Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister Office / AFP Photo
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister Office / AFP Photo
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister Office / AFP Photo
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister Office / AFP Photo

Pompeo flies direct from Israel to Sudan to talk normalisation and US relations


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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Khartoum on Tuesday on what he said was the first non-stop flight from Israel to Sudan.

Mr Pompeo's visit is part of a regional tour after an accord between Israel and the UAE this month, and comes as Israel and the US urge more Arab countries to follow.

He met Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and ruling council leader Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan during a brief stopover in Khartoum.

They discussed US support for the civilian-led government and for “deepening the Sudan-Israel relationship”, the State Department said.

Sudan has been restoring its ties with the US after the removal from power of Omar Al Bashir in April last year.

It is pushing to be removed from the list of countries that Washington considers state sponsors of terrorism.

Asked if Mr Pompeo would announce a breakthrough in Sudan such as normalisation of ties with Israel or the removal of US sanctions, an official on the flight said: “It’s possible that more history will be made.”

Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister's Office / AFP Photo
Sudanese Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok welcomes US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Khartoum. Sudan Prime Minister's Office / AFP Photo

The official said Sudan had offered the direct flight, dropping the requirement “that such a flight make a cosmetic stop en route”.

But Mr Hamdok told Mr Pompeo that he did not have a mandate to normalise ties with Israel and that the issue should not be linked to Sudan’s removal from the state sponsors of terrorism list.

The country is a year in to a 39-month political transition in which the military and civilians are sharing power.

Its economy is in crisis and authorities have been pushing to end the US terrorism listing, which prevents Sudan from obtaining financing from international lenders.

Ties with Israel are a sensitive issue in Sudan, which under Al Bashir was a staunch opponent.

In February, Gen Al Burhan met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Uganda but cast doubt on any rapid normalisation of relations.

Sudan announced on Wednesday last week that it had sacked its foreign ministry spokesman after he said Khartoum was looking to normalise ties.

Mr Hamdok told Mr Pompeo the matter would be decided after Sudan’s transitional bodies were formed, government spokesman Faisal Saleh said.

A legislative body to serve alongside the ruling council and the government has not yet been established.

Washington imposed sanctions on Sudan over its alleged support for militant groups and the civil war in Darfur.

Trade sanctions were lifted in 2017.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, posing for a picture with Sudan's Sovereign Council chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan in Khartoum on August 25, 2020. AFP / Sudan Foreign Media Council
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, posing for a picture with Sudan's Sovereign Council chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan in Khartoum on August 25, 2020. AFP / Sudan Foreign Media Council

After a meeting with Mr Hamdok on Monday, a coalition representing the protesters who helped to topple Al Bashir last year said that the transitional government had no mandate to decide on normalising ties with Israel.

The coalition, known as Forces for the Declaration of Freedom and Change, also “emphasised the right of the Palestinian people to their land and the right to a free and dignified life”.

Sudan hosted the Arab League conference after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.

The eight countries approved the “three noes”: no peace with Israel; no recognition of Israel; and no negotiations.

But hostility subsided in recent years and both countries have expressed readiness to normalise relations.

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Tell Me Who I Am

Director: Ed Perkins

Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis

Four stars

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 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

It Was Just an Accident

Director: Jafar Panahi

Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr

Rating: 4/5

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

The Bio

Favourite holiday destination: Either Kazakhstan or Montenegro. I’ve been involved in events in both countries and they are just stunning.

Favourite book: I am a huge of Robin Cook’s medical thrillers, which I suppose is quite apt right now. My mother introduced me to them back home in New Zealand.

Favourite film or television programme: Forrest Gump is my favourite film, that’s never been up for debate. I love watching repeats of Mash as well.

Inspiration: My late father moulded me into the man I am today. I would also say disappointment and sadness are great motivators. There are times when events have brought me to my knees but it has also made me determined not to let them get the better of me.

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Sukuk

An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key developments in maritime dispute

2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier. 

2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus

2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.

2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.

2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.

The%20specs%3A%20Panamera%20Turbo%20E-Hybrid
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Washmen Profile

Date Started: May 2015

Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Laundry

Employees: 170

Funding: about $8m

Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures

SPEC SHEET

Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD  dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz

Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core

Memory: 8/12GB RAM

Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB

Platform: Android 12

Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW

Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps

Front camera: 40MP f/2.2

Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare

Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC

I/O: USB-C

SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano

Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red

Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie

Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)

Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. 

RESULTS - ELITE MEN

1. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 57:03
2. Mario Mola (ESP) 57:09
3. Vincent Luis (FRA) 57:25
4. Leo Bergere (FRA)57:34
5. Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS) 57:40    
6. Joao Silva (POR) 57:45   
7. Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) 57:56
8. Adrien Briffod (SUI) 57:57           
9. Gustav Iden (NOR) 57:58            
10. Richard Murray (RSA) 57:59       

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Tuesday (UAE kick-off times)

Leicester City v Brighton (9pm)

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United (11.15pm)

Wednesday

Manchester United v Sheffield United (9pm)

Newcastle United v Aston Villa (9pm)

Norwich City v Everton (9pm)

Wolves v Bournemouth (9pm)

Liverpool v Crystal Palace (11.15pm)

Thursday

Burnley v Watford (9pm)

Southampton v Arsenal (9pm)

Chelsea v Manchester City (11.15pm)

Company%C2%A0profile
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Temple numbers

Expected completion: 2022

Height: 24 meters

Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people

Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people

First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time

First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres  

Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres

Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor