Britain is to return 5,000 ancient artefacts to Iraq by next year, it was announced on Friday, as Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al Kadhimi visited London.
It marks the largest repatriation of Iraqi antiquities and comprises 5,000 pieces of clay tablet that were unearthed by British archaeologists nearly 100 years ago.
They were excavated with a permit issued by the-then Iraqi government from the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq. The tablets were at the British Museum with the permission of the Iraqi authorities.
A rare Sumerian plaque dated around 2400BC, that was smuggled out of Iraq, illegally listed for auction in 2019 and seized by police in London, will also return soon.

It was taken from an ancient Sumerian temple and depicts a seated male figure. The plaque’s rarity is said to be derived from its quality.
The Iraqi Minister of Culture has allowed it to be displayed at the British Museum for a short time before its repatriation.
On Friday morning, Mr Kadhimi toured the British Museum with director Hartwig Fischer and John Whittingdale, the minister of state for media and data. The prime minister viewed the Mesopotamia gallery, which traces the history of the ancient civilisations that lived thousands of years ago in what is now Iraq.
Mr Fischer said the museum had a long-standing and positive relationship with cultural authorities in Iraq and the embassy in London.
“It was wonderful to be able to celebrate these relationships during this visit. The Museum will continue to work with our Iraqi colleagues to research these important collections, and in the fight against the illicit trade in antiquities,” he said.
Mr Whittingdale said: “It is vital that we preserve and protect the world's cultural heritage for future generations to appreciate and enjoy."

Last year, the British Museum handed over 156 inscribed tablets to Iraq from the early Sumerian era, and in early 2019 UK authorities returned a Babylonian cuneiform stone worth hundreds of thousands of pounds back to Iraq after its seizure in 2012.
Mr Kadhimi’s visit to London saw him meet senior UK officials, including Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne.
It was the last leg of a tour of Europe that also saw him visit Germany and France.
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The Rosetta Stone displayed at The British Museum. There have been calls for it to be returned to Egypt after it was taken by British soldiers more than 200 years ago during the Napoleonic Wars. Getty Images -

Tourists view the Parthenon Marbles also known as the Elgin Marbles. They were removed from the Parthenon in Athens in the early 19th century by Lord Elgin and brought to Britain. Getty Images -

The Benin Bronzes. The group of sculptures were taken from Africa by British troops in 1897. The Bronzes came from Benin City, which is located in modern day Nigeria. Getty Images -

The Kohinoor Diamond is seen in the crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. The diamond came into Britain's possession in the middle of the 19th century. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran have all requested its return. Getty Images -

A basalt Easter Island Head figure, known as Hoa Hakananai'a, translated as 'lost or stolen friend' is displayed at the British Museum. It was taken by members of the British Royal Navy ship H.M.S. Topaze in 1868. Getty Images
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India squads
T20: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur
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Favourite music: Billy Joel
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Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
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england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
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Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
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The Indo-Pacific
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British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
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Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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Engine: Duel electric motors
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The UAE's journey to space
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
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The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
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Wael Kfoury
(Rotana)
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.


