Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his first major domestic speech of 2023 on Wednesday January 4, 2023.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his first major domestic speech of 2023 on Wednesday January 4, 2023.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his first major domestic speech of 2023 on Wednesday January 4, 2023.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during his first major domestic speech of 2023 on Wednesday January 4, 2023.

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Rishi Sunak seeks private care to cut UK health waiting lists in speech

Seven million now languish on lists for operations and treatments

Laura O'Callaghan
Laura O'Callaghan

January 04, 2023

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made reforming the National Health Service the centrepiece of his five-point plan, outlined on Wednesday, to lift Britain from its downturn.

Pledging to improve life in the UK, Mr Sunak used a speech in London to suggest opening up the state-run health system — plagued by lengthy waiting lists — to independent provision as part of his bid to reform the NHS.

This would cut the seven million-strong waiting lists for hospital treatment and reduce long delays in emergency care while preserving the free nature of the service.

The Prime Minister urged voters to trust in his plan as he vowed to be honest about the scale of the challenges facing Britain, but he sidestepped a question from a reporter on whether he would resign if he failed to deliver on his bold pledges.

“I will only promise what I can deliver and I will deliver what I promise,” he said.

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Asked how soon he intended to improve the state of the crisis-ridden NHS, he said: “This is an absolute priority for me.

“The country should hold me to account for delivering priorities.”

He refuted the idea it would be wise to postpone elective procedures to help the NHS cope with the crisis, for which he said the Covid-19 pandemic was partly to blame. One of the reasons why waiting lists are so long is because many non-urgent appointments and procedures were postponed at the height of the coronavirus crisis, he said.

The Prime Minister said “the biggest problem” the NHS is facing this winter is the 13,000 patients in wards who do not need to be there but rather “ideally should be back in their communities or in social care”.

The issue is a major roadblock in the “flow” of patients from ambulances through hospitals, he said.

He pointed to the government’s £500 million package for “early discharge” to help get patients into community care as a way in which his administration is addressing the problems in the health service.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to reduce NHS waiting lists. AFP
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to reduce NHS waiting lists. AFP

“I believe we, in just a few months, will have practically eliminated the waiting a year and a half [list],” he said. “We’ve already eliminated those waiting two years and by next spring I think we will have eliminated those waiting a year.”

The Prime Minister said making use of the private sector to ease pressure on the NHS is a key component of his vision.

“We will always protect the founding principles of an NHS free at the point of use. But what it does mean is an NHS where patients are in control, with as much choice as possible, where we’re comfortable with the NHS using more independent capacity, if that’s what it takes to get patients quicker and better care,” he said.

“We all share the same objective when it comes to the NHS, to continue providing high-quality, responsive health care for generations to come. And that’s what we’re going to deliver. Our vision for change will revitalise every aspect of our lives, better jobs, stronger communities, world-class education- an NHS built around patients.”

He added: "In all these areas and more we must have the courage to change, to think bigger, strive for excellence, not give up when things get tough.”

The Prime Minister denied the Tory government was not open to negotiations with the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) amid the nurses’ strikes.

“We’re very keen on dialogue. The government’s door is always open,” he said, when asked how strikes will be resolved without paying more.

But he reiterated his view that the 19 per cent pay rise being sought is not feasible.

Seventy-one days into the job, the Conservative leader is under mounting pressure from opposition parties to come to grips with a series of crises, including helping households amid soaring food and energy bills.

He laid out five bold promises which he asked the British public to judge his premiership on, pledging to:

· halve inflation

· grow the economy

· bring down national debt

· reduce the length of NHS waiting lists

· stamp out illegal migration via the English Channel.

Mr Sunak, who last October became the UK’s first leader of Asian heritage, said his pledges would “deliver peace of mind” to Britons and serve as foundations “on which to build a better future for our children and grandchildren”.

“Those are the people’s priorities. They are your government’s priorities. And we will either have achieved them or not.”

Mr Sunak alluded to the dissatisfaction among voters, including Tory supporters, following a tumultuous year for the ruling party and vowed to restore trust in politicians.

“No tricks … no ambiguity … we’re either delivering for you or we’re not,” he added.

“We will rebuild trust in politics through action, or not at all. So, I ask you to judge us on the effort we put in and the results we achieve.”

