Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir receives Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, dcentre and intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Khartoum on December 27, 2018. AFP
Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir receives Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, dcentre and intelligence chief Abbas Kamel in Khartoum on December 27, 2018. AFP

Egypt backs Sudan government amid deadly protests



Egypt has pledged support for Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir's government amid widespread protests triggered by high food prices that have left at least 19 dead, according to an updated official toll released on Thursday.

"Egypt is confident that Sudan will overcome the present situation," said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who flew to Sudan on Thursday along with intelligence chief General Abbas Kamel.

It was the first expression of support for Sudan's government by a top regional Arab official since the protests began on December 19.

"Egypt is always ready to support Sudan and the ability of Sudanese people as per the government of Sudan's vision and policies," Mr Shoukry said after meeting Mr Al Bashir at the presidential palace.

The "stability of Sudan means stability of Egypt", he said.

The government said on Thursday that 19 people had died during the protests, including two members of the security forces, raising its previous tally of eight dead.

Most were killed during "incidents of lootings", while 219 people were wounded, government spokesman Boshara Juma announced on state television on Thursday. Amnesty International has put the death toll at 37.

Sudanes activists and opposition groups have called on people to take to the streets again over the next few days.

"We urge the Sudanese people to continue their demonstrations until success is achieved by overthrowing the regime," the Sudanese Communist Party said in a statement.

Several members of the party have been arrested since the protests started.

"We also call on all opposition parties to unite and work together to co-ordinate this movement," the party said.

Adding to pressure on Mr Al Bashir's governing alliance, a minister in Northern State's provincial administration resigned on Thursday.

The resignation by the province's health minister Abdarouf Grnas - from the Umma Reform and Renewal Party - is the first by a senior official since the protests began.

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Read more:

Editorial: No one should lose their life for the price of a loaf of bread

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"We have one minister in North State and we decided to withdraw him because of the violence against protesters," party head Mubarak El Fadiel told AFP.

The Umma Reform and Renewal Party is a political faction that broke away from the country's main opposition National Umma Party led by Sadiq Al Mahdi, a former premier who was toppled by Mr Al Bashir in a 1989 coup.

The protests started in towns and villages over a week ago and spread to Khartoum, as people rallied against the government raising the price of a loaf of bread from one Sudanese pound to three.

Demonstrators have been marching against Sudan's dire economic situation and some have called for the president to resign.

Mr Al Bashir has blamed the the protests on foreign countries and “mercenaries", but vowed to make "real reforms" to tackle the country's financial difficulties.

Sudan is facing an acute foreign currency crisis and soaring inflation, despite Washington lifting an economic embargo in October 2017.

Inflation is running at 70 per cent and the Sudanese pound has plunged in value, while shortages of bread and fuel have regularly hit several cities.

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Singham Again

Director: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone

Rating: 3/5

Jigra
Director: Vasan Bala
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Rated: 3.5/5
THE BIO

Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist

Age: 78

Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”

Hobbies: his work  - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”

Other hobbies: football

Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club

 

PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

Joker: Folie a Deux

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson

Director: Todd Phillips 

Rating: 2/5

Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE squad

Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind

Fixtures

Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE

Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok

UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final

(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)

Company%20Profile
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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 1050Nm

Range: 450km

Price: Dh601,800

On sale: now

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:

Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE

Game is on BeIN Sports

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

The%20Roundup
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BlacKkKlansman

Director: Spike Lee

Starring: John David Washington; Adam Driver 

Five stars

Fighting with My Family

Director: Stephen Merchant 

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Florence Pugh, Thomas Whilley, Tori Ellen Ross, Jack Lowden, Olivia Bernstone, Elroy Powell        

Four stars

A meeting of young minds

The 3,494 entries for the 2019 Sharjah Children Biennial come from:

435 – UAE

2,000 – China

808 – United Kingdom

165 – Argentina

38 – Lebanon

16 – Saudi Arabia

16 – Bangladesh

6 – Ireland

3 – Egypt

3 – France

2 – Sudan

1 – Kuwait

1 – Australia
 

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Power: 268bhp / 536bhp
Torque: 343Nm / 686Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
On sale: Later this year
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5