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Pick of the day: Once Upon A Time In Iraq

9pm, BBC Two

The 2003 invasion of Iraq is given a fresh perspective in a series from James Bluemel, the director of the acclaimed Exodus: Our Journey, which put camera phones in the hands of refugees fleeing to Europe. His compelling new documentary is a mosaic of individual witnesses to the US-British conquest and its Isis-infested aftermath, but instead of the usual gamut of politicians and generals, these are normal Iraqis ranging from comedians, formerly West-obsessed teens, a farmers wife from Saddam Husseins home town, Tikrit, and a Saddam loyalist. We also hear from Americans, including a chilling ex-Marine who seems to have modelled himself on Rambo.

8.30pm, BBC Two

Who will be the new Ian Wang or Brandon Blackwell as the student quiz returns for its 27th series since its revival in 1995, with the opening match of the first round seeing the University of Glasgow take on the University of Exeter? Jeremy Paxman has their starters for 10.

9pm, BBC One

Laura Carmichaels performance as the troubled Agnes is the biggest pull in this entertaining if slightly predictable Australian stolen-baby drama her plan moving into overdrive as Meghan prepares to give birth and the hapless Haydenis granted compassionate leave from the Navy.

9pm, ITV

Two contrasting stories this week, as the unfailingly moving series continues with its catch-up episodes. In the case of reunited half-siblings Geoffrey Tonks and Barbara Jacobs, the mutual discovery appears to have been a success, and staring for the first time at a photograph of him with the mother who felt compelled to give him up for adoption, Tonks says with moving simplicity: Sitting on your mothers lap it doesnt get better than this. More complicated is the case of Robert Lindsay from Ayrshire, attempting to build a relationship with his Croatian father.

9pm, Channel 4

Not the most original idea for a documentary series (see also BBC Ones Ambulance), but actually there is a highly topical angle here. It follows West Midlands Ambulance Service at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic in April, from the perspective of the crews, control room staff and managers as they struggle to get more ambulances onto the front line managers having to deploy student paramedics, to deal with patients with breathing difficulties, in care homes, and with isolation-related mental health issues.

9pm, BBC Four

A look at how the composers return to the town of Heiligenstadt led to one of the most extraordinary outpourings of creativity in the history of music, from the earth-shattering Eroica through to Symphony No 7.

10.45pm, BBC One

The penultimate episode of Michaela Coels superb drama has surprises for all three of the friends as Arabella tries to contact another novelist at her publishing house, Kwame discovers the non-sexual joys of a relationship, and Terrygoes on a most surprising date.

Link:
On TV tonight, Once Upon A Time In Iraq offers fresh perspectives on the 2003 invasion - iNews

The Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein yesterday called on his German counterpart Heiko Maas to support Baghdads removal from the European list of high-risk countries for money laundering and terrorism financing.

In a statement, the Iraqi Foreign ministry said Hussein received a telephone call from his German counterpart, during which they discussed bilateral and regional affairs.

According to the statement, the German minister said that his country will work hard to protect Iraqs sovereignty and will continue its work within the international coalition fighting Daesh.

The Iraqi minister has also called on Germany to use its political and economic influence with regional countries to prevent interference in Iraqs internal affairs, pointing out that Baghdads new foreign policy depends on creating balanced relations with all neighbouring countries based on achieving common interests, solving problems by peaceful means, and distancing Iraq and its people from international and regional tensions.

READ: Germanys ban on Hezbollah bows to Zionist pressure but is of little real importance

Here is the original post:
Iraq calls on Germany to help remove it from EU terror financing list - Middle East Monitor

TEHRAN An informed source at Irans Foreign Ministry has said that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif plans to visit Iraq on July 19.

Zarif will meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, President Barham Salih and Mohamed al-Halbousi, the speaker of the National Assembly, IRIB reported.

Zarif and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Mohammed Hussein had a phone conversation in June.

Zarif highlighted the significance of the issues being pursued in bilateral relations and the necessity of implementing the agreements reached between the two sides during the Iranian presidents visit to Baghdad.

President Hassan Rouhani said in May that Irans principled policy is expanding relations and cooperation with Iraq in various areas.

In a phone conversation with Iraqi President Barham Salih, Rouhani attached great importance to expansion of economic relations, saying, Expansion of relations in various areas among the friendly governments and nations can help us pass the problems.

Elsewhere, he said that Iran attaches great importance to stability in Iraq.

The Islamic Republic of Iran will stand beside the Iraqi government and people and seeks to maintain Iraqs sovereignty and prevent foreign intervention, the president pointed out.

Salih, for his part, said cooperation of friendly countries, such as Iran, is required to establish stability in Iraq.

NA/PA

Read the rest here:
Zarif to visit Iraq on July 19 - Tehran Times

In one of the most serious abuses of the judicial system since the legalization of cannabis over the past decade, a Pickens County, Alabama judge has sentenced an Arizona man to five years in prison following the revocation of his probation for a 2016 cannabis arrest.

