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A state visit to the UK by Qatar's Emir, Sheikh Tamim, will focus on stability in the Gulf and trade, investment and cultural ties between the two countries.
Sheikh Tamim and his consort, Sheikha Jawaher, land in Britain on Monday, but the two-day visit will officially begin on Tuesday when the Emir will be greeted by heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, at their royal residence Kensington Palace in west London.
The royal couple will then meet King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Horse Guards Parade in central London, where a ceremonial welcome will feature a royal salute and the Qatari national anthem.
Sheikh Tamim, accompanied by the king, will then inspect a guard of honour before travelling in a carriage with other royal family members along The Mall to Buckingham Palace for a second guard of honour before lunch.
They will be taken on a tour to view items relating to Qatar in the picture gallery. A state banquet is also on the agenda, which will feature sustainable flower arrangements and a bespoke cocktail.
The Princess of Wales, 42, will play a limited part in the visit following a tentative return to royal duties after her cancer diagnosis this year. She will not attend the state banquet, Kensington Palace office said.
Sheikh Tamim will meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday at No 10 Downing Street.
The trip, the first incoming state visit since Mr Starmer’s Labour Party took power in July, comes as the UK is seeking a trade agreement with the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC), of which Qatar is a member.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told The National the emir’s visit would involve discussions to “promote stability” in the region as well as the countries’ economic ties.
“They will discuss the continuing work together to promote stability in the Middle East,” he said. “Qatar has played a leading mediation role since October 7, including securing the release of hostages.”
The spokesman said the two leaders would discuss business deals as well as the two countries’ trade and investment partnership. “This offers opportunities to get tangible benefits to the UK, including on security in the economy, and furthering the UK-Qatar relationship,” he added.
In an interview shared on LinkedIn, the British ambassador to Qatar, Neerav Patel, said the visit would touch on “every aspect” of the relationship. “On the bilateral front, we have such a strong basis in terms of our economic relationship on trade, on investment,” he said.
“We have an amazing foundation in terms of defence where the Royal Air Force’s only joint squadron, anywhere in the world, is with Qatar. We have an amazing relationship on culture, on education, on sport, on health. So we will be talking a lot about the accomplishments we have made there. But we will also be talking about how we can push into new fields including science, technology and artificial intelligence.
“But also about the relationship between our people. More Qataris study in the UK than anywhere in the world. And we are really pleased that many Qataris feel they can call London their second home.”
The UK’s Business and Trade Department estimates a free-trade deal with the GCC could boost the UK economy by £1.6 billion.
The Gulf nation has several investments in Britain, with the state's sovereign wealth fund, The Qatar Investment Authority, owning stakes in Barclays, Sainsbury's and Canary Wharf among others.
King Charles and Sheikh Tamim, who has visited Britain eight times between 2014 and 2023, most recently met at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai last December.
The Qatari leader was educated in Britain, where he attended private schools before graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He and Sheikha Jawaher attended King Charles's coronation in May 2023 and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in September of the previous year.
King Charles, in his days as Prince of Wales, has visited Qatar eight times.
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Group B
Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)
Jetour T1 specs
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Power: 254hp
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The years Ramadan fell in May
The years Ramadan fell in May
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- 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
BMW M5 specs
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Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Labour dispute
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
Wayne Rooney's career
Everton (2002-2004)
- Appearances: 48
- Goals: 17
Manchester United (2004-2017)
- Appearances: 496
- Goals: 253
England (2003-)
- Appearances: 119
- Goals: 53
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Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
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The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
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.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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