Paraguay’s government has said it is moving its embassy in Israel out of Jerusalem and back to Tel Aviv, less than four months after opening the new mission.
Foreign minister Luis Alberto Castiglioni announced on Wednesday that the government had decided to take the action immediately.
Earlier this year the then president Horacio Cartes made Paraguay only the third country to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem, opening the mission on May 21. But new president Mario Abdo Benitez, who took office in mid-August, opposed the shift.
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Read more:
Paraguay follows Trump and moves embassy to Jerusalem
US not the first nor last embassy to open in Jerusalem
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Mr Benitez, whose father is of Lebanese descent, took the decision to return the embassy to Tel Aviv "to contribute to the intensification of regional and international diplomatic efforts that aim to achieve a broad, just and durable peace in the Middle East".
In response to the move, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the closure of his country’s embassy in Paraguay, his office said.
“The prime minister has asked the foreign ministry to close the Israeli embassy in Paraguay,” the statement said, adding Paraguay’s decision had cast a shadow on relations between the two countries.
A delighted Palestinian foreign ministry said that Paraguay had pledged to return the embassy two weeks ago during a visit by foreign minister Riad Al Maliki to the south American country.
Mr Al Maliki had pushed Mr Benitez to return his country’s embassy to Tel Aviv, the Palestinian foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
It hailed the announcement as “a new Palestinian diplomatic achievement” and said “minister Maliki exerted a big effort during his meeting with the new president who instructed his foreign minister to arrange the issue.”
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
