Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived in Doha on Sunday, where he was received by Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
The visit, part of a broader Gulf tour including Kuwait, is aimed at strengthening bilateral relations with Gulf countries and addressing pressing regional issues, particularly Israel’s war in Gaza, according to Mr El Sisi’s spokesman.
Mr El Sisi is also scheduled to meet a delegation of Qatari business leaders to discuss expanding economic co-operation between the two countries.
The leaders will “discuss avenues to enhance co-operation across various sectors, alongside key regional developments”, the Egyptian presidency said. However, central to their discussions will be the continuing conflict in Gaza and efforts to return to a ceasefire in the embattled Palestinian enclave.
Gaza diplomacy
Egypt, Qatar and other international players have previously worked together to mediate between Israel and Palestinian factions. After a fragile ceasefire signed in January held for two months, recent escalations have reignited violence, with Israel resuming air strikes and ground operations in Gaza, and the number of casualties rising.
Mr El Sisi’s visit to Doha aims to reinvigorate diplomatic efforts to stabilise the situation, ensure the flow of aid and prevent further humanitarian catastrophes in the region.
Beyond political discussions, the visit is expected to bolster economic ties between Egypt and Qatar at a time when Egypt’s economy is facing uncertainty and rising inflation. Mr El Sisi’s trip comes two days after Egypt's government raised fuel prices, part of a larger wave of subsidy cuts that started last year.
Trade ties
Trade relations between the two nations have become stronger in recent years. In December, Qatar exported $4.4 million of goods to Egypt, primarily cars, ethylene polymers and construction vehicles. Meanwhile, Egypt exported $12.2 million of produce to Qatar, with citrus fruit, video displays and tomatoes leading the list.
While Qatar’s exports to Egypt underwent a 20.3 per cent decline year-on-year, imports from Egypt increased significantly by 72.7 per cent, reflecting opportunities for expanded trade.
Following his visit to Qatar, Mr El Sisi will continue his Gulf tour with a stop in Kuwait, for talks on the same matters. His visit to Doha marks only his third trip to Qatar since the two countries reconciled after a years-long rift.
The dispute between the countries has gradually healed since the 2021 AlUla Declaration. Relations have since improved significantly, with Qatar's Emir visiting Cairo several times, including as recently as March 4, when he participated in an Arab League summit on Gaza.
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Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Business Insights
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- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
The national orchestra
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Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
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RESULTS
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
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What is safeguarding?
“Safeguarding, not just in sport, but in all walks of life, is making sure that policies are put in place that make sure your child is safe; when they attend a football club, a tennis club, that there are welfare officers at clubs who are qualified to a standard to make sure your child is safe in that environment,” Derek Bell explains.
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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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.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
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