US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during Nato's 75th anniversary summit in Washington. Reuters
US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during Nato's 75th anniversary summit in Washington. Reuters
US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during Nato's 75th anniversary summit in Washington. Reuters
US President Joe Biden shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer at a meeting of the North Atlantic Council during Nato's 75th anniversary summit in Washington. Reuters

Keir Starmer to travel to US for talks with Joe Biden with Gaza on the agenda


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to the US for talks with President Joe Biden about continuing efforts to secure a hostage and ceasefire deal in the Israel-Gaza war.

Friday's visit, the second since Mr Starmer was elected to office in July, comes after the UK announced a partial ban on arms exports to Israel.

The decision, which was made public on Monday, affects 30 weapons export licences to Israel that UK authorities said might have been used to commit “serious violations” of international humanitarian law.

Reports suggest that the US had privately warned Britain against suspending export licences over concerns it could hamper efforts to achieve a ceasefire.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the leaders will have "an in-depth discussion on a range of global issues of mutual interest".

Other topics due to be discussed include threats to commercial shipping in the Red Sea posed by Yemen's Houthi rebels, western support for Ukraine as it tries to repel Russia's invasion and shared concerns about the Indo-Pacific.

"They will also discuss opportunities to strengthen US-UK co-operation to secure supply chains and increase climate resilience," the White House said.

"President Biden will underscore the importance of continuing to strengthen the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom."

Mr Starmer last visited the White House two months ago for one-on-one talks with Biden when he was in Washington for the Nato summit.

Since then, Mr Biden has announced he will not be seeking a second term as president following concerns about his health.

His vice president Kamala Harris will instead be the Democratic Party's candidate for America's highest office.

In recent weeks, the Prime Minister has also travelled to Berlin and Paris, as he seeks to build trust with the leaders of the UK's close EU allies.

Islamophobia definition

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”.

Which honey takes your fancy?

Al Ghaf Honey

The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year

Sidr Honey

The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest

Samar Honey

The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments

INFO

What: DP World Tour Championship
When: November 21-24
Where: Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae.

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
What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

New UK refugee system

 

  • A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
  • Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
  • A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
  • To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
  • Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
  • Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
FIXTURES

Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)

Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)

The burning issue

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.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The%20specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Updated: September 07, 2024, 10:14 AM