Iraq's former vice president and prime minister Ayad Allawi in 2018. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Iraq's former vice president and prime minister Ayad Allawi in 2018. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Iraq's former vice president and prime minister Ayad Allawi in 2018. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Iraq's former vice president and prime minister Ayad Allawi in 2018. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Iraq risks civil war without prison reform and national unity, says Ayad Allawi


Mina Aldroubi
  • English
  • Arabic

Related: How Iraq's first free leaders bore a London legacy

Civil war could break out in Iraq unless prison reforms and national unity are enforced, the country's first prime minister since the 2003 invasion, Ayad Allawi, told The National.

Mr Allawi, a secular Shiite Arab and former vice president, warned of the possibility of rising sectarian tensions in the country and said a new wave of extremism was brewing in Iraq's overcrowded jails.

"Prisons are becoming a fertile ground for extremism. Before it was between Sunnis and Shiites, now it's involving tribes, involving regions, involving districts. The problem, if this continues, will be a civil war throughout the country," he told The National from his home in London. It is 20 years since he took office in Baghdad.

The mistake was, we did not apply equal citizenship to everybody and we had a quota-run government
Ayad Allawi,
former Iraqi Prime Minister

Mr Allawi also believes prisons are a "breeding place for ISIS" and the extremist group could be on the rise.

He said one solution would be to "clear prisons" from those who have been "accused of political reasons – there must be a pardon". There must be a push for national unity and reconciliation between Iraq's various ethnic and religious groups that are currently ruling the country, he added.

Mr Allawi spoke with disappointment about what Iraq has endured during the two decades since the US invasion that dismantled the government of Saddam Hussein, security forces and law enforcement.

Iraqis set a statue of Saddam Hussein on fire in Baghdad, April 2003. EPA
Iraqis set a statue of Saddam Hussein on fire in Baghdad, April 2003. EPA

Years of corruption and sectarianism have since dominated Iraqi politics, with Iraq’s ethno-sectarian Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish political parties infiltrating ministry and government posts.

The political divisions created widespread violence that led to a brutal civil war in 2006 and the formation of ISIS, which took over one third of Iraq in 2014.

Mr Allawi says that while these periods of tumult appear over, the same powerful, destructive tensions are rising again, behind the scenes.

"Now there is an unspoken civil war. I was against the occupation and war but the Americans wanted to divide the country into Sunnis and Shiites. Now we see Shiites versus Sunni, Shiites versus itself and Sunnis against each other," he said.

"The Sunnis until now cannot elect a man to become Parliament Speaker due to their differences."

Mr Allawi referred to a recent failure of Sunni political parties to elect a Speaker – a position usually reserved for the religious group in Iraq's so-called quota system, known as muhasasa tafi'iya.

Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid, second right, formally asks Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani to form a government, at the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad in 2022. EPA
Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid, second right, formally asks Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani to form a government, at the Iraqi parliament in Baghdad in 2022. EPA

The dispute over who will take the position is the latest in a series of failed attempts to replace Mohammed Al Halbousi, who was dismissed in November, with political bickering and divisions between key Sunni parties derailing every effort so far.

The row is a microcosm of years of political paralysis in the country where government formation – choosing key executive and cabinet positions – is often bogged down in factional rivalry.

Since the post-Saddam constitution in 2005, the prime minister is a member of the Shiite community, the speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial role of president is held by a Kurd. However, the formula is strained as a result of sectarian agendas and has failed to prevent bloodshed.

"The mistake was, then we did not apply equal citizenship to everybody and we had a quota-run government," he said.

Iranian meddling

In 2004, Mr Allawi served on the Governing Council and was unanimously elected to become Iraq's first postwar prime minister on June 28.

The politician, who led the country for nine turbulent months, said the US and its allies have not protected Iraq's democracy, which caused endless internal conflict that has spilt into the region.

Then-interim president Ghazi Al Yawar, interim vice president Ibrahim Al Jaafari, interim prime minister Iyad Allawi and deputy prime minister Barham Salih in Baghdad in 2004. Getty Images
Then-interim president Ghazi Al Yawar, interim vice president Ibrahim Al Jaafari, interim prime minister Iyad Allawi and deputy prime minister Barham Salih in Baghdad in 2004. Getty Images

In the 2010 elections, Mr Allawi won more seats than Nouri Al Maliki – his fiercest competitor and close ally of Iran – but fell short of a majority. He accuses Iran of blocking his bid to become prime minister.

