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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?

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Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link Sadiq Khan Racks Up Enough Air Miles to Fly to the Moon and Back Sun Sep 14, 2025 09:00 | Will Jones
London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been accused of "preaching Net Zero from the comfort of his many plane journeys" after racking up enough air miles to fly to the Moon and back in?attending climate summits?and events abroad.
The post Sadiq Khan Racks Up Enough Air Miles to Fly to the Moon and Back appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link How the West Snookered Itself in Energy Geopolitics Sun Sep 14, 2025 07:00 | Tilak Doshi
The recent Tianjin summit, where a smiling Putin, Xi and Modi clasped hands, marks a profound shift in global energy geopolitics, one that underscores Europe's slide into irrelevance, says Tilak Doshi.
The post How the West Snookered Itself in Energy Geopolitics appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Sun Sep 14, 2025 00:14 | Will Jones
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 Home Office Hiring Religious Adviser to Help Detained Illegal Migrants Get Married Sat Sep 13, 2025 15:00 | Will Jones
The Home Office has advertised for a full-time religious affairs manager to advise?detained illegal migrants?on how to get married and organise weddings, despite the risk of 'sham' marriages as a way to avoid deportation.
The post Home Office Hiring Religious Adviser to Help Detained Illegal Migrants Get Married appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link Keir Starmer Overrules Ed Miliband to Snub Net Zero Project Sat Sep 13, 2025 13:00 | Will Jones
Sir Keir Starmer has overruled Ed Miliband by snubbing plans for a green energy plant in favour of a massive data centre in a major blow to the Energy Secretary?s Net Zero plans.
The post Keir Starmer Overrules Ed Miliband to Snub Net Zero Project 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

Voltaire Network >>

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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