Pope Francis held a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-makes-history-with-muslim-dialogue-in-uae-195068">historic public mass</a> for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/opinions/pope-visit-boosts-uae-efforts-to-redefine-concepts-of-tolerance-195001">United Arab Emirates</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born.

The pontiff waved at the enthusiastic crowd carrying yellow Vatican flags and banners as he rode in an open-top Popemobile into Zayed Sports City Stadium, where an altar with a large cross was set up for the unprecedented open-air service in a country that normally restricts worship to inside churches.

The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, but unlike its larger neighbour, which outlaws all non-Muslim places of worship, Abu Dhabi allows Christians among its large migrant workforce to practise their faith discreetly.

Francis, who has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy, wrapped up his historic three-day visit with the mass.

The pope's public comments in Abu Dhabi have centred on calls to&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pope-arrives-in-uae-for-historic-gulf-visit-condemns-yemen-war-194933">end wars across the Middle East</a>&nbsp;and protect the rights of all citizens. In a homily on Tuesday, he turned to the tens of thousands of migrant workers living in the Emirates.&nbsp;

"It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future," the pope said. "But the Lord is faithful and does not abandon his people."

More than 135,000 &nbsp;

Pope Francis' trip has been warmly welcomed by Filipino and Indian Catholics among the UAE's huge migrant workforce. About one million Catholics live in the country, or about one in 10 of UAE residents.

Asian nationals make up some 65 per cent of the population and are crucial to all sectors in the oil-rich Gulf state, from construction to services and hotels.

The son of Italian immigrants who was raised in Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio — or Pope Francis — has paid particular attention to migrants and refugees during his papacy.

Inside the stadium on Tuesday, 50,000 Catholics with tickets to the mass cheered the pope on, with one small group hoisting a pink posterboard which read, "We the Catholics of Yemen love you".

Another 120,000 gathered outside, watching via video link on large screens.&nbsp;

Parishes across the UAE said 135,000 tickets to the pope's mass were distributed to parishioners. Some 4,000 tickets had been given to Muslims to attend the mass, according to the local churches.&nbsp;

A choir sang hymns as the pope, joined by priests of different nationalities, began the service at around 10:30 (0630 GMT), broadcast live on Emirati television.

The UAE invited the pope to visit as part of its 2019 "Year of Tolerance" which has its own designated ministry. Tolerance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak greeted the crowd at the stadium.&nbsp;

Yemen war&nbsp;

On Monday, the pope called for an end to wars in the turbulent Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria, at a meeting with a top sheikh and rabbi in the UAE.

All religious leaders had a "duty to reject every nuance of approval from the world war", he told the interfaith meeting.

"I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya," he said.

Yemen is in the grip of what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, triggered by the intervention of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in a civil war between the government and Shiite Muslim rebels.

While the pope did not openly discuss politics, he called for "the full recognition" of the rights of people across the Middle East, a potential reference to Christian minorities and communities including Shiites in Saudi Arabia, refugees, migrants and stateless peoples.

"I look forward to societies where people of different beliefs have the same right of citizenship and where only in the case of violence in any of its forms is that right removed," he said.

At their meeting, Monday, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning, signed a document on "human fraternity for world peace", hailed by the Vatican as an "important step forward in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims".

It called for "freedom of belief", the "promotion of a culture of tolerance", the "protection of places of worship" and "full citizenship" rights for minorities.

Pope Francis held a historic public mass for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born.

Pope Francis held a historic public mass for an estimated 170,000 Catholics at a stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday, capping the first ever papal visit to the Gulf where Islam was born. The pontiff waved at the enthusiastic crowd carrying yellow Vatican flags and banners as he rode in an open-top Popemobile into Zayed Sports City Stadium, where an altar with a large cross was set up for the unprecedented open-air service in a country that normally restricts worship to inside churches. The UAE borders Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, but unlike its larger neighbour, which outlaws all non-Muslim places of worship, Abu Dhabi allows Christians among its large migrant workforce to practise their faith discreetly. Francis, who has made outreach to Muslim communities a cornerstone of his papacy, wrapped up his historic three-day visit with the mass. The pope's public comments in Abu Dhabi have centred on calls to end wars across the Middle East and protect the rights of all citizens. In a homily on Tuesday, he turned to the tens of thousands of migrant workers living in the Emirates. "It is most certainly not easy for you to live far from home, missing the affection of your loved ones, and perhaps also feeling uncertainty about the future," the pope said. "But the Lord is faithful and does not abandon his people." More than 135,000 Pope Francis' trip has been warmly welcomed by Filipino and Indian Catholics among the UAE's huge migrant workforce. About one million Catholics live in the country, or about one in 10 of UAE residents. Asian nationals make up some 65 per cent of the population and are crucial to all sectors in the oil-rich Gulf state, from construction to services and hotels. The son of Italian immigrants who was raised in Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio — or Pope Francis — has paid particular attention to migrants and refugees during his papacy. Inside the stadium on Tuesday, 50,000 Catholics with tickets to the mass cheered the pope on, with one small group hoisting a pink posterboard which read, "We the Catholics of Yemen love you". Another 120,000 gathered outside, watching via video link on large screens. Parishes across the UAE said 135,000 tickets to the pope's mass were distributed to parishioners. Some 4,000 tickets had been given to Muslims to attend the mass, according to the local churches. A choir sang hymns as the pope, joined by priests of different nationalities, began the service at around 10:30 (0630 GMT), broadcast live on Emirati television. The UAE invited the pope to visit as part of its 2019 "Year of Tolerance" which has its own designated ministry. Tolerance Minister Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak greeted the crowd at the stadium. Yemen war On Monday, the pope called for an end to wars in the turbulent Middle East, including in Yemen and Syria, at a meeting with a top sheikh and rabbi in the UAE. All religious leaders had a "duty to reject every nuance of approval from the world war", he told the interfaith meeting. "I am thinking in particular of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya," he said. Yemen is in the grip of what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, triggered by the intervention of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and their allies in a civil war between the government and Shiite Muslim rebels. While the pope did not openly discuss politics, he called for "the full recognition" of the rights of people across the Middle East, a potential reference to Christian minorities and communities including Shiites in Saudi Arabia, refugees, migrants and stateless peoples. "I look forward to societies where people of different beliefs have the same right of citizenship and where only in the case of violence in any of its forms is that right removed," he said. At their meeting, Monday, the pope and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the imam of Cairo's Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's prestigious seat of learning, signed a document on "human fraternity for world peace", hailed by the Vatican as an "important step forward in the dialogue between Christians and Muslims". It called for "freedom of belief", the "promotion of a culture of tolerance", the "protection of places of worship" and "full citizenship" rights for minorities.

