Iran says US yet to respond about prisoner swap
Washington has yet to respond to Iran about a prisoner swap, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Sunday.
Mr Rabiei repeated that Tehran was ready for a full prisoner exchange with the US without conditions.
It would be one of very few instances of co-operation in a frayed US-Iran relationship that has grown more hostile since US President Donald Trump took office.
"We have stated our readiness to discuss the release of all prisoners without preconditions but Americans have not responded yet," Mr Rabiei told Dolat.ir.
"It seems to us that Americans are more prepared than before to end this situation."
Both countries have called for the release of prisoners because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Iran is the worst hit country in the Middle East, while the US has reported the highest number of deaths worldwide from the virus.
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Three more arrests in Venezuela 'invasion' investigation, Maduro says
Three alleged mercenaries were arrested on Saturday in connection with the attempted invasion of Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro said, bringing the total captured to 34.
"We have captured three more mercenaries today. We have been meticulously looking for all those involved and we are going to capture them all," Mr Maduro announced in a televised address.
In the failed invasion, which Venezuela's leader has compared to the Bay of Pigs incursion in 1961, men landed in early May at Macuto, less than an hour from Caracas.
Two former US soldiers, Luke Denman, 34, and Airan Berry, 41, have been imprisoned and charged with "terrorism, conspiracy, illicit trafficking of weapons of war and [criminal] association".
They could face between 25 to 30 years in prison.
The others implicated in the case are Venezuelans.
Cross-border firing from India kills woman in Kashmir
Police in Pakistan-ruled Kashmir say Indian troops across the disputed border opened fire with automatic rifles on Sunday, killing a women.
Shauzia Akhtar was shot in the head and chest as she prepared breakfast in her home along the border, said Chaudhry Zulqarnain, a senior police officer for the border district of Rawalakot.
There was no immediate response from India.
Thousands of Pakistani and Indian troops are stationed along the volatile border that separates a divided Kashmir region between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Cross-border attacks are frequent but in recent days attacks have increased with both Pakistan and India reporting soldiers killed in the fighting.
Three times in the past month, Pakistan has summoned Indian diplomats to the Foreign Ministry to complain.
Taliban say they don't have missing US contractor
Taliban leaders on Sunday said they were not holding Mark Frerichs, a Navy veteran turned contractor who disappeared in Afghanistan in late January.
"We don't have any information about the missing American," said Sohail Shaheen, the Taliban's political spokesman.
Another Taliban official said "formally and informally" the Taliban notified US officials that they were not holding Frerichs.
Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, who negotiated a peace deal with the Taliban in February to allow the US and Nato to withdraw their troops and end decades of war, asked for Frerichs's release during his meetings this week in Qatar.
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Two Chinese vessels chase Japanese fishing boat near disputed islets
Two Chinese ships chased a Japanese fishing boat close to disputed islands in the East China Sea, the Japanese coastguard said on Sunday.
Japan lodged an official protest with China over Friday's incident through a call to the Chinese embassy in Tokyo by Shigeki Takizaki, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Bureau, local media reported.
There was also a call from the Japanese embassy in Beijing to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, media said.
The Japanese Foreign ministry could not immediately confirm the reports.
The flashpoint islands, called Senkaku in Japan and known in China as the Diaoyus, are at the centre of a dispute between Tokyo and Beijing.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
Europe's top EV producers
- Norway (63% of cars registered in 2021)
- Iceland (33%)
- Netherlands (20%)
- Sweden (19%)
- Austria (14%)
- Germany (14%)
- Denmark (13%)
- Switzerland (13%)
- United Kingdom (12%)
- Luxembourg (10%)
Source: VCOe
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Takreem Awards winners 2021
Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)
Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)
Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)
Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)
Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)
Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)
Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)
Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)
Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Racecard
6pm: Mina Hamriya – Handicap (TB) $75,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
6.35pm: Al Wasl Stakes – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (Turf) 1,200m
7.10pm: UAE Oaks – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,900m
7.45pm: Blue Point Sprint – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,000m
8.20pm: Nad Al Sheba Trophy – Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (T) 2,810m
8.55pm: Mina Rashid – Handicap (TB) $80,000 (T) 1,600m
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre supercharged V6
Power: 416hp at 7,000rpm
Torque: 410Nm at 3,500rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Fuel consumption: 10.2 l/100km
Price: Dh375,000
On sale: now
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UAE SQUAD FOR ASIAN JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIP
Men’s squad: Faisal Al Ketbi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Kathiri, Thiab Al Nuaimi, Khaled Al Shehhi, Mohamed Ali Al Suwaidi, Farraj Khaled Al Awlaqi, Muhammad Al Ameri, Mahdi Al Awlaqi, Saeed Al Qubaisi, Abdullah Al Qubaisi and Hazaa Farhan
Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2051.1%25%3Cbr%3EFrancois%20Fillon%3A%2024.2%25%3Cbr%3EJean-Luc%20Melenchon%3A%2011.8%25%3Cbr%3EBenoit%20Hamon%3A%207.0%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%202.9%25%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESecond%20round%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EEmmanuel%20Macron%3A%2095.1%25%3Cbr%3EMarine%20Le%20Pen%3A%204.9%25%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The team
Videographer: Jear Velasquez
Photography: Romeo Perez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Models: Meti and Clinton at MMG
Video assistant: Zanong Maget
Social media: Fatima Al Mahmoud
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
