Ten days after the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) met in Riyadh to patch up their differences, the Emir of Qatar took the reconciliation further by inviting the leadership of the UAE to Doha for talks.
On Friday, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, flew to Doha to discuss various matters with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad. The meeting draws a line under what has been a tense year for members of the GCC, and signals that, as the next GCC summit approaches, the region can once show the world that it is united. Sheikh Mohammed hit the nail on the head when he said that unity is the key for the region’s security and stability.
That is a positive development, on both personal and political levels. The photograph of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed walking together from the plane, hands clasped, was widely shared on social media over the weekend by Gulf citizens and residents. It underlined that the political very often is the personal. And vice versa. More than anything, it was this photograph that showed the importance of the friendship between the people of the Gulf states.
We have made the point before that the citizens of the GCC states are, quite literally, brothers: there are strong ties of family, friendship and business across the borders of the Gulf states. When there is political tension within the GCC, it affects people who live in the region in much the way that a family disagreement causes pain.
Politically, reconciliation was vital before next month’s summit in Doha. The Gulf is a small island of stability and prosperity in a region that is facing unprecedented challenges. These are difficult times for the Middle East, as two important countries, Syria and Iraq, face sectarianism, civil war and political upheaval. Other Arab Spring countries too, particularly Egypt and Yemen, face trying moments. There are other security challenges. Tackling all of these issues will require a united front.
“Our Gulf is one and our people are one,” goes the refrain of a popular Khaleeji song. Now, more than ever before, the Gulf needs to pull together.
Ahead of the UAE’s national day this week, it is worth recalling that not only are the seven emirates one nation, but the six Gulf states are also one – and that the Gulf does best when it speaks with one voice.
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Palestine and Israel - live updates
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 Cadillac XT4
Price, base: Dh145,000
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 237hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
MATCH INFO
Karnatake Tuskers 114-1 (10 ovs)
Charles 57, Amla 47
Bangla Tigers 117-5 (8.5 ovs)
Fletcher 40, Moores 28 no, Lamichhane 2-9
Bangla Tiger win by five wickets
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
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The view from The National
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
