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Iraq to officially investigate UNDP bribery allegations

A meeting organized by the Iraqi National Security Advisory and with the IOM and UNDP is held to discuss the role of community leaders in the return and reintegration of displaced Iraqis, in Irbil, Iraq, on 23 June 2022. [Getty]

The Iraqi Integrity Commission has launched an investigation into corruption allegations linked to the UN’s work in Iraq, following accusations of bribery published earlier this month by British newspaper The Guardian.

The announcement was made on the Commission’s official Facebook page.

The Guardian report alleged UN employees in Iraq working under a United Nations Development (UNDP) programme had accepted bribes from Iraqi businessmen to secure contracts for reconstruction projects.

The Integrity Commission responded by forming a team to investigate the claims and is seeking evidence and clarifications from the newspaper’s editors, according to its statement.

The UN mission in Iraq (UNAMI) confirmed the departure of its Special Representative, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, but distanced itself from the corruption allegations against sister agency UNDP and denied this was linked to the scandal.

UNAMI emphasised its commitment to “accuracy” and urged the media to avoid “misleading information.”

“UNAMI would like to set the record straight regarding the recent circulation of misleading reports in various Iraqi traditional and social media outlets concerning the departure of Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert,” said the UNAMI in a statement on Wednesday.

“UNAMI emphasises that the SRSG’s departure in May aligns with usual practices within the United Nations, including the standard rotation of senior UN officials,” it added. 

Hennis-Plasschaert concluded her five-year term on 6 February, calling for Iraq to remain neutral in regional conflicts.

She faced criticism during her tenure for alleged bias towards certain Iraqi factions, according to our Arabic service Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

What is the UNDP accused of in Iraq?

According to the investigation by The Guardian,…

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Maraykanka waxa ka go’an Ciraaq xasilloon oo nabad ah

Washington — 

“Maraykanka waxaa weli ka go’an inuu la shaqeeyo dawladda Ciraaq, si loo xoojiyo oo loo sii qoto dheereeyo iskaashiga dawladeed ee muddada dheer soo jireenka ah si aan u raadinno Ciraaq ammaan ah, xasilloon oo madaxbannaan,” ayuu yiri danjire Robert Wood, oo ah ergeyga hawlaha gaarka ah ee Maraykanka u qaabilsan arrimaha siyaasadda ee Arrimaha Qaramada Midoobay.

Nasiib darro, maleeshiyaadka taabacsan Iran ayaa ku hanjabaya inay wiiqi doonaan guulihii adkaa ee Ciraaq laga gaaray tan iyo markii dhulka looga adkaaday Daacish toddobo sano ka hor, ayuu yiri Ambassador Wood.

Tan iyo Oktoobar 2023, kooxahani waxay weerareen ciidamada Maraykanka iyo kuwa isbahaysiga ee Ciraaq, Suuriya iyo Urdun in ka badan 165 jeer. Nasiib darro seddax askari oo Mareykan ah ayaa la dilay, tobanaan kalana waa lagu dhaawacay 28-kii Janaayo markii maleeshiyaadka xulafada la ah Iran ay weerareen ciidamada Mareykanka ee fadhigoodu yahay Jordan si ay uga qeyb qaataan dagaalka ka dhanka ah Daacish. “Khasaaretani waa mid aad u xun, tani waa wax aan la aqbali karin. Weerarradan oo kale ma sii socon karaan.”

Danjire Wood ayaa sheegay in weerarro badan oo kuwan la mid ah oo ka dhacay Ciraaq oo lagu beegsaday ciidamada Mareykanka iyo kuwa isbaheysiga ee lagu martigeliyay saldhigyada Ciraaq ay sababeen khasaare dhimasho iyo dhaawac, oo ay ku jiraan saaxiibada Ciraaq ee leh hindisaha dagaalka wadajirka ah ee ka dhanka ah ISIS:

“Kooxaha hubaysan ee ka hawlgala meel ka baxsan gacanta dawladda waxay caqabad weyn ku yihiin maamulka dawladda Ciraaq iyo dadka Ciraaq, iyagoo ku hanjabaya inay xoojinayaan xasilloonida Ciraaq ay si adag ula dagaallameen si ay u gaaraan.”

