Sitting cross-legged on the floor of a house in the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, dozens of men hung on Alaa Al Rikabi’s words.
“We are in a grinding war with the parties,” said Mr Al Rikabi, a candidate in Sunday's general election, referring to the political class that rose to power after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
“Those who were at the helm over the past 18 years have utterly failed in running the country,” Mr Al Rikabi said as his audience sipped sweet black tea, fingering prayer beads and puffing cigarettes.
“If we talk about thieves, they are the thieves. If we talk about sectarianism, they are the ones who created it for their own benefit,” he said.
The men nodded in agreement.
The parliamentary election was scheduled for May next year but is being held early to appease the pro-reform protest movement that began in October 2019, when thousands of Iraqis filled the streets of Baghdad and southern Shiite-dominated cities, including Nasiriyah. The protests unseated the previous government and forced parliament to endorse a new election law that allows independent candidates to contest elections.
Iraqis will choose from 3,249 contenders for the 329-seat parliament. Out of about 25 million registered voters, a little more than 23 million have updated their information to become eligible to take part.
Nasiriyah was one of the main stops for Shiite leaders returning from exile through Iran and Kuwait after the fall of Saddam's regime, where huge crowds turned out to greet them.
“Then, we were happy to see Shiites coming to power,” Salih Mahdi, 40, a Shiite taxi driver, told The National. “Instead, they have taken revenge on us.”
Like many of Nasiriyah’s residents, he laments that his home town has become a “disaster area” owing to a lack of proper public services and jobs.
Most of the city, about 360 kilometres south of Baghdad, is plunged into darkness during frequent power cuts; its dusty streets are filthy with rubbish and sewage; and impoverished settlements crowd its outskirts.
Since October 2019, Nasiriyah has become a mirror of the growing resentment among Shiites towards their political leaders. The youth-led protest movement died down in early 2020 after a heavy-handed crackdown by Iraqi security forces and militia groups and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Nearly 600 protesters died in the crackdown, including 137 protesters from Nasiriyah, and thousands more were wounded.
Two years since the outbreak of protests, the streets of Nasiriyah are still tense. Troops are posted at the main intersections; pictures of slain protesters dot the streets and walls are covered with protest slogans. The charred skeletons of political parties’ headquarters stand testament to public disenchantment.
Few political parties have erected campaign posters because protesters tear them up. In one incident, gunmen on motorcycles shot and wounded a man who was putting up posters for an independent candidate.
On Sunday, dozens of protesters gathered at Al Haboubi Square, the epicentre of the protests in Nasiriyah, to mark the first anniversary of the kidnapping of an activist. Soldiers dispersed them when they tried to set up a tent.
Mr Al Rikabi, 47, a pharmacist, was a prominent activist who was often seen leading protests in Nasiriyah in a white lab coat with an Iraqi flag wrapped around his neck.
The Imtidad Movement that he founded with other activists in January has become one of the most prominent parties linked to the protest movement. Now, it has 38 candidates running for the elections in nine provinces – six of them in Nasiriyah, including Mr Al Rikabi.
Mr Al Rikabi has been spending most of his days preparing campaign posters with volunteers and attending meetings with Nasiriyah residents that continue past midnight.
His phone rings constantly with calls from people inviting him to political meetings or from campaign workers updating him on electoral preparations.
“The one who will vote for them [the established politicians] or for candidates who [only] claim to be independent will commit a crime against himself, his sons and our country,” he told one gathering.
Mr Al Rikabi believes that while independent candidates might not sweep the election, their presence in parliament will be a “foundation stone” for a real change.
“If the turnout is high then we’ll see a change [in parliament] and that change will be very clear,” he told The National.
But not all activists share Mr Al Rikabi's view.
Hussein Al Adhmawi, a member of the newly founded National House party, is boycotting the election.
“The current conditions are not suitable to hold elections,” Mr Al Adhmawi, 21, a political science student, told The National.
“The elections we seek can’t be held with the presence of the uncontrolled weapons [in the hands of militias] and the political money,” he said.
As Mr Al Rikabi was wrapping up one of his meetings, a member of the audience spoke up.
“In the 2018 elections, we voted for someone who later changed his phone number and we didn't see him any more,” said Riayadh Ashour, 59.
“We want a clear commitment from you that you will continue to be in touch with us,” he said.
“Definitely,” Mr Al Rikabi replied. “But, I also want you to support me in the street, not to vote and turn your back. We may win five or 10 or 15 seats – if we are supported in the street, we can get things done inside parliament.”
The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
Company%20profile
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Results:
2.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: AZ Dhabyan, Adam McLean (jockey), Saleha Al Ghurair (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,200m.
Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
3.15pm: Conditions (PA) Dh60,000 2,000m.
Winner: Hareer Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
3.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh60,000 1,700m.
Winner: Kenz Al Reef, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup (TB) Dh 200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Mystique Moon, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
4.45pm: The Crown Prince Of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m.
Winner: ES Ajeeb, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Company%C2%A0profile
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
Profile
Name: Carzaty
Founders: Marwan Chaar and Hassan Jaffar
Launched: 2017
Employees: 22
Based: Dubai and Muscat
Sector: Automobile retail
Funding to date: $5.5 million
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Company%20profile
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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
