Germany has extended its military mandate in Iraq, but will end reconnaissance missions by October 31, 2019. Last month, Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen said she couldn’t rule out a longer-term deployment. Source: Deutsche Welle
According to a newly adopted law, a foreign country’s national anthem cannot be sung or played in Slovakia unless an official delegation of that state is present. Therefore, singing the Hungarian anthem is now punishable by law. This is significant given that the country harbors half a million Hungarians; in fact, this number is so large that it amounts to eight to nine percent of Slovakia’s total population. Source Hungary Today
Germany’s Central Register of Foreigners registered 1.8 million people seeking protection in 2018. Most of those who had protection status came from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. The number of people registered as seeking protection in Germany increased 6% to 1.8 million people in 2018, the Federal Statistical Office said Thursday. The Central Register of Foreigners recorded an additional 101,600 people seeking protection for humanitarian reasons. The increase was similar to the 5% rise in the previous year. Source Deutsche Welle
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has released details of its recent capturing of a foreign tanker smuggling one million liters of Iranian fuel near the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf. A local IRGC naval command post published the details in a statement, which was carried by Tasnim News Agency on Thursday. Source PressTV
