UN's top envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says the next round of talks between the government and opposition will take place "in about a month". In this picture, taken on July 14, 2017, he is speaking at a news conference at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Xu Jinquan / The Associated Press
UN's top envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura says the next round of talks between the government and opposition will take place "in about a month". In this picture, taken on July 14, 2017, he is speakiShow more

UN envoy calls for new round of Syria talks in about a month



The UN's top envoy for Syria said that new talks between Syria's government and opposition will take place "in about a month" and said this eighth round must finally move to "genuine negotiations on the political future" of the war-ravaged country.

Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that both sides should use the coming month to create conditions for the talks in Geneva "to be meaningful", and to participate "without preconditions".

His announcement on Wednesday that talks will start no later than the end of October or very early in November comes as the Syrian government reverses military losses in much of the country's strategically important west and as foreign governments cut support for rebel forces.

With the civil war now more than six years old, Syrian president Bashar Al Assad and his allies have taken control of the country's four largest cities and its Mediterranean coast. Backed by Russian air power and Iranian-sponsored militias, pro-government forces have marched across energy-rich Homs province and were fighting on Wednesday on the east bank of the Euphrates River.

Mr De Mistura told the council that fighters for ISIL are "being beaten back". He pointed to the breaking of a three-year siege of Deir Ezzor city by ISIL and the US-led international coalition taking control of most of the city of Raqqa, once the de facto capital of the militant group's self-styled caliphate.

He pointed to the creation of four de-escalation zones as "an important next step" in efforts to reduce violence.

These zones should be a precursor "to a truly nationwide ceasefire" and action to provide humanitarian aid to all in need, he said. Talks in Kazakhstan's capital of Astana, which have focused on local ceasefires and de-escalation zones, "should be seen as laying the basis for a renewed Geneva process", he added.

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Mr De Mistura called on both Syria's government and opposition to use the weeks before the next talks "to assess the situation with realism and responsibility".

He said the divided opposition has "a duty to signal that it wants to speak with one voice and a common platform in genuine negotiations with the government". The government has a duty "to genuinely negotiate with the opposition", he said.

Mr De Mistura said both sides should show readiness to negotiate on four key issues: "credible" and "inclusive" local and central governance; a schedule and process for drafting a new constitution; UN supervised elections; and combating terrorism.

On the humanitarian front, UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock told the council that during July and August the UN and its partners reached only 280,500 of the 1.23 million people it sought to assist. He blamed "bureaucratic delays and blockages by all sides".

US ambassador Nikki Haley accused the Syrian government of denying aid to besieged and suffering communities and she said it has refused to come to the negotiating table "in good faith".

"If the Syrian people don't see a political process working in parallel with our de-escalation efforts, the violence will resume," she warned. "The only lasting solution in Syria — the only way to end the violence and defeat terrorism — is through a political transition, one that does not allow Iranian influence to replace ISIS or Assad in power."

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

What drives subscription retailing?

Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.

The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.

The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.

The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.

UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.

That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.

Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.

The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
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Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
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Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year

Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan

Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)

Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km

ZIMBABWE V UAE, ODI SERIES

All matches at the Harare Sports Club:

1st ODI, Wednesday - Zimbabwe won by 7 wickets

2nd ODI, Friday, April 12

3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14

4th ODI, Tuesday, April 16

UAE squad: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed

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
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

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