Iraq War Veteran Sean Worsley was arrested in the town of Gordo for marijuana possession following a routine stop by officers for what was initially a noise complaint. The couple was accused of playing their music too loudly in their car when they stopped for gas, according to the Alabama Political Reporter.

When Officer Carl Abramo said he smelled cannabis, Worsley allowed him to search the vehicle, leading to his arrest.

However, Worsley, who is from Arizona, legally used cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder. According to APR, he was wounded in an IED attack and suffered from back and shoulder pain. Arizona is one of 33 states where medical cannabis is legal. Alabama is not.

The result, according to The Washington Post, was a years-long legal fight that cost Worsley thousands of dollars and eventually caused him to go homeless, all the while, the legal cannabis industry continued to rake in billions of dollars. At one point, Worsley missed a court date in Alabama when the VA rejected his application for a substance abuse program.

According to APR, Worsleys medical cannabis card expired in Arizona. He was then extradited back to Alabama by state authorities, where he is now awaiting a spot in an Alabama Department of Corrections facility.

Its the sixth circle of hell of this countrys cannabis laws.

I feel like Im being thrown away by a country I went and served for, Worsley wrote in a letter from the Pickens County Jail to Alabama Appleseed, which is a criminal justice organization that has published a detailed account of his case, according to the Washington Post. I feel like I lost parts of me in Iraq, parts of my spirit and soul that I cant ever get back.

Worsleys story is a prime example of not only the terrible discrepancy in state cannabis laws but both the racial disparities of the criminal justice system and Americas lack of appreciation for the men and women who serve this country in uniform.

The Alabama Cannabis Industry Association has seen the need to bring clarity to the laws related to the medical marijuana issue facing our citizens, said Michael Fritz, the general sel for the Alabama Cannabis Industry Association in a statement to APR.

Alabama District Attorney Andrew Hamlin has doubled-down on Worsleys conviction, however. In a letter sent out on Tuesday, he ignored Worsleys service and the legality of cannabis in Arizona, instead choosing to focus on the veterans history of possession arrests. While it is true that Mr. Worsley is a decorated veteran of the United States military, it is also true that he is a criminal that has habitually broken the law in numerous states, wrote Hamlin, who tried to make every excuse he could for arresting and throwing the book at Worsley.

In the meantime, a bill to legalize medical cannabis has passed the Alabama Senate, though that wont help Worsley at this time.

Its time to permit medical cannabis in our state, as our sister states have done and avoid needlessly jamming our already over crowed prisons with marijuana arrests, said Chey Garrigan, the executive director of the ACIA, to APR.

Continue reading here:
Alabama goes full drug war in sentencing Iraq War veteran to five years in prison for cannabis possession - PotNetwork

The memory of a teenage Black Watch soldier has been honoured with the unveiling of a mural 16 years after his death in Iraq.

Private Paul Lowe, 19, was one of three members of the regiment from Fife who were killed by a bomber in Falluja in November 2004.

Sergeant Stuart Gray, 31, from Dunfermline and Private Scott McArdle, 22, from Glenrothes, also died along with an Iraqi interpreter.

Now, following a fundraising campaign by Pauls family, his image has been recreated on the side of the ex-servicemens club in his home town Kelty.

The 30 foot high mural is the work of Glenrothes-based artist Donna Forrester and was commissioned after the soldiers brothers raised 6,000 to make the project a reality.

Family, friends and club members were on hand to see its unveiling on the gable end of Kelty & Blairadam Ex-servicemens Club.

Stuart Lowe said: It really is outstanding and the perfect tribute to Paul who was well known and still remembered in the town.

Paul made the ultimate sacrifice and weve wondered for a few years now as to what the best way would be to pay tribute to his life.

Stuart said the inspiration for the artwork came after the completion of the Connor Law mural which was created in memory of the 26-year-old Kelty boxer who tragically died in 2019.

We approached the artists responsible for that mural and we hatched a plan to create a similar one of Paul, he said.

Donna has created something very special indeed, not just for the family, but for the town as a whole, we are so grateful.

Donna took two weeks to complete the painting, which depicts the soldier in uniform playing a bugle.

She said: As an artist you are always looking at how you could improve it but Im pretty happy with the outcome and just pleased for the family who can now see Paul remembered in such a way.

Duncan Graham, club treasurer and Black Watch veteran, said it was an honour to pay tribute to Paul, who was a club member.

He added: Kelty has traditionally been a strong recruiting ground for the Black watch so its especially fitting to see this mural in Pauls honour.

Its a stunning piece of work reminding people of the bravery shown by all service men and women.

Its even more poignant as the Kelty club celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Read more from the original source:
Giant artwork is fitting tribute to Fife Black Watch soldier killed in Iraq - The Courier