Iraqi forces patrolling a village in Diyala, the province where the latest attack took place. AFP
Iraqi forces patrolling a village in Diyala, the province where the latest attack took place. AFP
Iraqi forces patrolling a village in Diyala, the province where the latest attack took place. AFP
Iraqi forces patrolling a village in Diyala, the province where the latest attack took place. AFP

Iraqi tribal fighter killed in blast at checkpoint in Diyala


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At least one pro-Iraqi government Sunni fighter was killed in an explosive device attack at a checkpoint in Khan Beni Saad, about 50km north of Baghdad, officials and security sources said early on Sunday.

The Sahwa tribal force fighter was killed and six others injured in the attack, five of them Iraqi soldiers.

The Iraqi Security Media Cell, an official body responsible for disseminating security information, said two explosive devices were detonated near the checkpoint on Saturday evening.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the fatal blast, although ISIS remains active in Diyala province and in January, Iraqi forces said the head of the group in the governorate had been killed in an air strike.

Diyala province was once a hotbed of Al Qaeda and later ISIS activity, but violence there has been sporadic and since the almost total defeat of ISIS following the 2017 battle of Mosul.

In 2015, a bomb at a marketplace, later claimed by ISIS, in the town killed 130 people.

The situation in the province, sometimes described as a “mini-Iraq” due to its mix of Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni communities, remains tense amid the ascendancy of Iran-backed militias linked to the government in Baghdad.

The Sahwa is a Sunni militia force established by the US during the height of the war on Al Qaeda in Iraq between 2006 and 2008. Al Qaeda in Iraq later morphed into ISIS.

The Sahwa is credited with significantly reducing violence across Iraq but was largely dismantled by former prime minister Nouri Al Maliki as sectarian tensions roiled the country, contributing to the rise of ISIS.

Some Sunni armed militias opposed to ISIS are still referred to as Sahwa, while others have been incorporated into an alliance of Iran-backed militias known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).

In Diyala, the most powerful political groups with armed paramilitaries in the PMF are the Badr Organisation and Asaib Ahl Al Haq, both of which have seats in the current government.

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Sunday Cagliari v Inter Milan (3.30pm), Atalanta v Fiorentina (6pm), Napoli v Sampdoria (6pm), Bologna v Roma (6pm), Genoa v Juventus (9pm), AC Milan v Parma (11.45pm)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

MATCH INFO

Real Madrid 2

Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')

Barcelona 0

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

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Match info

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Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

  • September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
  • October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
  • October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
  • November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
  • December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
  • February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
THE BIO

Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland

Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers

Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum

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HERO%20CUP%20TEAMS
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What's in the deal?

Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024

India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.

India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.

Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments

India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery

LEADERBOARD
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How to wear a kandura

Dos

  • Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion 
  • Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
  • Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work 
  • Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester

Don’ts 

  • Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal 
  • Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The biog

Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly 

Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo

Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.

Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,

She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.

Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces

 

  • Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
  • Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
  • Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
  • Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
  • Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.

The Case For Trump

By Victor Davis Hanson
 

2.0

Director: S Shankar

Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films

Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

UAE rugby in numbers

5 - Year sponsorship deal between Hesco and Jebel Ali Dragons

700 - Dubai Hurricanes had more than 700 playing members last season between their mini and youth, men's and women's teams

Dh600,000 - Dubai Exiles' budget for pitch and court hire next season, for their rugby, netball and cricket teams

Dh1.8m - Dubai Hurricanes' overall budget for next season

Dh2.8m - Dubai Exiles’ overall budget for next season

Updated: May 26, 2024, 7:06 PM`