Khartoum fighting: EU alarm after ambassador 'assaulted' in home in Sudan


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Top EU and US officials have expressed alarm after high-profile diplomats were attacked in Sudan amid clashes between rival generals that have killed almost 200 people.

On Monday, the EU's ambassador to Sudan was assaulted in his Khartoum home, according to senior European diplomat Josep Borrell.

And on the same day, a US diplomatic convoy was fired upon in Sudan — an attack described by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday as "reckless" and "irresponsible".

Aidan O'Hara was appointed ambassador to Sudan by the EU last year.

"This constitutes a gross violation of the Vienna Convention," Mr Borrell, the EU's foreign affairs and security policy chief, wrote on Twitter.

EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali later told AFP the 58-year-old Irish diplomat was "OK".

The EU delegation has not been evacuated from Khartoum after the attack, she said.

Those inside the US convoy that was fired on were unharmed, Mr Blinken said.

"Yesterday we had an American diplomatic convoy that was fired on," he told reporters in Japan after G7 talks.

"All of our people are safe and unharmed. But this action was reckless, it was irresponsible and of course unsafe."

Tuesday marked the fourth day of what is effectively the latest in Sudan’s seemingly endless civil wars since independence in 1956.

Khartoum, a city of nearly seven million, has never witnessed violence of the magnitude seen since Saturday.

On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres again called on Sudan's warring parties to "immediately cease hostilities".

He warned that further escalation "could be devastating for the country and the region".

Air strikes, artillery shelling and heavy gunfire are continuing in civilian neighbourhoods.

'End hostilities'

At the heart of the differences between army chief and military ruler Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and commander of the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo now is the RSF’s full integration into the armed forces, which Gen Al Burhan has recently taken to insisting on as a precondition for signing a deal to end Sudan’s political crisis.

G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday urged the warring forces in Sudan to "end hostilities immediately" and return to negotiations.

"We urge the parties to end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions," the ministers said in a statement issued after two days of talks in Japan.

