US and Russian government officials confirmed that Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout were exchanged in a prisoner swap mediated by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. EPA
US and Russian government officials confirmed that Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout were exchanged in a prisoner swap mediated by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. EPA
US and Russian government officials confirmed that Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout were exchanged in a prisoner swap mediated by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. EPA
US and Russian government officials confirmed that Brittney Griner and Viktor Bout were exchanged in a prisoner swap mediated by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. EPA

UAE President and Saudi Crown Prince mediate release of Brittney Griner


Amr Mostafa
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE and Saudi Arabia mediated the release of American basketball star Brittney Griner from Russia through a prisoner swap, the two nations said in a statement on Thursday.

Griner, who Washington claimed had been wrongfully detained in Russia over alleged drug offences, was released on Thursday and was heading back home via the UAE, US President Joe Biden said.

“The UAE and Saudi foreign ministries declare the success of Emirati and Saudi mediation led by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to release and swap two prisoners between the US and Russia,” a joint statement read.

“The UAE received on December 8, 2022, American citizen Brittney Griner on a private plane coming from Moscow after she was released by Russian authorities, coincidently with the arrival of Russian citizen Viktor Bout on a private plane from Washington after he was released by US authorities, in the attendance of officials from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

“The success of the mediation efforts was a reflection of the mutual and solid friendship between their two countries and the United States of America and the Russian Federation.”

The mediation also “highlighted the important role played by the leaderships of the two brotherly countries in promoting dialogue between all parties”.

After speaking with Griner earlier in the day, Mr Biden said “she is safe” and added that she would be back in the US within 24 hours.

The president thanked his administration and the UAE for enabling Griner's release.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also praised the move. He spoke of his “deep appreciation” for the UAE's role in Griner's release and said he was in contact with her family.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Griner had been traded for Viktor Bout, a convicted arms dealer being held in the US.

The US team was unable to secure the release of a second US citizen from Russia.

Paul Whelan has been held in Russia since 2018 and is serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted of espionage.

“This was not a choice of which American. The choice was one or none,” said Mr Blinken.

Whelan's brother said on Thursday that his family supports the deal that brought back Griner.

“I think President Biden made the right decision,” David Whelan told MSNBC. “His job is to protect all Americans. It would've been wrong for him to leave behind an American when he had the ability to bring them home.”

Paul Whelan in Moscow in 2020. AP
Paul Whelan in Moscow in 2020. AP
Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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RESULT

Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United:
 Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')

Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)

Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest

Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.

Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.

Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.

Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.

Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.

Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia

DUNGEONS%20%26%20DRAGONS%3A%20HONOR%20AMONG%20THIEVES
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The specs

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MATCH INFO

Southampton 0
Manchester City 1
(Sterling 16')

Man of the match: Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)

MATCH INFO

Liverpool 0

Stoke City 0

Man of the Match: Erik Pieters (Stoke)

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request

TOURNAMENT INFO

Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier

Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November

UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi

THE CLOWN OF GAZA

Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah 

Starring: Alaa Meqdad

Rating: 4/5

Updated: December 09, 2022, 4:47 AM`