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Iraq forces try to clear lingering protesters after bloodshed

Iraqi security forces fired tear gas to clear lingering protesters in Baghdad on Saturday morning, after dozens died in a bloody resumption of anti-government rallies to be discussed in parliament.
Since anti-government rallies first erupted on October 1, nearly 200 people have died and thousands were wounded in Baghdad and across the country's Shiite-majority south in violence condemned worldwide.
Almost a quarter of them, 42, succumbed on Friday alone from live rounds, tear gas canisters or while torching government buildings or offices belonging to powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary factions in several southern cities.
The storming of provincial headquarters, parliamentarians' workspaces or Hashed offices marks a new phase in the southern rallies but has yet to take place in the capital.
In Baghdad, a few hundred protesters dug in around the emblematic Tahrir (Liberation) Square on Saturday morning despite efforts by riot police to clear them with tear gas.
"It's enough -- theft, looting, gangs, mafias, deep state, whatever. Get out! Let us see a (functioning) state," said one protester, referring to perceived cronyism and corruption in the country.
"We don't want anything, just let us live," he added as puffs of smoke from tear gas rose behind him.
Oil-rich Iraq is OPEC's second-highest producer -- but one in five people live below the poverty line and youth unemployment sits at 25 percent, according to the World Bank.
The staggering rates of joblessness and allegations of corruption sparked the widespread protests on October 1 and the government has struggled to quell public anger by offering reform plans.
Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi has suggested a laundry list of measures, including hiring drives, increased pensions and a cabinet reshuffle.
New education and health ministers were approved by parliament in a session earlier this month, the only time it was able to reach quorum since protests began.
But protesters seemed unimpressed.
"They told young people: 'go home, we'll give you pensions and come up with a solution'. They tricked us," said one of the rare woman protesters on Saturday, her young son at her side.
About 60 percent of Iraq's 40-million-strong population is under the age of 25.
Protesters have directed some of their anger at the country's top Shiite religious authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, who is deeply revered among most Iraqis.
Others have been waiting for signal from influential populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, who has thrown his weight behind protests.
On Friday, Sistani urged protesters and security forces to show "restraint", warning of "chaos" if violence resumed.
"Sadr, Sistani -- this is a shame," a protester in Tahrir said on Saturday.
"We were hit! It's enough," he said, waving a tear gas canister fired earlier by security forces.
Riot police had been trying to keep protesters around Tahrir from reaching the high-security Green Zone across the river, which hosts government offices including parliament.
Lawmakers are scheduled to meet there at 1:00 pm (1000 GMT) to "discuss protesters' demands, cabinet's decisions and the implementation of reforms."
Speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi said he had visited Tahrir overnight, but many demonstrators have shunned the participation of mainstream politicians whom they see as trying to co-opt their movement.
There were calls for fresh protests in the south as well despite authorities announcing curfews across several provinces on Saturday.
Many expected a public outcry from the families of those killed the previous day as they prepared for their burials.
Late Friday, 12 protesters died in the southern city of Diwaniyah alone while setting fire to the headquarters of the powerful Badr organisation, part of the Hashed paramilitary faction.
"Public anger is directed at them in addition to governorate councils, for they were the obvious face of 'the regime'," wrote Harith Hasan, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Middle East Center.
But it was also a chance for Sadr to swipe at his rivals in the Hashed.
"The Sadrists, especially in their traditional strongholds such as Missan, saw this an opportunity to act against competing militias," such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Badr, and Kataeb Hezbollah, Hasan said on Twitter.
source:AFP
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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