Hawlgalka Kaalmaynta Qaramada Midoobay ee Ciraaq, ama UNAMI, waxa ay weli hayaan shaqo muhiim ah oo ay tahay in la qabto, ayuu carrabka ku adkeeyay Danjire Wood:

“UNAMI waxay horey u bixisay kaalmo aad u qiimo badan…

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Abandoned dog found tied to a pole in Cranford

CRANFORD, New Jersey (WABC) — An abandoned dog was found tied to a pole in Cranford, New Jersey Thursday morning.

Around 6 a.m., someone called police after seeing a dog was tied to a pole on Lexington Avenue near Unami Park.

The dog, named Zeus, was left with a sign that said, “Not rabid, no biting, need a home.”

Animal Control Solutions took in the Pit-mix and said he is healthy and warming up with the staff.

Police say the dog was left to fend for himself, cold and alone.

“It was 25, no water, no food around it,” said Captain Matthew Nazzaro with the Cranford Police. “There really is not an excuse for leaving a dog. There may be reasons, but there is not a reason to leave a dog in these extreme temperatures.”

Police were able to figure out the dog was microchipped, and they are now looking for his previous owner.

There is an investigation into Zeus’ abandonment, and Nazzaro says depending on the outcome, the person responsible could face charges.

Police are asking anyone with information about the dog to call 908-272-2222.

ALSO READ | New York City, Tri-State animal shelters at capacity, emblematic of national crisis

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France is deeply concerned by the repercussions of regional tensions in Iraq

Madam President,

I thank the Special Representative for her briefing. I welcome the presence among us this morning of the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait.

France welcomes the efforts of the Iraqi government to implement the reforms awaited by the Iraqi population, and calls for their continuation.

France welcomed the smooth holding of provincial elections on December 18, the first since 2013. We welcome the support provided by UNAMI to the Independent High Electoral Commission. Recent announcements concerning the appointment of new local authorities are encouraging. France hopes that parliamentary elections can be held in Iraqi Kurdistan as soon as possible.

We encourage Iraq to pursue its reforms, as announced by the Iraqi Prime Minister, particularly in terms of diversifying its economy, fighting corruption and impunity, and protecting human rights.

With regards the relations between Baghdad and Erbil, France calls for a resumption of dialogue, particularly on the sharing of oil revenues and security issues. This is in the interest of both parties.

Madam President,

France will closely examine the conclusions of the strategic review on UNAMI next March.

This strategic review requested by the Security Council is independent, and we will carefully look at its conclusions and recommendations. France welcomes the essential role played by UNAMI in providing assistance to Iraq in many areas, while fully respecting its sovereignty. France thanks and congratulates the Special Representative for the exceptional commitment she has demonstrated in the service of Iraq and the Iraqi people throughout her mandate over the past five years.

As a strategic partner of Iraq, France will continue to listen to the Iraqi authorities on the future of UNAMI. Our shared objective is for any change in its mandate to be successful, and we will work together with Iraq and the United Nations to achieve that.

France is…

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Restraint Crucial to Preserve Hard-Won Stability, Achieve Durable Progress in Iraq, Top UN Official Tells Security Council, Amid US Air Strikes, Ongoing Gaza Conflict

9543RD MEETING (AM)
SC/15578
6 FEBRUARY 2024

Restraint is required to create the environment Iraq needs to consolidate hard-won stability and realize sustainable progress, the senior United Nations official in the country told the Security Council today, amidst United States air strikes in Iraqi territory on 2 February and the ongoing conflict in nearby Gaza.

