I am delighted to be back in the UAE - the third time as Foreign Minister. I have returned at the end of a very special year - a year in which the UAE celebrates its achievements over 40 years and takes pride in the unity it has created.
It has also been a special year for the UK's relationship with the UAE. Under the unique mechanism of the UK-UAE taskforce led by myself and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the UAE Foreign Minister, our two governments have come together to deliver tangible successes across the full range of bilateral issues. These include: an agreement on aviation security, changes to our consular arrangements to support the many Emiratis and Britons living and visiting our countries, progress on our visa regimes, establishment of a forum of top British and Emirati businessmen to help drive our trade and investment ambitions, and the holding of a joint-development seminar.
In my opinion such successes are only possible when there is a solid and trusting relationship between nations. Prime Minister David Cameron made an early decision when he arrived at No 10 last year that the UAE was one of the countries where the relationship needed to be elevated and intensified.
The personal engagement has been very constructive with early visits by Prime Minister Cameron and the defence minister and of course the very memorable visit by Her Majesty the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh last November. The momentum was maintained throughout 2011 with a long string of cabinet and non-cabinet ministers engaging with friends and colleagues in this country.
Over the same period, the UK has been honoured to host leading members of the Emirati government including most recently Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Abdullah in October.
A particular area of cooperation has been in foreign policy. Events across the region - from Tunisia to Syria - have brought unprecedented challenges needing a clear international response.
Of particular note has been our ability to jointly lead the international intervention in Libya. Prime Minister Cameron spoke up for action in Libya as soon as it became obvious that the people of Libya needed protection from Qaddafi's brutal forces.
The UAE was one of the first partners to whom we turned in looking for allies. The UAE's leadership, including in the GCC, helped ensure regional partners understood the importance of a no-fly zone and the UN Security Council resolution 1973.
The UAE and Qatar were crucial partners for us in enforcing that no-fly zone to stop the suffering and killing of innocent Libyans. The role played by UK and UAE diplomats, military personnel and humanitarian organisations was exemplary.
Of course, both our countries will provide ongoing support for this newly liberated country, but it is ultimately up to the Libyan people to decide their own future. We remain committed to helping the Libyan people to build a secure, just and prosperous future and aiding them as they look to respect human rights and put in place a democratic government.
There are many other examples where we have shared views and worked together this year. The UK strongly supports the GCC initiative on Yemen which the UAE has led as chair of the Council. We also share grave concern about the deteriorating situation in Syria and the brutal violence orchestrated by the regime.
And of course we are both deeply concerned by events in Iran. It is crucial that the international community continues to stand firm and increase pressure on Iran until it agrees to come to the table and meaningfully address international concerns about its nuclear programme.
There are of course a host of other issues where we work together. Our close relationship, reaffirmed in 1979 in the Treaty of Friendship that Sheikh Abdullah and I renewed last year, is of benefit to us both. That treaty made clear that the UK and UAE would, in times of need, consult each other on matters of mutual interest and promote ties. From the successes we have achieved thus far and the potential for further collaboration as the closest of allies I look to our future relations with confidence about what we can achieve together.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The biog
Born: High Wycombe, England
Favourite vehicle: One with solid axels
Favourite camping spot: Anywhere I can get to.
Favourite road trip: My first trip to Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan. The desert they have over there is different and the language made it a bit more challenging.
Favourite spot in the UAE: Al Dhafra. It’s unique, natural, inaccessible, unspoilt.
ON%20TRACK
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Austrian Grand Prix race timings
Weekend schedule for Austrian Grand Prix - all timings UAE
Friday
Noon-1.30pm First practice
4-5.30pm Second practice
Saturday
1-2pm Final practice
4pm Qualifying
Sunday
4pm Austrian Grand Prix (71 laps)
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Spec%20sheet
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What is Bitcoin?
Bitcoin is the most popular virtual currency in the world. It was created in 2009 as a new way of paying for things that would not be subject to central banks that are capable of devaluing currency. A Bitcoin itself is essentially a line of computer code. It's signed digitally when it goes from one owner to another. There are sustainability concerns around the cryptocurrency, which stem from the process of "mining" that is central to its existence.
The "miners" use computers to make complex calculations that verify transactions in Bitcoin. This uses a tremendous amount of energy via computers and server farms all over the world, which has given rise to concerns about the amount of fossil fuel-dependent electricity used to power the computers.
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
ORDER OF PLAY ON SHOW COURTS
Centre Court - 4pm (UAE)
Gael Monfils (15) v Kyle Edmund
Karolina Pliskova (3) v Magdalena Rybarikova
Dusan Lajovic v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 - 4pm
Adam Pavlasek v Novak Djokovic (2)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Gilles Simon
Angelique Kerber (1) v Kirsten Flipkens
Court 2 - 2.30pm
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Marcos Baghdatis
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Christina McHale
Milos Raonic (6) v Mikhail Youzhny
Tsvetana Pironkova v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
