The Yemeni government and the secessionist Southern Transition Council yesterday called for a ceasefire after the movement seized the presidential palace in Aden on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE also called for an end to the fighting and a meeting between the sides.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, said the UAE was “exerting all efforts to calm and de-escalate the situation”.
Sheikh Abdullah said that the two camps should focus their efforts on fighting the Houthi rebels instead of each other.
Saudi King Salman met President Abdrabu Mansour Hadi, Gen Ali Mohsen Al Ahmar and Prime Minister Maeen Saeed on Sunday to discuss the developments in Aden.
They “reviewed the close brotherly relations,” the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported.
On social media, Adel Al Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said: “The kingdom calls on the Yemeni leaders in Aden to respond to the appeals of the Yemeni people, prioritise Yemen’s national interest and immediately withdraw from all positions it seized in Aden.”
The Yemeni government and the council said early yesterday that they backed the calls for dialogue and a suspension of fighting in Aden.
The government “affirms its commitment to respect the call of the Saudi-led coalition to a ceasefire”, a statement said, as the STC expressed its “full commitment to a ceasefire”.
The STC’s spokesman said on Saturday that the situation was stable and the council was working to restore the water network that was damaged in fighting.
The Coalition forces intervened in Aden yesterday against “a direct threat to one of the important sites of the legitimate government”, it said yesterday.
It called on the STC to withdraw from its positions in Aden.
The coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 to back the internationally recognised government of President Abdrabu Mansur Hadi after Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized the capital and pushed south.
With the coalition’s support, pro-government forces, including the STC-affiliated fighters, have pushed the Houthis out of Aden and much of the south.
But the STC has long demanded greater autonomy and for a return to the partitioned Yemen that existed between 1967 and 1990.
The UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator for Yemen, Lise Grande, called on all sides to protect civilians.
“It is heartbreaking that during Eid Al Adha, families are mourning the death of their loved ones instead of celebrating together in peace and harmony,” Ms Grande said yesterday.
“We offer our most profound and sincere condolences to the families of people who have been killed and hurt.”
The statement from the UN said that 34 humanitarian organisations were operating in Aden, helping 1.9 million people with food assistance and 1.6 million with safe drinking water every month.
“Humanitarian organisations are on the ground and will continue to operate,” Ms Grande said.
“Our main concern right now is to dispatch medical teams to rescue the injured.”
Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
