A fighter loyal to Yemen's Southern Transitional Council holds the group’s flag in the southern Abyan province on May 18, 2020, following a three-hour ceasefire deal between pro-government troops and separatist forces. AFP
A fighter loyal to Yemen's Southern Transitional Council holds the group’s flag in the southern Abyan province on May 18, 2020, following a three-hour ceasefire deal between pro-government troops and separatist forces. AFP
A fighter loyal to Yemen's Southern Transitional Council holds the group’s flag in the southern Abyan province on May 18, 2020, following a three-hour ceasefire deal between pro-government troops and separatist forces. AFP
A fighter loyal to Yemen's Southern Transitional Council holds the group’s flag in the southern Abyan province on May 18, 2020, following a three-hour ceasefire deal between pro-government troops and

The STC negotiation team arrives in Riyadh to end Yemen standoff


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Senior negotiators from Yemen's Southern Transitional Council arrived in Riyadh on Wednesday at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to find a solution to a rift with pro-government forces in Aden.

The team is led by Brigadier Aidrous Al Zubaidi and comes as Riyadh seeks to end the disagreement between the STC and the government that has led to clashes in southern Yemen.

"We arrived in the capital in response to this kind invitation and to reaffirm the strength of the brotherly relationship that binds our southern people and the leaders and the people of Saudi Arabia," Brig Al Zubaidi said on his arrival. "We reaffirm our commitment in the partnership with the Arab Coalition led by Saudi Arabia to combat the sabotage projects that targets the Arab national security, and we hope that this visit would produce desired results regarding finding solutions for the humanitarian and the political issues".

The visit comes amid efforts to end the STC-Government dispute after both sides accuse the other of holding up an agreement hashed out in November on power-sharing in the south. The deal brought an end to fighting over the summer in and around Aden, the de-facto capital of Yemen since the Iran-backed Houthi rebels took control of Sanaa in a coup in late 2014.

"This visit is very important, it is going to focus on a push towards implementing the Riyadh agreement. I think the visit is going to move the stagnant water," Nazar Haiytham, spokesperson of the STC, told The National.

STC and government forces have been fighting in Shoqrah district of eastern Abyan province since Sunday. The clashes renewed with government forces launching a large operation against STC bases in Al Sheikh Salem between Abyan and Aden. However, an STC countered attack pushed back the government forces to the Karn Al Kalasi area in eastern Abyan.

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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South Korea

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The Facility’s Versatility

Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
 
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
 
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
 
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
 
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
 
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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