Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and Kuwait to the southeast, Jordan to the southwest, and Syria to the west. The country covers an area of 438,317 square kilometres (169,235 sq mi) and has a population of over 46 million, making it the 58th largest country by area and the 31st most populous in the world. Baghdad, home to over 8 million people, is the capital city and the largest in the country.
A powerful dust storm has hit southern Iraq, affecting several provinces including Basra and Najaf, and leaving over 50 people..
With the U.S. and Iran set to meet in Oman for nuclear negotiations, pressure is mounting on Tehran to scale back its atomic..
