Sudanese protesters have continued their sit-in, three days after Omar Al Bashir was ousted. Ashraf Shazly / AFP 
Sudanese protesters have continued their sit-in, three days after Omar Al Bashir was ousted. Ashraf Shazly / AFP 

A deeply precarious moment for Sudan



In the past three days, Sudan has seen more upheaval than it has in years. Hours after longstanding president Omar Al Bashir was ousted in a military coup, his successor, defence minister Awad Ibn Auf, also stepped down after just 30 hours in power, leading protesters to chant: "We toppled two presidents in two days". A formidable task now lies ahead of Lt Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, who was sworn in yesterday. He faces the challenge of uniting a fractious country crippled by economic crisis, where poverty is rife and the cost of basic commodities has soared, leading to a shortage of flour and fuel. Yet there is hope on the faces of the tens of thousands of people who continue to mass outside military headquarters in Khartoum, demanding a transition to civilian rule. The downfall of Mr Al Bashir four months after protests over food and fuel prices began, and 30 years after he seized power in a military coup, has brought optimism for change but this is still a precarious moment. In the two-year transition period under a military council ahead of elections, there is the threat of a descent into chaos.

The transition to a civilian government was never going to be easy. Deposing Mr Al Bashir, who had ossified in power and neglected the needs of his people, was the first step but the hardest part lies ahead. Sudan now stands on the cusp of real change. Its leaders and people must seize the momentum to usher in a peaceful transition in which the voices of the Sudanese are heard, particularly the younger generation, who make up the majority of the 43 million-strong population. Lt Gen Al Burhan has made a promising start by meeting protesters and discussing their grievances. His report card is certainly cleaner; Mr Ibn Auf was the intelligence chief during the Darfur conflict and alleged genocide and was sanctioned by the US in 2007. Political parties across the board have also been asked to nominate two people to take part in talks on the country's future. The military council must now uphold its promise to be "protectors of the demands of the people". A meaningful transition will take time and all sides must exercise restraint. At a time of flux in the region, with violence and unrest gripping Libya and Algeria respectively, and when strenuous efforts are being made to cement peace in South Sudan, what happens in Khartoum will have a knock-on effect far beyond Sudan's borders.

The list of grievances against Mr Al Bashir is long, including the genocide in Darfur and the aerial bombardment against rebels in the Nuba mountains. However, what ultimately pushed protesters to the street was the rising price of bread in a country where two-thirds of the population exists on less than $2 a day. Whoever ultimately takes charge will need to tackle inflation, food scarcity, unemployment and a weak economy. Across the region, economic malaise has been a trigger for unrest. For now, protests in Sudan have remained relatively peaceful but if a concrete attempt to improve people's lives does not emerge, anger will continue to grow. The Sudanese people must feel they are being heard for real progress to be made.

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Profile of Tarabut Gateway

Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

Based: UAE

Founded: 2017

Number of employees: 35

Sector: FinTech

Raised: $13 million

Backers: Berlin-based venture capital company Target Global, Kingsway, CE Ventures, Entrée Capital, Zamil Investment Group, Global Ventures, Almoayed Technologies and Mad’a Investment.

Tips for job-seekers
  • Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
  • Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.

David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

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Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

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Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.

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Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk


Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)

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
LAST 16 DRAW

Borussia Dortmund v PSG

Real Madrid v Manchester City

Atalanta v Valencia

Atletico Madrid v Liverpool

Chelsea v Bayern Munich

Lyon v Juventus

Tottenham v Leipzig

Napoli v Barcelona

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
  • Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
  • Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
  • Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.
 
 
The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

The biog:

From: Wimbledon, London, UK

Education: Medical doctor

Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures 

Favourite animals: All of them 

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

AUSTRALIA%20SQUAD
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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now