  • Smoke billows above Khartoum's international airport amid fighting between the forces of two rival generals in Sudan. AFP
    Smoke billows above Khartoum's international airport amid fighting between the forces of two rival generals in Sudan. AFP
  • People carry Othman Mohamed, a senior military officer loyal to army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
    People carry Othman Mohamed, a senior military officer loyal to army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
  • Residential buildings damaged in the fighting in Khartoum, Sudan. AP Photo
    Residential buildings damaged in the fighting in Khartoum, Sudan. AP Photo
  • People cheer with Sudanese army soldiers manning a position in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
    People cheer with Sudanese army soldiers manning a position in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
  • People queue for water in Khartoum. The fighting has resulted in food and water shortages. Reuters
    People queue for water in Khartoum. The fighting has resulted in food and water shortages. Reuters
  • Black smoke covering the sky above the capital, Khartoum. AFP
    Black smoke covering the sky above the capital, Khartoum. AFP
  • Vehicles destroyed during fighting in southern Khartoum. AFP
    Vehicles destroyed during fighting in southern Khartoum. AFP
  • People head for the station to flee Khartoum during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army. Reuters
    People head for the station to flee Khartoum during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army. Reuters
  • Smoke and fire rise from an apartment building, after a shell hit the complex in Khartoum. Reuters
    Smoke and fire rise from an apartment building, after a shell hit the complex in Khartoum. Reuters
  • Heavy fighting has broken out across the country. AFP
    Heavy fighting has broken out across the country. AFP
  • A building damaged by the fighting. EPA
    A building damaged by the fighting. EPA
  • A destroyed vehicle of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in southern Khartoum. AFP
    A destroyed vehicle of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in southern Khartoum. AFP
  • A building damaged by the fighting. EPA
    A building damaged by the fighting. EPA
  • People gather at a bus station to escape Khartoum. Reuters
    People gather at a bus station to escape Khartoum. Reuters
  • People leave their homes amid the fighting. AFP
    People leave their homes amid the fighting. AFP
  • People look for drinking water in Khartoum, Sudan. Faiz Abubakr for The National
    People look for drinking water in Khartoum, Sudan. Faiz Abubakr for The National
  • A building burns at Merowe Airport in Sudan. AFP
    A building burns at Merowe Airport in Sudan. AFP
  • A man holds two bullets that hit his home. Faiz Abubakr for The National
    A man holds two bullets that hit his home. Faiz Abubakr for The National
  • People gather for a meal to break their fast during Ramadan in Port Sudan. AFP
    People gather for a meal to break their fast during Ramadan in Port Sudan. AFP
  • Satellite image shows a close-up view of destroyed helicopters in South Khartoum. Reuters
    Satellite image shows a close-up view of destroyed helicopters in South Khartoum. Reuters
  • The Port Sudan branch of the Central Bank of Sudan. AFP
    The Port Sudan branch of the Central Bank of Sudan. AFP
  • A hole from an explosion on the side of a building in Khartoum, after fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces led by rival generals. AFP
    A hole from an explosion on the side of a building in Khartoum, after fighting between the Sudanese army and paramilitary forces led by rival generals. AFP
  • People queue for bread outside a bakery amid a food crisis in Khartoum. AFP
    People queue for bread outside a bakery amid a food crisis in Khartoum. AFP
  • Smoke rises above Khartoum. Faiz Abubakr / The National
    Smoke rises above Khartoum. Faiz Abubakr / The National
  • Fearful families try to shelter from the fighting in houses in Khartoum. Faiz Abubakr / The National
    Fearful families try to shelter from the fighting in houses in Khartoum. Faiz Abubakr / The National
  • A deserted avenue in Khartoum as residents fear to go out due to intense fighting. AP
    A deserted avenue in Khartoum as residents fear to go out due to intense fighting. AP
  • A Sudanese army tank in a street in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
    A Sudanese army tank in a street in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
  • Houses have been severely damanged during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army. Reuters
    Houses have been severely damanged during clashes between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the army. Reuters
  • Satellite images show a destroyed Ukrainian plane at Khartoum International Airport. Reuters
    Satellite images show a destroyed Ukrainian plane at Khartoum International Airport. Reuters
  • Market stalls abandoned in south Khartoum as fighting in the Sudanese capital rages for a third day. AFP
    Market stalls abandoned in south Khartoum as fighting in the Sudanese capital rages for a third day. AFP
  • Smoke rises over buildings during clashes. Reuters
    Smoke rises over buildings during clashes. Reuters
  • Damage at the Communications Authority Building. Reuters
    Damage at the Communications Authority Building. Reuters
  • People queue for bread outside a bakery amid a food crisis. AFP
    People queue for bread outside a bakery amid a food crisis. AFP
  • Destroyed fuel trucks at a depot in Khartoum. Reuters
    Destroyed fuel trucks at a depot in Khartoum. Reuters
  • Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
    Sudanese army soldiers, loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) base in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. AFP
  • Smoke rises from a fire on the tarmac of Khartoum International Airport in Sudan as fighting between the government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues. Reuters
    Smoke rises from a fire on the tarmac of Khartoum International Airport in Sudan as fighting between the government and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces continues. Reuters
  • Abdalla Hamdok, former prime minister of Sudan, addresses the current crisis and violence on the streets of his homeland at a news conference in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
    Abdalla Hamdok, former prime minister of Sudan, addresses the current crisis and violence on the streets of his homeland at a news conference in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
  • Burning planes at Khartoum International Airport. EPA
    Burning planes at Khartoum International Airport. EPA
  • Damage and a fire on the Kobar Bridge in Khartoum. AFP
    Damage and a fire on the Kobar Bridge in Khartoum. AFP
  • Heavy smoke billows above Khartoum International Airport. AFP
    Heavy smoke billows above Khartoum International Airport. AFP
  • Smoke billows above residential buildings in Khartoum, as fighting in Sudan raged for a second day. AFP
    Smoke billows above residential buildings in Khartoum, as fighting in Sudan raged for a second day. AFP
  • A military vehicle patrols the streets as the fighting continues. AFP
    A military vehicle patrols the streets as the fighting continues. AFP
  • Smoke rises over the city. Reuters
    Smoke rises over the city. Reuters
  • Thick smoke rises above buildings near the airport amid clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. AFP
    Thick smoke rises above buildings near the airport amid clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. AFP
  • Explosions rock the Sudanese capital as paramilitary fighters and the regular army attack each other's bases. AFP
    Explosions rock the Sudanese capital as paramilitary fighters and the regular army attack each other's bases. AFP
  • The fighting has raised fears of a wider conflict in the country. AP
    The fighting has raised fears of a wider conflict in the country. AP
  • Government soldiers stationed on a key road in Khartoum. AFP
    Government soldiers stationed on a key road in Khartoum. AFP
  • The fighting comes days after the army warned the country was at a 'dangerous' turning point. AP
    The fighting comes days after the army warned the country was at a 'dangerous' turning point. AP
  • People walk past a military vehicle in Khartoum. AFP
    People walk past a military vehicle in Khartoum. AFP

"We call on all actors to renounce violence, return to negotiations, and take active steps to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all civilians, including diplomatic and humanitarian personnel."

