Baghdad

Standing at the foot of the cliff overlooking Kemaliye, the golden statue of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the father of the nation, evokes the glorious past of this small town in the eastern province of Erzincan.

Both the central government in Baghdad and the Kurdistan regional government in Erbil are committed to clearing Iraq of the PKK terror, the Turkish foreign minister has said, pledging Ankara's continued support in their fight against terrorism.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has engaged in a high-level meeting with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in the capital city of Baghdad.

The Aug. 22 talks primarily centered around strategies to combat terrorism and regional developments.

Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is scheduled to embark on a diplomatic mission this week, heading to Baghdad and Erbil, as reported by the Iraqi media.

A pair of Siberian tigers pant incessantly beside a pond at their zoo enclosure in the scorching summer heat of the Iraqi capital.

Temperatures on Monday breached 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in Baghdad for the second day in a row, making life outdoors unbearable for both humans and animals.

Iraqi merchant Mohamed has never seen such a grim tourist season: Years of drought have shrunken the majestic Lake Habbaniyah, keeping away the holidaymakers who once flocked there during summer

"The last two years, there was some activity, but now there's no more water," said 35-year-old Mohamed, asking to be identified by his first name only.

Iraq's prime minister has ordered an investigation into how a bear escaped from its crate in the cargo hold of an Iraqi aircraft as it was due to depart from Dubai airport, leaving passengers disgruntled over the delay and causing a stir on social media.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said he is in close contact with his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen regarding a possible ban.

Ankara has issued a strong condemnation against the recent "vile attack" on Islam's holy book, the Quran, near the Iraqi embassy in Sweden.

Hundreds of protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in central Baghdad in the early hours of Thursday and set it on fire to protest an expected Quran burning in Sweden, Reuters reported.

All embassy staff in Baghdad are safe, the Swedish Foreign Ministry press office said in a statement, condemning the attack and stressing the need for Iraqi authorities to protect diplomatic missions.