Amid the horror of air strikes and starvation in Gaza, missile and drone attacks in the Russia-Ukraine war and days of deadly cross-border violence between India and Pakistan, it is clear that leaders must redouble their efforts to find peace in our precarious world. However, while politicians and military figures grapple with the challenges of conflict, it is spiritual and social leaders who often act as important voices of conscience.
A vital and influential voice with resounding effect is that of the head of the Catholic Church. Therefore, when US-born cardinal Robert Prevost greeted well-wishers from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Thursday, it was significant that his first public speech as Pope Leo XIV began with the words: “Peace be with all of you.” Reflecting on the Second World War and the many conflicts raging today, the new leader of the world’s more than one billion Catholics said humanity faced “the tragedy of a third world war in pieces”.
Pope Leo’s high-profile focus on peace is not just timely – it also comes with moral authority. This is because, unlike many political leaders, the head of the Catholic Church is unbound by national elections or term limits. Almost every pontiff has died in office and many popes have been an enduring presence, calling for peace as epoch-making events shape the globe.
Pope Francis, Pope Leo’s predecessor, embodied this critical aspect of the papacy. A brave and persuasive figure from the global south, he was outspoken in his defence of human rights and stern in his criticisms of war, greed and unchecked materialism. He was also a person of significance for many in Arab and Muslim-majority countries who recognised his sincere and painstaking work to build bridges with different traditions.
It was significant that the new pontiff's first public speech as Pope Leo XIV began with the words: 'Peace be with all of you.'
Indeed, Pope Leo begins his papacy with a considerable reservoir of goodwill in the Middle East; on Saturday, Catholics in the region were urged by local clergy to pray for the new pontiff. Others outside the Christian tradition have welcomed Pope Leo too, with Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders saying the body was “confident in continuing the journey of dialogue and fraternity with his holiness in pursuit of peace, and in working together to promote the values of love, understanding and mutual acquaintance – for a better world and a future in which all enjoy security, peace and stability”.
Should Pope Leo choose to repeat Francis’s historic trip to the Emirates, many in the UAE – from all communities – will offer the pontiff a warm welcome. The country’s spirit of tolerance has helped to make the nation a success story and set an example to a fractious world. That Pope Leo has used his first public appearances to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of hostages and the resumption of humanitarian aid has not gone unnoticed. As he continues to champion the universal human values that underpinned his predecessor’s outreach to the Middle East, Pope Leo will find many in this part of the world receptive to his approach.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
AS IT STANDS IN POOL A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
TYPES%20OF%20ONLINE%20GIG%20WORK
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Coffee: black death or elixir of life?
It is among the greatest health debates of our time; splashed across newspapers with contradicting headlines - is coffee good for you or not?
Depending on what you read, it is either a cancer-causing, sleep-depriving, stomach ulcer-inducing black death or the secret to long life, cutting the chance of stroke, diabetes and cancer.
The latest research - a study of 8,412 people across the UK who each underwent an MRI heart scan - is intended to put to bed (caffeine allowing) conflicting reports of the pros and cons of consumption.
The study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, contradicted previous findings that it stiffens arteries, putting pressure on the heart and increasing the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke, leading to warnings to cut down.
Numerous studies have recognised the benefits of coffee in cutting oral and esophageal cancer, the risk of a stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.
The benefits are often linked to biologically active compounds including caffeine, flavonoids, lignans, and other polyphenols, which benefit the body. These and othetr coffee compounds regulate genes involved in DNA repair, have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower risk of insulin resistance, which is linked to type-2 diabetes.
But as doctors warn, too much of anything is inadvisable. The British Heart Foundation found the heaviest coffee drinkers in the study were most likely to be men who smoked and drank alcohol regularly.
Excessive amounts of coffee also unsettle the stomach causing or contributing to stomach ulcers. It also stains the teeth over time, hampers absorption of minerals and vitamins like zinc and iron.
It also raises blood pressure, which is largely problematic for people with existing conditions.
So the heaviest drinkers of the black stuff - some in the study had up to 25 cups per day - may want to rein it in.
Rory Reynolds
Take Me Apart
Kelela
(Warp)
The Porpoise
By Mark Haddon
(Penguin Random House)
The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
