Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence right; Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, left; Pope Francis, second left; and Dr Ahmad Al Tayeb, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Al Sharif, sign a commemorative stone at The Founders Memorial. Hamad Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
The signatures on a commemorative stone after the signing of the "Human Fraternity" document at The Founders Memorial. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs
Pope Francis and Dr Ahmad Al Tayeb greet each other after signing the Human Fraternity Document at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi. AFP
The religious leaders exchange documents. AFP
Pope Francis shakes hands with Dr Ahmad Al Tayeb. Reuters
The document seeks to encourage fraternal relationships between all people, bring an end to conflicts and help the poorest in society. AFP
Pope Francis signs the document. AFP
Dr Ahmad Al Tayeb signs the document. AFP
Pope Francis delivers a speech during the Founder's Memorial event. AFP
Pope Francis at the Founder's Memorial. The memorial is tribute to the UAE's founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Reuters
Pope Francis on stage. Reuters
Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb delivers his speech. AFP
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai delivers a speech during the Founder's Memorial event. AFP
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 4, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - (L-R) HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church and HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence, attend the Human Fraternity Meeting, at The Founders Memorial. ( Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 4, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohamed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region (L), HH Lt General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior (2nd L) and HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi Executive Council Member (2nd R), attend the Human Fraternity Meeting, at The Founders Memorial. ( Rashed Al Mansoori / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
Pope Francis adjusts his earphones. AFP
Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar arrive at the Founders Memorial. AFP
The event at the Founder's Memorial is a part of the Human Fraternity Meeting, which has been taking place in Abu Dhabi this week. AP Photo
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 4, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - Guests watch His Eminence Dr Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Al Sharif on screens deliver a speech during the Human Fraternity Meeting, at The Founders Memorial. ( Eissa Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
The Founder's Memorial stage in Abu Dhabi. Reuters
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 04, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence (C), His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church (R) and His Eminence Dr Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Al Sharif (L), arrive at the Human Fraternity Meeting, at The Founders Memorial. ( Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
Papal visit: Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi to mark a historic day for inter-faith relations - as it happened
The Pope is speaking at an interfaith meeting at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi
Pope Francis becomes first pontiff to visit Arabian Gulf - as it happened
History was made on Sunday when the wheels of Pope Francis's flight from Rome touched down in Abu Dhabi. The Pope's first day in the UAE will be a moment for all faiths to meet and build strong relationships based on religious tolerance.
Here you will find live coverage of the Pope's visit from The National's reporters across the UAE, as it happens. All times UTC+4
A powerful message from Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb.
We're wrapping up our live coverage of the Pope in the UAE tonight and leave you with our front page for tomorrow's edition above. Be sure to pick one up!
Tomorrow is the Pope's public Mass. We will be reporting live from tomorrow morning. Final preparations are taking place at Zayed Sports City.
Liz Cookman / The National
The National's Nick Webster will be with faithful in Dubai making their journey's in the small hours. You can follow him on Twitter.
And finally, check our special page - The Pope in the UAE - for the latest news, video and photography.
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21:45 Three days with The Pope
The National's Sofia Barbarani looks at the first day highlights of Pope Francis in the UAE
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21:30 What is the Human Fraternity Document?
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 04, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Defence (C), His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church (R) and His Eminence Dr Ahmad Al Tayyeb, Grand Imam of the Al Azhar Al Sharif (L), arrive at the Human Fraternity Meeting, at The Founders Memorial. ( Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
The Catholic Church and Al Azhar have pledged to convey the Human Fraternity Document to its authorities, influential leaders, persons of religion all over the world.
21:05 Pope and Grand Imam of Al Azhar first recipients of Human Fraternity Award
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20:56 Sheikh Mohamed: Document aims to reinforce values of tolerance
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20:26 Pope Francis tweets: God is with those who seek peace
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20:15 Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid: UAE proud to host historic meeting
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20:00 We must reject the word 'war'
The world must reject war and everything associated with it, the Pope said at the Founder's Memorial.
