UAE helps mediate new prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine


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Russia and Ukraine have exchanged prisoners of war, in their third major swap of the year.

The majority of the prisoners are believed to have been involved in fighting near the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

The exchange, which led to the release of 100 Russian and 100 Ukrainian captives, was confirmed by the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.

It said the deal reflects the “continuity, moderation and wisdom of the UAE’s relationships with countries”.

The ministry also expressed “the UAE’s commitment to continuing efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict in Ukraine, stressing its consistent position in calling for diplomacy, dialogue and de-escalation”.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence said: “100 Ukrainian warriors returned home from Russian captivity.

“Most of them are the defenders of Mariupol. We will return all of our people.”

The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the swap on Telegram.

It is the third such exchange in recent weeks, with almost 400 prisoners being returned last week.

And on January 3, in one of the most complex deals of the conflict, 248 prisoners were returned to Russia and 230 Ukrainians returned home.

The UAE played a mediator role in both of these deals, too.

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Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania ​​​​​​​
Verdict: 4 Stars

The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

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The specs
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JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH

Directed by: Shaka King

Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons

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Analysis

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The specs

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Price, base / as tested Dh174,500 

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Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Updated: February 09, 2024, 12:05 PM