South Sudan's President Salva Kiir will meet with both leaders. Reuters
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir will meet with both leaders. Reuters
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir will meet with both leaders. Reuters
South Sudan's President Salva Kiir will meet with both leaders. Reuters

South Sudan begins mediation between Ethiopia and Sudan


Hamza Hendawi
  • English
  • Arabic

The leaders of Sudan and Ethiopia will separately travel to the South Sudanese capital Juba next week to start a mediation attempt by the South Sudanese government to defuse a border dispute.

Senior presidential aide Tut Gatluak, who has been travelling between Khartoum and Addis Ababa in recent weeks for talks with their leaders on the dispute, announced the visits on Wednesday.

While in Juba, Sudan’s de facto head of state Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will meet South Sudanese President Salva Kiir.

Depending on the outcome of these talks, a three-way summit could be held later in Juba, Mr Gatluak said.

Also on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Sudanese Foreign Ministry said the country’s ambassador to Addis Ababa had been summoned for consultations, Reuters reported.

It was not immediately clear if it was linked to the border dispute.

A Saudi government envoy, Minister of State for African Affairs Ahmed Qatan, was in Khartoum on Wednesday to try to defuse tension between Sudan and Ethiopia.

He held talks with Sudanese leaders including Gen Al Burhan and Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. He was scheduled to visit Addis Ababa later this week.

The Sudanese-Ethiopian border dispute began when the Sudanese military moved in December to wrest back control of enclaves on its side of the border.

Those areas had for decades been settled by farmers from the powerful Amhara ethnic group.

The Sudanese move started deadly clashes.

On Sunday, Khartoum said Ethiopian forces had crossed into Sudanese territory and warned that Addis Ababa would have to suffer the consequences of its aggression if they were not pulled back.

Sudan insists that a colonial-era demarcation deal reached in 1902 was valid to this day and must be respected by Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa insists it will negotiate with Sudan only after its forces pull out from the areas they retook.

The two countries, and Egypt, are also at odds over a huge Nile dam built by Ethiopia less than 20 kilometres from the Sudanese border.

Sudan wants Ethiopia to enter a legally binding agreement to share data on the operation of the hydroelectric dam to protect its territory from flooding and ensure the smooth running of its own power-generating dams on the Blue Nile.

Ethiopia said it would agree only to non-binding recommendations and would go ahead with a second phase of filling the dam's reservoir in July, regardless of whether an agreement was reached.

Egypt, like Sudan a downstream nation, is alarmed that the dam could significantly reduce its share of the Nile’s waters, costing hundreds of thousands of jobs and disrupting its delicate food balance.

David Haye record

Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

New process leads to panic among jobseekers

As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.  

“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.

Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE. 

“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.

“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”

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  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
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  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
EPL's youngest
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UK's plans to cut net migration

Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.

Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.

But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.

Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.

Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.

The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.

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Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives