During a historic first official bilateral visit to the UAE, Slovenia’s President Natasa Pirc Musar shared a clear vision for the future – one marked by ethical technology, gender equity and a commitment to global peace.
Speaking to The National on Sunday, Slovenia’s first female head of state emphasised the urgent need for responsible AI governance, echoing the European Union’s stance on prohibiting artificial intelligence for purposes such as profiling, surveillance and autonomous weaponry. She also cited Slovenia’s own innovations, including an AI-driven sustainability tool for the tourism sector.
"Certain topics, certain freedoms, should not be connected to artificial intelligence," said Ms Musar. "Artificial intelligence should not be used to profile people, to follow them outside of their homes, nor in the autonomous weapons industry. This is no-go."
Now it's the time to discuss one big problem: the veto power of the P5 countries inside the UN Security Council
Natasa Pirc Musar,
Slovenian President
Slovenia has one of the highest rates of AI experts per capita in the world, said Ms Musar, with one in every 7,000 citizens being an authority on the subject. The International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence, under the auspices of Unesco, has its headquarters in Slovenia.
"We are really, really into digital," said Ms Musar. "There is an app in its test phase already, a special AI app which is telling hotels how much food to buy to feed so many people. You know, it's very green. Slovenia tries to be green. We love that we are one of the best regarding circular economy in the world. We want to have sustainable tourism so we are really very into this."
Disinformation
Teaching children critical thinking needs to be a priority, according to Ms Musar, who believes that the spread of disinformation is the biggest threat to democracy today. "I'm pretty sure that we will never be able to eliminate it. It will always be there because it was present hundreds of years ago. It was just distributed much more slowly. Today in the modern digital world, the distribution of this information is easy. This is why we have to teach kids in primary schools about it.
"They have to read books, then they will be able to distinguish disinformation from the real information. Debunking disinformation is really very essential for a country, the state cannot do everything on behalf of every single individual."
Speaking about the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Ms Musar said there was a "tug of war" between the real facts and those created and spread online. "The whole European Union is now very cautious about disinformation. The war between Russia and Ukraine is sadly still going on, and we are facing also a hybrid war behind the scenes. This is the war with disinformation."
Women in international relations
Having been described as a "career ambitionist", a label equally baffling and comical to Ms Musar, she has remained an outspoken advocate for gender equity, and touched on Slovenia’s strides in women’s representation on the global stage and her efforts to increase female leadership within international bodies, notably the United Nations.
"In Slovenia, we have the so-called zipper rule which means that every other candidate on the electoral list should be a woman," she said referring to a mid-2000s decision to adopt legislative changes determining gender quotas in different types of elections.
"Today, in Slovenian parliament, we have 40 per cent women, including the first female speaker of the house in the history of Slovenia. So we are breaking the glass ceilings. I broke one huge glass ceiling being the first female president of my country. It was not easy. It was really not easy, believe me."
Ms Musar is relentless in her gender equity mission, lauding the achievements of her country while pushing for changes across the board. Having discovered that there have only ever been four female presidents of the UN General Assembly, she aims to bring a bold new rule to that branch of the UN.
"I'm a fervent supporter of ongoing efforts to promote better representation of women in UN bodies. I was quite specific in my address before the UN General Assembly that a woman should hold the UNGA Presidency every other year.
"I believe I was among the very, very few who raised this point. But it seems that the call has resonated. I expect some concrete steps internationally by the end of this year. I will discuss this with the President of the UAE on Monday. Our two countries speak the same language on this topic so I look forward to our exchange of thoughts and ideas.
"The head of the Slovenian mission is also going to give a speech about gender equity. The United Nations calculated that we will need 140 years more to reach gender parity. I don't want to wait for 140 years."
Ms Musar also founded the She Knows platform, which lists readily available female experts to talk about a wide range of subjects in the media and at public events.
War
Ms Musar describes her country as "an honest broker with no hidden agendas" and highlighted Slovenia’s active role in international security and peace efforts as a newly seated non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. "Slovenia has recognised Palestine. I was very in favour of that, because if we are advocating a two-state solution, how can we not recognise one of the conflicting parties?"
Ms Musar also advocates for "aggressive" structural reforms in the UN, calling for limitations on the veto power of the Security Council’s permanent members, the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom, to foster fairer resolutions.
"It's not just the Middle East right now. Of course, it's Russia and Ukraine. It's the war in Sudan, in Yemen. There are currently 55 armed conflicts around the globe, and this is the highest number after the Second World War. It's devastating.
"Now it's the time to discuss one big problem: the veto power of the P5 countries inside the UN Security Council. We are seeing a hybrid war inside the Security Council. We are fighting with vetoes, and the United Nations is paralysed, totally paralysed because of that."
Among Ms Musar's proposals would be to either scrap veto power completely, especially for mass atrocities, or limit its use and remove voting power from any country involved in the conflict. "That would be a huge step forward, but we need to be vocal about it. We have to discuss this. This is what Slovenia is doing."
US elections
A former attorney, Ms Musar spoke about her relationship with Slovenian ex-model and former first lady Melania Trump. On the eve of another historic US election, she said they stay in touch mostly for formalities.
"We congratulate each other for birthdays every year and for the new year, but I'm [more] in touch with her father, who regularly comes to Slovenia, also with her mother, before she passed away. Now [with Ms Trump] not so often, but still, she's a wonderful lady."
Pressed for her opinion on the imminent election, Ms Musar maintained her diplomatic line. "It's tight. Very tight. Whoever wins, we will have to co-operate, that's for sure. We will have to work with Republicans and Democrats. The United States is still the biggest economy in the world. Maybe with one person it will be a bit easier than with the other, but nevertheless, we will have to co-operate."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
THE SPECS – Honda CR-V Touring AWD
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Power: 184hp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 244Nm at 3,900rpm
Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT)
0-100kmh in 9.4 seconds
Top speed: 202kmh
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
Price: From Dh122,900
In Full Flight: A Story of Africa and Atonement
John Heminway, Knopff
Champions parade (UAE timings)
7pm Gates open
8pm Deansgate stage showing starts
9pm Parade starts at Manchester Cathedral
9.45pm Parade ends at Peter Street
10pm City players on stage
11pm event ends
In The Heights
Directed by: Jon M. Chu
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Lin-Manual Miranda
Rating: ****
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
Sleep Well Beast
The National
4AD
Draw
Quarter-finals
Real Madrid (ESP) or Manchester City (ENG) v Juventus (ITA) or Lyon (FRA)
RB Leipzig (GER) v Atletico Madrid (ESP)
Barcelona (ESP) or Napoli (ITA) v Bayern Munich (GER) or Chelsea (ENG)
Atalanta (ITA) v Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)
Ties to be played August 12-15 in Lisbon
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
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
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
'The%20Alchemist's%20Euphoria'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EArtist%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Kasabian%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELabel%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EColumbia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key developments in maritime dispute
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
