Saudi Arabia's King Salman attends a summit between Arab league and European Union member states, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Reuters
Saudi Arabia's King Salman attends a summit between Arab league and European Union member states, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Reuters
Saudi Arabia's King Salman attends a summit between Arab league and European Union member states, in the Red Sea resort of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Reuters
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait underline support for Palestinian cause at Arab-EU summit
Resolving the Palestinian issue is key to world stability, says Saudi ruler
Saudi Arabia's King Salman praised European efforts to defend the Palestinian cause and stressed his own country’s support for the stateless nation.
The Palestinian issue is the “first concern” for Arab countries, the Saudi monarch said on Sunday at the opening of the first EU-Arab summit at the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh.
“We reaffirm our firm position towards the restoration of all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, foremost of which is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he told the meeting, which is aimed at increasing Arab-European co-operation on trade, security and migration.
King Salman gets frequent updates on developments in Palestine from conversations with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who is also attending the summit.
“The resolution of the Palestinian issue is important not only for the stability of the Middle East but to the stability of the world and Europe in particular, and in this regard we appreciate the European efforts to find a just solution to this issue,” King Salmam said.
White House senior adviser Jared Kushner is heading to the region to discuss a long-awaited US proposal for peace in Palestine.
Mr Kushner is expected to visit every GCC country during a week-long trip to brief officials on the economic aspects of the plan.
But Arab officials are seemingly more concerned with the politics of the peace plan, which Mr Kushner said will not be revealed until after Israeli elections in April.
Kuwait's Emir Sabah Al Ahmad told leaders at the summit that neglecting the Palestinian issue would cause more tension in the Middle East.
"What we see today as hotbeds of tension in our region is due to this issue being overlooked and not achieving a just and comprehensive solution that the brotherly Palestinian people and the entire Arab people look forward to," the Kuwaiti ruler said.
He praised the European community's "progressive role" in the Palestinian cause, but said the Arab world was looking for "greater engagement and initiatives with this central issue and to make it a top priority for the international community”.
King Salman also called on the international community to apply pressure on Iran to stop supporting militias in the Middle East and cease its meddling in the region.
The logo of the first joint European Union and Arab League summit is pictured at the International Congress Centre in the Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. AFP
European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini speaks to the media. EPA
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel talks with Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. AFP
Leaders attend a round table meeting at the summit. AP
Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May and Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al Hariri in discussion during the family photo. Reuters
European Union Council President Donald Tusk and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attend the opening of the first LAS-EU Summit. EPA
Saudi Arabia's King Salman at the summit. Getty
EU and Arab league leaders pose for the joint photo. Getty
Egyptian flags fly in Sharm El Sheikh. Getty
Sheikh Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait , and British Prime Minister Theresa May hold bilateral talks. Getty
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minster Theresa May hold bilateral talks. Getty
“The Iranian regime is supporting militias in the region, with its aggressive practices and blatant interference in the affairs of other countries,” he said.
Iran’s support for the Houthi rebels in Yemen is undermining the kingdom’s efforts to find a political solution to the civil war, he said, and added that Saudi Arabia continues to make efforts to ensure the success of negotiations and the ceasefire agreement reached at talks in Sweden in December.
Arab and European leaders continued their discussions on regional challenges and co-operation on Monday.
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
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.
4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m
5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m
5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m
6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m
6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m
7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections:
4pm Zabardast
4.35pm Ibn Malik
5.10pm Space Blues
5.45pm Kimbear
6.20pm Barney Roy
6.55pm Matterhorn
7.30pm Defoe
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Scoreline
Switzerland 5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
not be younger than 25 years old
not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Santiago, via Sao Paolo cost from Dh5,295 with Emirates.
The trip
A five-day trip (not including two days of flight travel) was split between Santiago and in Puerto Varas, with more time spent in the later where excursions were organised by TurisTour.
When to go
The summer months, from December to February are best though there is beauty in each season