Francis holds first mass by pope on Arabian peninsula

The United Arab Emirates is projecting itself as a leader of inter-communal and inter-faith harmony with the first-ever visit by a Catholic pope to the Gulf and an inter-faith conference that is as much about dialogue as it is about absolute political control.

There is no doubt that the UAE is a leader in the Muslim world in promoting concepts of religious tolerance and prevention of religiously packages militancy.

The UAE has bolstered perceptions of its leadership by declaring&nbsp;February, the month of Pope Francis’s visit and the conference, a month of tolerance. The UAE is one of a few, if not the only country, that has a government ministry of tolerance.

The UAE, unlike its ally and more powerful neighbour, Saudi Arabia, increasingly allows adherents of other faiths like Jews, Christians and Hindus, to openly worship and practice their beliefs.

“Today, the UAE is home to 200 different nationalities, more than 40 churches and approximately 700 Christian ministries. Sikh and Buddhist temples welcome multinational congregations. Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke ground for a new Hindu temple. Evangelical Christian ministries abound in the country. The Jewish community is vibrant and growing,” Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the United States, noted in an op-ed in Politico.

In hosting the pope as the star of an inter-faith dialogue organised by the UAE-sponsored Council of Elders, entitled International Interfaith Meeting on Human Fraternity in the United Arab Emirates, the UAE hopes to cement its position as the icon of Muslim tolerance.

The council is a brainchild of Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning.

It groups Muslim scholars that in its words purportedly are “known for their wisdom, sense of justice, independence and moderateness…(to).,to promote peace, to discourage infighting and to address the sources of conflict, divisiveness and fragmentation in Muslim communities”

The council is part of a broader UAE and Saudi effort that includes groups like the Global Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies and the Sawab and Hedayah Centres that aim to counter the influence of controversial, Qatar-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and more political and militant Islamist forces.

The effort targets any political expression of Islam and promotes an interpretation of the faith that dictates absolute obedience to the ruler. It competes with Turkish efforts to globally promote a more activist form of Islam supportive of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarianism and Morocco’s projection of itself as a paradigm of Islamic moderation.

Timed to coincide with the council’s meeting, Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, a former Saudi justice minister and secretary general of Saudi Arabia’s Muslim World League, once a major vehicle for the propagation of the kingdom’s intolerant ultra-conservative strand of Islam, highlighted his inter-faith outreach in an op-ed in Newsweek magazine.

“I have travelled to the Vatican to elevate interfaith understanding with His Holiness, Pope Francis. I visited the Grand Synagogue of Paris and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I welcomed the highest-level delegation of US evangelical Christian leaders ever to visit Saudi Arabia… Among my proudest achievements (as justice minister) was licensing Saudi Arabia’s first women lawyers. I also reformed the Saudi judiciary system,” Al-Issa wrote.

While segments of the justice system were indeed reformed, it remains a system that equates atheism with terrorism, enables authorities to imprison people for the slightest expression of criticism and allows for an anti-corruption campaign that lacks transparency and accountability and has the appearance of a power and asset grab.

In line with ultra-conservative precepts, Al-Issa’s past track record includes denunciation of witchcraft defined as including, among other things astrology, the use of plants for medicine, palm-reading, and animal calling.

In a bid to deprive the council as well as the league of a monopoly on Muslim empathy with non-Muslim groups, Iranian-born Australian Shiite Muslim imam Mohamad Tawhid tweeted on Sunday about his visit to Auschwitz, one of Nazi Germany’s foremost extermination camps for Jews.

“I am proud to be the first ‘Shia’ Muslim Imam to pay his respects at Auschwitz,” Tawhid said in a tweet hashtagged #NeverAgain and featuring a picture of himself sporting a black T-shirt with the slogan #WeRemember.

While there can be no doubt that the UAE’s example of tolerance of non-Muslim belief systems constitutes an important contribution to more harmonious inter-faith relations, there is also little question that it is part of an effort to fortify autocratic rule in the greater Middle East and cement an environment that is intolerant towards any form of criticism or dissent.

