"Tidbits From TNT" Wednesday Morning 3-20-2024

TNT:

Tishwash:  Officially... Iraq joins the membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

The Iraqi Fund for External Development in the Ministry of Finance announced today, Wednesday, that the Republic of Iraq has joined the membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) after the House of Representatives approved the accession law.

The Fund said in a statement received by Al-Eqtisad News, “The Republic of Iraq has joined the membership of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) after the House of Representatives approved the accession law, which comes within the Ministry’s vision of strengthening frameworks of cooperation and communication between Iraq and international financial institutions.” “After the Fund’s continuous coordination with the European Bank’s management, the completion of Iraq’s contribution process, and the completion of all documents related to accession.”

He added, "Joining will enable the European Bank to finance projects within the country, promote development for various sectors, support the entrepreneurship initiative, and support the private sector through investments and participation in policy dialogue and technical assistance," pointing out that "the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is a multi-faceted development bank."

Parties, headquartered in London, the bank focuses on investment as a tool to rebuild market economies in beneficiary countries, with an emphasis on supporting the private sector and its investments in advisory and political activities. The bank also helps countries develop their policies to promote energy self-sufficiency or renewable energy markets    link

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CandyKisses:  92nd in the world. Iraq ranks seventh in the Arab world in the happiness index

Baghdad Today - Follow-up

Finland continued to top the list of the World Happiness Index for the seventh consecutive year, while Iraq ranked 92nd globally and seventh in the Arab world, according to the report issued under the auspices of the United Nations.

This year's report covers 143 countries, which are categorized by several factors, including GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, and the opinions of the population.

The researchers rely on surveys that ask respondents to answer a progressive scale of 1 to 10 on how much social support they feel in the event of a problem, their freedom to make decisions related to their own lives, their sense of how widespread corruption is in their communities, and how generous they are.

For the first time, this year's report included different classifications according to age groups, for example, Lithuania was the happiest country in the world for the age group under 30, while Denmark was at the top of the list in terms of those over 60.

Overall, Finland came first, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg and Switzerland.

Afghanistan was at the bottom of the list, preceded by Lebanon, Lesotho and Sierra Leone.

At the Arab level, Kuwait ranked 13th globally, followed by the UAE in 22nd place, Saudi Arabia 28th, Bahrain 62nd, Libya 66th, Algeria 85th, Iraq 92nd and Palestinian Territories 103rd.

Morocco 107th, Mauritania 111th, Tunisia 115th, Jordan 125th, Egypt 127th, Comoros 132nd, Yemen 133rd and Lebanon 142nd, respectively.

First launched in 2012, the World Happiness Report is an annual survey conducted by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

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CandyKisses: Ramadan and the salary crisis and floods. Nowruz holidays with a different flavor in Kurdistan - urgent

Baghdad Today - Kurdistan

Nowruz holidays in the Kurdistan region come with a different approach this year as a result of the size of the challenges faced by families in those areas, and despite the fact that Nowruz coincided this year with the blessed month of Ramadan and the crisis of delayed salaries of the region's employees

And what made matters worse was the wave of floods that occurred during the past two days, but local administrations in the governorates of the Kurdistan region decided to celebrate by lighting the Nowruz flame and going out in a number of streets, after the time of breaking the fast.

Nowruz is the Kurdish New Year, and the Kurds celebrate it in all the countries in which they are present by going out to the resorts and mountainous areas, but coinciding this year with the blessed month of Ramadan, as well as the financial crisis and the Wave of floods in the cities of the country, may make this occasion another reality.

The organizing committee of the celebrations in Sulaymaniyah announced the closure of the main Salem Street in central Sulaymaniyah and the start of Nowruz celebrations within activities interspersed with performances of Kurdish folklore, costumes, dabkat and Kurdish songs.

The Erbil Municipality, for its part, announced that preparations are underway for the Nowruz torch lighting ceremony on Erbil Citadel.

The municipality of Erbil said in a statement received by "Baghdad Today", that "its teams in the Directorate of Engineering of Erbil Gardens, this morning in a civilized manner and beautiful design standards for the ceremony of lighting the fire of Nowruz as a symbol of the National Day."

A number of citizens say that they will celebrate with their families despite the crises they are suffering from, as they have not been able to fully prepare for this occasion.

Behzad Salam, an employee in Sulaymaniyah, told Baghdad Today that he has not received his salary for 50 days, and although we are in Ramadan month, therefore in this crisis we will not be able to buy clothes for our children nor prepare optimally.

As for Nujeen Ahmed, he pointed out to "Baghdad Today", "Nowruz this year will not have a taste for several reasons, the first of which is the financial crisis, and secondly, we are used to going out to the streets and wearing Kurdish clothes that are sewn on these occasions, and on the 21st we go out with our families to the resorts and mountainous areas, " adding that "but this year we miss these things, because of the salary crisis and the coinciding of Nowruz with Ramadan "

But other families will go out to celebrate despite all the crises and circumstances that the Kurds are experiencing, but they will not miss this occasion, which is considered a national holiday for them.

Hevar Mustafa, a social researcher and academic at the University of Sulaymaniyah, stressed that Nowruz is one of the occasions that the Kurds cherish, and it is not an ordinary day, and therefore there is reverence for this occasion and national pride in it.

She pointed out in her speech to "Baghdad Today", that "the celebration this year will not be like previous years, but there are traditions, including lighting the candle of Nowruz, which expresses the liberation and revolutionary spirit of the Kurds in fighting tyranny and the injustice that they faced over different times

Mot: ........ Coming to a Driveway near you!

Mot . ARE YOUUUUUUUUUU READY!!!!!