SANA'A// Two protesters were killed and at least 11 others wounded yesterday as the protest movement seeking to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh called on the Gulf Cooperation Council to withdraw its peace plan that Mr Saleh has refused to sign.
A 16-year-old student protester died in al Ma'afer district in the province of Taiz when police fired on demonstators. Residents in Aden, Taiz, Sa'ada and Hodeida observed a half-day shutdown of offices and businesses that is part of a civil disobedience campaign called by the protest organisers to pressure Mr Saleh to step aside.
"We call on the leaders of the GCC to stop any initiatives that result in alienating the Yemeni people," the Organising Committee of the Popular Youth Revolution, said yesterday in a statement.
"We call on the United States, the European Union and the permanent Security Council members to assume their moral responsibility and stop ... meddling directed against the will of the Yemeni people to ensure freedom and democracy," the statement read.
The statement added that the group rejects any plan that does not require Mr Saleh to quit immediately and face trial on corruption charges. It also warned the opposition parties of dealing with any agreement that "goes against the will of the Yemeni people".
The GCC plan stalled after Mr Saleh refused on May 1 to sign the agreement that would have him quit power within one month. The plan, which was endorsed last month by the Yemeni government and the Joint Meeting Parties, a six-party opposition coalition, calls for Mr Saleh to resign and hand power to his vice president a month after signing the proposal.
An opposition leader would then be appointed to lead an interim cabinet in preparing for presidential elections two months later.
"Our initiative is to help both parties to come to an agreement," Abdullatif Al Zayani, GCC secretary-general, told reporters in Abu Dhabi yesterday. "The heads of the GCC are concerned about what's going on in Yemen. They want to help the Yemeni people. I'm very optimistic about the approach and the initiative," he said.
"I wish Yemen and the great people of Yemen all the success in getting out of this crisis stronger and more unified," he said.
The deal offers Mr Saleh and his inner circle, including relatives who run branches of the security and military forces, immunity from prosecution.
Mohammed al Sabri, a leader of JMP said the GCC plan had been modified to allow Mr Saleh to sign as party leader rather than as president, a stipulation Mr Saleh demands.
He said the opposition informed the GCC that it does not accept this modification.
"Modifying the plan every now and then has put the JMP and the GCC in a difficult position and would allow the regime to exercise more violence," Mr al Sabri said.
Abdu al Janadi, Yemen's vice minister of information, said even if Mr Saleh signs as the head of the ruling party, he would not step down until protests end.
"The president will ... step down only after peace and stability are back to all parts of the country," Mr al Janadi said yesterday.
malqadhi@thenational.ae
* National reporter Gregor Hunter contributed to this report from Abu Dhabi
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SPECS
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UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
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The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Abu Dhabi GP weekend schedule
Friday
First practice, 1pm
Second practice, 5pm
Saturday
Final practice, 2pm
Qualifying, 5pm
Sunday
Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps), 5.10pm
Company%20profile
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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.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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57%20Seconds
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
At a glance
- 20,000 new jobs for Emiratis over three years
- Dh300 million set aside to train 18,000 jobseekers in new skills
- Managerial jobs in government restricted to Emiratis
- Emiratis to get priority for 160 types of job in private sector
- Portion of VAT revenues will fund more graduate programmes
- 8,000 Emirati graduates to do 6-12 month replacements in public or private sector on a Dh10,000 monthly wage - 40 per cent of which will be paid by government
How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
FIGHT%20CARD
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Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
FIGHT%20CARD
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo
Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Greatest Royal Rumble results
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Bludgeon Brothers retain the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos
Seth Rollins retains the Intercontinental title against The Miz, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe
AJ Styles remains WWE World Heavyweight champion after he and Shinsuke Nakamura are both counted out
The Undertaker beats Rusev in a casket match
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Braun Strowman won the 50-man Royal Rumble by eliminating Big Cass last
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office