LONDON // Supposedly, the strategy in Afghanistan should dominate today's White House talks between Prime Minister David Cameron and the US president, Barack Obama and, at least, there is common ground here with both men determined to extricate their soldiers from the place as quickly as possible. But the future of the oil giant BP and Libya look more likely to be the substance of the discussions than any dramatic moves on bilateral or international relations.
In telephone conversations, Mr Cameron has already expressed his concerns that the president appeared to be indulging in some "Brit bashing" by vilifying the company so loudly and so publicly over the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, even referring to it by the name British Petroleum, which it dropped almost a decade ago.
Now the US Senate is preparing to investigate BP's alleged role on putting pressure on the then-Labour government to get Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali al Megrahi released early from a Scottish prison so that the company could secure a lucrative oil deal with Libya.
Charles Schumer, a New York senator and one of the president's Democratic allies, piled on the pressure when he told the New York Post yesterday that BP should face a criminal investigation in the US to determine if it should face federal charges for lobbying on al Megrahi's behalf - something the company denies.
"No matter how powerful the corporation, how important the foreign government, a blood-money deal is a blood-money deal," Mr Schumer said.
Mr Cameron's office has tried to play down the concern, saying the US debate over how the terminally ill Libyan convicted of the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am flight was allowed to return home "may come up" in his talks with Mr Obama but it is not a "major issue". Mr Cameron told BBC television yesterday that he opposed the Scottish government's decision to release al Megrahi on compassionate grounds last August. He said the decision was "completely and utterly wrong" and added that he "had no idea" what BP did in lobbying the previous government.
Mr Cameron, though, is also under pressure at home on the BP issue. Yesterday's Daily Mail told him that he "must stand up for Britain" and "defend BP" over the oil spill.
The Times said that there was "no need for explicit corporate patriotism" but said that Mr Cameron should broker a deal with Mr Obama on compensation payments that would "prevent BP from being driven to the brink".
It is a message that Mr Cameron appears to have taken on board already.
After a meeting Carl-Henric Svanberg, the BP chairman, he said last Friday that the company needed more certainty that it would not be held liable for problems it had not caused.
"They want to clean up the mess, they want to pay compensation to the fishermen and the farmers and the hotel owners and everyone who has been affected," Mr Cameron said. "But they do need some sort of clarity that the compensation claims won't go into a sort of tertiary and further claims which aren't really related to the mistakes that BP made.
"One of the points I have made to President Obama, and I will make again, is 40 per cent of BP shares are held here but I think its 39 per cent are held in America.
"There are tens of thousands of jobs BP provides in Britain but there are also tens of thousands of jobs it provides in America."
In Washington, Mr Cameron will enjoy the opportunity of raising his international profile two months after coming to power as head of the UK's new Conservative-Liberal Democrat government, and the personal chemistry between the two leaders appeared good during their first meeting at the G20 summit in Canada last month, despite the fact that Mr Cameron had ignored Mr Obama's call just days before for western governments to retain economic stimulus packages to avoid a double-dip recession. Instead, the new government announced massive cuts in the UK's public spending.
@Email:dsapsted@thenational.ae
* With additional reporting by Associated Press
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
RESULTS
Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Azizbek Satibaldiev (KYG). Round 1 KO
Featherweight: Izzeddin Farhan (JOR) beat Ozodbek Azimov (UZB). Round 1 rear naked choke
Middleweight: Zaakir Badat (RSA) beat Ercin Sirin (TUR). Round 1 triangle choke
Featherweight: Ali Alqaisi (JOR) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (UZB). Round 1 TKO
Featherweight: Abu Muslim Alikhanov (RUS) beat Atabek Abdimitalipov (KYG). Unanimous decision
Catchweight 74kg: Mirafzal Akhtamov (UZB) beat Marcos Costa (BRA). Split decision
Welterweight: Andre Fialho (POR) beat Sang Hoon-yu (KOR). Round 1 TKO
Lightweight: John Mitchell (IRE) beat Arbi Emiev (RUS). Round 2 RSC (deep cuts)
Middleweight: Gianni Melillo (ITA) beat Mohammed Karaki (LEB)
Welterweight: Handesson Ferreira (BRA) beat Amiran Gogoladze (GEO). Unanimous decision
Flyweight (Female): Carolina Jimenez (VEN) beat Lucrezia Ria (ITA), Round 1 rear naked choke
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Lightweight: Martun Mezhlumyan (ARM) beat Attila Korkmaz (TUR). Unanimous decision
Bantamweight: Ray Borg (USA) beat Jesse Arnett (CAN). Unanimous decision
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
The biog
Favourite food: Tabbouleh, greek salad and sushi
Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
Favourite animal: Ferrets, they are smart, sensitive, playful and loving
Favourite holiday destination: Seychelles, my resolution for 2020 is to visit as many spiritual retreats and animal shelters across the world as I can
Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.