Welcome to The National's weekly news round up with journalist and broadcaster Tim Marshall.
This week, Tim looks at monumental reforms in Saudi Arabia which have granted women the right to drive, and reaction from around the world.
Results from Monday's referendum in Iraqi-held Kurdistan showed that 92.73 per cent of voters backed statehood, which has sparked international concern and angered Baghdad and its neighbours. The central government has repeatedly said the referendum was illegal.
Meanwhile, Catalonia heads into a watershed moment in its modern history this weekend, and no one really knows how it’s going to play out. Almost 7,000 volunteers are ready to open 2,315 polling stations across the region of 7.5 million people, but the Spanish government says there’s no way the regional administration will pull it off.
In Germany, Angela Merkel won an historic fourth term in power, and the strong anti-immigration, anti-Muslim and eurosceptic bloc called the Alternative for Germany party (AfD) has garnered nearly 100 seats in the national legislature.
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Read more:
[ Saudi women overjoyed to be hitting the road soon ]
[ Saudi driving decree is a profoundly emotional moment for the kingdom ]
[ International flights to Erbil are suspended after independence vote ]
[ China tells North Korea to pull back from the brink ]
[ Juncker: it will take a ‘miracle’ for trade talks to start in October ]
[ Germany's far-right steps out of the shadows and into parliament ]
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford
THE SPECS
Battery: 60kW lithium-ion phosphate
Power: Up to 201bhp
0 to 100kph: 7.3 seconds
Range: 418km
Price: From Dh149,900
Available: Now
TYPES OF ONLINE GIG WORK
Design, multimedia and creative work: Logo design, website design, visualisations
Business and professional management: Legal or management consulting, architecture
Business and professional support: Research support, proofreading, bookkeeping
Sales and marketing support: Search engine optimisation, social media marketing
Data entry, administrative, and clerical: Data entry tasks, virtual assistants
IT, software development and tech: Data analyst, back-end or front-end developers
Writing and translation: Content writing, ghost writing, translation
Online microtasks: Image tagging, surveys
Source: World Bank
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 299hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 420Nm at 2,750rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 12.4L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh157,395 (XLS); Dh199,395 (Limited)
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 2 (Willems 25', Shelvey 88')
Manchester City 2 (Sterling 22', De Bruyne 82')
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5