The Weekly

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken makes a surprise visit to Iraq, community members mark 40 days since the Iraq wedding fire and a nonprofit continues rehabilitating a soccer field in an Assyrian village.

An Assyrian language course enters a third Illinois high school, archaeologists re-excavate an ancient Lamassu and the U.S. carries out strikes on Iran-affiliated targets in Syria.

A group stages a protest in Iraq in relation to the Bakhdida wedding fire, the U.S. advises citizens not to travel to Iraq and Syria says Israel struck its two main airports.

Thousands in Baghdad protest in support of Palestine, U.N. agencies say Syrian strikes on rebel-held territories have displaced 70,000 and some Bakhdida fire victims are on the way to recovery. 

The Iraq wedding fire death toll reaches 124, Turkey strikes PKK targets in northern Iraq and Baghdad claims Ankara has not communicated status of oil pipeline.

This week, we're going over our coverage of the Iraq wedding fire that has reportedly killed more than 100. You can find our full coverage at www.thewordmideast.com

Three are killed in an airstrike on a military airport in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Armenians begin a mass exodus out of Artsakh, Nagorno-Karabakh and a nonprofit completes the renovation of an Assyrian school in northern Iraq. 

A Turkish minister says the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline is set to resume operation; Gulyama Younan, mother of the Ancient Church of the East Patriarch, dies in Chicago; and a Spanish university holds its second Assyrian-centered academic conference.

The Syrian Democratic Forces say tribal battles in Syria have come to an end, looted artifacts are returned to Lebanon and a nonprofit nears completion of an irrigation canal in an Assyrian-populated village.

Clashes erupt in Iraq’s Kirkuk, U.S.-backed forces fight in Syria’s east and construction begins on the anticipated Iran-Iraq rail. 

Turkish drone attacks kill seven PKK members in Iraq, a high-level US delegation visits rebel-held northwest Syria and youth of an Assyrian village in Iraq raise funds for a new a soccer field.

The U.S. sanctions Syrian militias, Iraq receives a loan from Japan for the refurbishment of a major oil refinery and a nonprofit gives Assyrians in a remote village in Turkey a new heating system.

Turkish soldiers are killed in an anti-PKK operation in Iraq, community members mark Assyrian Martyrs Day and the Chicago-area Assyrian community prepares for the fourth annual Assyrian Food Festival.

The Assyrian community commemorates 9 years since the fall of the Nineveh Plains to ISIS, the Assyrian Church of the East opens its new patriarchal cathedral in Erbil and Iraq blocks the messaging app Telegram amid “national security concerns”.

Kurdish groups allege Turkish strikes kill fighters in Iraq and Syria, an electric fire at an Iraq substation causes a temporary national outage and churches declare support for Sako.

Nahla Valley villagers protest reportedly long-standing curfews, Chaldean Catholic Church leader Louis Raphael Sako arrives in Erbil and the Swedish embassy in Iraq relocates to Stockholm.

The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch says he will leave Baghdad for Erbil following escalations with Iraq's president, Mar Awa III Royel leads service in his hometown of Chicago over the weekend and Assyrians around the world celebrate Nusardel.

Turkish airstrikes reportedly set fire to an Assyrian village in northern Iraq, a U.S. military operation kills an ISIS leader in Eastern Syria and Iraq opens an investigation into the kidnapping of an Israel-based researcher visiting the country.

A burning of the Quran in Stockholm sparks outcry in Iraq — and from some Assyrian leaders, Syria says it repelled airstrikes from Israel and a nonprofit reports it will rebuild a small business in Baghdeda.

Five Christian-identifying political parties in Iraq call for an end to land sales they say will lead to demographic change, an airstrike kills at least nine in Syria and an Assyrian art and music showcase is coming to Chicago next week.

A nonprofit works on rehabilitating schools in northern Iraq, Qatari companies partner with Iraq on $9.5 billion worth of infrastructure projects and international donors pledge upwards of $10 billion to Syrians at home and as refugees.

Mar Gewargis III Younan is consecrated as the Ancient Church patriarch, IS militants reportedly kill two soldiers in Kirkuk and Iraq approve a record budget.

The Assyrian Democratic Movement elects new leadership, ISIS members are repatriated to Iraq and a project uniting Native American and Assyrian potters kicks off in Iraq.

Editor's note: This episode is from Monday, May 29. Erdogan wins his third term as Turkey's president, Mar Gewargis Younan III meets with Rayyan al-Kildani and Iraq launches a multi-billion dollar rail and road project.

Assyrian Church Patriarch Mar Awa Royel III meets with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Iraq bans dealings in US dollars and a Chicago-based Assyrian artist drops a new spin on and old classic.