In doing so, the UAE’s advocacy of religious tolerance and political intolerance is part of a global struggle about values that underlies tectonic shifts shaping a new world order. That struggle involves a redefinition of concepts of tolerance designed to ensure autocratic regime survival and enhance ways of avoiding and/or resolving conflict without bolstering transparency, accountability and a free flow of ideas.

The dark side of the UAE’s concept of tolerance manifests itself in the country’s conduct together with Saudi Arabia of its four-year-old war in Yemen, the 20-month-old rift in the Gulf with Qatar, and its harsh repression of dissent and freedom of expression

In a letter to the pope, Human Rights Watch called on Pope Francis to use his visit to press the government to address “the serious human rights violations by its forces in Yemen and to end its repression of critics at home.”

The human rights group asserted that the Saudi-UAE military coalition in Yemen had “indiscriminately bombed homes, markets, and schools, impeded the delivery of humanitarian aid, and used widely banned cluster munitions. Domestically, UAE authorities have carried out a sustained assault on freedom of expression and association since 2011. And the many thousands of low-paid migrant workers in the country remain acutely vulnerable to forced labour.”

Sarah Leah Whitson, the group’s Middle East and North Africa director, argued that the Pope was in a position to capitalise on the fact that the UAE is sensitive about its international image that is to a significant extent dependent on projecting itself as a cutting-edge proponent of tolerance in the Muslim world.

In a more hard-hitting comment, Islam scholar Usaama al-Azmi warned that “whether engaged in brutal wars like the one in Yemen with hundreds of thousands displaced and tens of thousands killed or crushing dissent and political liberties at home, the UAE government is no better than its neighbour next door. Yet its savvy PR means that such matters frequently fall below the radar of international observers.”

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

The United Arab Emirates is projecting itself as a leader of inter-communal and inter-faith harmony with the first-ever visit by a Catholic pope to the Gulf and an inter-faith conference that is as much about dialogue as it is about absolute political control.

The United Arab Emirates is projecting itself as a leader of inter-communal and inter-faith harmony with the first-ever visit by a Catholic pope to the Gulf and an inter-faith conference that is as much about dialogue as it is about absolute political control. There is no doubt that the UAE is a leader in the Muslim world in promoting concepts of religious tolerance and prevention of religiously packages militancy. The UAE has bolstered perceptions of its leadership by declaring February, the month of Pope Francis’s visit and the conference, a month of tolerance. The UAE is one of a few, if not the only country, that has a government ministry of tolerance. The UAE, unlike its ally and more powerful neighbour, Saudi Arabia, increasingly allows adherents of other faiths like Jews, Christians and Hindus, to openly worship and practice their beliefs. “Today, the UAE is home to 200 different nationalities, more than 40 churches and approximately 700 Christian ministries. Sikh and Buddhist temples welcome multinational congregations. Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi broke ground for a new Hindu temple. Evangelical Christian ministries abound in the country. The Jewish community is vibrant and growing,” Yousef al-Otaiba, the UAE’s ambassador to the United States, noted in an op-ed in Politico. In hosting the pope as the star of an inter-faith dialogue organised by the UAE-sponsored Council of Elders, entitled International Interfaith Meeting on Human Fraternity in the United Arab Emirates, the UAE hopes to cement its position as the icon of Muslim tolerance. The council is a brainchild of Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar, the revered 1,000-year-old seat of Sunni Muslim learning. It groups Muslim scholars that in its words purportedly are “known for their wisdom, sense of justice, independence and moderateness…(to).,to promote peace, to discourage infighting and to address the sources of conflict, divisiveness and fragmentation in Muslim communities” The council is part of a broader UAE and Saudi effort that includes groups like the Global Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies and the Sawab and Hedayah Centres that aim to counter the influence of controversial, Qatar-based Islamic scholar, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the Muslim Brotherhood, and more political and militant Islamist forces. The effort targets any political expression of Islam and promotes an interpretation of the faith that dictates absolute obedience to the ruler. It competes with Turkish efforts to globally promote a more activist form of Islam supportive of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s authoritarianism and Morocco’s projection of itself as a paradigm of Islamic moderation. Timed to coincide with the council’s meeting, Muhammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, a former Saudi justice minister and secretary general of Saudi Arabia’s Muslim World League, once a major vehicle for the propagation of the kingdom’s intolerant ultra-conservative strand of Islam, highlighted his inter-faith outreach in an op-ed in Newsweek magazine. “I have travelled to the Vatican to elevate interfaith understanding with His Holiness, Pope Francis. I visited the Grand Synagogue of Paris and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. I welcomed the highest-level delegation of US evangelical Christian leaders ever to visit Saudi Arabia… Among my proudest achievements (as justice minister) was licensing Saudi Arabia’s first women lawyers. I also reformed the Saudi judiciary system,” Al-Issa wrote. While segments of the justice system were indeed reformed, it remains a system that equates atheism with terrorism, enables authorities to imprison people for the slightest expression of criticism and allows for an anti-corruption campaign that lacks transparency and accountability and has the appearance of a power and asset grab. In line with ultra-conservative precepts, Al-Issa’s past track record includes denunciation of witchcraft defined as including, among other things astrology, the use of plants for medicine, palm-reading, and animal calling. In a bid to deprive the council as well as the league of a monopoly on Muslim empathy with non-Muslim groups, Iranian-born Australian Shiite Muslim imam Mohamad Tawhid tweeted on Sunday about his visit to Auschwitz, one of Nazi Germany’s foremost extermination camps for Jews. “I am proud to be the first ‘Shia’ Muslim Imam to pay his respects at Auschwitz,” Tawhid said in a tweet hashtagged #NeverAgain and featuring a picture of himself sporting a black T-shirt with the slogan #WeRemember. While there can be no doubt that the UAE’s example of tolerance of non-Muslim belief systems constitutes an important contribution to more harmonious inter-faith relations, there is also little question that it is part of an effort to fortify autocratic rule in the greater Middle East and cement an environment that is intolerant towards any form of criticism or dissent. In doing so, the UAE’s advocacy of religious tolerance and political intolerance is part of a global struggle about values that underlies tectonic shifts shaping a new world order. That struggle involves a redefinition of concepts of tolerance designed to ensure autocratic regime survival and enhance ways of avoiding and/or resolving conflict without bolstering transparency, accountability and a free flow of ideas. The dark side of the UAE’s concept of tolerance manifests itself in the country’s conduct together with Saudi Arabia of its four-year-old war in Yemen, the 20-month-old rift in the Gulf with Qatar, and its harsh repression of dissent and freedom of expression In a letter to the pope, Human Rights Watch called on Pope Francis to use his visit to press the government to address “the serious human rights violations by its forces in Yemen and to end its repression of critics at home.” The human rights group asserted that the Saudi-UAE military coalition in Yemen had “indiscriminately bombed homes, markets, and schools, impeded the delivery of humanitarian aid, and used widely banned cluster munitions. Domestically, UAE authorities have carried out a sustained assault on freedom of expression and association since 2011. And the many thousands of low-paid migrant workers in the country remain acutely vulnerable to forced labour.” Sarah Leah Whitson, the group’s Middle East and North Africa director, argued that the Pope was in a position to capitalise on the fact that the UAE is sensitive about its international image that is to a significant extent dependent on projecting itself as a cutting-edge proponent of tolerance in the Muslim world. In a more hard-hitting comment, Islam scholar Usaama al-Azmi warned that “whether engaged in brutal wars like the one in Yemen with hundreds of thousands displaced and tens of thousands killed or crushing dissent and political liberties at home, the UAE government is no better than its neighbour next door. Yet its savvy PR means that such matters frequently fall below the radar of international observers.” (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

