Sudanese wait for sunset to break their daytime fast during the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan, amid a curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic, in a street in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April 27, 2020. AP
Sudanese wait for sunset to break their daytime fast during the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan, amid a curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic, in a street in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April 27, 2020. AP
Sudanese wait for sunset to break their daytime fast during the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan, amid a curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic, in a street in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April 27, 2020. AP
Sudanese wait for sunset to break their daytime fast during the Holy Islamic month of Ramadan, amid a curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic, in a street in the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Monday, April

Lift sanctions to prevent 'disaster' in Sudan, UN says


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Sudan risks being plunged into a humanitarian disaster by Covid-19 unless sanctions are lifted and donors provide financial support, the UN rights chief said on Tuesday.

Without international backing, the country's transition towards peace and stability could swing into reverse, Michelle Bachelet said.

A year has passed since president Omar Al Bashir was made to step down by the army on April 11, 2019, after months of nationwide protests.

Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok took power as the head of a transitional government sworn in last September, but Sudan's economy remains in deep crisis.

Ms Bachelet said the promise of economic and social development, democracy, justice and peace was being threatened by acute resource constraints on the transitional government.

She said they were being exacerbated by ongoing unilateral sanctions, the failure of international institutions to provide debt relief, and a deficit of international support.

"The tipping point could be Covid-19," Ms Bachelet said.

"The health system is simply not equipped to handle an outbreak on the scale we have seen elsewhere in the world. There is only one way to prevent a humanitarian disaster, and that is for the donors to step up and extend a helping hand to Sudan."

Khartoum remains on a US blacklist as a state sponsor of terrorism, stifling investment.

It is for instance not eligible for access to the emergency financing set up by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to help countries combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

Households continue to suffer from frequent power cuts and most Sudanese still queue up for hours to buy staple foods or to fill their cars with petrol.

In response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the government announced a 24-hour curfew for three weeks from April 18 across Khartoum state.

Sudan has had 318 confirmed cases and 25 deaths, according World Health Organisation figures.

"The only way Sudan will ever be able to break out of this cycle of poverty and desperation is to be freed from the impediments of sanctions imposed at the time of the previous government," said Ms Bachelet.

The former Chilean president said that without addressing the economic and social grievances that sparked the departure of Al Bashir, "Sudan's successful transition to achieving a durable peace remains distant".

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Favourite things

Luxury: Enjoys window shopping for high-end bags and jewellery

Discount: She works in luxury retail, but is careful about spending, waits for sales, festivals and only buys on discount

University: The only person in her family to go to college, Jiang secured a bachelor’s degree in business management in China

Masters: Studying part-time for a master’s degree in international business marketing in Dubai

Vacation: Heads back home to see family in China

Community work: Member of the Chinese Business Women’s Association of the UAE to encourage other women entrepreneurs

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Suggested picnic spots

Abu Dhabi
Umm Al Emarat Park
Yas Gateway Park
Delma Park
Al Bateen beach
Saadiyaat beach
The Corniche
Zayed Sports City
 
Dubai
Kite Beach
Zabeel Park
Al Nahda Pond Park
Mushrif Park
Safa Park
Al Mamzar Beach Park
Al Qudrah Lakes