Wasit Province, Iraq // Explosions tore through a dozen Iraqi cities yesterday, killing more than 60 people and wounding hundreds, as the country suffered its most violent day this year.
The wave of insurgent attacks included 11 car bombs, two suicide bombers, and some 20 roadside explosive devices, as well as assassinations by gunmen using silenced weapons. Government buildings, officials and security services appeared to have been the primary target, but scores of civilians were caught up in the bloodshed.
In the worst assault, a double bombing in Kut killed at least 37 people. The second blast was timed to hit rescue services as they tried to get aid to the victims of the first bomb.
Kut, a predominantly Shiite city 150km south-east of Bagdhad, was hit in a similar double bombing in much the same location last August. That insurgents were able to stage a copycat attack there a year later has only added to a sense among many Iraqis that security services are not equal to the task of protecting a fragile, fractured peace.
"It's unacceptable to have the same thing happening twice.It means the security forces are not learning their lessons. We have the same flaws in security as we had a year ago," said Abu Abbas, one the wounded receiving treatment inside Kut's main hospital.
He described a scene of carnage at the bomb site, saying the first explosion had knocked him to the ground and, as he lifted his head, the second had sent dismembered men, women and children flying through the air around him.
Security was also breached in Najaf and Karbala, cities in southern Iraq of particularly importance to Shiite Muslims, both widely considered to be among the safest places in the country. A pair of car bombs in Najaf killed at least seven people and injured 60, according to local officials, while another car bomb east of Karbala killed two and wounded nine others.
In Tikrit, 95km north of the capital, a pair of suicide bombers managed to walk into the headquarters of the city's anti-terrorism unit - passing through at least three checkpoints - before they detonated their explosive vests, officials said. At least three police officers were killed, including the deputy head of the terrorism unit, with another seven wounded.
Diyala, long one of Iraq's most dangerous provinces, was hit in a series of separate strikes, in the administrative capital Baquba and five other outlying cities. Among the eight dead and more than 30 wounded were four soldiers, shot dead at a checkpoint.
As news of the attacks filtered through, much of the country was put on lockdown, with curfews imposed and extra security forces deployed. Such steps failed to prevent at least four bombs detonating in Baghdad, and three in Mosul, as well as attacks in Iskandariya and Taji.
At the height of Iraq's post-2003 invasion civil war, attacks of this scope and magnitude were far from uncommon, but as security has improved the yardstick has shifted and Iraqis now have little patience for those who make glowing comparisons between the dire situation then and the violence of today.
Mutlaq al Jabouri, an independent security adviser and former head of Sahwa tribal forces in Mahmoudiya - a city in the heart of an area once known as the Triangle of Death - said security was showing signs of unraveling during the last 12 months.
"Al Qaeda is making a comeback and is proving itself able to exploit the political mistakes and arguments, the economic problems and the sectarian situation," he said. "At the moment many Sunni areas feel the government has a sectarian Shiite agenda and has neglected them and Al Qaeda recruitment is benefitting from that. It is a dangerous time for the country."
Although no group has claimed responsibility for yesterday's assault, officials and analysts were quick to point to Al Qaeda inspired extremist groups.
The attacks come at a sensitive time. The US military in the process of scaling back its presence, ahead of a possible complete withdrawal by the end of the year. Iraq's politicians have agreed to enter into negotiations that would see American forces remain in a training role but talks have been delayed, with no party - outside of the pro-US Kurds - wanting to publicly admit that US troops will be needed, a step that many Iraqis would view as a prolonged occupation.
In addition to that quandary, Iraqi political factions continue to argue about senior security posts in a so-called national unity government that, more than eight months after it was technically formed, remains incomplete and riddled with bitter divisions.
As recently as Friday, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki indicated in an interview with an Iraqi television station that he sees no reason to appoint a minister of defence or minister of interior. He has filled both posts in an acting capacity since the government was partially formed last December and argues that security has improved in the absence of ministerial chiefs.
His critics accuse him of wanting to retain a stranglehold on power, including personal control over those key portfolios, adding to a lingering spiteful tug-of-war between his political bloc and opposition factions, led by Iraqiyya.
Yesterday's attacks poured new fuel on both simmering debates, with politicians warning that too many issues had been left unresolved by the authorities.
"Iraq's politicians have to take some of the blame for the attacks," said Isma Al Musawi, a member of parliament with the influential Sadrist movement. "We have seen a protracted struggle between all the factions which has left a gap that is being filled by terrorists. We need serious reconciliation or we will not see the progress we need."
The Sadists have been vehemently opposed to US troops extending their mission in Iraq and Mrs Al Musawi said the attacks did not imply that policy should be changed.
"It is the presence of American forces that lie behind all of these attacks. The Americans are content to see these terrorists because they can argue it means they must stay," she said. "We must be clear that the attacks happen because the Americans are here."
Nlatif@thenational.ae
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Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
SPECS
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
SUZUME
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Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani