Israel seeks peace with the Middle East, says Yair Lapid in Abu Dhabi

Israel wants peace with its neighbours in the region, Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said on Tuesday as he opened the country's embassy in Abu Dhabi during the first official visit by a senior minister since relations were established last year with the UAE.

"We are standing here today because we chose peace over war," Mr Lapid said during the opening ceremony with Minister of Youth and Culture Noura Al Kaabi.

"Israel wants peace with its neighbours, with all its neighbours – we aren't going anywhere. The Middle East is our home, we're here to stay,” he said.

“We call on all the countries of the region to recognise that. And to come talk to us.”

He reiterated that the visit and agreements already made were just the beginning of relations between Israel and the UAE.

Israel's embassy is currently housed in a temporary location and has just three diplomats. However, Lior Haiat, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they were "planning for it to be a big one, an important one".

Mr Lapid's visit comes nine months after the UAE and Bahrain moved to normalise relations with Israel with the signing of the historic Abraham Accord at a White House ceremony with then-president Donald Trump and then prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As well as the UAE and Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have also begun normalising relations with Israel.

Over the past nine months, nearly 200,000 Israelis have visited the UAE and 12 agreements have been signed, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The new Israeli foreign minister and alternate prime minister tweeted a photo of himself on the El Al flight to Abu Dhabi on Tuesday morning.

"Making history: proud to represent the State of Israel on its first official visit to the United Arab Emirates," Mr Lapid tweeted in Hebrew and Arabic. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

He was then welcomed on Tuesday morning at Abu Dhabi airport by Minister of State Ahmed Al Sayegh with a short ceremony before he travelled to the new Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi for the inauguration ceremony.

Mr Lapid, a centrist, is credited as the mastermind behind a coalition that this month unseated veteran right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu after more than a decade in office.

His two-day visit to the UAE will end on Wednesday after he visits Expo 2020 Dubai, a world fair that will begin in October and where Israel has a pavilion.

Following the visit, he will inaugurate the Israeli consulate in Dubai.

Mr Lapid met US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Rome earlier this week. While in the Italian capital, he met Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif Al Zayani.

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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances

All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.

Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.

Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.

Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.

Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.

Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.

How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Heather, the Totality
Matthew Weiner,
Canongate