Pope visit boosts UAE efforts to redefine concepts of tolerance

Weeks after alleged AgustaWestland chopper deal middleman Christian Michel was extradited to India from the UAE, Dr Ahmed Albanna-- gulf country envoy to India -- credited personal touch between UAE and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for the expedited extradition.

Interacting with media in Delhi, Albanna said, "The close relationship, the very very important strategic and the personal touch in the relationship that counts, that sometimes makes things that don't happen in one year to happen in one day". 
&nbsp; 
He also said, "We do have a very good collaboration and cooperation, and we have signed an agreement in terms of giving information, security collaboration so on."

Christian Michel is the key middleman in the Rs 3600 Crores AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam and was extradited from UAE in December of 2018.&nbsp;

India had sent extradition request in 2017 to UAE and after a lengthy legal battle in UAE courts, he was extradited to India on 4th December 2019.&nbsp;

New Delhi has also given consular access to the United Kingdom for Michel. Notably, Michel is a British national who has been extradited from a third country, that is UAE. In the last four years, 16 fugitive criminals have been extradited back to India.

On India-UAE ties, Albanna said, "Bilateral ties are at its peak with high-level visits in many different sectors by ministers and CEOs. India is a major economic partner. We want to keep up with the relationship. We make sure things are on the right track. We have a special relationship because of the visits of PM Modi and crown prince of Abu Dhabi"

PM Modi visited UAE in August of 2015 followed by the visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in February of 2016.

Crown Prince was the Chief guest at India's Republic day in 2017 which was his second visit to India. Following the visit, PM Modi visited Dubai in 2018 for the sixth World Government Summit.

UAE has announced that it will build the first Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp;

Indian population in UAE currently stands at around 3.3 million, making it the largest concentration of Indian nationals outside India.&nbsp;

Weeks after alleged AgustaWestland chopper deal middleman Christian Michel was extradited to India from the UAE, Dr Ahmed Albanna-- gulf country envoy to India -- credited personal touch between UAE and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for the expedited extradition.

Weeks after alleged AgustaWestland chopper deal middleman Christian Michel was extradited to India from the UAE, Dr Ahmed Albanna-- gulf country envoy to India -- credited personal touch between UAE and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday for the expedited extradition. Interacting with media in Delhi, Albanna said, "The close relationship, the very very important strategic and the personal touch in the relationship that counts, that sometimes makes things that don't happen in one year to happen in one day". He also said, "We do have a very good collaboration and cooperation, and we have signed an agreement in terms of giving information, security collaboration so on." Christian Michel is the key middleman in the Rs 3600 Crores AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam and was extradited from UAE in December of 2018. India had sent extradition request in 2017 to UAE and after a lengthy legal battle in UAE courts, he was extradited to India on 4th December 2019. New Delhi has also given consular access to the United Kingdom for Michel. Notably, Michel is a British national who has been extradited from a third country, that is UAE. In the last four years, 16 fugitive criminals have been extradited back to India. On India-UAE ties, Albanna said, "Bilateral ties are at its peak with high-level visits in many different sectors by ministers and CEOs. India is a major economic partner. We want to keep up with the relationship. We make sure things are on the right track. We have a special relationship because of the visits of PM Modi and crown prince of Abu Dhabi" PM Modi visited UAE in August of 2015 followed by the visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to India in February of 2016. Crown Prince was the Chief guest at India's Republic day in 2017 which was his second visit to India. Following the visit, PM Modi visited Dubai in 2018 for the sixth World Government Summit. UAE has announced that it will build the first Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi. Indian population in UAE currently stands at around 3.3 million, making it the largest concentration of Indian nationals outside India.

