Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Thursday that he spoke by phone with Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman.
Prince Khalid wrote in a post on X that the two discussed the “fraternal relations between our two brotherly countries in the defence field and ways to strengthen them” and reviewed regional and international developments of common concern.
The call came one day after US President Donald Trump gave Qatar an unprecedented security guarantee, with conditions similar to Nato's Article 5. Under the order, Washington pledged to defend Qatar, including through military action, if the country was attacked.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of the State of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order said.
“In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures – including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military – to defend the interests of the United States and of the State of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”
The move followed an Israeli strike on Doha last month that targeted Hamas leaders. The attack, condemned by all Gulf states, sparked alarm over US security commitments in the region. Gulf nations said they viewed the strike on Doha as an attack on the region. A Qatari security officer was killed in the strike. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman later affirmed his "support for Qatar in all measures it will take".
It was the second time Qatar came under attack this year. In June, during the 12-day Israel-Iran war, Tehran struck Al Udeid Air Base – which hosts thousands of US personnel – in retaliation for American attacks on its nuclear sites.
The upgraded US guarantee was seen as reinforcing American credibility in the Gulf. Observers described it as a historic shift in US-Gulf security relations.
Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US military facility in the Middle East and serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command, making Doha a key partner for defence and regional mediation.
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Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Price: From Dh180,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged and supercharged in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 320hp @ 5,700rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,200rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.7L / 100km
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The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
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Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
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Torque: 175Nm
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Eagles
Tries: Bright, O’Driscoll
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Pens: Carey 3
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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Key facilities
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
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Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
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The specs
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
