Latest news with #DhiQarProvincialCouncil
Shafaq News
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi council member arrested over teachers' protest
Shafaq News/ Iraqi security forces detained a Dhi Qar Provincial Council member during a teachers' protest in central Nasiriyah, a security source revealed on Tuesday. 'Council member Salam Al-Fayyad was arrested while participating in the protest,' the source told Shafaq News. Al-Fayyad, a former university lecturer and activist in previous contract worker protests, won his council seat in Iraq's recent local elections. His arrest came amid nationwide educator protests, including mass demonstrations in Baghdad and several provinces on Sunday, demanding wage reform and a standardized salary scale. The same day, Malek Hadi, head of the Teachers' and Educators' Strike Coordinating Committee, was arrested in the capital along with four committee members in other provinces.
Shafaq News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Water drought: Iraqi city declared disaster zone
Shafaq News/ An Iraqi city has been declared a "disaster zone" due to severe water shortages, as officials move to confront deepening drought conditions ahead of the summer season. Following an emergency session, the Dhi Qar Provincial Council expressed concern about the city of Sayyid Dakhil, one of the areas severely affected by the water crisis in the province. In response, Council spokesperson Ahmed Saleem announced the formation of a crisis cell, headed by Governor Murtada Al-Ibrahimi and including the Deputy Council Chairman, council members, and directors of water management departments. A separate committee, chaired by Council Head Azza Al-Nashi, was tasked with coordinating water allocations with the neighboring Wasit province. Once a major agricultural hub, Dhi Qar has been severely impacted by prolonged drought, climate change, and restricted upstream water flow. In Sayyid Dakhil, residents have long relied on wells and staged repeated protests, including in 2024, as the shortages worsened. The crisis has displaced families, strained farming livelihoods, and heightened local tensions. In the nearby Al-Dawaya district, entire villages have been left without access to drinking water, forcing residents to relocate in search of basic services. Officials continue to warn that upstream water policies by neighboring countries are compounding the crisis. In response, Iraq has expanded efforts to address the situation in 2025. The Iraqi Red Crescent is operating 77 water treatment stations across the country, supplying clean water to an estimated 500,000 people. The United Nations is supporting the development of long-term water management strategies, while a £5.3 billion agreement with the United Kingdom aims to improve infrastructure in drought-affected regions.
Shafaq News
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraq's Dhi Qar to suspend work Sunday; broadcast Nasrallah's funeral live
Shafaq News/ Iraq's Dhi Qar Provincial Council will suspend official working hours this Sunday, coinciding with the funeral procession of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. Following a request from former Dhi Qar Governor Muhammad Hadi al-Ghazi, the council decided to suspend work on Sunday, February 23, and called on the relevant authorities to broadcast the funeral proceedings on public screens throughout the province, Shafaq News correspondent reported. In a similar move, Baghdad Governor Abdul-Muttalib Al-Alawi had previously announced the suspension of work on Sunday to accommodate the large public turnout expected for the funeral of Nasrallah who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024.
Shafaq News
09-02-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Dhi Qar extortion case: Two defendants released
Shafaq News/ The Dhi Qar Criminal Court ordered the release of two defendants in the extortion case involving dismissed Governor Murtada al-Ibrahimi, a security source confirmed on Sunday. According to the source, al-Ibrahimi dropped charges against two female defendants, allowing for their release under the provisions of the General Amnesty Law. 'The court's decision aligns with both the governor's waiver and legal stipulations governing amnesty cases,' the source clarified. 'Their release is expected in the coming days.' Despite withdrawing complaints against these individuals, al-Ibrahimi continues to pursue extortion allegations against two members of the Dhi Qar Provincial Council—Mohammed Hadi, a former governor, and Ammar al-Rikabi. The legal dispute comes in the wake of al-Ibrahimi's dismissal, which was finalized in mid-January when the Dhi Qar Provincial Council voted to remove him from office. His tenure had been under scrutiny since November 2024, when 19 members of parliament from the province urged National Wisdom Movement leader Ammar Al-Hakim to replace him, citing allegations of financial and administrative misconduct, as well as unilateral decision-making.
