The US, India, Australia and Japan on Tuesday renewed their commitment to regional security in the Indo-Pacific, at a meeting of the fourth Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or Quad summit, in Tokyo.
The group promised to oppose any forceful and unilateral changes in the Asia-Pacific, where the four-nation alliance is challenging China’s growing influence in the region.
“We strongly support the principles of freedom, the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, and any unilateral attempt to change the status quo,” the alliance's leaders said.
They said freedom of navigation and overflight is an essential part of achieving peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world.
The meeting was attended by US President Joe Biden and Prime Ministers Narendra Modi of India, Anthony Albanese of Australia and Fumio Kishida of Japan.
The summit, the first in-person meeting in nine months, came at a time when major western world powers and other Quad members were grappling with the Russian military invasion of Ukraine and fears that China — a close ally of Russia — could escalate tensions with Taiwan.
New Delhi is the only Quad member that has refused to explicitly condemn Moscow — its historic strategic and military partner — over its offensive of Ukraine.
Disputed territory
Without naming China or any other country, the leaders gave a warning against any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions to alter the status quo or increase tensions through “militarisation of disputed features, the dangerous use of coastguard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries’ offshore resource exploitation activities”.
Quad members, particularly the US, accuse Beijing of militarising the South China Sea and reject China's sovereignty claims in the region, which the group says risk severely impeding global maritime trade routes.
The alliance's announcement comes a day after US President Joe Biden gave a warning that China’s increasingly assertive stance on the island was akin to "flirting with danger" as he promised to defend Taiwan militarily from any aggression.
On Tuesday, Mr Biden, asked if there had been any change to the US policy on Taiwan, responded: "No."
"The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday," he said.
Mr Kishida also backed the US leader, saying Russia's invasion of Ukraine had shaken the fundamental principles of the international order and no further unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force will ever be tolerated anywhere, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
The Quad nations also agreed on a new maritime monitoring initiative that is expected to bolster surveillance of the waters on their shores.
But Mr Modi skirted any mention of China and its close ally Russia in his opening remarks at the summit as he underlined the importance of alliance at the global stage and a “force for good” in the Indo-Pacific region.
“Our mutual co-operation at the Quad level is giving a boost to a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, which is the common objective of all of us.
“Quad is carrying a constructive agenda for the Indo-Pacific region. This will further strengthen the image of the Quad as a force for good,” he said.
The leaders also discussed the continuing Ukraine conflict and humanitarian crisis and reiterated calls for peaceful resolution of the disputes and pledged to “uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion”.
They also launched a Quad Climate Change Action and Mitigation Package (Q-Champ) to strengthen efforts towards green shipping, clean energy including green hydrogen and climate and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
Mr Modi emphasised the importance of assisting countries in the region with their Cop26 commitments through mobilisation of climate finance and technology transfer, India's Ministry of External Affairs said.
The prime minister held bilateral talks with President Biden on the sidelines of the summit and said he was happy with progress made across sectors in the bilateral agenda under the India-US Comprehensive Strategic Global Partnership.
They also discussed defence and security co-operation and exchanged views on regional issues of mutual interest, including South Asia.
Mr Modi also held bilateral talks with Mr Albanese and congratulated him on winning Saturday's national elections.
The two leaders reviewed the multi-faceted co-operation including in trade and investment, defence, manufacturing, renewable energy, science and technology and agricultural research, India’s foreign ministry said.
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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
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- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
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- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
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Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
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The specs
Common to all models unless otherwise stated
Engine: 4-cylinder 2-litre T-GDi
0-100kph: 5.3 seconds (Elantra); 5.5 seconds (Kona); 6.1 seconds (Veloster)
Power: 276hp
Torque: 392Nm
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual/ 8-Speed Dual Clutch FWD
Price: TBC
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Mobile phone packages comparison
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
What is tokenisation?
Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
'C'mon C'mon'
Director:Mike Mills
Stars:Joaquin Phoenix, Gaby Hoffmann, Woody Norman
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Company name: Dharma
Date started: 2018
Founders: Charaf El Mansouri, Nisma Benani, Leah Howe
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: TravelTech
Funding stage: Pre-series A
Investors: Convivialite Ventures, BY Partners, Shorooq Partners, L& Ventures, Flat6Labs
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
Australia tour of Pakistan
March 4-8: First Test, Rawalpindi
March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
March 29: First ODI, Rawalpindi
March 31: Second ODI, Rawalpindi
April 2: Third ODI, Rawalpindi
April 5: T20I, Rawalpindi
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
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THE DETAILS
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Ron Howard
Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson
3/5
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
MORE ON IRAN'S PROXY WARS
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
