A high-profile Kashmiri separatist has said he does not wish to attend trial via video link from a prison in India's capital, Delhi, but wishes to appear in court in person.
Yasin Malik was sentenced to life in prison in May on charges of funding terrorism, but also stands accused of killing four Indian air force recruits in 1990, in addition to two charges of abduction — one related to the daughter of an Indian government minister in 1989.
His sentencing led to riots across Indian-administered Kashmir.
Rubaiya Sayeed, the daughter of former Indian Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was kidnapped by the separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), which Maliki led at the time.
The group, which was briefly supported by Pakistan, demanded the release of prisoners in return for her freedom. The Indian government released five militants and she was released.
In the ensuing years, kidnapping and murder became a common tactic used by militant groups in Kashmir, during a conflict that led to tens of thousands of deaths. More groups emerged, including some linked to Al Qaeda, eventually surpassing the JKLF in influence.
Indian security forces also stood accused of human rights abuses during retaliatory operations.
Malik, who was detained in 2019, claimed to have given up violent struggle in 1994, saying he later followed non-violent resistance tactics espoused by Mahatma Gandhi. Indian authorities say he was still involved in terrorism as recently as 2016.
Malik’s sentencing drew a strong reaction from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who said it marked a dark day for Indian democracy. Both India and Pakistan claim the mountainous territory of Kashmir, an area that has been rocked by violence since 1988, when an uprising against Indian rule broke out.
Malik was appearing on trial for the killing and abduction cases, via video link from prison in Delhi. But he complained of poor sound quality when a prosecution witness statement was read out.
The trial is expected to continue on Friday.
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
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.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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