Christian Michel extradition to India was expedited due to close ties: UAE envoy

Unmistakable signs of an economic slowdown in the Gulf have started causing concern in our own country. After decades of carefree spending and burgeoning development cutbacks and laydowns have transmitted tremor waves signalling unprecedented threats. It may be premature to reach the conclusion that the boom has turned to bust but apprehensions about mutually beneficial shared future are not unjustified.

A quick look at the map reminds us how close UAE is. It is bordered by Saudi Arab to the West, Iran, Qatar and opens out to the Persian. It is buffeted by the power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arab and can't remain unaffected by the long-raging strife in the middle east-Iraq and Syria. What has eroded the wealth and self-confidence of the Sheikhs is a steady fall in oil and gas prices. When even Saudi Arabia is feeling the painful pinch the UAE can’t remain in denial. The era of tax-free incomes is over. Cuts in government spending have resulted in a sharp fall in real estate prices and rentals. Expensive and expansive plans for ambitious pursuit of grandeur are no longer on the anvil.

It is estimated that over 90 per cent of the population of UAE is immigrants most of them South Asians. Remittances from those working ‘overseas’ in the Gulf have in recent years contributed significantly to our foreign exchange reserves and also have had a very significant effect on living standards in villages in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu that have been major beneficiaries of the economic boom

Though Indians have traded with Arabs for millennia- much before the advent of Islam- very few Indians recognise the seven sultanates that comprise the United Arab Emirates as neighbours. What is quite ironical as ‘Duty-Free’ Dubai and Affluent Laid Back Abu Dhabi are among the most popular destinations for well healed Indian tourists and immigrants in search of lucrative jobs.&nbsp;

Doctors, engineers, managers, journalists and accountants along with skilled and unskilled workers have found a semi-permanent home away from home in the Gulf. The looming economic crisis has resulted in their dreams suddenly turning into a nightmare.&nbsp;

Till the mid-1960s these sultanates were British Protectorate and known as the Trucial States. Since then their transformation has been dramatic. From backward colonial dependencies in a desert wasteland, the Federation of Gulf states has emerged as a bustling hub of financial activity and a region of geopolitical significance. Indians, Nepali, Bangladeshi not to forget Pakistani have flocked to the Eldorado in the Gulf.

One Day Cricket, the popularity of Bollywood films have forged a strong bilateral relationship. But for those living in the Hindi Heartland, the UAE in recent past has registered as a blip on the mental radar where the dreaded gangster Dawood Ibrahim was holed up beyond the reach of Indian law enforcement agencies. It is difficult to understand the lack of awareness and interest in what for all practical purposes is a proximate neighbourhood of economic and strategic significance.&nbsp;

Perceptions need to change and fast. 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Unmistakable signs of an economic slowdown in the Gulf have started causing concern in our own country. After decades of carefree spending and burgeoning development cutbacks and laydowns have transmitted tremor waves signalling unprecedented threats.

Unmistakable signs of an economic slowdown in the Gulf have started causing concern in our own country. After decades of carefree spending and burgeoning development cutbacks and laydowns have transmitted tremor waves signalling unprecedented threats. It may be premature to reach the conclusion that the boom has turned to bust but apprehensions about mutually beneficial shared future are not unjustified. A quick look at the map reminds us how close UAE is. It is bordered by Saudi Arab to the West, Iran, Qatar and opens out to the Persian. It is buffeted by the power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arab and can't remain unaffected by the long-raging strife in the middle east-Iraq and Syria. What has eroded the wealth and self-confidence of the Sheikhs is a steady fall in oil and gas prices. When even Saudi Arabia is feeling the painful pinch the UAE can’t remain in denial. The era of tax-free incomes is over. Cuts in government spending have resulted in a sharp fall in real estate prices and rentals. Expensive and expansive plans for ambitious pursuit of grandeur are no longer on the anvil. It is estimated that over 90 per cent of the population of UAE is immigrants most of them South Asians. Remittances from those working ‘overseas’ in the Gulf have in recent years contributed significantly to our foreign exchange reserves and also have had a very significant effect on living standards in villages in states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu that have been major beneficiaries of the economic boom Though Indians have traded with Arabs for millennia- much before the advent of Islam- very few Indians recognise the seven sultanates that comprise the United Arab Emirates as neighbours. What is quite ironical as ‘Duty-Free’ Dubai and Affluent Laid Back Abu Dhabi are among the most popular destinations for well healed Indian tourists and immigrants in search of lucrative jobs. Doctors, engineers, managers, journalists and accountants along with skilled and unskilled workers have found a semi-permanent home away from home in the Gulf. The looming economic crisis has resulted in their dreams suddenly turning into a nightmare. Till the mid-1960s these sultanates were British Protectorate and known as the Trucial States. Since then their transformation has been dramatic. From backward colonial dependencies in a desert wasteland, the Federation of Gulf states has emerged as a bustling hub of financial activity and a region of geopolitical significance. Indians, Nepali, Bangladeshi not to forget Pakistani have flocked to the Eldorado in the Gulf. One Day Cricket, the popularity of Bollywood films have forged a strong bilateral relationship. But for those living in the Hindi Heartland, the UAE in recent past has registered as a blip on the mental radar where the dreaded gangster Dawood Ibrahim was holed up beyond the reach of Indian law enforcement agencies. It is difficult to understand the lack of awareness and interest in what for all practical purposes is a proximate neighbourhood of economic and strategic significance. Perceptions need to change and fast. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Assessing the impact of economic slowdown in Gulf on India

