plan to turn a proposed 250-foot triumphal arch near Arlington National Cemetery into a military complex capable of hosting snipers and launching and landing drones. The Illinois Democrat said the structure’s proposed use could create risks in the already congested airspace around Ronald Reagan National Airport, despite an FAA assessment last week that the arch posed no hazard to aircraft arriving at or departing from the airport. “The FAA and DoD must reject this foolhardy plan and instead focus on increasing the safety of the…

Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into alleged public racist insults and cyberharassment directed at French judo champion Teddy Riner after he spoke about his concerns over the rise of the hard right. Riner, 37, said he had been subjected to a torrent of abuse since appearing on a television sports programme earlier this month. Asked whether he was referring to both the far left and far right, he replied: “The far right.” In a statement on social media, the athlete said: “I expressed a concern. Everyone is free to share it or not. Debate and disagreement are legitimate. Hatred…

No prominent Chinese business leaders attended the White House state dinner during Donald Trump’s summit with Xi Jinping, highlighting the deep deterioration in commercial ties between the United States and China. The absence was particularly notable because Xi’s 2015 state visit included a delegation of leading Chinese executives, among them Alibaba founder Jack Ma and Tencent’s Pony Ma. At the time, disputes over trade, cyberattacks and human rights had already strained relations, but companies in both countries still saw major opportunities in each other’s markets. “It’s a rather depressing marker of how bad the relationship has gotten,” said Emily Kilcrease,…