Three years after the revolution that removed long-time dictator Omar Al Bashir, Sudan’s streets are gripped by mass protests demanding a civilian-led government.
The military’s modus operandi is to disperse gatherings using tear gas, stun grenades and live ammunition, a combined barrage that has become all too familiar to opposition groups.
In the face of this threat, local civilian groups have resorted to organised, pre-emptive measures to brace for deaths, injuries and arrests at the hands of the security forces whenever protests are planned.
One such group is the newly formed Lawyers Emergency Committee.
It has used social media to offer pro bono assistance to protesters planning to attend the “million-person march” on Sunday, being held to mark the third anniversary of Al Bashir’s fall.
Veteran lawyer Iqbal Ahmed Ali says her team has grown from 72 to 84 members after it made the statement less than a week ago.
“We started out working, not as the committee we’re known as today, in December 2018, when the protests against Omar Al Bashir first began,” Ms Ali said.
“Almost 80 per cent of the cases we handle involve ‘riot’ charges filed by authorities against protesters, although some do get charged with destruction of public property as well.”
Ms Ali says the committee does not defend vandals.
“However, there are situations where demonstrators are being unfairly accused of destroying buildings or setting fire to police vehicles. So, our team investigates to understand the facts at hand,” she told The National.
The committee has helped to release 300 people since 2018 and continues to follow up hundreds of other cases, Ms Ali said.
Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok was detained by the country’s de facto military leader, Gen Abdel Fattah Burhan, on October 25, sparking widespread protests which are now in their eighth week.
Mr Hamdok, now released, reached a deal with the military on November 21 to be reinstated. Opposition groups continue to question the legitimacy of this agreement calling instead for a civilian-led government under the slogan: “No negotiation, no partnership, no compromise.”
The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, which monitors and documents casualties from the protests, says at least 45 people have been killed since October 25.
Nazim Suraj is the general manager of Hadhreen, an organisation that helps hospitals to prepare to admit mass casualties on and around days of planned protests.
“Right now, we have 13 hospitals and three field clinics fully prepared in Khartoum, six hospitals in Bahri and four in Um Durman,” Mr Suraj said.
“We work with Sudanese people abroad to help us finance these large-scale preparations and assist with logistics as needed. For example, we had them help us arrange access to internationally registered Sim cards when local calls were being blocked to limit gatherings.”
Mr Suraj says local groups such as his have remained organised throughout what has been a chaotic time for Sudan.
Their grassroots efforts have helped to increase readiness for the unpleasant but now predictable events that accompany the demonstrations.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
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How England have scored their set-piece goals in Russia
Three Penalties
v Panama, Group Stage (Harry Kane)
v Panama, Group Stage (Kane)
v Colombia, Last 16 (Kane)
Four Corners
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via John Stones header, from Ashley Young corner)
v Tunisia, Group Stage (Kane, via Harry Maguire header, from Kieran Trippier corner)
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, header, from Trippier corner)
v Sweden, Quarter-Final (Maguire, header, from Young corner)
One Free-Kick
v Panama, Group Stage (Stones, via Jordan Henderson, Kane header, and Raheem Sterling, from Tripper free-kick)
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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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
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What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers
Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.
It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.
The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.
Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.
Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.
He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”
A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.
Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.
Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.
Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.
By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.
Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.
In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”
Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.
She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.
Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
