German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the country would use its leadership of the G7 in 2022 to fight against divisive forces that seek to exploit issues like climate change and the pandemic to hamper international co-operation.
Addressing the virtual World Economic Forum event as the first new German leader in 17 years, Mr Scholz depicted German as a bulwark for sustained and united international action.
“Some will try to tell us that dialogue and compromise are signs of weakness,” he said. “Some will try to pitch climate action against prosperity. Some will try to argue that social progress hampers economic growth and some will try to divide us into cosmopolitans and regular citizens, the anywheres versus somewheres, rich and poor. But the truth is the progress we want will only be possible if we overcome these divisions. Working together is the way, restoring trust is our goal.”
One of the themes was to highlight Germany’s efforts to foster talks with Russia as diplomats seek to ease tension over the build-up of Moscow's forces around Ukraine.
Working to address Russian concerns, Mr Scholz, who leads a three-party coalition, also said the country and the West as a whole was united over Ukraine. Germany was committed to protecting Ukraine’s territorial integrity and he urged Russia to recognise that “right makes might” and not the other way round.
“After years of rising tensions, staying silent is not a sensible option,” he said. “Borders must not be moved by force
“The Russian side is aware of our determination. I hope they also realise that the gains of co-operation outweigh the price of further confrontation.”
Fears are mounting that Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine could escalate into full-scale armed conflict despite intensive efforts in recent weeks to broker a peaceful solution.
President Vladimir Putin has denied he plans to invade Ukraine, despite massing more than 100,000 troops along Russia’s frontier with its neighbour. He has demanded security guarantees from Nato that the military alliance has said it cannot give.
Germany's role as president of the G7 puts the country at the forefront of global efforts to get the Covid-19 pandemic under control. Mr Scholz pointed to the inequality of the worldwide vaccines campaign, with the richest countries boasting far higher rates of coverage than the poorest.
“Without a truly global immunisation campaign, we will soon run out of the letters of the Greek alphabet to name new virus variants,” he said.
“We are determined to reach 70 per cent of the world's population by the middle of the year,” he said. “And as part of our current G7 presidency, we will focus on improving the international health infrastructure including in countries of the Global South.”
The German leader appealed to the business leaders that follow the WEF and normally gather at its HQ in the Swiss resort of Davos for the January meeting.
“We need partners to join hands, particularly in the private sector. So in the spirit of Davos, let us work together to fully fund the global vaccination campaign,” he said. “That would also be the booster shot our economies need.”
Germany plans to use the G7 presidency to “turn that group into the nucleus of an international climate club.”
“What we want to achieve is a paradigm shift in international climate policy. We will no longer wait for the slowest and least ambitious,” Mr Scholz said. “Instead, we will lead by example, and we will turn climate action from a cost factor into competitive advantage by agreeing on joint minimum standards.”
Several groupings of countries have similar goals, including the so-called High Ambition Coalition that’s committed to achieving the strictest target in the Paris accord — limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century compared with pre-industrial times.
Mr Scholz took office last month with a government that includes the environmentalist Greens. It aims to step up efforts against climate change by expanding the use of renewable energy and bringing Germany’s exit from coal-fired power forward from 2038, “ideally” to 2030.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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Indika
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Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m, Winner: ES Rubban, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Aseel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,200m, Winner: Al Mobher, Sczcepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: Jabalini, Tadhg O’Shea, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m, Winner: AF Abahe, Tadgh O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: AF Makerah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m, Winner: Law Of Peace, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier
UAE results
Beat China by 16 runs
Lost to Thailand by 10 wickets
Beat Nepal by five runs
Beat Hong Kong by eight wickets
Beat Malaysia by 34 runs
Standings (P, W, l, NR, points)
1. Thailand 5 4 0 1 9
2. UAE 5 4 1 0 8
3. Nepal 5 2 1 2 6
4. Hong Kong 5 2 2 1 5
5. Malaysia 5 1 4 0 2
6. China 5 0 5 0 0
Final
Thailand v UAE, Monday, 7am
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
UAE%20PREMIERSHIP
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