<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uae-to-deposit-3-billion-in-pakistan-central-bank-185664&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj9tajHiIPgAhVIbn0KHY3VCLMQFggLMAI&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3UsF9OAaAk0Q1gZDuno97Q">Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)</a> on Tuesday signed a $3 billion bailout package, as part of Abu Dhabi's support to boost the cash-strapped country's dwindling dollar reserves. 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/uaes-us-62-billion-bail-out-package-for-pakistan-188460&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwj9tajHiIPgAhVIbn0KHY3VCLMQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OI50rM-3WQ1PPSaS3cSlz">The UAE </a>in December last year had announced to provide $3 billion financial assistance to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia made a similar commitment to help Islamabad successfully overcome international payment crisis and to avoid a stringent International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal.

Tuesday's agreement was signed between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) chief Tariq Bajwa and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi.

"UAE has formalized $3 billion deposit in the State Bank of Pakistan. DG ADFD &amp; the Governor SBP inked the agreement at #ADFD Headquarters in Abu Dhabi," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted.

He said the agreement will help Pakistan achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges and noted ADFD's support over the years to stimulate Pakistan's economic growth and sustainable development.&nbsp;

Speaking on the occasion, Suwaidi said, "The directive to deposit USD 3 billion with the State Bank of Pakistan aligns with the UAE leadership's keenness to bolster Pakistan's economy, help its government achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges, and drive comprehensive development in the country."

He added, "ADFD and the Government of Pakistan have enjoyed strong and long-standing ties dating back to 1981. The Fund's efforts have significantly contributed to improving socio-economic conditions in the country, boosting strategic growth and achieving the development priorities of the Pakistani government.

To date, ADFD has provided AED 1.5 billion to fund sustainable development projects in Pakistan spanning diverse sectors, including transport, water and agriculture, healthcare, and education, according to a press release.

The UAE had committed the financial assistance during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Qatar last month to seek investment and provision of LNG on deferred payments.&nbsp;

Pakistan has a 15-year contract with Qatar for the supply of LNG.

The Saudi and the UAE governments have played a major role in helping Pakistan to meet around $12 billion shortfall in balance of payments in 2018-19 fiscal year, government officials said.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday signed a $3 billion bailout package, as part of Abu Dhabi's support to boost the cash-strapped country's dwindling dollar reserves.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Tuesday signed a $3 billion bailout package, as part of Abu Dhabi's support to boost the cash-strapped country's dwindling dollar reserves. The UAE in December last year had announced to provide $3 billion financial assistance to Pakistan after Saudi Arabia made a similar commitment to help Islamabad successfully overcome international payment crisis and to avoid a stringent International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal. Tuesday's agreement was signed between State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) chief Tariq Bajwa and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Director General Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi. "UAE has formalized $3 billion deposit in the State Bank of Pakistan. DG ADFD & the Governor SBP inked the agreement at #ADFD Headquarters in Abu Dhabi," Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal tweeted. He said the agreement will help Pakistan achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges and noted ADFD's support over the years to stimulate Pakistan's economic growth and sustainable development. Speaking on the occasion, Suwaidi said, "The directive to deposit USD 3 billion with the State Bank of Pakistan aligns with the UAE leadership's keenness to bolster Pakistan's economy, help its government achieve financial stability and overcome economic challenges, and drive comprehensive development in the country." He added, "ADFD and the Government of Pakistan have enjoyed strong and long-standing ties dating back to 1981. The Fund's efforts have significantly contributed to improving socio-economic conditions in the country, boosting strategic growth and achieving the development priorities of the Pakistani government. To date, ADFD has provided AED 1.5 billion to fund sustainable development projects in Pakistan spanning diverse sectors, including transport, water and agriculture, healthcare, and education, according to a press release. The UAE had committed the financial assistance during Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Qatar last month to seek investment and provision of LNG on deferred payments. Pakistan has a 15-year contract with Qatar for the supply of LNG. The Saudi and the UAE governments have played a major role in helping Pakistan to meet around $12 billion shortfall in balance of payments in 2018-19 fiscal year, government officials said.

Pakistan, UAE sign $3 billion bailout package

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-says-gulf-alliance-needs-replacing-184365">Qatar's foreign minister</a> ruled out on Monday the possibility of re-opening an embassy in Damascus, in line with some other Gulf countries, calling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a war criminal.

"Normalisation (of relations) with the Syrian regime at this stage is the normalisation of a person involved in war crimes, and this should not be acceptable," said Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at a Doha press conference.

Al-Thani said the reasons why Assad — who was elected unopposed in 2000 and has stayed in power during nearly eight years of civil war — was excluded from the international community are still in place.

He added that Damascus under Assad should not be allowed back into the Arab League — its membership was suspended in 2011 — as "the Syrian people are still under bombardment... by the Syrian regime".

His comments come after Gulf neighbours the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced late last month they reopened their Damascus embassies.

