Displaced Iraqi people are seen at the Amriyat al Fallujah camp in Anbar Province, Iraq. Picture taken January 3, 2018. Khalid Al Mousily / Reuters / January 3, 2018.
Displaced Iraqi people are seen at the Amriyat al Fallujah camp in Anbar Province, Iraq. Picture taken January 3, 2018. Khalid Al Mousily / Reuters / January 3, 2018.

Displaced Iraqis return to destruction and death ahead of elections



Displaced Iraqis making the journey home to the country’s war-weary western provinces face extreme insecurity and life-threatening conditions as authorities call for their return ahead of parliamentary elections next month.

Managing more than two million Iraqis who have been displaced in the war between Iraqi forces and ISIS is one of Baghdad’s most daunting tasks after it declared victory against the extremists in December.

Those who have made the return to their homes in the Sunni-dominated Anbar Province, ahead of next month's parliamentary elections, are struggling to rebuild their lives, Jaber Al Jaberi, an Iraqi lawmaker representing Anbar, told The National

“Approximately 70-75 per cent of the displaces have now returned back home (to Anbar) but most people don’t want to go back they would rather stay in the camps,” Mr Jaberi said.

“The electricity is very weak, the sewage system is crumbling, the only hospital in Ramadi is actually out of service, it’s a catastrophe,” he said.

Many face the prospect of desolation, reprisals upon returning to their local areas, and the risk of death from booby-traps or acts of vigilantism.

“Citizens are seeking compensation from the government to rebuild their damaged homes, but the government is failing to provide adequate funds to help them,” Mr Al Jaberi said.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, Iraqi authorities forced nearly 9,000 people from the displacement camps back to their homes in Anbar between November and December 2017.

Landmines, cluster munitions and improvised explosive devices litter the streets of war-torn cities and provinces across the country.

Although Baghdad’s central government has announced the defeat of ISIS, Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi admitted that the country is still engaged in a fight against the insurgent's sleeper cells.

On Tuesday, Iraqi security forces killed seven insurgents in the Anbar desert, the National Iraqi News Agency (NINA) reported.

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Iraqi and American security officials have repeatedly warned that extremists remain in pockets along the porous border with Syria and in parts of the Iraqi desert.

“Retaken areas are not fully cleared of explosive hazards, and unstable infrastructures heavily damaged from ground fighting and airstrikes present safety concerns,” the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Iraq said in a statement last week.

Roads and neighbourhood closures, checkpoints, curfews, and military attacks are creating serious security challenges for displaced, resident and returning populations, UNHCR reported.

Nearly 46,000 Internally Displaced Persons are currently situated in western Anbar. A total of 2.2 million people remain displaced inside the whole of Iraq.

Iraqi authorities are also trying hundreds of men and women accused of having links to ISIS. On Tuesday, the Justice Ministry announced the sentencing of a French woman to life in prison. Djamila Boutoutaou, a 29-year-old of Algerian descent, told a Baghdad court that she had left France to be with her husband, a rapper.

The female suspect said she was forced by her husband to join the extremist group and live inside the caliphate that the group announced would straddle the Iraqi-Syrian border from July 2014 onwards.

Iraq’s anti-terrorism law empowers courts to convict people who are believed to have helped ISIS even if they are not accused of violence.

On Monday, Iraq executed 13 people, including 11 convicted of "terrorism". They include individuals accused of car bombings, killing security forces and kidnappings.

In January, an Iraqi court condemned an unnamed German woman to death by hanging after finding her guilty of ISIS membership. She was convicted of providing logistical support to the group and participating in attacks against Iraqi soldiers.

The Perfect Couple

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor

Creator: Jenna Lamia

Rating: 3/5

The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands

50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight Championship AJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v tba

 

The Buckingham Murders

Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu

Director: Hansal Mehta

Rating: 4 / 5

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How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE

Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

Rating: 3/5

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Profile

Company: Libra Project

Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware

Launch year: 2017

Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time

Sector: Renewable energy

Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo 

 Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua

 Based: Dubai, UAE

 Number of employees: 28

 Sector: Financial services

 Investment: $9.5m

 Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. 

 
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KINGDOM%20OF%20THE%20PLANET%20OF%20THE%20APES
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

RESULTS

6.30pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Superior, Connor Beasley (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)

7.05pm: Handicap Dh 185,000 2,000m
Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson

7.40pm: Maiden Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Roy Orbison, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.15pm

Handicap Dh 190,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Dane O’Neill, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm

Handicap Dh 175,000 1,600m
Winner: Welford, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

9.25pm: Handicap Dh 175,000 1,200m
Winner: Lavaspin, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

10pm: Handicap Dh 165,000 1,600m
Winner: Untold Secret, Xavier Ziani, Sandeep Jadhav

Company%20Profile
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RACE CARD

6.30pm Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

7.05pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m

7.40pm Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m

8.15pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m

8.50pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m

9.25pm Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m

%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

Company%20Profile
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