Visiting the incredible pavilions at Expo 2020, I was struck by the optimistic message Dubai is sending to its millions of international visitors – that when the world comes together, we can create a better tomorrow.
It is a vision that is shared by the UK too, as demonstrated by our two countries’ strong and enduring links.
This celebration of innovation, sustainability and collaboration is an ethos that sits at the heart of my work with The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
In 2020, we established The Earthshot Prize. Inspired by president John F. Kennedy’s Moon Shot, The Prize aims to discover, accelerate and scale ground-breaking solutions to repair our world.
We are in a decisive decade for our planet. Over the next 10 years, if we do nothing, we will face increasingly devastating crises as a result of our changing climate. Or we can step up now and take the action needed to repair and regenerate our planet.
The choice we must make is obvious.
We must make this the decade of the Earthshot. A decade where we all step up to change the course of our planet’s future.
And while it won’t be easy, with optimism, innovation and partnership I firmly believe we can achieve the seemingly unachievable.
Our 2021 finalists showed us that change is possible. Like the astronauts of the 1960s, these are the pioneers. Their ideas and solutions show that we can choose a better and more sustainable path for our planet.
However, they cannot do it alone – they need support and investment to accelerate their work. That’s why I was thrilled to be part of the first-ever Earthshot Prize Innovation Showcase here in Dubai, where some of our fantastic 2021 finalists pitched their solutions to an influential audience of global business leaders, investors and philanthropists.
At the showcase, DP World chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem announced £1 million of funding for two Earthshot innovators to ramp up their work.
Earthshot Prize winner ‘Coral Vita’, whose innovative coral farming approach grows resilient coral up to 50 times faster than traditional methods, will receive £500,000 to expand the project from their base in The Bahamas and lay the foundations for the first-ever commercial land-based coral farm for reef restoration in the Middle East.
While it won’t be easy, with optimism, innovation and partnership I firmly believe we can achieve the seemingly unachievable
Another £500,000 will go to Earthshot Prize finalist ‘Living Seawalls’ to scale their work creating modular habitat panels which are fitted to coastal sea structures and bring marine life back to shorelines. DP World’s commitment will fund the design and installation of the largest living seawall on the planet adapted to support the native marine life of the UAE and wider region.
The Earthshot mission is more than just a prize. It is a global team effort to transform our future.
It is precisely this joining up of the right people, with the right skills and ambition that can unlock potential and change the world for the better.
But as well as looking to the future, we must safeguard the natural world that we have now.
Back in 2014, we established United for Wildlife to highlight that some of our world’s most iconic species were at risk of extinction due to poaching and the wider illegal wildlife trade.
We recognised that conservation charities acting alone stood no chance against this threat. It needed a joined-up approach. By bringing together transport and finance companies alongside charities and law enforcement agencies, we started to build a shared bank of knowledge, technology and training with the ultimate aim of ending this abhorrent trade.
DP World, owner of Jebel Ali Port here in Dubai, was one of the first to recognise and back our ambitious plans. Since then, its unwavering commitment to this work is a tremendous example of the impact private companies can have in the global effort to protect the planet.
It has been a leading supporter in forming an international network of partners and I am excited to see how it will pioneer new, cutting-edge technology at the port in Dubai and across its global network. This investment will help to dramatically improve detection rates of animal products in cargo.
On top of this, I’m delighted that Dubai Airport has also committed to a shared goal to join our network. This will make it harder for criminals to operate internationally.
Collectively, I hope that United for Wildlife and The Earthshot Prize will have a real, tangible impact on the future of our natural world here in the UAE and around the globe.
I know that the UAE, a longstanding friend of the UK, shares these same goals. It is a privilege to have been here and have had the opportunity to work with the Emirati people for the benefit of us all.
Together, with a little bit of optimism, we can achieve great things.
Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, is the second in line to the British throne
Jawan
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WWE TLC results
Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins
Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles
Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women's Championship against Nia Jax
Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match
Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre
Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match
Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match
Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day
R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox
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How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
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UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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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”.
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The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
Specs
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Stage 2
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix 4:18:30
2. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates 0:00:06
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma 0:00:06
4. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe 0:00:06
5. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:08
TOURNAMENT INFO
Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier
Jul 3- 14, in the Netherlands
The top two teams will qualify to play at the World T20 in the West Indies in November
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (captain), Chamani Seneviratne, Subha Srinivasan, Neha Sharma, Kavisha Kumari, Judit Cleetus, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Heena Hotchandani, Namita D’Souza, Ishani Senevirathne, Esha Oza, Nisha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi