Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Jassim Al Thani on Monday told European and Arab diplomats he had “not lost hope” for a ceasefire in Gaza and preventing escalation of the war, days after saying his country was reassessing its role as mediator in the war.
“Results unfortunately have not yet been forthcoming but we have not lost hope,” said Sheikh Mohammed, speaking at the first high-level EU-Gulf Co-operation Council security forum.
“We will maintain our efforts. The state of Qatar reaffirms its constant position: that only diplomatic measures can end this bloodshed.”
Senior Arab diplomats joined their EU counterparts in Luxembourg to discuss security co-operation hours after they agreed in a separate meeting to toughen sanctions on Iran after its unprecedented drone and missiles attack on Israel on April 13.
The assault was a response to an Israeli strike on Iran's consulate in Damascus which killed seven officials. It also led to an Israeli drone attack on Isfahan, central Iran, on Friday.
Opening speeches at the forum, which has been two years in the making, were as such dominated by the Gaza war and recent tit-for-tat attacks between Israel and Iran.
“Our meeting is therefore a very timely occasion to see how we can calm the situation down,” said the EU's foreign affairs minister Josep Borrell. “Let me stress that in times of turmoil and escalating tensions, peace and multilateralism are challenges in both our regions.”
The forum aims at strengthening EU-GCC co-operation on matters such as nuclear proliferation, maritime security, terrorism financing and human trafficking. It comes after the EU launched a strategic partnership with the GCC in 2022.
GCC Secretary General Jasem Al Budaiwi said there would be agreements on illicit drug trafficking, police co-operation and criminal justice. He said Gulf countries wanted to strengthen their coastguard capacities and benefit from maritime information exchange and joint exercises at sea.
But he also warned against military escalation between Iran and Israel, telling his counterparts “the situation has taken a new turn for the worst with negative repercussions on the security of the region as a whole”.
Sheikh Mohammed last week said peace talks were in a “delicate phase” as mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas seemed to have reached a deadlock.
Israel said 129 of the hostages captured in the October 7 attacks, in which about 1,200 people died, remain in the enclave. Its retaliatory war against Hamas in Gaza has killed more than 34,100 people, officials in Gaza said.
The Qatari leader at the time decried “an abuse” of his country's mediation efforts but did not identify those he criticised.
Opening statements on Monday were scheduled to be followed by two and half hours of closed-door discussions. The UAE was represented by Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation.
Achieving a ceasefire in Gaza and finding a credible and effective alternative for the postwar scenario were likely to be topics of discussion, said Emily Tasinato, a researcher and analyst focused on politics and security in the Gulf region.
“The EU-GCC high-level forum in Luxembourg could provide an important platform to address these issues,” she told The National.
There have also been divergences of views between Arab and European countries over the Gaza war despite an agreement on a two-state solution, a call rejected by Israel's government.
Arab leaders have accused the EU of double standards over its strong support for Ukraine not being matched by its backing of Palestinians in Gaza, despite the rising death toll.
The EU is deeply divided over the war in Gaza. Some countries such as Germany stress Israel's right to self-defence while others, including Spain, call for the recognition of a Palestinian state and a diplomatic response to alleged human rights breaches by the Israelis.
There was no EU consensus to condemn Israel's April 1 bombing on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, but European capitals unanimously criticised Iran's response two weeks later. Many described it as a game changer.
Gulf countries have called on both parties to exercise restraint. “Arab Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE, 100 per cent do not want to pay the price of an open confrontation,” said Ms Tasinato.
Gulf countries want to keep diplomatic channels with Iran open after Saudi Arabia signed a detente with Tehran in China last year.
They have also pushed back against Israeli claims that Arab countries are now part of an air-defence coalition after Jordan's help in destroying Iranian drones heading for Israel this month.
“We know Iran is our neighbour, we know for us to live in peace and stability and for them to live in peace and stability we need to work on making sure we have this continued dialogue,” Mr Al Budaiwi told The National last month.
“But if I sit with you in a dialogue, we have to make sure we don’t interfere in each other’s business.”
For the EU, engagement with Iran has become a “contentious issue”, said Ms Tasinato.
“This is due first of all to Iran's strategic partnership with Russia and Iran’s military support to Russia's war in Ukraine. It’s also related to the regime’s crackdown against protesters, its imprisonment of European citizens and of course Iran's support for Hamas.”
Ministers have yet to decide how they want Monday's EU-GCC high-level security meeting to be formalised.
“One can assume they will be talking more regularly but details must still be worked out,” an EU official said.
No announcements are expected after the meeting, though the European External Action Service (EEAS), headed by Mr Borrell, is planning to open the continent's diplomatic academy to Gulf diplomats after the forum.
The programme, which is still in its pilot phase, offers junior European diplomats a four-month course in the Belgian city of Bruges, followed by a month's training at the EEAS headquarters in Brussels.
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
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Listen to Extra Time
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
match info
Maratha Arabians 138-2
C Lynn 91*, A Lyth 20, B Laughlin 1-15
Team Abu Dhabi 114-3
L Wright 40*, L Malinga 0-13, M McClenaghan 1-17
Maratha Arabians won by 24 runs
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
·
Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
·
What is a portfolio stress test?
·
What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
·
How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
·
Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3EFounder%3A%20Hani%20Abu%20Ghazaleh%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20with%20an%20office%20in%20Montreal%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%202018%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Virtual%20Reality%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20raised%3A%20%241.2%20million%2C%20and%20nearing%20close%20of%20%245%20million%20new%20funding%20round%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile
Founder: Omar Onsi
Launched: 2018
Employees: 35
Financing stage: Seed round ($12 million)
Investors: B&Y, Phoenician Funds, M1 Group, Shorooq Partners
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
The view from The National
