The Arab Gulf region is in the midst of a constructive reboot, with its visionary leaders daring to dream, plan, reform and establish partnerships aimed at the well-being of its peoples.
In the past two weeks, poignant images showing accord have aroused feelings of pride and joy, with Doha hosting a successful football World Cup and welcoming the region’s leaders determined to make the necessary moves forward.
Another impressive development is Saudi Arabia recording a budget surplus for 2023 to the tune of $4.2 billion, and the announcement by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of a historic drop in unemployment in the kingdom. This is the fruit of several reforms, including increasing women’s participation in the economy from 17.7 to 35.5 per cent.
Over the weekend, Riyadh hosted two summits for the first time – a Gulf-Chinese meeting and an Arab-Chinese conference – which reflected the kingdom’s adoption of a doctrine based on partnership as a pathway to successful leadership.
The Riyadh summits, attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, fired the starting gun for the future.
They secured the export of oil to China and the import of technology from it, established partnerships in mega projects linking China to the Gulf and to the wider Arab region. For its part, China’s leadership seeks sustainable energy supplies. It expects Moscow’s international problems to deepen, and doesn't want to depend entirely on possibly unreliable supplies from it in the future.
Since China’s ruling party conference renewed its commitment to the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing also seeks to build robust relations with countries in the Middle East. Indeed, a new page in economic relations won't be limited to the energy sphere. It will also include development projects from infrastructure to tourism. In technology, co-operation will extend beyond the civilian to possibly the military sphere, at a time when the West seems unwilling to share certain technologies with the Arab states.
China wants to act as a bridge between Saudi Arabia and Iran
Beijing is certain that current circumstances favour its desire to increase its influence in the Middle East, given Russia’s de facto exit from the region and the US's arguably lost initiative.
There is, of course, no evidence to suggest that China views the Middle East as an arena of competition with the US, but the reverse is true – although it's important to remember that Washington doesn't oppose the development of Gulf-China relations as long as they remain economic in nature. In turn, Beijing isn't seeking to replace the US as the Gulf's pre-eminent security partner. In fact, beyond the stand-off over Taiwan, China doesn't see itself in that kind of conflict with the US.
Therefore, the only issue that has a security dimension in the Gulf region is Iran.
Beijing wants to act as a bridge between Saudi Arabia and Iran and help defuse their tensions, believing it can play a successful role in ending the Yemen conflict. Tehran might resist these efforts, but Beijing’s leverage over it is substantial, thanks to their strategic pact. Beijing, moreover, imports huge quantities of Iranian oil, giving Tehran a lifeline that has helped it to avert economic collapse due to crippling US-led sanctions.
Arab states can benefit from their relations with China to rein in Tehran. This would be a major shift, bearing in mind that Iran had previously sought to build an alliance with Russia and China. This troika’s Iranian and Russian components have unravelled, and so its nature has radically changed due to the leap in Arab-China relations.
Today, Beijing doesn't seek to link its fate to that of Russia, particularly if the latter were to be defeated or further weakened by the Ukraine war. Indeed, the international community has begun preparing for a bipolar world led by the US and China. This requires the two powers to think carefully about the meaning of global security and stability in this new world order. And energy stability in the Gulf is a crucial part of Chinese thinking, underscoring the importance of Mr Xi's Saudi visit.
Riyadh is aware of this. While it’s keen to stabilise the energy markets, bearing in mind that China is the biggest importer of Saudi oil, it also seeks technology imports without restrictions and knowledge transfer and partnerships to jump-start a renaissance in the kingdom. Saudi Arabia is evolving every day, through innovation, projects, investments, and the development of its coastal areas, cities and tourism.
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The accord emerging among the six GCC countries indicates that they are building a strong base from which to relaunch their joint agenda. The optics of Prince Mohammed standing alongside Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani, during the opening ceremony of the World Cup were positive, reinforced by images of Sheikh Tamim celebrating Saudi Arabia's victory against Argentina by hanging the kingdom’s flag around his neck.
Likewise, President Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to Doha was pivotal, opening a new page and indicating a return to accord. These two countries can be proud of their rapid development, from national infrastructure to space exploration.
