Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Sultan Haitham of Oman on Thursday, on the final stop of the Turkish President's three-day Gulf tour.
The meeting took place behind closed doors at Al Alam Palace in Muscat, Oman’s capital, the Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing diplomatic sources.
Following their one-to-one talks, President Erdogan and Sultan Haitham co-chaired a meeting between their delegations and attended the signing ceremony for several bilateral agreements in areas including investment, information technology, military co-operation, defence and mining.
The two countries also announced the establishment of the Turkey-Oman Co-ordination Council to monitor the implementation of memoranda of understanding and agreements, and to strengthen bilateral co-operation, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The leaders agreed to a reciprocal visa exemption for their citizens to facilitate travel between the two nations. Oman welcomed Turkey’s decision to exempt Omani nationals from advance visa requirements, and Turkey announced a similar exemption for holders of ordinary Omani passports. The move reflects the deepening of bilateral relations, the ministry's statement added.
Mr Erdogan and his wife, Emine, arrived in Muscat on Wednesday for a two-day state visit. He has also visited Kuwait and Qatar on his tour.
Ankara has been seeking to strengthen economic ties, boost regional diplomacy and reduce its dependence on Russian energy – a request made by US President Donald Trump during Mr Erdogan’s visit to the White House in September.
During the tour, Mr Erdogan signed agreements with key Gulf partners covering areas including trade, defence, maritime transport, direct investment and energy co-operation.
Another focus of the trip was ensuring the ceasefire in Gaza endures – a deal Turkey helped to broker alongside the US, Egypt and Qatar.
In Qatar, Mr Erdogan and the Emir, Sheikh Tamim, held a closed-door meeting. “Our goal, as Qatar and Turkey, is to ensure the ceasefire in Gaza is permanent and to prevent any steps that could disrupt it,” Turkey’s ambassador Mustafa Goksu told Anadolu.
Mr Erdogan’s visit was “of particular importance given the circumstances and challenges facing the Arab region”, Qatar’s official news agency said.
Turkey and Qatar both have close ties with Hamas and played key roles in urging the militant group to accept the ceasefire deal to end more than two years of war in Gaza. More than 68,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks and much of the enclave is in ruins.
Nato member Turkey is involved in negotiations over sending troops to form part of an international stabilisation force in Gaza that would oversee security and eventually train new Palestinian police forces.
Egypt wants the stabilisation force envisaged in Mr Trump's peace plan to be led by US forces and to include Turkey, as part of its conditions for participating, sources have told The National.
On Tuesday, Mr Erdogan's delegation signed agreements on maritime transport, direct investment and energy co-operation with Kuwait.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Read more about the coronavirus
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The UAE's journey to space
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
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