Baghdad has banned protests as it prepares to host Arab League leaders for the first time in more than a decade, warning of severe consequences for demonstrators as criticism grows over an invitation for Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara.
Rallies have been taking place across the country in recent weeks since Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani invited Mr Al Shara to the Arab Summit scheduled for Saturday.
Many demonstrators object to his history with Al Qaeda in Iraq, where he served as a senior field leader for the extremist group fighting US and Iraqi troops after the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
There have also been protests against attempts by Mr Al Sudani to reinstate a maritime agreement with Kuwait that regulates navigation in a contested waterway.
“No demonstration will be allowed, regardless of the reasons, and there will be no permits,” the Iraqi Interior Ministry said late on Saturday. The ban will cover May 11 to May 20 and security troops will arrest anyone attempting to protest, the ministry added.
Critics were quick to denounce the move as an attempt to stifle dissent, with many calling for more rallies.
“This is an unconstitutional and illegal measure,” said Mustafa Emad, a Baghdad-based activist who has been calling for and taking part in protests.
“It is a form of suppressing voices, reminiscent of the Baathist era,” Mr Emad said on social media, referring to the regime of Saddam Hussein. “We will not allow the return of that era.”
Lawmaker Mustafa Sanad called on supporters to defy the ban and stage a protest in his southern hometown of Basra on Monday. If Mr Al Shara does not attend the summit then protesters would call off another rally planned for Baghdad, Mr Sanad added.
The annual meeting of the Arab League will be the first to be hosted by Iraq since 2012. It comes at a critical time for the region, as Israel's war on Gaza intensifies, and Iran and the US hold talks in an attempt to reach a deal on curbing Tehran's nuclear programme.
For the Iraqi government, the event is a way to underline the return of Baghdad to a central role in the Middle East after decades of war and political isolation.
But the Prime Minister faces widespread criticism for inviting Mr Al Shara, whose Hayat Tahrir Al Sham group seized power in Damascus last December in a rebel offensive that toppled former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad.
Mr Al Shara was one of thousands of foreign fighters who travelled to Iraq after the 2003 US invasion, mainly through Syria. American troops arrested him in 2005 and he was released about six years later. He then returned to Syria and formed an Al Qaeda-affiliated rebel group fighting against Mr Al Assad's troops. He broke ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 and formed HTS.
Iraq's preparations for the Arab Summit have also been mired in criticism of the government's attempts to reinstate a maritime agreement with Kuwait to regulate navigation in the disputed Khor Abdullah waterway.
In September 2023, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court struck down the Khor Abdullah agreement following a lawsuit filed by several legislators, annulling a law that had ratified the 2012 deal. The court held the legislation was unconstitutional because it should have been passed with a two-thirds majority in parliament, not a simple majority.
Critics in Iraq consider the agreement unjust, arguing Kuwait has no right to control any part of the Khor Abdullah waterway. They say the deal is meant to delineate a maritime border rather than regulate navigation.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
What is type-1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.
It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.
Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.
Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
LOVE%20AGAIN
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m, Winner SS Lamea, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer).
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m, Winner AF Makerah, Sean Kirrane, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m, Winner Maaly Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh90,000 1,600m, Winner AF Momtaz, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m, Winner Morjanah Al Reef, Brett Doyle, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 2,200m, Winner Mudarrab, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Revibe%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hamza%20Iraqui%20and%20Abdessamad%20Ben%20Zakour%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Refurbished%20electronics%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410m%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Resonance%20and%20various%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets