KHARTOUM // Sudan vowed on Sunday to stand firm on its decision to hike fuel prices, despite days of deadly protests and criticism from within the ruling party and from hardline Islamic leaders.
Authorities say 33 people have died since the near-doubling of petrol and diesel prices last Monday sparked the worst protests in the history of President Omar Al Bashir’s regime.
Activists and international human rights groups say at least 50 people were gunned down, most of them in the greater Khartoum area.
There was no confirmation of fresh protests on Sunday but a witness in Khartoum’s twin city Omdurman said riot police and security forces were on the streets in large numbers.
Information Minister Ahmed Bilal Osman said there was no going back on the fuel price hikes.
“No, it is not possible at all. This is the only way out,” he said.
Mr Bilal said authorities had to intervene when crowds turned violent.
“This is not [a] demonstration,” he said. “They attacked the gas stations. They burnt about 21.”
Mr Bilal said the government knew “riots” would occur if the cost of fuel went up but the reduction of subsidies would save billions of dollars.
“Our economy cannot tolerate such support,” he said. “We have to carry on. We know it is a bit heavy for the people.”
Arab-spring style calls for the regime’s downfall began after pump prices rose last Monday to 20.80 Sudanese pounds (Dh17.3) a gallon from 12.50 pounds, while diesel jumped from 8.50 pounds a gallon to 13.90 pounds.
Sudan’s most popular newspaper, which has been an outspoken critic of the decision to cut subsidies, said it had been ordered to stop publishing.
Al Intibaha is run by Mr Al Bashir’s uncle, Al Tayeb Mustafa, who said that state security agents gave no reason for the suspension.
Journalists have complained of worsening censorship since the protests began.
Fuel prices had already almost doubled last year after a partial lifting of subsidies.
Sudan lost billions of dollars in oil receipts when South Sudan gained independence in 2011, taking with it about 75 per cent of the formerly united country’s crude production.
Since then the north has been plagued by inflation, a weakened currency and a severe shortage of dollars to pay for imports.
The country falls near the bottom of a United Nations human development index measuring income, health and education.
It also ranked among the lowest of 176 countries in Transparency International’s index of perceived public sector corruption last year.
Officials in the Khartoum area yesterday extended a school closure, in effect since the protests began, until October 20, official media said.
Classes had been expected to resume on Monday.
Residents say they have been struggling with rising prices for two years. Yet, until last week when thousands began protesting mainly in the capital, the poor had largely failed to take to the streets.
“People have accepted price increases before without much annoyance. But I think it’s the overall bleak picture of the economy, and of the country’s mismanagement,” said Magdi El Gizouli, a fellow at the Rift Valley Institute.
Reformers in Sudan’s ruling National Congress Party on Saturday told Mr Al Bashir that the deadly crackdown was a betrayal of his regime’s Islamic foundations.
Hardline Islamic religious leaders called on the government to reverse the fuel price increase.
In a statement late on Saturday they advised the regime “to turn back to God and provide justice”.
The information minister said that even though fuel subsidies have been cut, financial support will remain on wheat and medicine.
He added that compensatory measures aim to ease the burden as fuel prices rise. About 700,000 poor families receive handouts of about 150 pounds a month along with medical insurance, he said.
In their letter to Mr Al Bashir, the ruling party reformers sought an independent investigation into the shooting of civilians.
Bilal said a probe was being conducted especially into what happened on Friday when “some innocent people” were shot dead.
Mr Gizouli, the analyst, dismissed the government’s portrayal of the other protesters as “vandals”.
“The government’s calculation is ... if you shoot enough, they will be scared and go back home,” he said.
*Agence France-Presse
Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Copa del Rey
Barcelona v Real Madrid
Semi-final, first leg
Wednesday (midnight UAE)
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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RESULT
Norway 1 Spain 1
Norway: King (90 4')
Spain: Niguez (47')
ALL THE RESULTS
Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmomdov (TJK) bt Rey Nacionales (PHI) by decision.
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROU) bt Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR) by submission.
Catch 74kg
Omar Hussein (JOR) bt Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) by decision.
Strawweight (Female)
Seo Ye-dam (KOR) bt Weronika Zygmunt (POL) by decision.
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) bt Walid Laidi (ALG) by TKO.
Lightweight
Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW) bt Leandro Martins (BRA) by TKO.
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) bt Sofiane Benchohra (ALG) by TKO.
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR) no contest.
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) bt Glen Ranillo (PHI) by TKO round 1.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) bt Aidan Aguilera (AUS) by TKO round 1.
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) bt Sasha Palatkinov (HKG) by TKO round 1.
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) by KO round 1.
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
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