"Human fraternity requires of us, as representatives of the world's religions, the duty to reject every nuance of approval from the word 'war'. I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya," the Pope said during an interfaith meeting in Abu Dhabi attended by Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, the world's top Sunni Muslim cleric.
In his speech, Dr Al Tayeb said he and the Pope agreed that all faiths should be free from the actions of those who commit violence in the name of religion.
"We have agreed that all faiths are free from all the armed entities that are causing terror, whichever faith, doctrine, or ideologies they have," he said. "These are criminals, blood slaughterers and aggressors."
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19:40 Vatican and Al Azhar sign 'Human Fraternity Document'
Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb greet each other as they exchange documents during the Human Fraternity Meeting at the Founders Memorial. AFP
Pope Francis and Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb signed a Human Fraternity Document at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi.
The document seeks to encourage fraternal relationships between all people, bring an end to conflicts and help the poorest in society.
Speaking at the memorial Pope Francis said "hatred and violence" in the name of God cannot be justified, praising the value of education in reducing conflict.
Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb called on Muslims to protect Christian communities in the Middle East and Muslims in the West to integrate into their communities.
"You are part of this nation... You are not minorities," he said told Christians during a speech in Abu Dhabi.
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18:46 'Human Fraternity Document' signed at Founder's Memorial
Pope Francis and Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb walked either side of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, hand in hand as they arrived at the Founder's Memorial in darkness and to peaceful music.
The signing of a "Human Fraternity Document" at the Founder's Memorial, is seen as a historic moment in relations between the Al Azhar and the Vatican.
It is to be a declaration of "good and honest intentions" and a "guideline for future generations," a video describing the document said.
The document will aim to foster peace, human fraternity and help the poorest and most in need.
Speaking at the Founder's Memorial, the Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb called on Muslims to protect Christian communities, and that Christians are part of Middle Eastern nations, not minorities.
"You are part of this nation... You are not minorities," he said during a speech in Abu Dhabi.
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18:30 Pope Francis arrives at the Founder's Memorial
Pope Francis will arrive at the Founder's Memorial – a tribute to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of the UAE shortly.
Pope Francis is expected to make a speech at the Founder's Memorial covering fraternity and the positive effect religion can have on the world.
The event at the Founder's Memorial is a part of the Human Fraternity Meeting, which has been taking place in Abu Dhabi this week.
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17:12 Private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders begins
In a landmark moment for interfaith relations, Pope Francis will attend a private meeting of the members of the Muslim Council of Elders.
The meeting is expected to take between 30 to 45 minutes.
The National's reporter, Sofia Barbarani, is at the Grand Mosque, at a uniquely quiet time.
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17:08 Pope Francis arrives at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
A convoy of cars, carrying Pope Francis in the Kia Soul has arrived at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Pope Francis was met by the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif University, Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, who welcomed him to the mosque.
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16:55 Pope Francis' arrival is imminent
The live stream of Pope Francis' visit to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque has now begun and his arrival appears to be imminent.
The pontiff will attend a private meeting with the Muslim Concil of Elders.
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16:30 Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque ready for Pope's arrival
Pope Francis will soon arrive at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque for a meeting with the Muslim Council of Elders, after which he will attend an interfaith meeting at the Founder's Memorial.
Watch the Pope's arrival and his remarks at the memorial on this blog.
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16:20 A gift for the Pope: the title-deed to the first church in the UAE
The gift is a letter from the late Sheikh Shakbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan in 1963, providing land for the construction of the first Catholic church in Abu Dhabi. Ministry of Presidential Affairs
The Pope was given the title-deed to the first church in the UAE as a gift at the end of a meeting in the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid presented the Pope with a leather and wood box containing a document issued on 22nd June 1963 by the late Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the then Ruler of Abu Dhabi, granting a plot of land on the western side of Abu Dhabi to the Catholic Church.
