A Russian Tupolev Tu-154 Open Skies Treaty reconnaissance aircraft sits on the runway at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska on June 10, 2004, prior to its departure for two overflights of central Alaska. AP Photo
A Russian Tupolev Tu-154 Open Skies Treaty reconnaissance aircraft sits on the runway at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska on June 10, 2004, prior to its departure for two overflights of cShow more

Explainer: what is the Open Skies Treaty?



The Open Skies treaty allows member states to conduct unarmed surveillance flights over fellow members as a means to provide mutual assurance against the possibility of undetected military actions that could pose a threat.

The US president Dwight Eisenhower first proposed the idea during a meeting with Soviet leaders at the Geneva Conference in 1955 but was rebuffed. The proposal was revived by US president George H W Bush in 1989 and the treaty was signed between the then-members of Nato and the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact in 1992.

Formally known as the Treaty on Open Skies, the pact entered into force in January 2002 after Russia and Belarus completed the ratification procedures. The treaty currently has 34 members following the US withdrawal in November 2020. Russia announced its intention to pull out of the pact on January 15, 2021. Among the prominent member nations are Canada, the UK, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Greece, Norway and Ukraine.

The treaty opens up the entire territory of member states to observation flights by fellow members following prior notification. Data collected during such flights by one state is accessible to other treaty members on request. The only grounds for a member to refuse permission for a mission is flight safety. However, the type of aircraft and sensor equipment used during surveillance flights must conform to specifications laid out under the treaty.

Implementation of the treaty is overseen by the Open Skies Consultative Commission (OSCC), comprising representatives from all members, which meets monthly in Vienna at the headquarters of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

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Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
  • 2018: Formal work begins
  • November 2021: First 17 volumes launched 
  • November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
  • October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
  • November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained

Defined Benefit Plan (DB)

A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.

Defined Contribution Plan (DC) 

A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.

What is double taxation?
  • Americans living abroad file taxes with the Internal Revenue Service, which can cost hundreds of dollars to complete even though about 60 per cent do not owe taxes, according to the Taxpayer Advocate Service
  • Those obligations apply to millions of Americans residing overseas – estimates range from 3.9 million to 5.5 million – including so-called "accidental Americans" who are unaware they hold dual citizenship
  • The double taxation policy has been a contentious issue for decades, with many overseas Americans feeling that it punishes them for pursuing opportunities abroad
  • Unlike most countries, the US follows a citizenship-based taxation system, meaning that Americans must file taxes annually, even if they do not earn any income in the US.
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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
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Torque: 605Nm
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Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega

Director: Tim Burton

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Starring: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Sunil Grover

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Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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