Saudi Arabia's King Salman has invited leaders of the Gulf Co-operation Council to attend a Gulf-US summit in Riyadh during US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week, according to sources.
Mr Trump is scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE on the first official foreign trip of his second term.
His visit will begin in Riyadh, where he is expected to meet all GCC leaders. He will then travel to Doha and Abu Dhabi for bilateral meetings with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed.
The trip will “be dollar-deal-focused”, a US State Department official told The National. “We have Saudi, the UAE and potentially Qatar announcements as well.”
Major investment agreements, the Israel-Gaza war, Abraham Accords and tariffs are expected to dominate the agenda. A fourth round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran is also set to take place shortly before Mr Trump arrives.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the latest indirect talks would take place in Oman on Sunday. He is also expected to travel to Saudi Arabia and Qatar before Mr Trump's trip.
Mr Trump developed close ties with Gulf states during his first term. His return to the region comes amid efforts to deepen financial co-operation with these nations. He is seeking their investment in the US, and to secure support on regional flashpoints, including ending the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Gaza discussions
Mr Trump will arrive at a time of renewed concern over Gaza, after a ceasefire he took credit for in January failed to last as Israel launched new operations in the enclave.
Alarms have been raised over Israel's latest plans for Gaza, which include long-term occupation of its territory and food being delivered in secure zones. The US on Friday put forward an alternative suggestion that Israel could be in charge of securing humanitarian routes but not distributing aid.
“The Israelis are going to be involved in providing necessary military security, because it is a war zone, but they will not be involved in the distribution of the food, or even in the bringing of the food into Gaza,” said Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel.
The US-led initiative has been met with international criticism as it appears to sideline the United Nations and existing aid organisations. But Mr Huckabee said the US calls upon “people who have been concerned about it to join in this process”. He expressed hope that the plan could be put into action “very soon”.
Name debate
Reports emerged earlier that Mr Trump plans to announce that the US will officially refer to the sea between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran as the “Arabian Gulf” or “Gulf of Arabia”.
It follows Mr Trump's directive to rename the “Gulf of Mexico” as the “Gulf of America”, which has sparked controversy domestically and internationally.
The US proposal to change the name of the waterway from the “Persian Gulf” has drawn a backlash from Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi criticised the move on social media. The dispute has deep historical roots and is a sensitive issue in the region.
Donald Trump's 2017 visit to the Middle East – in pictures
Mr Trump then said he would make a final decision about how the US will refer to the body of water during his trip, adding that he does not want to “hurt anybody’s feelings”.
While the US military, particularly the Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain, has used the term “Arabian Gulf” to align with the preference of its host nation, the US federal government has traditionally used “Persian Gulf” in official documents. Mr Trump can change the name for official US purposes, but he cannot dictate what the rest of the world calls it.
Since April, Iran and the US have been engaged in several rounds of nuclear talks, with further negotiations expected in the coming days.
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
China and the UAE agree comprehensive strategic partnership
China and the UAE forged even closer links between the two countries during the landmark state visit after finalising a ten-point agreement on a range of issues, from international affairs to the economy and trade and renewable energy.
1. Politics: The two countries agreed to support each other on issues of security and to work together on regional and international challenges. The nations also confirmed that the number of high-level state visits between China and the UAE will increase.
2. Economy: The UAE offers its full support to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which will combine a land 'economic belt" and a "maritime silk road" that will link China with the Arabian Gulf as well as Southeast, South and Central China, North Africa and, eventually, Europe.
3. Business and innovation: The two nations are committed to exploring new partnerships in sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, energy, the aviation and transport industries and have vowed to build economic co-operation through the UAE-China Business Committee.
4. Education, science and technology: The Partnership Programme between Arab countries in Science and Technology will encourage young Emirati scientists to conduct research in China, while the nations will work together on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, renewable energy and space projects.
5. Renewable energy and water: The two countries will partner to develop renewable energy schemes and work to reduce climate change. The nations have also reiterated their support for the Abu Dhabi-based International Renewable Energy Agency.
6. Oil and gas: The UAE and China will work in partnership in the crude oil trade and the exploration and development of oil and natural gas resources.
7. Military and law enforcement and security fields: Joint training will take place between the Chinese and UAE armed forces, while the two nations will step up efforts to combat terrorism and organised crime.
8. Culture and humanitarian issues: Joint cultural projects will be developed and partnerships will be cultivated on the preservation of heritage, contemporary art and tourism.
9. Movement between countries: China and the UAE made clear their intent to encourage travel between the countries through a wide-ranging visa waiver agreement.
10. Implementing the strategic partnership: The Intergovernmental Co-operation Committee, established last year, will be used to ensure the objectives of the partnership are implemented.
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
F1 drivers' standings
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138
6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93
7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86
8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56
RACE RESULTS
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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