A Yemeni boy holds a picture of his relative at a cemetery dedicated to those who were killed in the country's ongoing conflict, in Sanaa, Yemen, on June 5, 2021. EPA
A Yemeni boy holds a picture of his relative at a cemetery dedicated to those who were killed in the country's ongoing conflict, in Sanaa, Yemen, on June 5, 2021. EPA
A Yemeni boy holds a picture of his relative at a cemetery dedicated to those who were killed in the country's ongoing conflict, in Sanaa, Yemen, on June 5, 2021. EPA
A Yemeni boy holds a picture of his relative at a cemetery dedicated to those who were killed in the country's ongoing conflict, in Sanaa, Yemen, on June 5, 2021. EPA

Omani delegation in Sanaa to mediate as Yemen ceasefire talks continue


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Omani officials, accompanied by senior Houthi figures, arrived in Sanaa on Saturday to try to convince the rebels who control the capital to accept a ceasefire, Houthi sources said.

Yemen has been devastated by a civil war between the government – supported by a Saudi-led military coalition – and Iran-backed Houthi rebels since 2014. The country is on the brink of famine.

Diplomatic efforts to end the conflict have intensified in recent weeks.

"An Omani delegation arrived [in Sanaa], accompanied by Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdul Salam and other [Houthi] officials," a rebel source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The Saudi-led coalition controls Yemen's airspace and since 2016 had prevented Abdul Salam and other rebel figures from returning to Sanaa.

The delegation's arrival, which would have required approval from Riyadh, demonstrates a step forward in negotiations.

The Houthis have repeatedly demanded the reopening of Sanaa airport before any ceasefire agreement.

The source said the delegation would meet Houthi leader Abdulmalik Al Houthi and update him on talks held in Muscat.

The aim of the Omani mediators seems to be "to convince the Houthis to accept a ceasefire and take part in peace negotiations", the source added.

"We are working to advance arrangements on the humanitarian question as well as the peace process," Mr Abdul Salam told Houthi-run Al-Masirah television.

The visit aims to "complement efforts" made in Oman, he added.

The sultanate of Oman, which borders both Yemen and Saudi Arabia, is a close US ally but at the same time has good relations with Iran. It has regularly played the role of mediator in regional conflicts.

Muscat has hosted UN special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths and US envoy Tim Lenderking in recent weeks, while Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif met with Abdul Salam in Oman in late April.

On Monday Mr Griffiths urged rival Yemeni forces to "bridge the gap" to reach a ceasefire, following talks in Sanaa with Houthi officials.

"There's an extraordinary amount of diplomatic consensus … there is a real diplomatic energy now, which hasn't always been the case," Mr Griffiths said.

The effort to secure peace in Yemen comes after regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran restarted talks in April, holding their first high-level meeting since Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2016.

The UN says Yemen is suffering the world's worst humanitarian crisis as its years-long war rumbles on, with tens of thousands killed, millions displaced and two-thirds of its 30-million population dependent on aid.

  • A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov assault rifle during a gathering of newly-recruited Houthi fighters in the capital Sanaa, to mobilise more fighters to battlefronts in the war against pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities, on July 16, 2017. AFP
    A Yemeni boy poses with a Kalashnikov assault rifle during a gathering of newly-recruited Houthi fighters in the capital Sanaa, to mobilise more fighters to battlefronts in the war against pro-government forces in several Yemeni cities, on July 16, 2017. AFP
  • Yemeni children carrying weapons take part in a gathering organised by Houthi rebels to mobilise more fighters to battlefronts to fight pro-government forces, on June 18, 2017, in the capital Sanaa. AFP
    Yemeni children carrying weapons take part in a gathering organised by Houthi rebels to mobilise more fighters to battlefronts to fight pro-government forces, on June 18, 2017, in the capital Sanaa. AFP
  • An armed Yemeni boy poses for a picture during a tribal gathering loyal to the Houthi rebels in the Bani Al Harith area, north of Sanaa, on August 17, 2014. AFP
    An armed Yemeni boy poses for a picture during a tribal gathering loyal to the Houthi rebels in the Bani Al Harith area, north of Sanaa, on August 17, 2014. AFP
  • An armed Yemeni youth in the Houthi movement that controls Sanaa, sits amid the rubble of the Iranian ambassador's home in the Yemeni capital on December 5, 2014. AFP
    An armed Yemeni youth in the Houthi movement that controls Sanaa, sits amid the rubble of the Iranian ambassador's home in the Yemeni capital on December 5, 2014. AFP
  • A Yemeni boy lines up a round of ammunition atop the barrel of a Kalashnikov assault rifle, while another stands with Kalashnikov over a crate of juice boxes during a tribal meeting in the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa on September 21, 2019, as tribesmen donate rations and funds to rebel fighters. AFP
    A Yemeni boy lines up a round of ammunition atop the barrel of a Kalashnikov assault rifle, while another stands with Kalashnikov over a crate of juice boxes during a tribal meeting in the Houthi rebel-held capital Sanaa on September 21, 2019, as tribesmen donate rations and funds to rebel fighters. AFP
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5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 (PA) Listed Dh230,000 1,600m
6.30pm: HH The President’s Cup (PA) Group 1 Dh2.5million 2,200m
7pm: HH The President’s Cup (TB) Listed Dh380,000 1,400m
7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh70,000 1,200m.

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The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

Day 3 stumps

New Zealand 153 & 249
Pakistan 227 & 37-0 (target 176)

Pakistan require another 139 runs with 10 wickets remaining

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Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs

UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

Another way to earn air miles

In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.

An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.

“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.

What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

Related
MWTC info

Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.

Freezer tips

  • Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
  • If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
  • Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
  • The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Winners

Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski

Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)

Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)

Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea

Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona

Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)

Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)

Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)

Best National Team of the Year: Italy 

Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello

Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)

Player Career Award: Ronaldinho

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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Biography

Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine

Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid

Favourite drink: Water

Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work

Favourite music: Classical music

Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate

 

 

 

 

 

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

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

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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.

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

The cost of Covid testing around the world

Egypt

Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists

Information can be found through VFS Global.

Jordan

Dh212

Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.

Cambodia

Dh478

Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.

Zanzibar

AED 295

Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.

Abu Dhabi

Dh85

Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.

UK

From Dh400

Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Monday's results
  • UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
  • Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
  • Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
EPL's youngest
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