The last time Russia invaded Ukraine, in 2014, world leaders removed it from the Group of Eight industrialised nations, which was rebranded as the Group of Seven.
Eight years later, the G7 is holding at seven — a collection of countries that meet to talk through big issues such as trade, economics and security.
This past week, as leaders gathered in Washington for spring meetings involving the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, G7 and the Group of 20, it became apparent that despite Russia's assault on Ukraine, its membership in the G20 is intact.
While Russia has been ostracised by western states, it remains part of the G20 and associated organisations unless members decide that it should go. That appears less likely, as several countries, including China, Brazil and South Africa, have made plain that they will support Russia's membership in the G20, which represents industrial and emerging-market countries.
Why would Russia stay when its presence in the group is unwelcome?
It has much to gain from sowing discord between countries in the forums. A glimpse of this was seen in the past week when Russia blocked the IMF’s advisory committee from issuing a communique condemning its invasion of Ukraine.
Faced with the questions over what to do about Russia’s membership, finance leaders squirmed, dodged, walked out in protest or stayed put.
IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva, when asked about the prospect of removing Russia from the G20, avoided calling for such a move.
“There are clearly very, very unsettling facts we have to deal with,’’ she said of Russia's aggression. Then she called for focus on the “need for co-operation” to solve world problems.
“Make a list of questions that no country can solve on its own,” she said, “and it’s obvious that co-operation must continue.’’
Nadia Calvino, Spain’s Economy Minister and chairwoman of the IMF advisory committee, said the meeting had “obviously not been business as usual".
To expel Russia would only isolate it and make it more difficult to achieve constructive engagement
Clayson Monyela,
spokesman for South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation
“Russia’s war against Ukraine has made it impossible to come to a consensus on a communique,” she said. The committee “has traditionally worked on the basis of consensus, so when one member breaks away, we cannot reach the agreement that the overwhelming majority of us would have wanted,” she added.
The World Bank said it stopped all of its programmes in Russia and allied Belarus after the invasion in February and has not approved any new investments in Russia since 2014 or in Belarus since the middle of 2020.
The IMF said it has not lent money to Russia in decades and does not support programmes there.
The dispute at the IMF meeting highlighted the problems that government leaders are expected to face in Indonesia in November, when G20 leaders are scheduled to gather in Bali.
US President Joe Biden has called for Russia to be removed from the group, but the US has not said whether Mr Biden would boycott the gathering if Russia participates.
The G20 members are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Britain, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the US and the EU. Spain is invited as a permanent guest.
The US and Canada have been the biggest critics of Russia's membership.
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland were among a number of officials who walked out of a G20 meeting on Wednesday when Russia’s representative began talking.
Ms Freeland took to Twitter to explain why.
“This week’s meetings in Washington are about supporting the world economy — and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine is a grave threat to the global economy. Russia should not be participating or included in these meetings,” she said.
But several countries, including China, Brazil and South Africa, have been vocal about rejecting measures to remove Russia. They said that engagement is more important than isolation in troubled times.
“To expel Russia would only isolate it and make it more difficult to achieve constructive engagement,” said Clayson Monyela, a spokesman for South Africa's Department of International Relations and Co-operation. “South Africa believes it is more useful to keep Russia in and to engage with it to find the lasting peace that we are all yearning for.”
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa blamed Nato for the war in Ukraine.
Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos Franca told a news conference in Brasilia that excluding Russia “doesn’t help us find a solution to the immediate problem that we have”, which is the need to cease hostilities and have Russia and Ukraine negotiate a lasting peace.
Stewart Patrick, director of the international institutions and global governance programme at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, said boycotting the G20 would be a mistake on the part of the US.
Rather, he said, “the US should take every opportunity to hammer the Russians and others should take every opportunity to hammer the Russians,” during the meetings.
“Boycotting is not sustainable,” he said. “There should be efforts to try to shame Russia. It would be a mistake for the US to take its ball and go elsewhere because we would leave a hole in the G20 to be controlled by China.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin last month said Russia remains an “important member” of the G20 and no member has the right to expel another.
The G20 should “practice genuine multilateralism, strengthen solidarity and co-operation, and work together to address outstanding challenges in the areas of economics, finance and sustainable development”, Mr Wang said.
Adam Lipsky, senior director of the Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Centre, said Russia has the most to gain from the discord that comes from the US calling for its removal.
“By showing up they're potentially derailing the whole G20,” he said of the Russians. “That’s giving them more control than they should have. If the US boycotts, then the G20 falls apart and that’s to Russia’s benefit.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Checks continue
A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.
Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.
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Calvin Harris
Columbia
A Prayer Before Dawn
Director: Jean-Stephane Sauvaire
Starring: Joe Cole, Somluck Kamsing, Panya Yimmumphai
Three stars
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
New schools in Dubai
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
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What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
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- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
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What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
9.25pm Art Du Val
10pm: Beyond Reason
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
What: India v Afghanistan, first Test
When: Starts Thursday
Where: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengalaru
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
MATCH INFO
West Ham United 2 (Antonio 73', Ogbonna 90 5')
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 36', Moura 42', Kane 49')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Omania, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Conditions (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m
Winner: Brehaan, Richard Mullen, Ana Mendez
6pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Craving, Connor Beasley, Simon Crisford
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Prep (PA) Dh100,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Dahess D’Arabie, Connor Beasley, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Fertile De Croate, Sam Hitchcott, Ibrahim Aseel
Company%20Profile
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