IRBIL, Iraq // Voters in Iraq’s Kurdish north cast ballots on Saturday in local parliamentary elections, with smaller parties hoping to challenge the self-rule region’s longtime political establishment.
The election for the 111-seat legislature of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) comes as Iraq’s Kurds look to bolster their autonomy while insulating their increasingly prosperous enclave from the growing violence in the rest of the country and neighbouring Syria.
Security was tight for the vote. Approaches to the regional capital Irbil and other major cities were closed, and voters were searched before being allowed into polling centres.
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan of the Iraqi president Jalal Talabani and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of the regional president Massoud Barzani are looking to maintain their dominance in the face of challenges by smaller parties, including opposition group known as Gorran, or Change, that had a surprisingly strong showing in the last vote in 2009.
The KDP and PUK defend their record in keeping the region safer and more economically successful than much of the rest of Iraq, but the opposition’s charges that they tolerate graft and nepotism strike a chord with some voters.
“We are fed up with the same old politicians who have done little to serve the people. We hope that this election will bring new faces capable of combating corruption,” said Lana Ali, a teacher in Irbil who said she voted for Gorran.
The two dominant parties previously competed on a joint list but are running independently this time around.
The PUK faces a particularly tough challenge in its stronghold of Sulaimaniyah. Mr Talabani suffered a stroke in December and is recovering in a German hospital.
Safaa Al Moussawi, a spokesman for the country’s Independent High Electoral Commission, said preliminary results of the election would be available within two days.
Whatever the results, the Kurds are likely to continue to push for greater autonomy. The KRG has sparred with Baghdad for years over rights to disputed territories and the management of lucrative oil and gas reserves.
Their region has become a haven for tens of thousands of Kurdish refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war, strengthening the regional government’s role as a champion for Kurds beyond its borders.
“The [regional government] is increasingly becoming a player in regional politics. So the matter here is not only local elections, but also oil and politics,” said Khadum Al Muqdadi, an Iraqi political analyst.
A no-fly zone established by the US and Britain in 1991 helped the Kurds carve out an enclave that today is more secure than the rest of Iraq and has been a magnet for foreign investors. The three-province territory was formally recognised as an autonomous region within Iraq following the US-led invasion that toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Unlike in the last election in 2009, voters will not have a chance to cast ballots for the regional president. Legislators voted in June to delay presidential elections for two years, allowing Mr Barzani to remain in office over the objections of some in the opposition.
* Associated Press
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Australia men's Test cricket fixtures 2021/22
One-off Test v Afghanistan:
Nov 27-Dec 1: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
The Ashes v England:
Dec 8-12: 1st Test, Gabba, Brisbane
Dec 16-20: 2nd Test, Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (day/night)
Dec 26-30: 3rd Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
Jan 5-9, 2022: 4th Test, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Jan 14-18: 5th Test, Optus Stadium, Perth
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Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Bio
Born in Dibba, Sharjah in 1972.
He is the eldest among 11 brothers and sisters.
He was educated in Sharjah schools and is a graduate of UAE University in Al Ain.
He has written poetry for 30 years and has had work published in local newspapers.
He likes all kinds of adventure movies that relate to his work.
His dream is a safe and preserved environment for all humankind.
His favourite book is The Quran, and 'Maze of Innovation and Creativity', written by his brother.
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Install an air filter in your home.
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Anonymous, Penguin Books
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
Iraq negotiating over Iran sanctions impact
- US sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports took effect on Monday, November 5.
- Washington issued formal waivers to eight buyers of Iranian oil, allowing them to continue limited imports. Iraq did not receive a waiver.
- Iraq’s government is cooperating with the US to contain Iranian influence in the country, and increased Iraqi oil production is helping to make up for Iranian crude that sanctions are blocking from markets, US officials say.
- Iraq, the second-biggest producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, pumped last month at a record 4.78 million barrels a day, former Oil Minister Jabbar Al-Luaibi said on Oct. 20. Iraq exported 3.83 million barrels a day last month, according to tanker tracking and data from port agents.
- Iraq has been working to restore production at its northern Kirkuk oil field. Kirkuk could add 200,000 barrels a day of oil to Iraq’s total output, Hook said.
- The country stopped trucking Kirkuk oil to Iran about three weeks ago, in line with U.S. sanctions, according to four people with knowledge of the matter who asked not to be identified because they aren’t allowed to speak to media.
- Oil exports from Iran, OPEC’s third-largest supplier, have slumped since President Donald Trump announced in May that he’d reimpose sanctions. Iran shipped about 1.76 million barrels a day in October out of 3.42 million in total production, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- Benchmark Brent crude fell 47 cents to $72.70 a barrel in London trading at 7:26 a.m. local time. U.S. West Texas Intermediate was 25 cents lower at $62.85 a barrel in New York. WTI held near the lowest level in seven months as concerns of a tightening market eased after the U.S. granted its waivers to buyers of Iranian crude.
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Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
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