“I welcome you to your second country.” With these words, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened yesterday’s Gulf Co-operation Council summit and welcomed the six member countries' leaders to Al Ula in Saudi Arabia.
Starting a new chapter in intra-Gulf dialogue, with the presence of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim, yesterday’s meeting of the GCC will be one of the most significant in the Arabian Peninsula’s recent history. The session was already historic, marking the 40th anniversary of the signing of the organisation's Charter in Abu Dhabi.
Now, while time to rebuild confidence is still necessary, yesterday’s public signing of the Al Ula statement will go down as the moment the rebuilding of trust began.
Strong historic ties and a shared, prosperous future bind the people of the Gulf together. The UAE Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, expressed “our renewal of faith in the progress of countries of the GCC, and we renew our optimism that the coming years will bring stability and security and achievements that serve our people ... and contributes to the stability of those around us”.
With a renewed commitment to “solidarity” at the summit, the countries of the region can start the important task of pursuing common strategic interests.
This is important as the region confronts the coronavirus pandemic, and the need to strengthen regional stability in a complex geopolitical landscape. With this latter goal in mind, Prince Mohammed yesterday issued a statement on the particularly urgent need to face the threat of Iran, which behind the cover of its various proxies across the region, has on numerous occasions blatantly violated international law to target the nations of the Gulf.
Yesterday’s summit and the start of a new phase of co-operation among GCC countries was the culmination of patient and responsible diplomacy, particularly on the part of Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Nawaf, with encouragement from the US and other Gulf allies.
It is also a demonstration of the diplomatic heft of the GCC, which has, in mere decades, transformed the Gulf region into one of the wealthiest and most successful corners of the world.
There will still be those outside the Gulf who would seek to undermine the unity that has made the region so prosperous, and they must not be allowed to succeed. Yesterday showed such opponents that the Gulf can continue to advance with a sense of kinship and fraternity. The gates to this bright future are now open.
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
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Destroyer
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Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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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.
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Nissan 370z Nismo
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Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
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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.
If you go
Flight connections to Ulaanbaatar are available through a variety of hubs, including Seoul and Beijing, with airlines including Mongolian Airlines and Korean Air. While some nationalities, such as Americans, don’t need a tourist visa for Mongolia, others, including UAE citizens, can obtain a visa on arrival, while others including UK citizens, need to obtain a visa in advance. Contact the Mongolian Embassy in the UAE for more information.
Nomadic Road offers expedition-style trips to Mongolia in January and August, and other destinations during most other months. Its nine-day August 2020 Mongolia trip will cost from $5,250 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, two nights’ hotel accommodation in Ulaanbaatar, vehicle rental, fuel, third party vehicle liability insurance, the services of a guide and support team, accommodation, food and entrance fees; nomadicroad.com
A fully guided three-day, two-night itinerary at Three Camel Lodge costs from $2,420 per person based on two sharing, including airport transfers, accommodation, meals and excursions including the Yol Valley and Flaming Cliffs. A return internal flight from Ulaanbaatar to Dalanzadgad costs $300 per person and the flight takes 90 minutes each way; threecamellodge.com
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Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
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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.
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Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
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