UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the "real work starts now" as he told ministers in Northern Ireland to focus on day-to-day issues, not constitutional change, during a visit to the region on Monday.
The region’s government returned to work after a two-year impasse on Saturday, with Michelle O'Neill becoming its first leader from the Irish republican side.
Power-sharing was halted after Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) walked out in February 2022 in protest against post-Brexit trading arrangements, which it said undermined Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.
Under power-sharing rules, the administration in Belfast must include British unionists and Irish nationalists.
The party was coaxed into returning last week after the UK promised to eliminate most checks on goods moving to Northern Ireland from Britain.
Mr Sunak has insisted the priority now for leaders at Stormont should be delivering on the "day-to-day" concerns of people in Northern Ireland, not the possibility of a referendum on reunification with the republic of Ireland..
Speaking to broadcasters on a visit to Belfast, the Prime Minister dismissed any focus on a border poll after Ms O'Neill claimed one could be held in the next 10 years.
He said: "I had very constructive meetings this morning with the Executive, with political leaders across Stormont, and it is a historic and important day for the country, because Northern Ireland's politicians are back in charge, making decisions on behalf of their people, which is exactly how it should be.
"Now, our new deal gives them more funding and more powers than they have ever had, so they can deliver for families and businesses across Northern Ireland. And that's what everyone's priority is now.
"It is not constitutional change, it is delivering on the day-to-day things that matter to people."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, who was also at Stormont on Monday to mark the restoration of devolution, said Monday was about marking the return of power-sharing.
"Today is about marking the fact that the Good Friday Agreement, which we voted for in big numbers, north and south, is now functioning again," said Mr Varadkar, who has said he believes there will be a united Ireland in his lifetime.
"The Assembly is operating, the Executive, and hopefully the north-south [Implementation] bodies and ministerial council soon. I think today should be really about that rather than constitutional questions."
Visiting a school, Mr Sunak said the "future is undeniably brighter" for the children of Northern Ireland.
The DUP boycott left Northern Ireland’s 1.9 million people without a functioning administration to make key decisions as the cost of living soared and backlogs strained the creaking public health system.
Earlier, Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, who accompanied Mr Sunak on his visit, rejected claims by Stormont ministers that better funding is needed from the UK government as power-sharing returns.
The cabinet minister insisted the £3.3 billion ($4.14 billion) package offered by Westminster was "ample" for the Executive to "get on with the job".
But the Belfast administration says it is not enough.
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly, of the DUP, said the ministers in Belfast would be “seeking to ensure the UK government provides sufficient funding in a package to fulfil its promises on public sector pay”.
'Very positive day'
The UK and the Republic of Ireland both act as guarantors of the landmark Good Friday peace agreement.
Mr Varadkar described it as a "very positive day".
The two leaders met for a bilateral meeting at Parliament Buildings and Mr Sunak travelled the short distance to Stormont Castle for a meeting with Northern Ireland's first nationalist First Minister, Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, and her DUP counterpart, deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
As the meeting got under way inside the castle, Mr Sunak told the joint heads of the ministerial executive: "It has taken a lot of hard work and indeed courage to get us sitting round this table.
"Today isn't the end; it's the beginning, and the real work starts now."
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said "change is all around and must be managed" following her meeting with Mr Sunak.
Ms McDonald posted a picture of herself and new First Minister Michelle O'Neill meeting Mr Sunak and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
She said: "Early meeting with @10DowningStreet @RishiSunak in advance of first Executive.
"Change is all around and must be managed.
"Shared commitment to partnership and respect at heart of progress."
The new administration is led by Ms O’Neill of Sinn Fein, the party allied with the Irish Republican Army during Northern Ireland’s decades of violence known as The Troubles.
Her appointment was historic, marking the first time an Irish nationalist, who aspires to take Northern Ireland out of the UK and unite it with the republic, has held the post.
In practice, nationalists and unionists will continue to govern in uneasy balance.
The post of deputy first minister – held by Ms Little-Pengelly of the DUP – is officially equal to the first minister, and neither can govern without the other.
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Other simple ideas for sushi rice dishes
Cheat’s nigiri
This is easier to make than sushi rolls. With damp hands, form the cooled rice into small tablet shapes. Place slices of fresh, raw salmon, mackerel or trout (or smoked salmon) lightly touched with wasabi, then press, wasabi side-down, onto the rice. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Easy omurice
This fusion dish combines Asian fried rice with a western omelette. To make, fry cooked and cooled sushi rice with chopped vegetables such as carrot and onion and lashings of sweet-tangy ketchup, then wrap in a soft egg omelette.
Deconstructed sushi salad platter
This makes a great, fuss-free sharing meal. Arrange sushi rice on a platter or board, then fill the space with all your favourite sushi ingredients (edamame beans, cooked prawns or tuna, tempura veggies, pickled ginger and chilli tofu), with a dressing or dipping sauce on the side.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.4-inch IPS LCD, 400 nits, toughened glass
CPU: Unisoc T610; Mali G52 GPU
Memory: 4GB
Storage: 64GB, up to 512GB microSD
Camera: 8MP rear, 5MP front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 3.5mm audio
Battery: 8200mAh, up to 10 hours video
Platform: Android 11
Audio: Stereo speakers, 2 mics
Durability: IP52
Biometrics: Face unlock
Price: Dh849
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
If you go
The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road.
The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
