Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi attempted to patch up relations with Kurdish lawmakers on Thursday after they boycotted parliament’s annual budget session over looming cuts.
Baghdad withheld budget payments to the Kurdish region in 2014, justifying the move on the Erbil's decision to sell crude oil independently of the central government.
But parliament failed on Wednesday to pass its annual budget due to Kurdish, Sunni and some Shiite blocs skipping the session in protest.
The Kurds are protesting over their customary 17 per cent share of national revenue from crude oil sales, which the Iraq cabinet has proposed to slash to 12.6 per cent.
“We want to be fair to all of Iraq" Mr Al Abadi said, adding that assessing a budget allocation for the Kurdish region will be based on population and other factors to ensure fairness.
If approved by parliament, the budget will further damage Baghdad and Erbil's fragile relationship.
During his meeting with the Kurdish lawmakers the premier said that "the proposed cut in Kurdistan's budget is not only aimed at the autonomous region but it also includes all of Iraq's governorates."
Mr Al Abadi confirmed that the salaries of Kurdish fighters, also known as the Peshmerga, will be included in the region's state budget.
On Wednesday, the head of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Arez Abdullah, vowed that the party will not participate in the parliamentary debate unless "our demands are met".
Sunni lawmakers are demanding an increase in allocations to reconstruct areas destroyed by ISIL so that displaced citizens can return home. Shiite representatives have called for a redistribution of oil revenue which favours those cities that produce it.
During the parliamentary session, Mr Al Abadi urged factions of the country to remain united whilst stressing that “the demands could be dealt with”.
But the premier stressed that cuts had to be made across the country.
"It is not possible to give Iraq's Kurdish region its 17 per cent of our national budget. If the parliament approves this move, it would come at expense of other provinces," Mr Al Abadi said.
Failure to approve the annual budget cripples the government's ability to disburse funds.
The premier sent a draft budget bill to the parliament in October but Kurdish, Sunni and several Shiite blocs were keen to break quorum.
Tensions between Iraq's Kurdish region and the central government in Baghdad escalated when the two sides accused each other of failing to abide by the terms of an oil revenue sharing deal in 2014.
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Read more:
Kurdish leader Barzani says 'no regrets' about independence referendum
Davos 2018: Iraq's reconstruction may cost $100 billion, says Abadi
Fragile, crumbling alliances have compromised Iraq's prime minister ahead of May's election
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
The Bio
Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959
Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.
He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses
Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas
His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s
Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business
He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery
Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
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TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
ENGLAND SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland, Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope
Defenders: John Stones, Harry Maguire, Phil Jones, Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, Gary Cahill, Ashley Young, Danny Rose, Trent Alexander-Arnold
Midfielders: Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Jesse Lingard, Raheem Sterling, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Fabian Delph
Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