Gen Dagalo spoke with Mr Blinken on the phone and "discussed pressing issues".

"We will have another call to continuing dialogue and working hand-in-hand to forge a brighter future for our nations," Gen Dagalo said in a post on Twitter.

Gen Dagalo's whereabouts have not been disclosed since Saturday when fighting erupted between the RSF and Sudan's army, Reuters reported.

Mr Blinken spoke separately to Gen Al Burhan, according to the State Department.

Mr Blinken expressed his grave concern about the death and injury of so many Sudanese civilians due to the sustained, indiscriminate fighting, and stressed the responsibility of the two generals to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians, diplomatic personnel, and humanitarian workers, spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement.

The fighting is playing out in the wider context of months-long, internationally-sponsored efforts to end Sudan’s political crisis.

The deal’s blueprint provides for the military to quit politics, the RSF to be integrated into the armed forces and for a civilian prime minister to steer the country for two years until elections are held.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century

Yuval Noah Harari, Jonathan Cape
 

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%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3ELittle%20notes%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMy%20girls%20often%20find%20a%20letter%20from%20me%2C%20with%20a%20joke%2C%20task%20or%20some%20instructions%20for%20the%20afternoon%2C%20and%20saying%20what%20I%E2%80%99m%20excited%20for%20when%20I%20get%20home.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPhone%20call%20check-in%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMy%20kids%20know%20that%20at%203.30pm%20I%E2%80%99ll%20be%20free%20for%20a%20quick%20chat.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EHighs%20and%20lows%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EInstead%20of%20a%20%E2%80%9Chow%20was%20your%20day%3F%E2%80%9D%2C%20at%20dinner%20or%20at%20bathtime%20we%20share%20three%20highlights%3B%20one%20thing%20that%20didn%E2%80%99t%20go%20so%20well%3B%20and%20something%20we%E2%80%99re%20looking%20forward%20to.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%20start%2C%20you%20next%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EIn%20the%20morning%2C%20I%20often%20start%20a%20little%20Lego%20project%20or%20drawing%2C%20and%20ask%20them%20to%20work%20on%20it%20while%20I%E2%80%99m%20gone%2C%20then%20we%E2%80%99ll%20finish%20it%20together.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBedtime%20connection%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWake%20up%20and%20sleep%20time%20are%20important%20moments.%20A%20snuggle%2C%20some%20proud%20words%2C%20listening%2C%20a%20story.%20I%20can%E2%80%99t%20be%20there%20every%20night%2C%20but%20I%20can%20start%20the%20day%20with%20them.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUndivided%20attention%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPutting%20the%20phone%20away%20when%20I%20get%20home%20often%20means%20sitting%20in%20the%20car%20to%20send%20a%20last%20email%2C%20but%20leaving%20it%20out%20of%20sight%20between%20home%20time%20and%20bedtime%20means%20you%20can%20connect%20properly.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDemystify%2C%20don%E2%80%99t%20demonise%20your%20job%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHelp%20them%20understand%20what%20you%20do%2C%20where%20and%20why.%20Show%20them%20your%20workplace%20if%20you%20can%2C%20then%20it%E2%80%99s%20not%20so%20abstract%20when%20you%E2%80%99re%20away%20-%20they%E2%80%99ll%20picture%20you%20there.%20Invite%20them%20into%20your%20%E2%80%9Cother%E2%80%9D%20world%20so%20they%20know%20more%20about%20the%20different%20roles%20you%20have.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing

Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include: 

  • Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
  • Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
  • Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
  • Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
  • Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

No more lice

Defining head lice

Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.

Identifying lice

Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.

Treating lice at home

Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.

Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital

PRISCILLA
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City's slump

L - Juventus, 2-0
D - C Palace, 2-2
W - N Forest, 3-0
L - Liverpool, 2-0
D - Feyenoord, 3-3
L - Tottenham, 4-0
L - Brighton, 2-1
L - Sporting, 4-1
L - Bournemouth, 2-1
L - Tottenham, 2-1

Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle

Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)

Blonde
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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

Updated: April 18, 2023, 11:13 AM