During government formation after the election, a number of candidates loyal to Mr Allawi were removed from office after Mr Al Maliki accused them of links to the banned Baath party.

From right, former vice president Adel Abdul Mahdi, prime minister Ayad Allawi, president Jalal Talabani, prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and Ibrahim al Jaafari, another former prime minister, in 2010. Reuters
From right, former vice president Adel Abdul Mahdi, prime minister Ayad Allawi, president Jalal Talabani, prime minister Nouri Al Maliki and Ibrahim al Jaafari, another former prime minister, in 2010. Reuters

Critics of Mr Al Maliki said the move was a brazen attempt to falsify charges and improve the position of his State of Law coalition. Talks broke down and Mr Al Maliki would go on to lead Iraq for another four years, a period which featured the rise of ISIS.

"Iran played a very negative role, to tell you the truth, very negative. We were supported by the Americans from the very beginning," said the politician, 80.

I said why? What's the problem? You should do it and you should call for early elections. Really, we need to rectify ourselves before we lose Iraq as a whole
Ayad Allawi

Tehran denies any interference in Iraqi politics and says it has only provided military assistance to Shiite paramilitary groups in their fight against ISIS, and framing bilateral ties as normal economic relations.

For years Iraq has been caught up in the region's sectarian divisions. But tensions were further exacerbated when Tehran leveraged its ties with Iraq's Shiite majority and emerged as the country's major foreign power broker.

A member of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces during a funeral for one of its paramilitaries on January 4. AFP
A member of Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces during a funeral for one of its paramilitaries on January 4. AFP

"Because Iran played a role when America overthrew Saddam, Iran collaborated with the Americans and they started dictating things as events went by in Iraq, until 2010 when they came and said, 'Allawi, cannot form the government'."

His electoral campaign was based on an attempt to rise above sectarian differences and unite the country.

Mr Allawi says the prevailing political conditions at the time of the elections and the mechanics of the polls were not conducive to a fair voting system.

"If I'd known this was the case then I wouldn't have had the elections," he said.

"I would say that there shouldn't have been any group or list that appears as Shiite or Sunni or Kurdish. This is something that I should have done," he added.

Push for national unity

Mr Allawi led a coalition government that he says was committed to a secular future for Iraq.

He pressed this issue soon after the invasion, warning there should be no distinction between the Shiites and the Sunnis, Christians and Muslims, women and men. "This is very important. If we can't move around these, then this government will fail,” Mr Allawi said.

He recently informed senior politicians in Baghdad from the government of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani of his concerns but said they responded by stating they are unable to do anything about the situation.

“I said why? What's the problem? You should do it, and you should call for early elections. Really, we need to rectify ourselves before we lose Iraq as a whole,” he said.

Mr Allawi blames the US for creating a divide in the country between Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, and igniting sectarian tensions. "These kind of problems occurred in Iraq then and multiplied gradually with time to become what you know as Iraq right now."

Militias rise again

An attack on a KFC restaurant in Baghdad this month has raised questions over whether the relative calm and stability in Iraq during the years followed the defeat of ISIS can be sustained, Mr Allawi said. A small incident of vandalism on the surface, the attack highlights the impunity of Iran-backed militants now on the government payroll, he added.

The attack was the third in just over a week and was reported by a senior official in the Iran-backed Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah, which released a statement calling on Iraqis to "boycott and expel" US brands. They claim the move is in response to Israel's war in the Gaza Strip.

Kataib Hezbollah militia gather for the funeral of commander Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, killed in an air strike in January 2020. Reuters
Kataib Hezbollah militia gather for the funeral of commander Abu Mahdi Al Muhandis, killed in an air strike in January 2020. Reuters

"If this continues, then we will see a direct attack on the Americans who are stationed in Iraq, this is a big possibility," he said.

Born in 1944, a neurologist by training, the former minister returned to Iraq after Saddam's fall. His wife and three children lived for a while in Jordan and now divide their time between London and the UAE.

He has been politically active since 1968, founding the Iraqi National Accord in opposition to Saddam’s regime, and has survived several assassination attempts, one of which left him in hospital for nearly two years.

He warned Iraq could be divided if differences between political parties continue.

