As the dust settles on an attempted coup in Sudan this week, democracy activists and residents of Khartoum said the threat was the least of the country's worries.
Tuesday's failed attempt by those loyal to former dictator Omar Al Bashir to grab power and the transitional government's response have added to the feeling of instability surrounding the path to democracy as the military and political arms of the two-year-old government trade barbs.
“The coup attempt was just a ruse to distract us from the economic hardship and the failure of the ruling elites,” Abdel Rahim Rekab, 62, who works at the Free Zone Authority, told The National.
Mr Rekab said he has witnessed what he called “real takeovers” by the army since he was 11, when, in 1971, army officers staged a short-lived mutiny that aimed to topple the government of Gaafar Nimeiry.
The Sudanese people are fed up with these politically motivated statements. We are caught up right in the middle between passive politicians and power-hungry army generals
Samar Abu Bakr,
civil engineer
In his experience, mistrust between the two sides of Sudan's government will be impossible to bridge.
“Do they want to fool us into believing that the Military Council, which is led by members who served in the Security Committee set up by Al Bashir to crush the demonstrations in 2019, staged a coup against themselves? They want to stay in power and rule forever,” he said angrily.
The Sudanese military has said 21 officers and a number of soldiers have been arrested in connection to the failed takeover.
The army is part of a power-sharing agreement signed two years ago with the civilian Forces of Freedom and Change Alliance, under which the joint military-civilian Sovereign Council governs the country until January 2024, when democratic elections will be held.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok also voiced his condemnation of the “orchestrated coup attempt by forces of darkness and loyalists of Al Bashir".
State media said the plotters tried but failed to gain control of the building housing government TV and radio stations.
“One day, they say the prime minister escaped an assassination attempt, another day they talk about failed coups. This is the third time in two years they claim they have thwarted a coup,” Samar Abu Bakr, a 34-year-old civil engineer, told The National.
“The Sudanese people are fed up with these politically motivated statements. We are caught up right in the middle between passive politicians and power-hungry army generals.
“This is a camouflage over the bad economic conditions. The generals want to hide their own failures and steal the limelight.”
Ticking time bomb
One day after the incident, Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, the top general who currently leads the Sovereign Council, accused civilian politicians in government of ignoring the needs of the Sudanese people, giving an opportunity to disgruntled officers within the army.
Civilian organisations fired back, saying the army is playing ostrich.
Senior leaders at the Forces of Freedom and Change Alliance, an umbrella group for representatives of the opposition that negotiated with the army after Al Bashir was deposed, say the military has not undertaken a much-needed purge of Bashir loyalists and Islamists, who are a stumbling block for any transition towards democracy.
“The crisis between the civilian council and the military was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode,” Dr Amgad Fareed, former deputy chief of staff at the prime minister's office, told The National.
A prominent member of the Alliance, Dr Fareed said the military has been trying over the past two years to dominate several executive powers in the state-rebuilding process.
“Under the current agreement between both sides, the army should hand over power to the civilians on November 10. It seems there’s a growing opposition within the army ranks to being under civilian leadership. And that’s why we hear about mutinous officers every now and then.”
Dr Fareed says the Sudanese people will reject any military rule in the future and protect the revolution.
“The army is part and parcel of the current crisis and the generals keep sitting on the fence. We should have a unified army without any political affiliation and not influenced by political business after 30 years under Al Bashir, who used to use the army as a tool to implement his manipulative agendas,” he said.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Read more about the coronavirus
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The biog
Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia
Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins
Favourite dish: Grilled fish
Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
Under 18 – Madenat
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
RESULTS
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Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.
The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?
My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.
The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.
So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
The biog
Born November 11, 1948
Education: BA, English Language and Literature, Cairo University
Family: Four brothers, seven sisters, two daughters, 42 and 39, two sons, 43 and 35, and 15 grandchildren
Hobbies: Reading and traveling
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
Wealth managers recommend late investors to have a balanced portfolio that typically includes traditional assets such as cash, government and corporate bonds, equities, commodities and commercial property.
They do not usually recommend investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies due to the risk and volatility associated with them.
“It has produced eye-watering returns for some, whereas others have lost substantially as this has all depended purely on timing and when the buy-in was. If someone still has about 20 to 25 years until retirement, there isn’t any need to take such risks,” Rupert Connor of Abacus Financial Consultant says.
He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
