Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, joined world leaders in wishing Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a rapid recovery and praised his contributions to bilateral relations during his years as Japan's longest-serving leader.
Mr Abe announced Friday that he is stepping down because of a health problem. He is expected to stay on until a new governing party leader is elected and formally approved by the parliament.
Here are some other reactions from around the world.
United States
President Donald Trump said he was surprised by Mr Abe's stepping down and paid his "highest respect to ... a very, a great friend of mine." Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump said, "We had a great relationship. And I just feel very bad for him. Because it must be very severe. Look, for him to leave - he loves his country so much and for him to leave, I just can't imagine what it is. He's a great gentleman and so I'm just paying my highest respect."
United Nations
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' spokesman said he wishes Abe a full recovery and salutes "the prime minister's distinguished career ... and his consistent and constructive engagement with the UN to address global challenges." The UN chief "had a very productive relationship with prime minister Abe," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, pointing to their close work on a number of issues especially universal health care initiatives.
South Korea
South Korean President Moon Jae-in's office said Mr Abe dedicated many years to the development of bilateral relations and achieved "various meaningful accomplishments" as Japan's longest-serving prime minister. It said Seoul will continue to work with Tokyo's next prime minister and Cabinet to promote "friendship and cooperation" between the countries. Relations between South Korea and Japan sank last year to their lowest point in decades as they feuded over trade issues, wartime history and military cooperation.
Germany
Longtime German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who worked with Mr Abe during both of his spells in office, sent him a message saying he was "always a constructive and reliable partner in our common commitment to multilateralism, free trade, peaceful conflict resolution and rules-based order." "For the future, I wish you a swift and complete recovery and personal well-being," she wrote.
Australia
Prime Minister Scott Morrison paid tribute to Shinzo Abe as "Australia's true friend" and said that he would like to thank Abe for his enduring commitment to Australia-Japan relations over a long and successful career. Morrison said Australia and Japan shared a vision for an open, peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. "Prime Minister Abe is a man of integrity and wisdom," Mr Morrison said. "He has been the senior statesman in our region and across the globe, a strong promoter of open trade and an outstanding international diplomat for Japan."
Taiwan
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen said Mr Abe "has always been very friendly to Taiwan. He has always been very positive, no matter it be his policies or his feelings toward Taiwanese people. We cherish the friendship he has for Taiwan. We also wish him good health."
China
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian declined to comment directly on Mr Abe's health, saying it was Japan's internal affair. However, he added that "China and Japan are close neighbors. We are willing to work with Japan to jointly press ahead with continuous improvement and development of China-Japan relations."
Britain
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab paid tribute to "the great things" that Mr Abe has achieved, and said he "leaves a strengthened UK-Japanese friendship, which we look forward to continuing in the years ahead. I wish him well for the future."
Philippines
Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr described Mr Abe as Japan's "greatest postwar PM (prime minister)" in a tweet. He said Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Abe had a frank relationship. "Watching President Duterte and PM Abe talking was like watching two old friends, no holds barred, talking frankly and freely of the true lay of the land and what can and cannot be done," Locsin said.
International Olympic Committee
IOC President Thomas Bach credited Abe with the return of the Olympics to Japan after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics and 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. "All the Japanese athletes and the athletes of the entire world are very grateful to him," Bach said. The Olympics were to be held in Tokyo this year, but they were postponed a year because of the coronavirus. John Coates of the Australian Olympic Committee and chair of the Tokyo 2020 Coordination Commission, said in a statement Saturday that Mr Abe stepping down was "disappointing news from a professional and personal perspective. My interactions with him have always been very positive and constructive. I certainly hope he can successfully overcome the current challenges he faces away from political office. I very much look forward to PM Abe joining us for the Opening Ceremony on 23 July 2021 in the new National Stadium that he was instrumental in delivering. His support has been enormous."
Five personal finance podcasts from The National
To help you get started, tune into these Pocketful of Dirham episodes
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Balance is essential to happiness, health and wealth
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What is a portfolio stress test?
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What are NFTs and why are auction houses interested?
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How gamers are getting rich by earning cryptocurrencies
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Should you buy or rent a home in the UAE?
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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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
Specs
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
UAE SQUAD
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Ahmed Raza, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Chirag Suri , Zahoor Khan
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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
THE DEALS
Hamilton $60m x 2 = $120m
Vettel $45m x 2 = $90m
Ricciardo $35m x 2 = $70m
Verstappen $55m x 3 = $165m
Leclerc $20m x 2 = $40m
TOTAL $485m
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Final scores
18 under: Tyrrell Hatton (ENG)
- 14: Jason Scrivener (AUS)
-13: Rory McIlroy (NIR)
-12: Rafa Cabrera Bello (ESP)
-11: David Lipsky (USA), Marc Warren (SCO)
-10: Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Chris Paisley (ENG), Matt Wallace (ENG), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR)
