Iraq will receive two stolen artefacts dating back more than 4,000 years from US authorities this week, its foreign ministry announced on Tuesday.
The pieces are made of clay with cuneiform writing. One is from the ancient city of Ur, while the other is from Babylon, the ministry’s spokesman Ahmed Al Sahaf said.
An official ceremony will be held at the Iraqi Consulate in Los Angeles on Thursday to mark the occasion, Mr Al Sahaf added.
He didn’t provide more details about the pieces or how they reached the US.
Ur and Babylon were major cities in ancient Mesopotamia, south of Baghdad.
The Bible mentions Ur as the birthplace of Prophet Abraham, where wealthy empires flourished. Babylon, meanwhile, was famous for its hanging gardens.
The antiquities will be the latest items Iraq has received from the US and other countries in its long-running struggle to retrieve its stolen cultural trove.
Last year, Iraqis welcomed more than 17,000 ancient artefacts retrieved mainly from the US. The priceless relics, dating back as far as 4,000 years, were looted from Iraq and smuggled onto the black market, mainly after the Gulf War in the 1990s.
Among them was a rare antique clay tablet that bears a portion of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the oldest known surviving piece of literature.
The 127mm by 152mm fragment, which dates back 3,500 to 4,000 years, is known as the Dream Tablet and is written in the Sumerian language. In the epic poem, the hero describes a dream to his mother, predicting the arrival of a new friend.
Many of the objects taken from Iraq were seized from the Oklahoma-based Hobby Lobby. The chain of arts and crafts shops was forced by the US government to relinquish artefacts in 2017 and fined $3 million for failing to act on expert advice that the objects may have been looted or to declare their provenance to the authorities.
Iraq’s archaeological sites have all been badly affected by decades of war, a lack of security and mismanagement.
After the 1991 Gulf War, when a US-led coalition drove Saddam Hussein’s army out from Kuwait, illegal digging was widespread as the former dictator started to lose control of the country. Some of Saddam’s close circle officials were involved in artefact smuggling.
When the US led another coalition to topple Saddam’s regime in 2003, Iraqi artefacts suffered a major blow.
Looters burst into the Iraqi National Museum the day after Baghdad fell to US troops in April, making off with scores of priceless artefacts and leaving the floor littered with shattered pottery.
The US was widely criticised at the time for failing to protect the site. Only a few items were saved.
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
Williams at Wimbledon
Venus Williams - 5 titles (2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008)
Serena Williams - 7 titles (2002, 2003, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015 and 2016)
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First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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The 15 players selected
Muzzamil Afridi, Rahman Gul, Rizwan Haider (Dezo Devils); Shahbaz Ahmed, Suneth Sampath (Glory Gladiators); Waqas Gohar, Jamshaid Butt, Shadab Ahamed (Ganga Fighters); Ali Abid, Ayaz Butt, Ghulam Farid, JD Mahesh Kumara (Hiranni Heros); Inam Faried, Mausif Khan, Ashok Kumar (Texas Titans
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Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
New Zealand T20 squad
New Zealand T20 squad: Tim Southee (captain), Finn Allen, Todd Astle, Hamish Bennett, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway (wicketkeeper), Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Adam Milne, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Ish Sodhi, Will Young
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A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The End of Loneliness
Benedict Wells
Translated from the German by Charlotte Collins
Sceptre
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Result
Crystal Palace 0 Manchester City 2
Man City: Jesus (39), David Silva (41)
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