American physicist J Robert Oppenheimer was a remarkable man, accomplished in a number of fields. However, he is remembered for one feat alone, something he would eventually come to regret: his role in inventing the nuclear bomb.
He started his project with idealistic fervour, viewing it as a way to save the world from the Nazis and to protect western civilisation. After the bomb was invented, and after two were used by his country, the US, against Japan in 1945, he changed his mind.
During an interview in later life, he delivered this famous expression of regret: “I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita. [Krishna] is trying to persuade the prince [Arjuna] that he should do his duty, and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, ‘Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds’.”
Mr Oppenheimer would probably be even more concerned today. Nine countries are thought to possess nuclear weapons, some of which have severe geopolitical tensions with others. A number of other nations, including in the Middle East, are also thought to be developing nuclear weapons programmes.
This is cause for concern in the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC). On Monday, member states said they will spare no effort to keep the Middle East free of nuclear weapons, something that requires "political will". Abdulaziz Al Wasil, Saudi Arabia's permanent representative to the UN, also said that the kingdom, the GCC's biggest power, would pursue “co-operation with the countries of the region to achieve that desired objective”.
Tensions outside the Middle East make today an apt time to highlight the dangers of nuclear escalation. Although it is highly unlikely, the war in Ukraine risks pitting Nato nations, three of which have nuclear weapons, against Russia, which is thought to have the highest number of warheads globally. News on Tuesday that missiles had fallen inside Poland – killing two civilians – escalated tensions further, although for now it remains uncertain who fired them. US President Joe Biden said it is "unlikely" that they were fired from Russia.
The situation in the Middle East is not nearly as volatile, but, as with anything involving nuclear arms, there is always the potential for dangerous escalation.
And there is concern over alleged clandestine programmes. Israel is believed to hold between 80 and 400 nuclear warheads, although it does not disclose its capabilities. Iran is under US and international sanctions for its enrichment of uranium, although Tehran says it has no intention of creating weapons out of it.
This should not to distract from the promise of peaceful forms of nuclear technology in the region. Nuclear energy is a reliable form of power generation that does not emit carbon. It can help states reach their climate goals. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are all at various stages of developing such programmes, and there is an internationally established means of doing so safely, in the form of the UN’s 1970 Non-Proliferation Treaty.
This is the kind of nuclear technology the region needs, not the "destroyer of worlds" that Mr Oppenheimer so bitterly regretted.
England squads for Test and T20 series against New Zealand
Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Joe Denly, Jack Leach, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Pope, Dominic Sibley, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes
T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (capt), Jonny Bairstow, Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Pat Brown, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Matt Parkinson, Adil Rashid, James Vince
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
What are the main cyber security threats?
Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
The Baghdad Clock
Shahad Al Rawi, Oneworld
On racial profiling at airports
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Third-place play-off: New Zealand v Wales, Friday, 1pm
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
The%20Specs
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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
RESULT
Los Angeles Galaxy 2 Manchester United 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (7.15pm)
Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)
Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
Las Palmas v Espanyol (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)
Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)
