US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the head of Libya's Government of National Accord on May 22, 2020. Reuters
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the head of Libya's Government of National Accord on May 22, 2020. Reuters
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the head of Libya's Government of National Accord on May 22, 2020. Reuters
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the head of Libya's Government of National Accord on May 22, 2020. Reuters

US presses for Libya ceasefire amid concern over influx of weapons


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The US pressed for a ceasefire in Libya during calls at the weekend to the government in Tripoli and its main backer Turkey.

President Donald Trump raised the issue with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, the White House said.

"President Trump reiterated concern over worsening foreign interference in Libya and the need for rapid de-escalation,” spokesman Judd Deere said.

On Friday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged the Government of National Accord to accept a ceasefire with forces loyal to the rival administration in the east of Libya, and criticised the flow of weapons into the country despite a UN embargo.

“A ceasefire leading to a political resolution is the only option for the Libyan people,” Mr Pompeo said on Twitter after speaking to the GNA Prime Minister, Fayez Al Sarraj.

The State Department said Mr Pompeo called Mr Al Sarraj to “reiterate US opposition to the continued level of weapons and munitions being brought into the country”.

The two men “emphasised the importance of an immediate halt to the fighting and return to political dialogue”.

Mr Pompeo did not name a country, but the GNA's key military supplier is Turkey, which signed a pact with Tripoli in November.

A report last month by the International Crisis Group said that Turkey had sent at least 100 military officers, shiploads of weapons and aerial defences, and at least 2,000 pro-Turkish mercenaries from Syria to Libya.

Mr Al Sarraj’s government this week rejected an offer of a ceasefire from forces allied to the House of Representatives administration based in eastern Libya and led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar.

Ahmed Al Mismari, spokesman for Field Marshal Haftar’s forces, said they would withdraw up to 3 kilometres from Tripoli’s front lines in a “humanitarian gesture” for Eid Al Fitr.

The offer followed successes by GNA forces in recent weeks, including the capture of the Al Watiya airbase near Tripoli on Monday, and was dismissed by GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha as an attempt to disguise a retreat.

Field Marshal Haftar said the offensive on the Libyan capital, launched in April last year, is directed at Tripoli-based extremist militias supporting the GNA.

Sinopharm vaccine explained

The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades. 

“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.

"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."

This is then injected into the body.

"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.

"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."

The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.

Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.

“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.

 

 

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Sarfira

Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal 

Rating: 2/5

THE BIO

Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking

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Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km

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The Meg
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Two stars

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Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Tearful appearance

Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday. 

Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow. 

She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

Schedule
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Titanium Escrow profile

Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue  
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is graphene?

Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.

It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.

It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.

It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.

Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.

The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.

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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
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  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
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  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
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*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

RACE SCHEDULE

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm

Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm

Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm

THE BIO

Age: 33

Favourite quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill

Favourite breed of dog: All of them. I can’t possibly pick a favourite.

Favourite place in the UAE: The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain. It sounds predictable, but it honestly is my favourite place to spend time. Surrounded by hundreds of dogs that love you - what could possibly be better than that?

Favourite colour: All the colours that dogs come in

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  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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COMPANY PROFILE

Company name: Letstango.com

Started: June 2013

Founder: Alex Tchablakian

Based: Dubai

Industry: e-commerce

Initial investment: Dh10 million

Investors: Self-funded

Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month

Globalization and its Discontents Revisited
Joseph E. Stiglitz
W. W. Norton & Company