The series of car bombings and shootings that swept through Iraq over the last few days recalled the dark days of 2006 when daily suicide attacks became a way of life for so many Iraqis. The new attacks were a reminder, and also a warning.
The bombings and shootings targeting Shia communities in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq yesterday claimed the lives of 50 more people, with dozens injured. The attacks appeared to be coordinated, with car and roadside bombs targeting security posts and gunmen opening fire on police. The cities of Tikrit, Taji and Hilla were all targeted as well as the capital.
There was also a spike in attacks on civilians in December as US forces withdrew. That withdrawal may have been abrupt, but it was time for Iraqis to take full control of their country. So far, they have yet to do so.
The increase in attacks on Shia communities also corresponded with Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki, the leader of the Shia State of Law coalition, consolidating power at the expense of the opposition Iraqiyya party and accusing leading Sunni politicians of planning the violence. Vice President Tariq Al Hashimi, a Sunni who fled to the Kurdish Autonomous Region, again maintained his innocence this week after Iraq's top judicial court formally accused him of sectarian violence.
Whether Mr Al Hashimi is guilty or not (and it is difficult to judge in this poisoned political atmosphere), the political feuding and sectarian murders are closely related. As long as Mr Al Maliki's government continues to marginalise non-Shiites, there will be no lasting security solution in Iraq.
The irony here is that this type of sectarian violence has, at least in part, been successfully dealt with before. The worst days of the civil war were brought to a close when US forces reached out to Sunni tribes. The Awakening Councils that were formed as a result in provinces such as Anbar cut off support for Al Qaeda and marked a turning point in the war.
Al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility for the December attacks, and the coordination of the recent violence fits the group's tactics. After being smashed in the past couple of years, Al Qaeda seems to be regaining some strength. The solution, just as with the Awakening Councils, is to convince Sunni communities to turn against the terrorists, in their own interests and in the country's.
But there is little incentive to work in partnership with Baghdad when that same government systematically marginalises and persecutes Sunnis. Mr Al Maliki and Mr Al Hashimi do not need to have a direct hand in the violence for their feud to nonetheless be partly responsible. It is only Mr Al Maliki and his cohort, however, who have the power to offer a compromise.
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Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.6-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 285bhp
Torque: 353Nm
Price: TBA
On sale: Q2, 2020
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani