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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed a close aide as the first Deputy President of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, positioning him as a possible successor to the veteran leader.
Hussein Al Sheikh was appointed by Mr Abbas, 89, after the vice presidency position was created during a convention held in Ramallah this week. The new post follows years of international pressure to reform the PLO and comes as Arab and western powers envision an expanded role for the Palestinian Authority in the post-war governance of Gaza.
"The executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation officially approved today the nomination of Hussein Al Sheikh as deputy chairman of the executive committee of the PLO and Deputy President of the State of Palestine," official Palestinian news agency Wafa said.
Founded in 1964, the PLO is empowered to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the Palestinian people, while the PA is responsible for governance in parts of the Palestinian territories. The PLO is an umbrella organisation comprising several Palestinian factions, but not the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which are at war with Israeli forces in Gaza.
Mr Al Sheikh, 64, is a veteran leader of Mr Abbas's Fatah movement, which dominates the PA, and is considered close to the President.
He spent more than 10 years in Israeli detention in the late 1970s and early 1980s, during which he learned Hebrew. In 2022, he was became the PLO executive committee's secretary-general and head of its negotiations department, a sensitive portfolio, demonstrating his close ties to Mr Abbas. Mr Abbas also recently appointed him as the head of a committee overseeing Palestinian diplomatic missions abroad.
Saudi Arabia welcomed Mr Abbas appointing a deputy.
"These reform steps will strengthen Palestinian political efforts ... foremost among them the right to self-determination through the establishment of their independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital," the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
In March, at a summit in Cairo about Gaza's post-war future, Mr Abbas announced that he would create a vice presidency within the PLO.
He has been head of the PA since 2005 following the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The following year, he was elected to a four-year term, with no presidential vote since.
According to Palestinian officials, in the event of Mr Abbas's death or resignation, the deputy president would be expected to become the acting head of the PLO and of the State of Palestine, which is recognised by nearly 150 countries.
Mr Abbas had presented a proposal for creating the deputy president post during a PLO convention this week, but it was opposed by several factions who walked out. They argued that the initiative threatened the PLO's sovereignty and was a sign of foreign interference.
The PA is on the brink of financial collapse and, following the Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, several international donors have increasingly insisted that financial support be tied to political and institutional reforms.
On Wednesday, Mr Abbas argued that creating a vice presidency would strengthen Palestinian institutions and bolster international recognition of the Palestinian state.
Senior Hamas official Bassem Naim gave the appointment of Mr Al Sheikh a frosty reception.
"The Palestinian people are not a herd to be imposed upon leaders with dubious history who have tied their present and future to the occupation," he said in a statement.
"Legitimacy is held only by the Palestinian people, and its tools are the rifle for resisting the occupation, and the ballot box. The guardianship over our people is long gone."
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.
Ferrari
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The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
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Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
Ballon d’Or shortlists
Men
Sadio Mane (Senegal/Liverpool), Sergio Aguero (Aregentina/Manchester City), Frenkie de Jong (Netherlans/Barcelona), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham), Dusan Tadic (Serbia/Ajax), Kylian Mbappe (France/PSG), Trent Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool), Donny van de Beek (Netherlands/Ajax), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon/Arsenal), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Alisson (Brazil/Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands/Juventus), Karim Benzema (France/Real Madrid), Georginio Wijnaldum (Netherlands/Liverpool), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool), Bernardo Silva (Portugal/Manchester City), Son Heung-min (South Korea/Tottenham), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich), Roberto Firmino (Brazil/Liverpool), Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Riyad Mahrez (Algeria/Manchester City), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal/Napoli), Antoine Griezmann (France/Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool), Eden Hazard (BEL/Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Brazil/Paris-SG), Raheem Sterling (Eengland/Manchester City), Joao Félix(Portugal/Atletico Madrid)
Women
Sam Kerr (Austria/Chelsea), Ellen White (England/Manchester City), Nilla Fischer (Sweden/Linkopings), Amandine Henry (France/Lyon), Lucy Bronze(England/Lyon), Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands/Arsenal), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC), Lieke Martens (Netherlands/Barcelona), Sari van Veenendal (Netherlands/Atletico Madrid), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon), Rose Lavelle(USA/Washington Spirit), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride), Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Kosovare Asllani (Sweden/CD Tacon), Sofia Jakobsson (Sweden/CD Tacon), Tobin Heath (USA/Portland Thorns)