The UAE's foreign minister Anwar Gargash tweeted that his country was doing so in part because of the influence of Iran and one of Qatar's strongest allies, Turkey, in Syria.

Tehran has been a staunch supporter of Assad's government and has expanded its military footprint in Syria throughout the course of the conflict.

That move also emphasised the foreign policy differences between the three Gulf states.

For the past 19 months, Qatar has been in a deep diplomatic dispute with the UAE and Bahrain, in part over the direction of Doha's regional foreign policy in recent years.

Qatar has been instrumental in the Syrian civil war supplying weapons to rebel groups, according to institutions such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Syria's opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri has pleaded with Arab leaders not to rebuild relation with Assad as his government now controls almost two-thirds of the country following military backing from Russia and Iran.

'Normalisation (of relations) with the Syrian regime at this stage is the normalisation of a person involved in war crimes, and this should not be acceptable,' said Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

Qatar's foreign minister ruled out on Monday the possibility of re-opening an embassy in Damascus, in line with some other Gulf countries, calling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a war criminal. "Normalisation (of relations) with the Syrian regime at this stage is the normalisation of a person involved in war crimes, and this should not be acceptable," said Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at a Doha press conference. Al-Thani said the reasons why Assad — who was elected unopposed in 2000 and has stayed in power during nearly eight years of civil war — was excluded from the international community are still in place. He added that Damascus under Assad should not be allowed back into the Arab League — its membership was suspended in 2011 — as "the Syrian people are still under bombardment... by the Syrian regime". His comments come after Gulf neighbours the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced late last month they reopened their Damascus embassies. The UAE's foreign minister Anwar Gargash tweeted that his country was doing so in part because of the influence of Iran and one of Qatar's strongest allies, Turkey, in Syria. Tehran has been a staunch supporter of Assad's government and has expanded its military footprint in Syria throughout the course of the conflict. That move also emphasised the foreign policy differences between the three Gulf states. For the past 19 months, Qatar has been in a deep diplomatic dispute with the UAE and Bahrain, in part over the direction of Doha's regional foreign policy in recent years. Qatar has been instrumental in the Syrian civil war supplying weapons to rebel groups, according to institutions such as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Syria's opposition leader Nasr al-Hariri has pleaded with Arab leaders not to rebuild relation with Assad as his government now controls almost two-thirds of the country following military backing from Russia and Iran.

Qatar rejects normalising ties with 'criminal' Syrian President Assad

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-optimistic-syria-kurds-turkey-can-be-protected-189910">US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo</a> arrived in Qatar on Sunday pushing for an end to a diplomatic rift between Washington's Gulf allies on the latest leg of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pompeo-vows-to-expel-every-last-iranian-boot-from-syria-189438">his Middle East tour</a>.

The top US diplomat's visit to the small, energy-rich Gulf state comes amid a more than 18-month-old dispute pitting Riyadh and its allies against Doha.

"It is time for old rivalries to end for the sake of the greater good of the region," Pompeo said on Thursday in Cairo, where he laid out the Middle East strategy of US President Donald Trump's administration.

The secretary of state travelled to Doha from Abu Dhabi, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on Saturday.&nbsp;

Pompeo is later expected to head to Riyadh, where all eyes will be on a possible meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.&nbsp;

The visit comes just three months after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his country's Istanbul consulate.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt — all US allies — cut ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and seeking closer ties to Saudi arch-rival Iran.&nbsp;

Qatar — also a US ally — denies the allegations and accuses the countries of seeking regime change.&nbsp;

Washington, which at first appeared to back the boycott, has so far been unsuccessful in trying to get the countries to set aside their differences in order to focus on Washington's regional priority — the fight against Iran.

Attempts at mediation have stalled, as highlighted by the recent resignation of US envoy Anthony Zinni — who quit because of an apparent "lack of will" on behalf of "regional leaders" for regional reconciliation.

For Washington, turning the page on the crisis is essential for the successful launch of the Strategic Alliance of the Middle East (MESA), which is a NATO-style security pact that includes Gulf countries as well as Egypt and Jordan.

"Today, we ask each of those countries to take the next step and help us solidify MESA," Pompeo said in Cairo.

Smiles with MBS

But the task is not going to be easy.&nbsp;

"It is complicated to put together, make no mistake about it because we're talking about a complex agreement among a number of nations where we're asking for significant commitments from them," Pompeo told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

"But I believe that there is a path forward where there's a set of common understandings."

In Doha, Pompeo is expected to meet with several senior government leaders, including Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani.

The two are expected to hold a joint press conference on Sunday.

Qatar's relationship with Iran is complicated as it shares the world's largest natural gas field with Tehran.

Gas has been responsible for transforming Qatar into one of the richest countries in the world since it first began exporting liquefied natural gas little more than 20 years ago.

It has also agreed to increase gas production since the beginning of the crisis.

Washington's call for regional unity is clouded by its relations with Saudi Arabia since the murder of Khashoggi in early October.&nbsp;

During Pompeo's previous visit to Riyadh at the height of the Khashoggi affair, his broad smiles with the crown prince had outraged some Americans.

