Kasserine, Tunisia where the attack on the shepherd took place. Lindsay Mackenzie for The National.
Kasserine, Tunisia where the attack on the shepherd took place. Lindsay Mackenzie for The National.
Kasserine, Tunisia where the attack on the shepherd took place. Lindsay Mackenzie for The National.
Kasserine, Tunisia where the attack on the shepherd took place. Lindsay Mackenzie for The National.

Tunisian shepherd 'beheaded' in a possible terrorist attack


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Decapitated body of a young man was found in Tunisia's central Kasserine region, in a suspected terrorist attack, a justice official said.

Senior prosecutor Mohsen Dali identified the victim as 20-year-old Oqba Al Dhibi. An investigation is under way, he said.

"The decapitated body of a young man has been found... and it is probable that a terrorist group was behind the attack."

Local radio said Al Dhibi was a shepherd who was tending his flock when he came under attack.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Attacks have been carried out in the same mountainous areas of central Tunisia before, about 225 kilometres south-west of the capital.

In 2015, teenager Mabrouk Soltani was beheaded by an extremist group, a killing that fuelled public anger.

Two years later, his elder brother, Khalifa Soltani, was found dead after he was reported kidnapped by a gang in the same region.

Those two killings were claimed by ISIS.

The mountainous central region of Tunisia is also a hideout for the Tunisian branch of terrorist group Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

Tunisian Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi condemned the "terrorist operation" and insisted the struggle "must continue".

Since its 2011 uprising, Tunisia has been hit by a string of extremist attacks that have killed dozens of security personnel, civilians and foreign tourists.

While the situation has significantly improved, Tunisia has maintained a state of emergency.

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While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.

The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.

Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”

One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.

Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms. 

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  • Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
  • More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
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Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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Sector: transport

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Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

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Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

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A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

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Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

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Launch year: In 2016 ekar launched and signed an agreement with Etihad Airways in Abu Dhabi. In January 2017 ekar launched in Dubai in a partnership with the RTA.

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Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

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