Sudan, with US mediation, became the third state to agree to begin normalising ties with Israel in a matter of weeks.
While the deal is touted by the White House as another regional victory for US President Donald Trump, who will move to remove Khartoum from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, there is likely to be a delay in any tangible progress.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a call with Mr Trump, Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Transitional Council head Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, touted the coming economic agreements, the business ties and the soon-to-be-established flight connections.
The European Union welcomed the announcement to normalise relations.
"This is a positive development that should contribute to the stabilisation and the prosperity of the Middle East, the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea regions," a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Saturday.
"In this context, the EU recalls its longstanding position that a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict requires a regional inclusive approach and engagement with both parties," they added.
But, the deal depends on legislation in Khartoum from a body that is yet to be set up.
“Agreement on normalisation with Israel will be decided after completion of the constitutional institutions through the formation of the legislative council,” Sudan’s acting foreign minister, Omar Gamareldin, said on state TV on Friday.
The comments came after Reuters quoted a Sudanese government source pointing out that any deal would depend on a council vote.
“The prime minister will proceed in the steps taken by Transitional Council head Abdel Fattah Al Burhan to establish ties with Israel if the legislative council, after it is formed, approves the decision to normalise ties,” the senior source said.
Sudan is in the middle of a transition process that will run until 2022, when free and fair elections are planned. This period was agreed to give leaders a chance to establish institutions, fix the economy and root out vestiges of the regime of Omar Al Bashir, the now-jailed autocracy who ruled the country with an iron fist for decades.
The legislative council will be formed as part of the transition agreement, but it is yet to be agreed.
The 300-seat council – that will include 40 per cent women – will be nominated by the Forces of Freedom and Change, the main group that led the protests against Al Bashir and other factions in the country.
The council will represent the county and be made up of people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds in the diverse nation – including members of the rebel factions in Darfur and Blue Nile State once peace deals have been finalised.
It is unclear when the assembly will be formed.
Khartoum’s caution reflects concerns that such a major foreign policy move at a time of deep economic crisis could upset the delicate balance between military and civilian factions, and even put the government at risk, two senior Sudanese government sources said.
EMIRATES'S%20REVISED%20A350%20DEPLOYMENT%20SCHEDULE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 1
Mata 11'
Chelsea 1
Alonso 43'
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RIDE%20ON
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SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
UAE squad
Rohan Mustafa (captain), Ashfaq Ahmed, Ghulam Shabber, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Shaiman Anwar, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Naveed, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan
