Iraqi activists demanded employment opportunities and adequate public services as Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi visited the oil-rich city of Basra on Thursday.
Residents of Iraq’s second city say they have been driven onto the streets in protest by corruption and misrule that allowed infrastructure to collapse, leaving no power or safe drinking water.
Mr Al Kadhimi visited the southern city to inaugurate a gas tower, which is the biggest of its kind in the industry, constructed by the Basra Gas Company.
In a letter directed to the government, the Human Rights Commission in Basra said the government must ensure that it “deals with the effects of pollution” and must give equal employment opportunities to Basra’s youth.
“The gains of this new project must be reflected on the people of Basra, especially it’s youth as they struggle with poverty, deprivation and from diseases,” the letter said.
Iraqis have called on authorities to clean up the water supply, with pollution blamed for putting tens of thousands of people in hospital in Basra province alone over the last two years.
Hospitals across the city were overwhelmed with patients poisoned by polluted drinking water.
Iraq is one of the most oil-rich countries in the world but has suffered chronic water and power shortages for decades.
The coronavirus pandemic and tumbling oil prices have taken a heavy toll this year, with poverty rates expected to soar to at least 40 per cent.
During his visit Mr Al Kadhimi said the economic crisis that the country is going through “has prompted us to think about the future and to build an economy that does not depend entirely on oil, in order to achieve a better life for all Iraqis."
“This is a step in the right direction, one that is moving away from the traditional dependence on crude oil, to Iraq and to Basra,” Mr Al Kadhimi said.
Unprecedented demonstrations erupted across Baghdad and Iraq's south in October 2019 as protesters called for jobs, basic services, a total overhaul of the ruling class and an end to corruption.
Basra witnessed this week a flare in protests that turned into violent clashes.
Police officers and troops fired into the air to disperse around 500 protesters who had been throwing rocks, which resulted in the injury of dozens of people.
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
Price, base / as tested: Dh76,900 / Dh110,900
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: Torque: 352Nm @ 2,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.5L / 100km
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Quick%20facts
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FLIP5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
