Germany’s Greens may not have won the election, but climate change will be at the heart of the power struggle to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor.
The two rival candidates, Olaf Scholz and Armin Laschet, are both courting the Greens as coalition partners in what could be a protracted post-election negotiation.
Any such deal would also require the support of the Free Democrats (FDP), a pro-business party, which is hardly a natural fit for the Greens.
Although both potential kingmaker parties called for modernisation and were popular among young voters, they were often at odds over how to tackle the climate crisis.
The Greens have big spending plans, while the FDP stresses low taxes. While the former has a reputation for wanting to ban things, the latter wants to tackle climate change with “more joy in inventing things”.
And while the liberal FDP is a traditional ally of Mr Laschet’s party, the Greens have made clear that they prefer Mr Scholz.
Tricky coalition maths
Sunday's election gave no party more than the 25.7 per cent of votes that went to Mr Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD). Mr Laschet's centre-right bloc won 24.1 per cent.
Neither is close to a majority alone, and would need to bring in both the smaller parties to get there. The Greens were third on 14.8 per cent, with the FDP fourth on 11.5 per cent.
Acknowledging the gap that needs bridging, the Greens and FDP began exploratory talks this week before approaching either potential chancellor. Negotiators described a positive atmosphere.
Arne Jungjohann, an energy policy expert and former Green party aide, said parties had good reasons to make climate policy a key part of the negotiations.
“All parties who want to join the government emphasise that climate will play a crucial role for the next government,” he told The National.
“For one, in terms of substance, they expect that. But in terms of tactics, these parties have done this kind of signalling because they want to have a coalition with the Green party.”
Tax and spending
A key plank of the Green agenda is investing billions of euros in railways, cycle lanes, charging stations, renewable energy and refurbishing buildings.
The party wants to raise money for this by increasing the tax rate on top earners, cutting subsidies for roads and fossil fuels, and exempting some investments from constitutional debt limits.
Mr Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), the preferred partners of the Greens, also want to squeeze more money from the rich.
The FDP, by contrast, is known as a low-tax party. It opposes higher tax rates and rejects any changes to the debt brake.
But it concedes that investment is necessary to modernise Germany’s infrastructure, although it would like to see more money raised privately.
Petrol cars
The FDP wants to tackle climate change by unleashing innovation in green technologies. One of its favourite slogans during the campaign was: “More joy in inventing than in banning things”.
One example of this is in Germany's flagship car industry. While the Greens want to ban petrol cars by 2030, the FDP rejects a hard cut-off and says the market will naturally favour electric vehicles.
Asked about polluting cars, Mr Scholz said during the campaign that he was “not a fan of banning things if you can do without it”.
But he acknowledged that the decision may fall out of Germany’s hands. The EU has proposed a ban by 2035 as part of a Europe-wide green overhaul.
Coal exit
Germany is due to switch off coal power by 2038. Mr Scholz and Mr Laschet’s parties regard this as a done deal, while the Greens campaigned on bringing it forward by nearly a decade to 2030.
The FDP accepts that the 2038 exit is a reality, although it has described the process as expensive and raised concerns about energy shortages.
Mr Jungjohann suggested that a compromise could be to aim for a faster phase-out without writing the new target into law.
The FDP says Germany can become carbon-neutral by 2050 by expanding an emissions trading system which the Greens also support.
Both parties support the expansion of hydrogen fuel. The Greens are more enthusiastic than the FDP about solar and wind, planning to put a solar panel on every new roof and cover 2 per cent of Germany’s land with wind turbines.
Motorway speed limit
Germany’s autobahns are famous for not having a general speed limit, but calls to introduce one have become a contentious subject.
The Greens want a limit of 130 kilometres per hour, on the grounds of road safety as much as carbon-neutrality.
The SPD made the same promise, but the FDP rejects such a limit. Mr Laschet’s Christian Democrats (CDU) side with the FDP.
“It’s a highly symbolic issue,” said Mr Jungjohann. “It also has substance, but for the FDP it’s somewhat like an identity issue.
“It would cost a lot of political capital for the Greens to make the liberals agree on a speed limit.
“I would expect an earlier coal phase-out is much more likely than, let’s say, a speed limit.”
Ministerial roles
The two parties have young, ambitious leaders. Annalena Baerbock, 40, sought the chancellorship for the Greens. Mr Lindner, 42, is a slick former investor.
Even if the parties can reach compromises on the issues, further talks will be needed to thrash out the shape of the new cabinet.
Mr Lindner has said openly that he would like to be finance minister, the role which Mr Scholz would vacate if he becomes chancellor.
But the Greens, as the larger partner, might have the first shout. Party co-leader Robert Habeck has been tipped as a possible finance minister and vice chancellor.
The Greens want to create a new climate ministry that could veto proposals from other departments if they do not conform to the Paris Agreement.
Junior coalition partners also tend to be in line for the foreign ministry. The Greens ran foreign affairs from 1998 to 2005 and the FDP from 2009 to 2013.
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
The Gentlemen
Director: Guy Ritchie
Stars: Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant
Three out of five stars
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
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
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
Uefa Nations League
League A:
Germany, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, France, England, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, Iceland, Croatia, Netherlands
League B:
Austria, Wales, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Republic of Ireland, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Ireland, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey
League C:
Hungary, Romania, Scotland, Slovenia, Greece, Serbia, Albania, Norway, Montenegro, Israel, Bulgaria, Finland, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania
League D:
Azerbaijan, Macedonia, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia, Faroe Islands, Luxembourg, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Malta, Andorra, Kosovo, San Marino, Gibraltar
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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
Dunki
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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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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7.
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Singapore
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8.
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Australia
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9.
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Saudi Arabia
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10.
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South Korea
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WORLD CUP FINAL
England v South Africa
Yokohama International Stadium, Tokyo
Saturday, kick-off 1pm (UAE)
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