St Joseph's church on Abu Dhabi's Corniche in 1965. Courtesy: St Joseph's
The commemorative gift also contained a historical picture of Sheikh Shakhbut with Bishop Luigi Magliacani da Castel del Piano, then the Catholic Vicar Apostolic of Arabia.
The plot of land is thought to be the first church in the UAE, St Joseph's - then located on the Corniche.
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15:20 Pope Francis' message in the Presidential Palace guest book
"I invoke upon your highness and all the people of the United Arab Emirates, the divine blessings of peace and fraternal security," Pope Francis wrote in the Presidential Palace's Guest Book, after thanking the UAE for its warm welcome and hospitality.
Pope Francis' message in the Presidential Palace's Guest Book. Vatican News.
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15:00 Sheikh Mohamed presented with a gift depicting historic 1219 meeting
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - February 4, 2019: Day two of the UAE papal visit - His Holiness Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church (R), presents a gift to HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (L), during an official reception at the Presidential Palace. ( Ryan Carter / Ministry of Presidential Affairs ) ---
After his meeting with Sheikh Mohamed, Pope Francis signed the ‘Book of Honour’ and presented the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi with a framed medallion depicting a historic meeting between two key figures in Islam and Christianity.
The medallion depicts the encounter between St. Francis of Assisi and the Sultan Malek Al Kamel which took place in 1219.
A Latin inscription of the Apostolic visit can be found around the border of the medallion, created by the artist Daniela Longo, whose imagery highlights the purpose of the trip, human fraternity and dialogue.
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14:35 A flying visit
In case you are flying while the public Mass takes place in Abu Dhabi tomorrow and are concerned you won't be able to watch it, fear not - as long as you are flying with Etihad.
Abu Dhabi's airline will have a live broadcast of the event on its in-flight entertainment screens and at its lounges worldwide.
Etihad is then flying the pontiff back to Rome’s Ciampino Airport on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
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14:30 The Grand Imam who shares a vision of peace
The arrival of the Grand Imam of Al Azhar Al Sharif University, Dr Ahmed Al Tayeb, is also of huge significance to the UAE's ongoing efforts to forge closer links between all faiths.
In the video below we explain who he is and why he is so important.
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14:20 Who is the Pope's Arabic translator?
When Pope Francis appears at his numerous public engagements there is often one man who is never far from his side.
Who is this person? It's Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid.
He's a Coptic Catholic priest, and is the Pontiff’s second personal secretary.
13:50 Sheikh Mohamed discusses tolerance with Pope Francis
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces has revealed what happened once they stepped inside the Presidential Palace.
He, along with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, discussed with the Pope "enhancing cooperation, consolidating dialogue, tolerance, human coexistence & important initiatives to achieve peace, stability and development for peoples and societies," according to this tweet...
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13:05 The Pope's car of choice ... a Kia
In a country full of some of the most stunning cars available to drive on regular roads, it was a more humble ride that Pope Francis used to arrive at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Rather than a muscular Range Rover or Nissan Patrol, it was a Kia Soul that the pontiff stepped out from, having been escorted to the palace by a cavalry of horses.
13:00 Sheikh Mohamed marks the official ceremony on Twitter
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12:00 Pope arrives
The Pope has now arrived at the Presidential Palace where he was greeted by Sheikh Mohamed.
A 21-gun salute was fired in honour of the pontiff, following which the Papal Anthem and that of the UAE were played as the Pope stood alongside Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed.
He then shook hands with a number of dignitaries before they filed into the palace.
Aircraft fly over the presidential palace inAbu Dhabi. AFP
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Pope Francis' schedule in full:
Monday, February 4
12pm: Welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: Meets Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, at Presidential Palace
5pm: Private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious meeting at the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: Private visit to St Joseph's Cathedral
10.30am: Public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: Farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: Departure by plane to Rome
5pm: Arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024. It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine. Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages]. The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts. With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians. Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved. Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world. The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE) Where: Allianz Arena, Munich Live: BeIN Sports HD Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
