Saudi Arabia plays an important role in supporting the Sudanese peace process, Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok said during a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday.
Mr Hamdok thanked the crown prince for hosting the Friends of Sudan meeting last year to bolster support for the political transition in Sudan and to help get aid to bolster the free-falling economy, state-run Sudan News Agency reported.
Mr Hamdok was accompanied by a high-level delegation of five ministers on the visit, including the head of intelligence and Sudan's central bank governor.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Mr Hamdok also discussed Red Sea security and co-operating on investment and business ties.
Meanwhile, the United States on Tuesday called on Sudan to build an inclusive and representative government that ensures peace, supports people on the margins and helps “those who have suffered [to] achieve justice”.
US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called for implementation of the Juba Peace Agreement signed six months ago by the civilian-led transitional government and rebel groups, saying so far "the Sudanese people have not seen the commitment and engagement by signatory parties necessary for progress".
She told the UN Security Council that Sudan should also complete the formation of an inclusive Transitional Legislative Council, where women comprise at least 40 per cent of the representatives.
On February 10, a new Cabinet was sworn in that includes rebel ministers as part of the power-sharing deal the transitional authorities struck in Juba with a rebel alliance .
Sudan’s largest single rebel group, Sudan Liberation Movement-North led by Abdel-Aziz Al-Hilu, held talks with the transitional government but has yet to reach a deal with the government.
Another major rebel group, Sudan Liberation Movement-Army in the Darfur region, which is led by Abdel-Wahid Nour, rejects the transitional government and has not taken part in the talks.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield said a "shocking attack" in West Darfur in January, which reportedly killed 163 people and displaced about 50,000, was "a tragic reminder of the ongoing threats that civilians face in Sudan".
She called on the government to establish security forces, rule of law and justice institutions in Darfur, including the Special Court for Darfur Crimes.
Volker Perthes, the new UN special envoy for Sudan and head of Unitams, said in his first briefing to the Security Council that "Sudan is making significant advances in its transition. However, the remaining challenges are staggering".
He pointed to the new Cabinet including signatories of the Juba agreement, and the government’s agreement on national priorities.
Mr Perthes also said that "economic hardships are posing a risk to Sudan's stability" and that inflation was at 304 per cent in January".
He said that the country suffers from high rates of unemployment and poverty, with 13.4 million people – a quarter of the population – projected to need humanitarian assistance.
Mr Perthes and Ms Thomas-Greenfield expressed concern at rising tensions along the Sudan-Ethiopia border.
Sudan's transitional government faces serious challenges, including a huge budget deficit and widespread shortages of essential goods and soaring prices of bread and other staples.
The country is $70 billion in debt and the rapidly deteriorating economic conditions triggered protests this year in Khartoum and other cities across the country.
On February 21, Sudan began a managed flotation of its currency, an unprecedented but expected step to meet a major demand by international financial institutions to help transitional authorities overhaul the battered economy.
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Fixtures
Wednesday January 8 –Oman v Namibia
Thursday January 9 – Oman v UAE
Saturday January 11 – UAE v Namibia
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Green ambitions
- Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
- Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
- Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
- Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
More on Turkey's Syria offence
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Credit Score explained
What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
Why is it important?
Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
How is it calculated?
The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
How can I improve my score?
By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
How do I know if my score is low or high?
By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
How much does it cost?
A credit report costs Dh100 while a report with the score included costs Dh150. Those only wanting the credit score pay Dh60. VAT is payable on top.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
