Iraq's government on Tuesday approved increased funding for the state-sanctioned paramilitary group known as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF).
In a brief statement after the weekly Cabinet meeting, the government said the increase “is to guarantee paying the salaries and allowances” of PMF members for the current year. It did not give more details.
The government formed the PMF to organise thousands of volunteers who answered the call by the Shiite cleric Ali Al Sistani to take up arms against ISIS as the terrorist group was advancing on Baghdad after sweeping through northern and western Iraq in 2014, following the collapse of US-trained security forces.
Several powerful Iran-backed Shiite militias joined the PMF shortly after, some of which were already fighting alongside President Bashar Al Assad's forces in Syria’s civil war. Since declaring ISIS defeated in late 2017, the PMF and mainly Tehran-aligned militias have emerged as a powerful force in Iraq and grown more defiant towards the government and opposition groups.
The PMF has grown in strength and assumed more responsibilities. Last year's budget showed the PMF's membership had grown to 238,000, up by 116,000 from 2021, and that it was allocated a budget of at least 3.56 trillion Iraqi dinars ($2.7 billion).
Shortly after taking office in October 2022, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani approved the establishment of a trading company to be run by PMF. In March, the China Machinery Engineering Corporation signed a deal with the PMF-run Al Muhandis Company to explore several projects in Iraq.
The allocation of more funds to the PMF comes as Iraqi cities witness almost daily protests by graduates to demand the creation of jobs for them in the public sector. These protests are often met with a heavy-handed response by security forces.
As the Cabinet was meeting on Tuesday, hundreds of medical graduates took to the streets outside the heavily fortified Green Zone, where the government buildings and foreign diplomatic missions are located.
Skirmishes erupted between the protesters and security forces. Videos circulated on social media showed security forces using batons and hot water to disperse the crowd. Some of the protesters were seen on the ground bleeding, while others were arrested.
Mr Al Sudani ordered an investigation and gave the Health Minister one week to prepare a report on the employment of the medical graduates.
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
Company%20Profile
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'The Ice Road'
Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
Stars: Liam Neeson, Amber Midthunder, Laurence Fishburne
2/5
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
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
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%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Baby Driver
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx, Lily James
Three and a half stars
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ
Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700
Engine 3.0L V6
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 340hp @ 6,000pm
Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Like a Fading Shadow
Antonio Muñoz Molina
Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez
Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)