The UAE is pursuing a pioneering space mission – the latest achievement being Sunday’s launch of the Rashid Rover to the Moon – as it seeks to fulfil its dreams through its men and women, incessantly probing the features of the future. For its part, Qatar has shown the world its technological and organisational prowess during the World Cup.
The patriotic display by the Arab teams at the tournament has also been a sight to behold, allowing sports diplomacy to enable reconciliation.
Kuwait is playing a global role in support of humanitarian work. Oman, meanwhile, has become a key back channel for international diplomacy, working to reconcile opposite sides, overcome obstacles, and resolve regional crises. For its part, Bahrain has charted out an impressive path towards religious co-existence, recently hosting Pope Francis.
Further, the joint Saudi-Emirati mediation that led to last week’s US-Russia prisoner swap affirms the distinguished international role of the two states and its two leaders.
The mutual strategic trust that Mr Xi spoke about in Riyadh is a positive vision that shouldn't worry Washington, as long as there is seriousness, continuity and coherence in US-Gulf strategic relations. Upholding this trust will be key for the various entities to sustain the important progress made in recent weeks.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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EXPATS
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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LIGUE 1 FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Nice v Angers (9pm)
Lille v Monaco (10.45pm)
Saturday
Montpellier v Paris Saint-Germain (7pm)
Bordeaux v Guingamp (10pm)
Caen v Amiens (10pm)
Lyon v Dijon (10pm)
Metz v Troyes (10pm)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Rennes (5pm)
Strasbourg v Nantes (7pm)
Marseille v Toulouse (11pm)
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
MATCH INFO
Norwich 0
Watford 2 (Deulofeu 2', Gray 52')
Red card: Christian Kabasele (WatforD)
MO
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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
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More on animal trafficking
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Brief scores:
Toss: Kerala Knights, opted to fielf
Pakhtoons 109-5 (10 ov)
Fletcher 32; Lamichhane 3-17
Kerala Knights 110-2 (7.5 ov)
Morgan 46 not out, Stirling 40
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
%3Cp%3E1984%20-%20Apple%20unveiled%20the%20Macintosh%20on%20January%2024%3Cbr%3E1985%20-%20Steve%20Jobs%20departed%20from%20Apple%20and%20established%20NeXT%3Cbr%3E1986%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20Macintosh%20Plus%2C%20featuring%20enhanced%20memory%3Cbr%3E1987%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20Macintosh%20II%2C%20equipped%20with%20colour%20capabilities%3Cbr%3E1989%20-%20The%20widely%20acclaimed%20Macintosh%20SE%2F30%20made%20its%20debut%3Cbr%3E1994%20-%20Apple%20presented%20the%20Power%20Macintosh%3Cbr%3E1996%20-%20The%20Macintosh%20System%20Software%20OS%20underwent%20a%20rebranding%20as%20Mac%20OS%3Cbr%3E2001%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20Mac%20OS%20X%2C%20marrying%20Unix%20stability%20with%20a%20user-friendly%20interface%3Cbr%3E2006%20-%20Apple%20adopted%20Intel%20processors%20in%20MacBook%20Pro%20laptops%3Cbr%3E2008%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20MacBook%20Air%2C%20a%20lightweight%20laptop%3Cbr%3E2012%20-%20Apple%20launched%20the%20MacBook%20Pro%20with%20a%20retina%20display%3Cbr%3E2016%20-%20The%20Mac%20operating%20system%20underwent%20rebranding%20as%20macOS%3Cbr%3E2020%20-%20Apple%20introduced%20the%20M1%20chip%20for%20Macs%2C%20combining%20high%20performance%20and%20energy%20efficiency%3Cbr%3E2022%20-%20The%20M2%20chip%20was%20announced%3Cbr%3E2023%20-The%20M3%20line-up%20of%20chip%20was%20announced%20to%20improve%20performance%20and%20add%20new%20capabilities%20for%20Mac.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
The five pillars of Islam
RESULT
West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' )
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72')
The five pillars of Islam
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
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
THE%20SPECS
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Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