“Messaging by strikes only serves to heighten tensions, to kill or injure people and to destroy property,” stressed Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), as she briefed the Council on the Secretary-General’s reports concerning missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property (document S/2024/95) and concerning UNAMI (document S/2024/96).

If attacks originating from within and outside of Iraq’s borders continue, this will undo the country’s hard-won stability and other achievements made over the past 18 months, she said. An enabling environment is essential for Iraq to continue on its path of stability and progress, but such an environment requires restraint from all sides. While spotlighting certain progress — including the holding of local elections for the first time in 10 years on 18 December 2023 — she emphasized that climate-change-related events “combine to paint a rather bleak picture, in which existing fault lines come under increasing pressure”.

Also updating on events in the Kurdistan region and the Iraqi Government’s commitment to the issue of missing Kuwaiti and third-country nationals and missing Kuwaiti property, she nevertheless emphasized that swifter progress is needed. Further, the Government’s plans for sustainable progress, real reform and better living standards will become more difficult to realize with each passing year. Therefore reiterating the importance of ceasing attacks and creating an enabling environment, she stated: “It is quite simple: the enormous risks and potential devastating consequences…

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UK Touts Iraq’s Potential as Regional Stabiliser at UN

Thank you, Madam President, I would like to welcome the representatives of Iraq and Kuwait to the chamber.

Let me start by thanking the Special Representative for her briefing, and for the important work of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq. I would like to highlight three points of particular importance for the UK.

First, we commend the progress being made by Iraq across the breadth of political and economic issues set out by the Special Representative. UNAMI’s contribution to that progress is deeply valued by the United Kingdom. We look forward to discussing the outcome of the Strategic Review being led by Volker Perthes and the future shape and function of UNAMI, in discussion with relevant parties, including of course the sovereign state of Iraq.

Second, Iraq has the potential to play a strong stabilising role in the region. To do so, it is critical that its territory not be used by Iranian proxies to destabilise the region. We offer our condolences to the families of those killed in Iran’s 15 January strike on Erbil. We urge Iran to deescalate tensions in the region. We reiterate our commitment to the Global Coalition against Daesh, which operates within Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, as well as our commitment to a secure and sovereign Iraq.

Third, we congratulate Iraq on holding its first provincial elections for a decade. We look forward to the holding of elections in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq without further delay and encourage all relevant actors to take steps to ensure necessary preparations are made to ensure they are free, fair and timely. We hope a sustainable outcome on the transfer of budget allocations from Baghdad to Erbil can be agreed and we encourage relevant political parties to play a constructive role to support that.

Finally, Madam President, we…

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Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023) Report of the Secretary-General {S/2024/96)

Implementation of resolution 2682 (2023) Report of the Secretary-General {S/2024/96) – Iraq | ReliefWeb Skip to main content

Iraq

Format UN Document Source Posted 6 Feb 2024 Originally published 6 Feb 2024 Origin View original

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Introduction

  1. The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2682 (2023), in which the Secretary-General was requested to report every four months on progress made towards fulfilling the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). The report covers key developments relating to Iraq and provides an update on the activities of the United Nations in Iraq since his previous report of 26 September 2023 (S/2023/700) and the briefing to the Security Council by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Iraq and Head of UNAMI on 10 October 2023.

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Costa Rica Study Reveals Pacific Catshark’s Extensive Journeys

Researchers from the Center for Marine Science and Limnology Research at the University of Costa Rica have unveiled the migration patterns of the endangered Pacific catshark (Ginglymostoma unami). This has also shed light on the challenges the species currently faces.

The Pacific catshark, native to the Eastern Tropical Pacific and typically found from southern Mexico to Peru, currently faces a critical threat of extinction, designated as “Endangered” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The decline in its populations, largely attributed to intentional or accidental capture in coastal artisanal fisheries, necessitates urgent conservation efforts.

Since 2018, the research center has been employing passive acoustic telemetry to gain insights into the movements and habitat utilization of threatened marine species, including the Pacific catshark. This technique involves tagging the sharks with acoustic transmitters, allowing researchers to monitor their movements over extended periods.

