TRIPOLI // Two former Libyan rebel factions clashed yesterday in hours of gun battles in central Tripoli that left five fighters dead, a Tripoli military council official said.
Former rebels of Tripoli and a separate group of fighters from the city of Misurata fought with machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-aircraft guns. Col Walid Shouaib, a member of Tripoli Military Council, said the clashes were triggered by arrest of a Misurata fighter on New Year's Eve by Tripoli fighters. He was suspected of robbery and the Misurata fighters were trying to free him.
Disparate groups of former revolutionary fighters have clashed repeatedly since the end of the eight-month civil war that toppled Muammar Qaddafi's regime in October. Disbandment of these armed groups, which are divided by the regions where the operate, has posed a challenge to Libyan authorities.
While playing a vital role in overseeing security of key state institutions in the capital, the uncontrolled ownership of weapons and the absence of a central security administration has given the militias a free hand in ruling areas under their control.
According to Col Shouaib, the tensions between the two militias began on the night of the arrest when a group of Misurata fighters tried to free the detained man, but failed. Instead, they were arrested as well. A top Misurata commander managed to mediate the release of all the men except for the one arrested for robbery.
Yesterday, another group of Misurata fighters made a second attempt to free the man. They opened fire on a building in the heart of Tripoli and used by the Tripoli military council. After hours of gun battles, three of Misurata fighters and two from Tripoli armed men were killed, Col Shouaib said.
Witnesses said the Tripoli militia arrested six Misurata men, brought them inside the council building, beat them up and detained them. The Tripoli council is affiliated with the national transitional government.
Company Profile
Name: Nadeera
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Founders: Rabih El Chaar and Reem Khattar
Sector: CleanTech
Total funding: About $1 million
Investors: Hope Ventures, Rasameel Investments and support from accelerator programmes
Number of employees: 12
HEY MERCEDES, WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR ME?
Mercedes-Benz's MBUX digital voice assistant, Hey Mercedes, allows users to set up commands for:
• Navigation
• Calls
• In-car climate
• Ambient lighting
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There's also a hidden feature: pressing and holding the voice command button on the steering wheel activates the voice assistant on a connected smartphone – Siri on Apple's iOS or Google Assistant on Android – enabling a user to command the car even without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
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Name: Raha
Started: 2022
Based: Kuwait/Saudi
Industry: Tech Logistics
Funding: $14 million
Investors: Soor Capital, eWTP Arabia Capital, Aujan Enterprises, Nox Management, Cedar Mundi Ventures
Number of employees: 166
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Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
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Company name: Revibe
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Industry: Refurbished electronics
Funds raised so far: $10m
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Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
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Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
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Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
It
Director: Andres Muschietti
Starring: Bill Skarsgard, Jaeden Lieberher, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor
Three stars
FULL FIGHT CARD
Featherweight Bout:
Abdullah Al Qahtani v Taha Bendaoud
Bantamweight Bout:
Ali Taleb v Nawras Abzakh
Bantamweight Bout:
Xavier Alaoui v Rachid El Hazoume
Featherweight Bout:
Islam Reda v Adam Meskini
Bantamweight Bout:
Tariq Ismail v Jalal Al Daaja
Bantamweight Bout:
Elias Boudegzdame v Hassan Mandour
Amateur Female Atomweight Bout:
Hattan Al Saif v Nada Faheem
Featherweight Bout:
Maraoune Bellagouit v Motaz Askar
Featherweight Bout:
Ahmed Tarek v Abdelrahman Alhyasat
Showcase Featherweight Bout:
Mido Mohamed v Yazeed Hasanain
Showcase Flyweight Bout:
Malik Basahel v Harsh Pandya
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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.+
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.+
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Tuesday, October 29
Qualifier one, 2.10pm – Netherlands v UAE
Qualifier two, 7.30pm – Namibia v Oman
Wednesday, October 30
Qualifier three, 2.10pm – Scotland v loser of qualifier one
Qualifier four, 7.30pm – Hong Kong v loser of qualifier two
Thursday, October 31
Fifth-place playoff, 2.10pm – winner of qualifier three v winner of qualifier four
Friday, November 1
Semi-final one, 2.10pm – Ireland v winner of qualifier one
Semi-final two, 7.30pm – PNG v winner of qualifier two
Saturday, November 2
Third-place playoff, 2.10pm
Final, 7.30pm
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Rating: 3/5
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)