Senate Democrats have increased demands for granting Sudan sovereign immunity and are delaying legislation for a broader settlement, threatening a deal brokered by the Trump administration that could lead to Khartoum making peace with Israel.
The deal that US President Donald Trump announced on October 23 promised the new transitional government in Sudan, restoration of its sovereign immunity and removal from the State Department’s list of “state sponsors of terror”, a list the country has been part of since 1993.
In return, Sudan would pay $335 million to compensate the US victims of Al Qaeda attacks in 1998 in Kenya and Tanzania, which were backed by Khartoum. Sudan would also open political and economic relations with Israel.
But 45 days into the deal, Democrats in Congress are stalling a bill that would grant Sudan sovereign immunity and safeguard foreign economic investments in the country as it transitions from the autocratic rule of Omar Al Bashir.
On Monday, a review by the State Department was due to end and officially remove Khartoum from the terrorism list. As of noon in Washington, Sudan was still on the list, along with Iran, North Korea and Syria.
According to The New York Times, the head of Sudan's Sovereignty Council, Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, will "not move forward with warming ties with Israel before Congress passes the so-called legal peace legislation" that would grant the country sovereign immunity, something Khartoum would like to see done before the end of the year.
But according to a Congressional source who spoke to The National, senior Democrats, including Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and ranking member of the foreign relations committee Bob Menendez, are seeking more incentives from Khartoum and are not ready to move legislation forward in the next two weeks.
The Senate will go into recess on December 21, delaying the prospects of a trilateral peace deal between the US, Sudan and Israel into next year.
Alberto Fernandez, the vice president of Memri (Middle East Media Research Institute) and a former charge d'affaires at the US embassy in Khartoum, saw the delay as counterproductive and one that will backfire on Sudan’s transition.
"Senators Menendez and Schumer are taking the sides of the lawyers, suing Sudan for terrorism support by the [ousted] Bashir regime, but no one sues today's Afghanistan for the Taliban's support for 9/11," Mr Fernandez told The National.
Lawyers are seeking higher compensation than the one the State Department had already agreed to with Khartoum and are involving US citizens that were naturalised after the attacks. There is also a separate push to sue Sudan for the 9/11 attacks.
“The cleanest and clearest opportunity for Sudan is to pass the legislation now and then a Biden administration comes in which prioritises Sudan's democratic transition,” Mr Fernandez said. Failure to do so would primarily risk progress for the transition itself, he said.
Axios reported on Monday that Israel and the Trump administration are heavily lobbying Congress to pass the sovereign immunity legislation.
Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and former chief of staff for the US special envoy to Sudan, did not foresee a swift resolution.
"It feels unlikely [for the Sudan-Congress stand-off] to be resolved [before the end of the year], and even if there was an agreement on whether and how 9/11 groups could sue Sudan, the legal peace has to be approved through a legislative act," Mr Hudson told The National.
He said the debate was more about partisan gridlock between outgoing President Trump and Democrats, and less about Sudan.
“The debate over the legal peace legislation for Sudan does not even involve Sudan. It is a fight between Democrats in the Senate and the Trump administration. Sudan is caught in the middle and will end up paying the price if the two sides cannot agree,” Mr Hudson said.
While the incoming Biden administration could reap benefits in improving ties with Sudan and promoting Arab-Israeli peace deals, Mr Hudson feared it would be faced with the same hurdles. “Senators Schumer and Menendez have already said that their positions will not change under a Biden administration.”
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre V6
Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
Price: Dh179,999-plus
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE and Russia in numbers
UAE-Russia ties stretch back 48 years
Trade between the UAE and Russia reached Dh12.5 bn in 2018
More than 3,000 Russian companies are registered in the UAE
Around 40,000 Russians live in the UAE
The number of Russian tourists travelling to the UAE will increase to 12 percent to reach 1.6 million in 2023
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Elvis
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The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Results
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Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
SHAITTAN
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
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.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
