Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Sunday rejected a request to cancel the country's parliamentary election results over allegations of voter rigging and fraud.
Complaints of irregularities in the balloting were raised by several political parties suggesting that hackers may have manipulated the results after electronic voting systems were used for the first time.
“The Iraqi supreme federal court met and discussed the complaints presented and have decided not to proceed any further," the spokesman of the court, Eyas Al Samok said.
Instead Mr Al Samok said that the issue must be raised to the Independent High Electoral Commission "which is responsible for accepting complaints and objections to alleged violations during the election period."
Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi ordered the creation of a high powered commission to investigate the claims.
An official statement said an emergency cabinet meeting, held late on Thursday and chaired by Mr Al Abadi, named the country's anti-graft chief as the commission's leader.
According to the statement the prime minister ordered the elections commission to fully cooperate with the probe, making available all relevant documents. The probe's findings will be presented to the prime minister as well as the Supreme Judicial Council and the Federal Supreme Court.
The elections this year saw the lowest voter turnout in the 15 years since former dictator Saddam Hussein was ousted by US forces in 2003.
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Read more:
Angry Iraqi Kurds file election complaints with Baghdad
Editorial: Iraq's challenge is unity for the good of the country
Cleric Moqtada Sadr wins Iraq election but forming government far off
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The repeat vote being sought by some is not expected to have an impact on the surprising results that put Shiite Cleric Moqtada Al Sadr's Marching Towards Reform bloc as the biggest winner.
The results dealt a blow to the incumbent prime minister, whose Victory Alliance came in third. But he could still emerge as a compromise candidate palatable to all sides because he has managed the competing interests of the US and Iran – unwitting allies in the war against ISIS – during his term in office.
Negotiations to form a coalition with a majority in parliament that can form the next government began last week. In past the process lasted months, but, the alleged voting irregularities could cause further delays.
Meanwhile, US-led coalition forces launched airstrikes on Friday against ISIS sleeper cells in the southern city of Kirkuk.
The strikes were launched in cooperation with Iraq’s army and police that “targeted ISIS pockets in Kirkuk’s Rashadi area.”
Mr Al Abadi declared victory over ISIS in December after security forces seized the last pockets of Iraqi territory held by the militants. But recent months have seen ISIS carry out attacks in the north, killing dozens of civilians.
Last month, the premier said he would "take all necessary measures if they threaten the security of Iraq", referring to the militants who just three years ago overran a third of the country.
In Mosul, where the insurgents claimed their caliphate rule, a group of Iraqi university students have found a cause in the ruins of the war torn city, they are salvaging what is left of its rich heritage, clearing rubble and distributing aid.
The project began when Raghad Hammoudi and a group of students decided to launch a campaign to help rebuild the Central Library of Mosul University.
The students found buried under layers of ash nearly 30,000 books almost intact. Over 40 hot days, with the remnants of war still raging, the students moved the books one by one using holes made by rockets to carry them to safety.
Months after Iraq announced full control of the city, life is back in many parts. But much of the old city, where the bloodiest battles were waged, is still in complete ruin.
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
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Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
yallacompare profile
Date of launch: 2014
Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer
Based: Media City, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: 120 employees
Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