He delivered the address at Plexal, a tech campus in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Village in Stratford, east London.

Setting out his ambitions for the year ahead and his ambitions for a brighter Britain, Mr Sunak unveiled the “Maths to 18" drive, aimed at improving the numeracy skills of school-leavers.

He set out his plan to ensure all pupils in England study some form of maths until age 18, saying that with the “right plan”, he sees “no reason” why “we cannot rival the best education systems in the world”.

The UK remains one of the only countries in the world that does not require children to study some form of maths up to the age of 18.

But it was health that took up the majority of his address and where the most detail on his reformist agenda was offered. Asked to explain the growth of patients waiting for treatments, he said he had solutions to reverse the numbers.

“Actually, one of our initiatives to stop that happening again is to create what are called elective surgical hubs and community diagnostic centres where people can get all the scans and the tests they need and indeed the routine electives, like hip replacement and cataracts, away from the acute part of the hospital,” he explained.

“Because if you do that, what you do is really increase our ability to treat people because you don’t have doctors constantly disrupted by doing routine appointments and then having to rush to deal with an emergency.

“That’s the model that works really well. We’re rolling out 300 community diagnostic centres and elective surgical hubs across the country and that will allow us to do both.

“It will allow us to treat our parents, grandparents that are waiting for one of those surgeries that they need, but it will also allow us to treat people in hospitals who need that urgent care.”

Mr Sunak, born in the UK to parents of Indian origin, used his family background to add a personal touch to the speech. He said his father, who was a GP, and his mother, a pharmacist, had instilled in him an appreciation for the NHS.

His speech came after opposition MPs urged him to treat the problems of the NHS as a matter of urgency. Labour has accused the Conservatives of underfunding the health service for the past 12 years, while the Liberal Democrats called for Parliament to be recalled over the Christmas and New Year break to address the crisis.

Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour's shadow health minister who works shifts as a A&E doctor in south London, said the scale of the problems is unprecedented in her career. "I have been an emergency doctor for 17 years and this is the worst I have ever seen our NHS, which is a sentiment shared by most of my colleagues," the MP for Tooting said.