"We need the rule of law, national unity, we need to implement the concept of citizenships. You know, Iraqis are willing to drown in the sea instead of being a citizen of the country that's failing to provide adequate public services," he said.

Racecard
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England World Cup squad

Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS

AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas

DevisionX – manufacturing

Event Gates – security and manufacturing

Farmdar – agriculture

Farmin – smart cities

Greener Crop – agriculture

Ipera.ai – space digitisation

Lune Technologies – fibre-optics

Monak – delivery

NutzenTech – environment

Nybl – machine learning

Occicor – shelf management

Olymon Solutions – smart automation

Pivony – user-generated data

PowerDev – energy big data

Sav – finance

Searover – renewables

Swftbox – delivery

Trade Capital Partners – FinTech

Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment

Workfam – employee engagement

INVESTMENT PLEDGES

Cartlow: $13.4m

Rabbitmart: $14m

Smileneo: $5.8m

Soum: $4m

imVentures: $100m

Plug and Play: $25m

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinFlx%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202021%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amr%20Yussif%20(co-founder%20and%20CEO)%2C%20Mattieu%20Capelle%20(co-founder%20and%20CTO)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%20in%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20size%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.5m%20pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Venture%20capital%20-%20Y%20Combinator%2C%20500%20Global%2C%20Dubai%20Future%20District%20Fund%2C%20Fox%20Ventures%2C%20Vector%20Fintech.%20Also%20a%20number%20of%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?

It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.

Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.

By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.

In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. 

HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX RESULT

1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 1:39:46.713
2. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 00:00.908
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-GP 00:12.462
4. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-GP 00:12.885
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing 00:13.276
6. Fernando Alonso, McLaren 01:11.223
7. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso 1 lap
8. Sergio Perez, Force India 1 lap
9. Esteban Ocon, Force India  1 lap
10. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren 1 lap
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso 1 lap
12. Jolyon Palmer, Renault 1 lap
13. Kevin Magnussen, Haas 1 lap
14. Lance Stroll, Williams 1 lap
15. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber 2 laps
16. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber 2 laps
17r. Nico Huelkenberg, Renault 3 laps
r. Paul Di Resta, Williams 10 laps
r. Romain Grosjean, Haas 50 laps
r. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing 70 laps

Super Bowl LIII schedule

What Super Bowl LIII

Who is playing New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams

Where Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, United States

When Sunday (start time is 3.30am on Monday UAE time)

 

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadeera%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERabih%20El%20Chaar%20and%20Reem%20Khattar%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECleanTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHope%20Ventures%2C%20Rasameel%20Investments%20and%20support%20from%20accelerator%20programmes%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Maserati GranTurismo/GranCabrio

Price, base Dh485,000 (GranTurismo) and Dh575,000 (GranCabrio)

Engine 4.7L V8

Transmission Six-speed automatic

Power 460hp @ 7,000rpm

Torque 520Nm @ 4,750rpm

Fuel economy, combined 14.3L (GranTurismo) and 14.5L (GranCabrio) / 100km

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Company Fact Box

Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019

Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO

Based: Amman, Jordan

Sector: Education Technology

Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed

Stage: early-stage startup 

Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

UAE squad

Men's draw: Victor Scvortov and Khalifa Al Hosani, (both 73 kilograms), Sergiu Toma and Mihail Marchitan (90kg), Ivan Remarenco (100kg), Ahmed Al Naqbi (60kg), Musabah Al Shamsi and Ahmed Al Hosani (66kg)

Women’s draw: Maitha Al Neyadi (57kg)

THE BIO

Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist

Age: 78

Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”

Hobbies: his work  - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”

Other hobbies: football

Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club

 

INDIA V SOUTH AFRICA

First Test: October 2-6, at Visakhapatnam

Second Test: October 10-14, at Maharashtra

Third Test: October 19-23, at Ranchi

Essentials

The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours 
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.

Match info

Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335

Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs

THE BIO:

Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.

Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.

Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.

Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.

Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule

12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)

2pm Formula One final practice 

5pm Formula One qualifying

6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sav%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Purvi%20Munot%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%20as%20of%20March%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

HIV on the rise in the region

A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.

New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.

Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.

Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.  

Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.

ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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The biog

Name: Capt Shadia Khasif

Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police

Family: Five sons and three daughters

The first female investigator in Hatta.

Role Model: Father

She believes that there is a solution to every problem

 

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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
COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

Updated: June 28, 2024, 4:47 AM