South Sudan President Salva Kiir, left, and rebel leader Riek Machar are meeting for talks in Ethiopia. AFP
South Sudan President Salva Kiir, left, and rebel leader Riek Machar are meeting for talks in Ethiopia. AFP
South Sudan President Salva Kiir, left, and rebel leader Riek Machar are meeting for talks in Ethiopia. AFP
South Sudan President Salva Kiir, left, and rebel leader Riek Machar are meeting for talks in Ethiopia. AFP

South Sudan foes sign peace deal


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South Sudanese rivals President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar signed a peace agreement in Khartoum on Wednesday under which a ceasefire would take hold after 72 hours.

"This agreement signed today and the ceasefire will end the war in South Sudan, and opens a [new] page," Mr Machar told reporters after the signing ceremony in the Sudanese capital, while President Kiir said he would "commit respectfully" to the deal.

The agreement also included the opening of crossings for humanitarian aid, the freeing of prisoners and the formation of a provisional government after four months, Sudan's Foreign Minister Al-Dierdiry Ahmed announced following the talks. "All parties have agreed on a permanent ceasefire within 72 hours of signing the Khartoum Document."

A new new round of talks between President Kiir and Mr Machar opened on Monday in Khartoum, hosted by Sudan's President Omar Al Bashir.

"We offer this agreement as a gift to South Sudanese citizens," President Bashir said. "This agreement says that peace has started to return to South Sudan."

The talks were launched in Addis Ababa last week by East African leaders who are calling for an end a brutal four-and-a-half-year civil war in the world's youngest country.

The two rival factions face a looming deadline to avert UN sanctions.

Their meeting last Wednesday was the first since a peace deal between the government and Mr Machar's rebel group fell apart in August 2016 but ended without agreement. President Al Bashir then offered to host a second round of talks in Sudan.

On Monday, Mr Kiir and Mr Machar had indicated their readiness to talk peace as the Khartoum dialogue opened in the presence of President Al Bashir and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

“I have come to really bring this unnecessary war in our country to an immediate end, and I hope that Doctor Riek Machar is ready to see my point,” Mr Kiir said.

Beginning in December 2013, the South Sudan's civil war crushed the optimism that accompanied Juba's declaration of independence from Sudan just two years earlier. The fighting, which began after President Kir accused his then-deputy Mr Machar of plotting a coup, has killed tens of thousands and displaced over three million.

Previous ceasefire agreements have been violated.

A 2015 deal which raised hopes of peace collapsed in July 2016, with Mr Machar fleeing to South Africa and President Kiir's government gaining the upper hand as the opposition splintered into numerous factions.

"I don't think this agreement will work," said Luka Biong, professor at the National Deference University in Washington DC and former minister from South Sudan. With so much bad blood between the two leaders, peace was unlikely while they remain in leadership positions, he believed.

"In order to make it a national reconciliation you need to include clerks and national figures who are willing to ease the bitterness between Salva and Machar," Dr Biong said. "If there are clerks and national figures included they could convince them both to leave power for the younger generation."

Other issues remained unresolved by the agreement, he said. "The agreement is not very clear regarding some important issues such as the army, whether they will have one army or two, and the issue of the states, whether they will remain 32 or they will be only 10."

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
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Toilet cleaner

1 cup baking soda 

1 cup castile soap

10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice) 

Method:

1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.

2. Add the essential oil to the mix.

Air Freshener

100ml water 

5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this) 

Method:

1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.

2. Shake well before use. 

Defence review at a glance

• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.

• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%

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Manchester United v Brighton, Sunday, 6pm UAE

Who has been sanctioned?

Daniella Weiss and Nachala
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Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.

Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.

Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.

Results

STAGE

1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56

2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14

3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21

4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24

5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05

2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05

3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18

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5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

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Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins

About Karol Nawrocki

• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.

• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.

• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.

• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.

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Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

UAE rugby season

FIXTURES

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers v Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Division 1

Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II

Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II

Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens

Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II

 

LAST SEASON

West Asia Premiership

Winners – Bahrain

Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership

Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners – Dubai Hurricanes

Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference

Winners – Dubai Tigers

Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers

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Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)

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Price: Exact regional pricing TBA

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets