Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) and his Gulf counterparts attending last year's GCC meeting in Riyadh. AFP
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) and his Gulf counterparts attending last year's GCC meeting in Riyadh. AFP
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) and his Gulf counterparts attending last year's GCC meeting in Riyadh. AFP
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (C) and his Gulf counterparts attending last year's GCC meeting in Riyadh. AFP

GCC foreign ministers set to hold meeting in Riyadh


Ismaeel Naar
  • English
  • Arabic

The foreign ministers of the Gulf Co-operation Council countries on Wednesday will hold their ordinary meeting at the GCC Secretariat in Riyadh where they will discuss regional developments.

The meeting is one of a series that are held every three months, in which Gulf politicians discuss the output of ministerial committees that are established after an annual summit.

A Secretariat statement said: “The meeting, which is held every three months, usually discusses the results of the ministerial committees in various sectors such as health, education and other files concerned with developing and strengthening the GCC path."

A statement after the meetings is expected to touch upon the recent rapprochement deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

In March they announced a deal to re-establish ties, ending a hiatus since 2016, when relations broke down after the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric and ensuing attacks on the kingdom's diplomatic buildings in Iran.

Foreign ministers from GCC countries and Russia gather in Riyadh last year. AP
Foreign ministers from GCC countries and Russia gather in Riyadh last year. AP

The agreement was the result of years of talks brokered in Iraq and China.

The foreign minsters’ meeting in Riyadh will also be the first to be hosted by the newly appointed GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi.

Recent efforts to bring back Syria into the Arab fold are also expected on the agenda. The Arab League suspended Syria's membership after the outbreak of the civil war, and most countries severed ties with Damascus, too.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan this month said consensus was building in the Arab world that isolating Syria was not working and that dialogue with Damascus was needed, particularly to address its humanitarian situation, though he said it was "too early to discuss" its return.

President Sheikh Mohamed met Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, where the two leaders discussed stability in the Middle East.

It was Mr Al Assad's second visit to Abu Dhabi last year.

The GCC states and China in December agreed on a four-year joint plan of action to enhance their strategic partnership, according to the final communique that concluded the council’s 43rd annual meeting.

The statement was the result of the inaugural China-GCC summit, which took place in Riyadh in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport, Saudi's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported on Wednesday afternoon.

The reception was attended by the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, Mr. Jassim Muhammad Al Budaiwi.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prince Faisal met his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Salem Abdullah Al Jaber Al Sabah, on the sidelines of the meeting. They reviewed the "strong relations" between the two brotherly countries, MoFA reported, and further ways to support and develop them in various fields. They also discussed ongoing developments in the region and internationally.

Four tips to secure IoT networks

Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:

- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version

- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number

- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently

- Always create a different guest network for visitors

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

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Company: Justmop.com

Date started: December 2015

Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan

Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'C'mon C'mon'

Director:Mike Mills

Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman

Rating: 4/5

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E261hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E400Nm%20at%201%2C750-4%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.5L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C999%20(VX%20Luxury)%3B%20from%20Dh149%2C999%20(VX%20Black%20Gold)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

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Price: From Dh650,000

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Publisher: Konami

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Rating: 4.5/5

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Gordon Corera, Harper Collins

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Anxiety and work stress major factors

Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.

A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.

Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.

One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.

It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."

Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.

“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi. 

“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."

Daniel Bardsley

Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015

- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France

DMZ facts
  • The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
  • It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
  • The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
  • It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
  • Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
  • Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
  • Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012. 
  • Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
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    Always check the weather forecast before setting off Make sure you have plenty of water Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon Wear appropriate clothing and footwear Take your litter home with you
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United States beat UAE by three wickets

United States beat Scotland by 35 runs

UAE v Scotland – no result

United States beat UAE by 98 runs

Scotland beat United States by four wickets

Fixtures

Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland

Admission is free

The five pillars of Islam
Feeding the thousands for iftar

Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth 

Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people

The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box

350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley

Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck

Emirates exiles

Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.

Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.

Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.

Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.

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A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Updated: March 22, 2023, 2:24 PM