US Special Envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking has arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to end Yemen’s civil war. Image: AFP
US Special Envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking has arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to end Yemen’s civil war. Image: AFP
US Special Envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking has arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to end Yemen’s civil war. Image: AFP
US Special Envoy to Yemen Tim Lenderking has arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to end Yemen’s civil war. Image: AFP

Iran and Yemen in focus as senior US diplomats head to region


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US Special Envoy for Yemen Tim Lenderking has arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss efforts to end Yemen's civil war and ease the flow of aid to the ravaged country, as other senior US officials are set to visit the region to give updates on the indirect negotiations under way with Iran.

Mr Lenderking, who will also visit Oman, will meet Saudi officials for talks focusing "on ensuring the regular and unimpeded delivery of commodities and humanitarian assistance throughout Yemen, promoting a lasting ceasefire and transitioning the parties to a political process," the US State Department said.

Since taking office in January, President Joe Biden has made Yemen a priority and he appointed Mr Lenderking as the first envoy to the country to help revive stalled UN efforts to end the conflict.

Yemen is currently suffering from the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, with about 80 per cent of the country's 29 million people requiring aid while 13 million face starvation.

The war started in 2015 when the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels took control of the capital, ousting the internationally recognised government. A Saudi-led military coalition intervened at the government’s request.

The National has confirmed that a separate delegation led by senior White House and State Department officials Brett McGurk and Derek Chollet will be making its first visit to the region in the coming days.

“A senior inter-agency delegation will be travelling over the coming week to discuss a number of important matters related to US national security and ongoing efforts towards a de-escalation of tension in the Middle East region,” a US official said.

A source said the delegation would visit Saudi Arabia and the UAE to discuss the status of the Iran talks, while Reuters reported the tentative itinerary also included Egypt and Jordan.

A US delegation in Vienna is currently holding indirect talks with Iran in a bid to bring Washington back into the nuclear deal that former president Donald Trump abandoned in 2018.

The Biden administration is considering a near wholesale rollback of some of the most stringent Trump-era sanctions imposed on Iran in a bid to bring Tehran back into compliance with the accord, The Associated Press reported.

Diplomats have said a concrete result from the talks could come within weeks.

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Grand slam winners since July 2003

Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam

Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)

Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)

Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)

Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)

Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)

Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open) 

Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)

Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)

Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)

Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)

What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.

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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 

Points to remember
  • Debate the issue, don't attack the person
  • Build the relationship and dialogue by seeking to find common ground
  • Express passion for the issue but be aware of when you're losing control or when there's anger. If there is, pause and take some time out.
  • Listen actively without interrupting
  • Avoid assumptions, seek understanding, ask questions
Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Rain Management

Year started: 2017

Based: Bahrain

Employees: 100-120

Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm

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Transmission: CVT auto

Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km

On sale: now

Price: from Dh195,000 

Company profile

Name: Oulo.com

Founder: Kamal Nazha

Based: Dubai

Founded: 2020

Number of employees: 5

Sector: Technology

Funding: $450,000

Key recommendations
  • Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
  • Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
  • Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
  • More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.