Campaigning for an independence referendum officially got underway in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region on Tuesday despite international calls to delay the vote.
Iraq’s central government, along with Ankara, Tehran and Washington all oppose the September 25 poll. Baghdad says the referendum is unconstitutional while the US Turkey and Iran say it will distract from the fight against ISIL.
The Kurdish Regional Government has ignored the pleas and pressed ahead with the vote plans. The Kurdistan region's electoral commission said on Tuesday the campaign would last for 18 days with the Iraqi Kurdish diaspora able to vote on September 23, two days ahead of the main poll.
Voting will take place both in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and in areas that are still disputed such as Kirkuk, which is claimed by both Baghdad and the KRG in Erbil.
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For more:
Kirkuk may be ticking time bomb as it joins Kurdish referendum
Iraqi Kurds reject US request to postpone referendum
The potentially profound and widespread consequences of Kurdish independence vote
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Kurds in Erbil took to the streets on Tuesday in celebration by waving the Kurdistan flag and chanting various slogans in support for independence for the Kurdistan Region.
“For many Kurds across the region, I feel a sense of kinship with my people, it’s been our ultimate dream to have an independent state,” Shermin Hamidi, a Kurdish Iraqi primary school teacher in Erbil, said.
“The referendum is a momentum of excitement for the Kurdish people, whether or not it will make a difference, the fact that it is being held on September 25 gives hope that our dream is actually going to become a reality,” Ms Hamidi said.
Iraq’s main international partners fear the referendum will lead to further complications between Baghdad and Erbil.
Turkish and Iranian concerns are underpinned by fears the poll could encourage secession in their own Kurdish-majority regions.
Kurdish officials in Iraq have insisted that the international community has offered no guarantees for the rights of the Kurdistan region should they delay the event.
The referendum reignites the issue of disputed territories with further implications for the fragile relationship between Erbil and Baghdad.
Kirkuk, which is home to Arabs, Turkmens, Christians and Kurds is a focal point of the dispute.
Last week, Kirkuk's provincial council voted to hold the referendum in the province, which lies outside the official KRG border but has been secured since 2014 by Kurdish peshmerga, who swept in as ISIL approached the city.
Only 24 of the 41 council members attended the vote, with 23 voting in favour of participating in the referendum and one abstaining. The remaining council members — all Arabs and Turkmen — boycotted the vote. Instead, they issued statements denouncing the vote as unconstitutional.
Iraqi prime minister Haider Al Abadi rejected the decision for Kirkuk to take part on the referendum. His spokesman, Saad Al Hadithi, called the decision "illegal and unconstitutional". The decision is expected to have dangerous implications not only for the future of Kirkuk but also for Iraq as a whole.
However, Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Region insisted that “there is no turning back” on the vote.
The Change Movement, also known as Gorran, and the Kurdistan Islamic Group both want the vote to be postponed. Gorran, the main opposition group, believes the current arrangement for holding the referendum is “illegal and insists parliament is the right institution to call for the vote when the time is right”.
However, the vote was called by Mr Barzani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party and was backed by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the third largest party in Kurdistan, led by Jalal Talabani.
Meanwhile, on Monday, deputy prime minister Qubad Talabani urged for “unanimity” in Kurdistan’s politics and society ahead of the referendum.
Mr Talabani’s statement came during a state visit by British minister of state and foreign office Alistair Burt to Erbil.
Mr Burt assured Kurdish authorities that Britain can still foster continued dialogue between the regional and central governments.
the vote. More than 5 million people are eligible to vote according to the commission.
"The United Kingdom is very keen to help and assist in this process of continuing dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad and we believe that this dialogue is continuing even up until the 25th of September."
A delegation from the Iraqi Shia National Alliance is set to visit the Kurdish region this week for talks on the independence referendum. The delegation is expected to urge Kurdish officials to postpone the vote.
Masters%20of%20the%20Air
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The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Jawan
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
Company%20Profile
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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Company%20Profile
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The%20Specs
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Company%20profile
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MEDIEVIL%20(1998)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20SCE%20Studio%20Cambridge%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sony%20Computer%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%2C%20PlayStation%204%20and%205%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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.
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
THE BIO
Favourite author - Paulo Coelho
Favourite holiday destination - Cuba
New York Times or Jordan Times? NYT is a school and JT was my practice field
Role model - My Grandfather
Dream interviewee - Che Guevara
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
%3Cp%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%201.9km%20King%20Salman%20Boulevard%2C%20a%20Parisian%20Champs-Elysees-inspired%20avenue%2C%20is%20scheduled%20for%20completion%20in%202028%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20Royal%20Diriyah%20Opera%20House%20is%20expected%20to%20be%20completed%20in%20four%20years%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20Diriyah%E2%80%99s%20first%20of%2042%20hotels%2C%20the%20Bab%20Samhan%20hotel%2C%20will%20open%20in%20the%20first%20quarter%20of%202024%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20On%20completion%20in%202030%2C%20the%20Diriyah%20project%20is%20forecast%20to%20accommodate%20more%20than%20100%2C000%20people%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20The%20%2463.2%20billion%20Diriyah%20project%20will%20contribute%20%247.2%20billion%20to%20the%20kingdom%E2%80%99s%20GDP%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20It%20will%20create%20more%20than%20178%2C000%20jobs%20and%20aims%20to%20attract%20more%20than%2050%20million%20visits%20a%20year%0D%3Cbr%3E-%20About%202%2C000%20people%20work%20for%20the%20Diriyah%20Company%2C%20with%20more%20than%2086%20per%20cent%20being%20Saudi%20citizens%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20Z%20FOLD5
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The five pillars of Islam
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Company%20Profile
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