Until recently protests had been confined to opposition-controlled areas of the Kurdistan Region. On Sunday protesters gathered in the capital Erbil, a stronghold of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party. Safin Hamed / AFP
Until recently protests had been confined to opposition-controlled areas of the Kurdistan Region. On Sunday protesters gathered in the capital Erbil, a stronghold of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party. Safin Hamed / AFP
Until recently protests had been confined to opposition-controlled areas of the Kurdistan Region. On Sunday protesters gathered in the capital Erbil, a stronghold of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party. Safin Hamed / AFP
Until recently protests had been confined to opposition-controlled areas of the Kurdistan Region. On Sunday protesters gathered in the capital Erbil, a stronghold of the leading Kurdistan Democratic P

Iraqi Kurdish authorities use force to contain public discontent


  • English
  • Arabic

Kurdish officials in northern Iraq on Monday struggled to contain public discontent over unpaid salaries and claims of corruption, using force and tear gas to break up peaceful protests across the region.

Until recently protests had been confined to opposition-controlled areas of the Kurdistan Region. But for the first time on Sunday, protesters gathered in the capital Erbil, a stronghold of the leading Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Some of those involved said they had taken to the streets despite the KDP’s longstanding policy of trying to prevent such protests. "This is very significant for Erbil,” said one teacher, who asked not to be named for fear of repercussions.

Protests continued in Erbil on Monday but were rapidly contained by security forces. “We were around 150 protesters,” the teacher said. “There were three times the number of security forces, in full riot gear."

For three years now the KRG has struggled to pay the salaries of its more than one million government employees. The high number of Kurds receiving a government salary — nearly a quarter of the population — has in the past dampened popular discontent towards the autonomous region’s leadership.

But growing anger over ongoing austerity measures and the failure to pay salaries could threaten the KRG, whose power has already been greatly rolled back by the federal government in the wake of a failed independence referendum in September last year.

The Iraqi federal government began halting payments to the Kurdistan Region in 2014, following a dispute over the Kurds' share of the federal budget and their right to export oil.

Since then the KRG has struggled to reduce its deficit, despite unilaterally selling oil in defiance of Baghdad. As a result the Kurdish government was forced in 2016 to introduced austerity measures, cutting public salaries by up to three quarters.

_______________

Read more:

Iraq sends money to pay Kurdish salaries for first time since 2014

Beyond the Headlines podcast: Iraq's reconstruction and the challenges ahead

Iraqi budget cut raises tensions with Kurdish region 

Baghdad extends flight ban on Iraqi Kurdistan  

_______________

But many Kurds believe corruption is also a factor in igniting the protests.

“They’re stealing our salaries and ... giving us [only] part of our salaries every two or three months,” said Yasa Ako, 23, a civil society activist protesting in Erbil.

In September last year Kurdish leaders banked on a successful referendum to placate their constituents and achieve a stronger negotiation position with the federal government.

Instead Baghdad vehemently opposed the move, shut Kurdish airspace to international flights and later seized large tracts of disputed territory formerly controlled by the Kurds, including oil fields around the city of Kirkuk.

With the loss of nearly half its oil production, the KRG was forced to re-enter negotiations with Baghdad in order to receive its share of the federal budget.

Earlier this month, Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi announced he would lift the international flight ban on Kurdish airports and would send money to pay for KRG public salaries ahead of the Nowruz festival on March 20.

The KRG says Baghdad sent IQD 317 billion (Dh982.4 million) to pay salaries, but claimed it needs at least IQD 590 billion to pay its employees under its austerity salary programme. “It is a smaller amount than needed,” the KRG said in a statement promising to work to increase payments to its civil servants.

A KRG spokesperson was not immediately available for comments.

Baghdad suspects the Kurds have a large numbers of “ghost employees” on the government payroll and insists that the amount it sent is sufficient. “The portion sent to [the Kurdistan Region], along with the region’s oil sales is enough to provide full salaries of the Kurdistan Region’s employees,” Saad Hadithi, a spokesman in the Prime Minister’s office told local media.

The protests follow ongoing strikes by teachers and healthcare workers in the cities of Sulaymaniyah and Halabja, both government opposition strongholds.

With protesters’ demands unmet, the unrest has the potential to grow.

“There will be more protests,” said activist Mr Ako. The government, he said, has been dishonest. "The people can no longer trust this lying government.”

House-hunting

Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove

  1. Edinburgh, Scotland 
  2. Westminster, London 
  3. Camden, London 
  4. Glasgow, Scotland 
  5. Islington, London 
  6. Kensington and Chelsea, London 
  7. Highlands, Scotland 
  8. Argyll and Bute, Scotland 
  9. Fife, Scotland 
  10. Tower Hamlets, London 

 

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

MATCH INFO

Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')

Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')

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

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe


Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Meydan race card

6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m​​​​​​​
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m​​​​​​​
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m​​​​​​​
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m​​​​​​​
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m

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

 

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

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
The biog

Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar

Nationality: Emirati

Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology

Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels

Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs

Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends

Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Dolittle

Director: Stephen Gaghan

Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen

One-and-a-half out of five stars

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20JustClean%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20with%20offices%20in%20other%20GCC%20countries%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20160%2B%20with%2021%20nationalities%20in%20eight%20cities%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20online%20laundry%20and%20cleaning%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2430m%20from%20Kuwait-based%20Faith%20Capital%20Holding%20and%20Gulf%20Investment%20Corporation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGuillermo%20del%20Toro%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tim%20Blake%20Nelson%2C%20Sebastian%20Roche%2C%20Elpidia%20Carrillo%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
match info

Union Berlin 0

Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')

Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)

The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn

Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

The Year Earth Changed

Directed by:Tom Beard

Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough

Stars: 4

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Takestep%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20March%202018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohamed%20Khashaba%2C%20Mohamed%20Abdallah%2C%20Mohamed%20Adel%20Wafiq%20and%20Ayman%20Taha%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20health%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2011%20full%20time%20and%2022%20part%20time%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20pre-Series%20A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Race card

6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 (PA) US$100,000 (Dirt) 2,000m

7.05pm: Meydan Classic Listed (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,600m

7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,600m

8.50pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy Group 2 (TB) $300,000 (T) 2,810m

9.25pm: Curlin Stakes Listed (TB) $175,000 (D) 2,000m

10pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 2,000m

10.35pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m

The National selections

6.30pm: Shahm, 7.05pm: Well Of Wisdom, 7.40pm: Lucius Tiberius, 8.15pm: Captain Von Trapp, 8.50pm: Secret Advisor, 9.25pm: George Villiers, 10pm: American Graffiti, 10.35pm: On The Warpath

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.

Based: Riyadh

Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany

Founded: September, 2020

Number of employees: 70

Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions

Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds  

Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices