The Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces resumed talks on Thursday in Jeddah, in a renewed attempt to find a solution to their ruinous six-month war, responsible for one of the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
As the talks were set to begin in the Saudi Arabian city, the RSF announced its fighters had taken control of an army base in Nyala in southern Darfur, Sudan's second largest city after Khartoum, the capital.
Many Sudanese are pinning much hope on the negotiations recapturing the world's attention, which has been focused on the Gaza war in the past few weeks.
"I swear to God that we in Sudan support the cause of the Palestinians and our hearts are with our brethren in Gaza, but we also need the world to look at us a little," said Shaza Ibrahim, a tax department employee who fled the fighting in her native Khartoum and now lives in Nile River state to the north.
"We have been hurting so much."
Others believe it maybe too late for Sudan.
"They [the warring parties] failed to win the war and now they are going back to Jeddah after they displaced us, destroyed the country and crippled all essential services," said Abdul Rahman Al Sheikh, another former Khartoum resident who now lives in Kordofan in the west of Sudan.
The capture of the Nyala garrison, home to the army's 16th Infantry Division, means the city and its population of 4 million is almost entirely under the control of the RSF, which already has near total control of Khartoum.
It follows days of intense fighting, in which the RSF said more than 2,000 army troops were killed and a host of military equipment seized.
The army did not immediately comment on the capture of its Nyala base.
The latest triumph by the RSF, whose forerunner is a notorious Darfur militia Janjaweed, will likely strengthen its negotiating position in Jeddah.
It accuses the Sudanese army of forging an alliance with Islamic extremists loyal to the regime of dictator Omar Al Bashir, toppled in 2019 after 29 years in power.
The war between the army and RSF is essentially a struggle for military and political supremacy between army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and his one-time ally, now deputy RSF commander, Mohamed Dagalo.
The two generals staged a coup two years ago that toppled a civilian-led government that had been expected to run the country until it transitioned into a democratic rule.
The war, which has devastated Khartoum and spread to Darfur and Kordofan in the west, has killed nearly 10,000 people and displaced 5.6 million, the majority of whom have found refuge in neighbouring nations. The war has also hammered the country's already crumbling infrastructure, with millions now facing hunger and 80 per cent of the nation's health facilities shut down.
Six months into the conflict, UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said "basic services are crumbling", disease outbreaks are "stalking the country" and "aid workers continue to be stymied in reaching people in need".
US officials said the Jeddah talks would aim for a ceasefire, though it was premature to discuss any lasting political solution.
"The new round will focus on ensuring unhindered humanitarian access and achieving ceasefires and other confidence-building measures," a State Department official said.
Another official in Washington said the US was hoping for a "constructive spirit" in the talks, saying "there is no acceptable military solution to this conflict".
Early in the conflict, the US and Saudi Arabia had mediated a series of ceasefires between the army and the RSF but each collapsed or was not observed diligently. Frustrated by the apparent lack of desire by the warring sides to reach a sustainable truce, Washington and Riyadh suspended the Jeddah process in the summer and the two sides continued to fight for military supremacy.
That attitude appears to have endured.
In a statement, the army said it had accepted the invitation to return to the talks because it believed it was one of the means by which to end the conflict. However, it added: "The resumption of negotiations does not mean a halt of the national battle of dignity, for the defeat of the rebel militia."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Bullet%20Train
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War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
Company%20profile
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Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S23%20ULTRA
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Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
SHAITTAN
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVikas%20Bahl%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAjay%20Devgn%2C%20R.%20Madhavan%2C%20Jyothika%2C%20Janaki%20Bodiwala%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