Rishi Sunak through the years — in pictures

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces July 4 as the date for the 2024 general election at No 10 Downing Street. Here, The National looks back at his political career. Getty Images
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces July 4 as the date for the 2024 general election at No 10 Downing Street. Here, The National looks back at his political career. Getty Images
Mr Sunak during local election campaigning in Teesside in May 2024. Getty Images
Mr Sunak during local election campaigning in Teesside in May 2024. Getty Images
Mr Sunak presents cupcakes to journalists on board a plane on the way to Warsaw in April 2024. Getty Images
Mr Sunak presents cupcakes to journalists on board a plane on the way to Warsaw in April 2024. Getty Images
Mr Sunak during a press conference in Downing Street in January after the Safety of Rwanda Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. Getty Images
Mr Sunak during a press conference in Downing Street in January after the Safety of Rwanda Bill passed its third reading in the House of Commons. Getty Images
Being applauded after his speech at the Conservative Party conference in October 2023. Getty Images
Being applauded after his speech at the Conservative Party conference in October 2023. Getty Images
Looking pensive alongside then-home secretary Suella Braverman at No 10 in October 2023. She didn't last much longer in the cabinet. Getty Images
Looking pensive alongside then-home secretary Suella Braverman at No 10 in October 2023. She didn't last much longer in the cabinet. Getty Images
Mr Sunak sits in an old Special Branch police vehicle which was used to transport former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in July 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak sits in an old Special Branch police vehicle which was used to transport former prime minister Margaret Thatcher, in July 2023. Getty Images
On board Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover in June 2023. Getty Images
On board Border Agency cutter HMC Seeker during a visit to Dover in June 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the G7 Summit in May 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz during the G7 Summit in May 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arriving in Japan ahead of the G7 Summit in May 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty arriving in Japan ahead of the G7 Summit in May 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sending a message at Accrington Market Hall in January 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt sending a message at Accrington Market Hall in January 2023. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Ukraine's capital Kyiv in November 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in Ukraine's capital Kyiv in November 2022. Getty Images
King Charles III welcomes Mr Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government in October 2022. Getty Images
King Charles III welcomes Mr Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government in October 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak makes a statement outside No 10 in October 2022 after taking office. Getty Images
Mr Sunak makes a statement outside No 10 in October 2022 after taking office. Getty Images
Mr Sunak arrives inside Number 10 in October 2022. Photo: Simon Walker/ No 10 Downing Street
Mr Sunak arrives inside Number 10 in October 2022. Photo: Simon Walker/ No 10 Downing Street
Greeted by colleagues at Conservative Party HQ after having been announced winner of the leadership contest in October 2022. Getty Images
Greeted by colleagues at Conservative Party HQ after having been announced winner of the leadership contest in October 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak at Westminster Hall in London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. PA
Mr Sunak at Westminster Hall in London following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. PA
Mr Sunak visits his family's old business, Bassett Pharmacy, on the campaign trail in August 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak visits his family's old business, Bassett Pharmacy, on the campaign trail in August 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak looks at an NLAW anti-tank launcher during a visit to the Thales Defence System plant in Belfast in August 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak looks at an NLAW anti-tank launcher during a visit to the Thales Defence System plant in Belfast in August 2022. Getty Images
At a hustings event in Exeter in August 2022. Getty Images
At a hustings event in Exeter in August 2022. Getty Images
Celebrates England's first goal as he watches the Women's Euro 2022 final in Salisbury in July 2022. Getty Images
Celebrates England's first goal as he watches the Women's Euro 2022 final in Salisbury in July 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ms Truss take part in the BBC Leadership debate at Victoria Hall, Hanley, in July 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ms Truss take part in the BBC Leadership debate at Victoria Hall, Hanley, in July 2022. Getty Images
With daughters Krisna and Anoushka and wife Akshata Murthy in July 2022. Getty Images
With daughters Krisna and Anoushka and wife Akshata Murthy in July 2022. Getty Images
Opening the Great Ayton Village Fete during the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. Getty Images
Opening the Great Ayton Village Fete during the queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ms Murthy speak to then-Prince Charles at a British Asian Trust event in February 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak and Ms Murthy speak to then-Prince Charles at a British Asian Trust event in February 2022. Getty Images
Mr Sunak arrives at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 when he was chancellor. Getty Images
Mr Sunak arrives at COP26 in Glasgow in November 2021 when he was chancellor. Getty Images
Holding the budget box as he departs 11 Downing Street to deliver his Autumn Budget in October 2021. Getty Images
Holding the budget box as he departs 11 Downing Street to deliver his Autumn Budget in October 2021. Getty Images
At a press conference on the 2021 Budget in London in March 2021. Getty Images
At a press conference on the 2021 Budget in London in March 2021. Getty Images
With former prime minister Boris Johnson during a visit to PD Ports on the River Tees in March 2021. Getty Images
With former prime minister Boris Johnson during a visit to PD Ports on the River Tees in March 2021. Getty Images
Mr Sunak poses with the budget box at 11 Downing Street in March 2021. Getty Images
Mr Sunak poses with the budget box at 11 Downing Street in March 2021. Getty Images
Meeting staff back at work after being furloughed at Hamleys toy shop in London, December 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Meeting staff back at work after being furloughed at Hamleys toy shop in London, December 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Mr Sunak visits the Imperial Clinic Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital, London, in November 2020. Getty Images
Mr Sunak visits the Imperial Clinic Research Facility at Hammersmith Hospital, London, in November 2020. Getty Images
Lighting a candle for Diwali on Downing Street, November 2020. Getty Images
Lighting a candle for Diwali on Downing Street, November 2020. Getty Images
Working on a speech in his flat above 11 Downing Street in November 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Working on a speech in his flat above 11 Downing Street in November 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak visit the headquarters of Octopus Energy in London in October 2020. Getty Images
Mr Johnson and Mr Sunak visit the headquarters of Octopus Energy in London in October 2020. Getty Images
With his 'Winter Economy Plan' outside 11 Downing Street in September 2020. AFP
With his 'Winter Economy Plan' outside 11 Downing Street in September 2020. AFP
Decorating a plate at Emma Bridgewater pottery in Stoke pottery in September 2020. Getty Images
Decorating a plate at Emma Bridgewater pottery in Stoke pottery in September 2020. Getty Images
Promoting 'eat out to help out' on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, in August 2020. Getty Images
Promoting 'eat out to help out' on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, in August 2020. Getty Images
A member of the public takes a selfie with Rishi Sunak during a visit to Scotland in August 2020. AFP
A member of the public takes a selfie with Rishi Sunak during a visit to Scotland in August 2020. AFP
Visiting a Wagamama restaurant in central London in July 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Visiting a Wagamama restaurant in central London in July 2020. Photo: HM Treasury
Rishi Sunak visits a Pret A Manger in Westminster in July 2020. HM Treasury
Rishi Sunak visits a Pret A Manger in Westminster in July 2020. HM Treasury
With Mr Johnson at his first Cabinet meeting after a reshuffle at 10 Downing Street in February 2020. Getty Images
With Mr Johnson at his first Cabinet meeting after a reshuffle at 10 Downing Street in February 2020. Getty Images
Mr Sunak speaks during a general election debate in Cardiff in November 2019. Getty Images
Mr Sunak speaks during a general election debate in Cardiff in November 2019. Getty Images
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THE BIO

Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland

Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers

Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum

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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile

Name: Infinite8

Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

The%20Afghan%20connection
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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SUNDAY 

Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton (5.30pm)
Leicester City v Everton (8pm)

 

MONDAY 
Burnley v Newcastle United (midnight)

The biog

Name: Fareed Lafta

Age: 40

From: Baghdad, Iraq

Mission: Promote world peace

Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi

Role models: His parents 

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea
Essentials

The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Los Angeles, from Dh4,975 return, including taxes. The flight time is 16 hours. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Aeromexico and Southwest all fly direct from Los Angeles to San Jose del Cabo from Dh1,243 return, including taxes. The flight time is two-and-a-half hours.

The trip
Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic’s eight-day Whales Wilderness itinerary costs from US$6,190 (Dh22,736) per person, twin share, including meals, accommodation and excursions, with departures in March and April 2018.

 

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
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
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Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

Specs

Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

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match details

Wales v Hungary

Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm

Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained

Defined Benefit Plan (DB)

A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.

Defined Contribution Plan (DC) 

A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.

The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):

British group

Coldplay

Foals

Bring me the Horizon

D-Block Europe

Bastille

British Female

Mabel

Freya Ridings

FKA Twigs

Charli xcx

Mahalia​

British male

Harry Styles

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Michael Kiwanuka

Stormzy​

Best new artist

Aitch

Lewis Capaldi

Dave

Mabel

Sam Fender

Best song

Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care

Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up

Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant

Dave - Location

Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart

AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove

Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved

Tom Walker - Just You and I

Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger

Stormzy - Vossi Bop

International female

Ariana Grande

Billie Eilish

Camila Cabello

Lana Del Rey

Lizzo

International male

Bruce Springsteen

Burna Boy

Tyler, The Creator

Dermot Kennedy

Post Malone

Best album

Stormzy - Heavy is the Head

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka

Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent

Dave - Psychodrama

Harry Styles - Fine Line

Rising star

Celeste

Joy Crookes

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THE SPECS

Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic

Power: 169bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Price: Dh54,500

On sale: now

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Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')

Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')

Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing 

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now. 

VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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While you're here
Read more from Aya Iskandarani
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

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

Tomorrow 2021
Company%20Profile
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List of alleged parties
  • May 15 2020: Boris Johnson is said to have attended a Downing Street pizza party
  • 27 Nov 2020: PM gives speech at leaving do for his staff
  • Dec 10 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson 
  • Dec 13 2020: Mr Johnson and his then-fiancee Carrie Symonds throw a flat party
  • Dec 14 2020: Shaun Bailey holds staff party at Conservative Party headquarters 
  • Dec 15 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
  • Dec 18 2020: Downing Street Christmas party 
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron 

Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville 

Rating: 4/5

TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance

- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills

- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month

- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues

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The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

THURSDAY'S FIXTURES

4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors

6.15pm Deccan Gladiators v Pune Devils

8.30pm Delhi Bulls v Bangla Tigers

Contracted list

Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Matt Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.

Updated: January 05, 2023, 5:53 AM`
Rishi SunakUK GovernmentLondonConservative Party