Iraqi Shiite Muslims march in support of the Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, carrying images of him at a rally in Najaf, Friday, in this Feb. 20, 2004 file photo.
Iraqi Shiite Muslims march in support of the Ayatollah Ali al Sistani, carrying images of him at a rally in Najaf, Friday, in this Feb. 20, 2004 file photo.

Iraqi cleric repeats concerns on US-Iraq pact



BAGHDAD // Iraq's top Shiite cleric said today that the US-Iraqi security pact would only be viable if the country's main political groups backed it and it restored the country's full sovereignty. The comment by the Grand Ayatollah Ali al Sistani came as the 275-seat parliament prepared for a Nov 24 vote on the pact, which would allow US troops to stay in Iraq for three more years. If passed by the legislature, it would then require ratification by the president and his two deputies. Mr al Sistani has not publicly taken a clear position on the pact, but he has indicated that it could only work if it is passed by a comfortable majority in parliament. His latest comments came in a statement issued by his office in the holy city of Najaf, south of Baghdad. It said they were made in response to a question by a follower on what it termed "claims in the media" that the cleric supported the pact. Mr al Sistani does not speak to journalists or give media interviews, communicating his views through edicts or in answers to questions sent to him by followers. The Iraqi cabinet has overwhelmingly approved the pact, meaning prospects of it passing in parliament are good since the prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's coalition partners dominate the legislature. A senior official close to Mr al Sistani has said that the cleric, who can bury the agreement if he publicly speaks against it, told two of Mr al Maliki's emissaries on Saturday that while not ideal, the document seemed to be the best possible option. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to publicise what took place in the meeting, said Mr al-Sistani made clear to the two that it would be "unbecoming" for him to speak publicly in favour of the agreement because of his religious status. Mr al Sistani wields enormous influence among Iraq's majority Shiites and his nod to the agreement removed a potential hurdle in the way of the pact, which provides for the withdrawal of US troops from Iraqi cities by June 30 2009 and the entire country by Jan 1 2012. The statement said Mr al Sistani wanted the agreement to secure the "restoration of full sovereignty and the realisation of Iraq's stability and security." It also quoted him as saying that he wanted it to "win the support of all Iraqis and their main political groups." He did not suggest that he wanted it passed unanimously, instead using the Arabic word for "accord," or support by a large and representative number of lawmakers. "Any agreement that does not meet those two demands ... cannot be accepted," said Mr al Sistani, who called on lawmakers to "rise to their historic responsibility before God and the people." The agreement places US military operations and movement under stringent Iraqi control. It also gives the Iraqis limited judicial powers over American soldiers and defence contractors in the case of serious crimes committed off-base and off-duty. It prohibits the US military from using Iraqi territory to launch attacks against Iraq's neighbours, including longtime American adversaries Iran and Syria. Mr al Sistani's comments did not constitute a change in the cleric's position on the agreement, but the timing and the tone of the statement suggested that he may have lingering concerns. Parliament can only reject or pass the agreement, since the document was officially signed by the two nations and cannot be changed unless negotiations reopen, which is highly unlikely with less than six weeks left before the expiration of the UN mandate. The main blocs in parliament - the Shiites, the Kurds and most of the Sunni Arabs - support the agreement and can easily muster a comfortable majority in the Nov 24 vote, but any one of the three members of the presidential council led by the president, Jalal Talabani, can veto it.

*AP

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Cofe

Year started: 2018

Based: UAE

Employees: 80-100

Amount raised: $13m

Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group 

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

Getting there

The flights

Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.

The stay

Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.

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The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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COMPANY PROFILE
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Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Where to donate in the UAE

The Emirates Charity Portal

You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments

The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.

Al Noor Special Needs Centre

You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.

Beit Al Khair Society

Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.

Dar Al Ber Society

Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.

Dubai Cares

Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.

Emirates Airline Foundation

Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.

Emirates Red Crescent

On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.

Gulf for Good

Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.

Noor Dubai Foundation

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

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Profile of Tamatem

Date started: March 2013

Founder: Hussam Hammo

Based: Amman, Jordan

Employees: 55

Funding: $6m

Funders: Wamda Capital, Modern Electronics (part of Al Falaisah Group) and North Base Media