An acoustic-tagged Pacific catshark, a 176 cm male, was detected by an acoustic receiver belonging to the Center for the Rescue of Endangered Marine Species (CREMA) in Rio Bongo, Nicoya Peninsula, approximately 200 km away from its tagging site in Bahía Santa Elena Marine Management Area (MMA) on the northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. This observation represents the longest movement recorded for the species.

The shark, tagged in May 2019, displayed an astonishing average daily travel distance of at least 19 km. Returning to its original location in Santa Elena Bay in July 2019, it covered a total distance ranging from 390 to 460 km in less than two months. Subsequent data revealed intermittent detections within St. Helena Bay, with the latest recorded in December 2023.

These findings were published in the “Long-distance dispersal of the endangered Pacific nurse shark (Ginglymostoma unami, Orectolobiformes) in…

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Kuwait, Saudi call for Iraq Khor compliance

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KUWAIT CITY, Jan 31, (KUNA): The State of Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have renewed their call on neighboring Iraq to adhere to the agreement signed with Kuwait in 2012 on regulating the navigation in Khor Abdullah waterway. This came in a joint statement issued after His Highness the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah’s visit to the Kingdom on Tuesday and his talks with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and Crown Prince and Prince Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud. The two sides noted that the Khor Abdullah agreement entered into force on December 5, 2013 after its ratification by both countries and was jointly deposited with the United Nations on December 18, 2013.

They also rejected Iraq’s unilaterally cancelling of the security exchange protocol hammered out between Kuwait and Iraq in 2008 and its endorsed map signed between Kuwait and Iraq on December 28, 2014, which included a clear and specific mechanism for their amendment and cancellation. The two sides reiterated support for the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2107 (2013), which requests the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) to enhance and facilitate search for and determining the fate of missing Kuwaitis and third-country nationals or restoring the framework of the Tripartite Committee and its technical subcommittee, under the supervision of the International Committee of the Red Cross and returning the seized Kuwaiti property, including the national archives.

They urged the UN Security Council to continue following up on these important issues and the UN Secretary General to present regular report on the achieved progress and UNAMI efforts in this regard by paragraph four of the aforementioned…

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Wagyu fat-washed gin is the latest unami experimental gin trend

Recent years have seen a host of truly unique experimental gins come to market – and this latest Wagyu fat-washed offering is no exception.

Vegans might want to look away now, as this carni-tastic spirit harnesses the power of red meat.

Uniting the worlds of beef farming and spirits, Warrendale Wagyu, a UK Wagyu producer with farms located across Lancashire, has launched its very own beef fat gin named Wa-Gyn.

Wagyu beef has long been a prized delicacy, primarily due to high fat content which not only adds a rich flavour to the meat, but causes a distinctive marbling-effect.

So imagine the delight when the news broke that the flavourful delicacy was now available in spirit form.

Coming in at 44% ABV, the gin is washed with molten Wagyu fat for 48 hours before being triple filtered.

Sounds rather luxurious, doesn’t it?

Wagyu fat-washed gin is the latest trend in experimental gin

Latching onto the current umami trend (savoury tastes and aromas), the distinctive juniper taste is complimented by notes of ruby grapefruit, lemon grass and warming pink peppercorn.

Tom Richardson, Warrendale Wagyu’s managing director, said: “We strive to be at the forefront of innovation, which is why we have launched the first fat-washed gin available in the UK.

“With the past year seeing great success for the business, it seemed right for us to expand our use of Wagyu into new areas.

“While it is uncommon for gin to be fat-washed, we spotted a gap in the market and have carefully combined juniper with flavoursome fruits and herbs to create a drink that tastes fantastic.

“For those celebrating Ginuary or who enjoy gin in general, this needs to be added to your list, as it will leave you impressed with the luxurious taste.”

  • Discover the best…

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