Trump has said he wants to preserve the alliance with the Saudi kingdom, although the US Senate has clearly blamed Prince Mohammed for the murder.&nbsp;

"We will continue to work to ensure that all those responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi are accountable," Pompeo said Friday on the US channel Fox News.&nbsp;

He reaffirmed that US-Saudi relations remain "incredibly important to Americans".&nbsp;

The top US diplomat's visit to the small, energy-rich Gulf state comes amid a more than 18-month-old dispute pitting Riyadh and its allies against Doha.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Qatar on Sunday pushing for an end to a diplomatic rift between Washington's Gulf allies on the latest leg of his Middle East tour. The top US diplomat's visit to the small, energy-rich Gulf state comes amid a more than 18-month-old dispute pitting Riyadh and its allies against Doha. "It is time for old rivalries to end for the sake of the greater good of the region," Pompeo said on Thursday in Cairo, where he laid out the Middle East strategy of US President Donald Trump's administration. The secretary of state travelled to Doha from Abu Dhabi, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on Saturday. Pompeo is later expected to head to Riyadh, where all eyes will be on a possible meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The visit comes just three months after the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in his country's Istanbul consulate. Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt — all US allies — cut ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and seeking closer ties to Saudi arch-rival Iran. Qatar — also a US ally — denies the allegations and accuses the countries of seeking regime change. Washington, which at first appeared to back the boycott, has so far been unsuccessful in trying to get the countries to set aside their differences in order to focus on Washington's regional priority — the fight against Iran. Attempts at mediation have stalled, as highlighted by the recent resignation of US envoy Anthony Zinni — who quit because of an apparent "lack of will" on behalf of "regional leaders" for regional reconciliation. For Washington, turning the page on the crisis is essential for the successful launch of the Strategic Alliance of the Middle East (MESA), which is a NATO-style security pact that includes Gulf countries as well as Egypt and Jordan. "Today, we ask each of those countries to take the next step and help us solidify MESA," Pompeo said in Cairo. Smiles with MBS But the task is not going to be easy. "It is complicated to put together, make no mistake about it because we're talking about a complex agreement among a number of nations where we're asking for significant commitments from them," Pompeo told reporters in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. "But I believe that there is a path forward where there's a set of common understandings." In Doha, Pompeo is expected to meet with several senior government leaders, including Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. The two are expected to hold a joint press conference on Sunday. Qatar's relationship with Iran is complicated as it shares the world's largest natural gas field with Tehran. Gas has been responsible for transforming Qatar into one of the richest countries in the world since it first began exporting liquefied natural gas little more than 20 years ago. It has also agreed to increase gas production since the beginning of the crisis. Washington's call for regional unity is clouded by its relations with Saudi Arabia since the murder of Khashoggi in early October. During Pompeo's previous visit to Riyadh at the height of the Khashoggi affair, his broad smiles with the crown prince had outraged some Americans. Trump has said he wants to preserve the alliance with the Saudi kingdom, although the US Senate has clearly blamed Prince Mohammed for the murder. "We will continue to work to ensure that all those responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi are accountable," Pompeo said Friday on the US channel Fox News. He reaffirmed that US-Saudi relations remain "incredibly important to Americans".

Mike Pompeo to push for end to Gulf dispute during Qatar visit

India left their scoring boots and luck behind while hosts United Arab Emirates found both after a subdued opener to record a 2-0 win in the AFC Asian Cup here Thursday.&nbsp;

Khalfan Mubarak (41') Ali Ahmed Mabkhout (88') scored for the home team, entering the game in some desperation after a 1-1 stalemate with Bahrain in the tournament opener.&nbsp;

UAE moved top of the table in Group A with four points from two matches while second-placed India still remained in the hunt for a knockout berth with three points from two outings.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India had drubbed Thailand 4-1 in their opening encounter Sunday but the Thais got their campaign back on a track with a 1-0 win over Bahrain in the evening fixture.&nbsp;

India made a positive start in both the halves and created many chances, but paid dearly for lacking the finishing touch.&nbsp;

The Blue Tigers missed three big chances in the first half and while they created opportunities after the break too, India were denied on two occasions by the framework.&nbsp;

On expected lines, the United Arab Emirates enjoyed possession initially but, to the surprise of many, India had more shots at goal and dominated proceedings by keeping the opposition defence busy.&nbsp;

Sandesh Jhingan's free header off a corner by Anirudh Thapa, which was won by Pritam Kotal, went off target. India could have been 1-0 up as early as the seventh minute at the Zayed Sports City Stadium.&nbsp;

Then, unmarked at the far post, Sunil Chhetri's header after Thapa squared it for the second highest active goal-scorer in international football, was brilliantly saved by UAE custodian Khalid Eisa.&nbsp;

If those misses in the eighth and 23rd minute gave India the belief that they will be able to fight their fancied opponents, in coach Stephen Constantine's words, toe-to-toe, they also may have made the Blue Tigers a bit restless.&nbsp;

And UAE, positioned 18 places above the 97th ranked India in the FIFA chart, used that to their advantage when Mubarak charged forward and latched on to a ball by Ali Ahmed Mabkhout, who ran in from the right.&nbsp;

It was not that the Indian defence was in disarray but they would have done well to clear the ball at first instance. Thapa, the team's youngest member at 20, could not get there in time while Anas Edathodika and Jhingan also could not come in the way of Mubarak, who scored his first international goal.&nbsp;

Entering the game after a 1-1 stalemate with Bahrain, UAE required full points full points, and the relief was palpable in their camp when Mubarak broke the deadlock.&nbsp;

The joy would have been short-lived for the home team had the talismanic Chhetri's attempt not missed the target by a whisker in the 43rd minute, this after the Indian captain had the UAE defenders in splits and managed to cut one through one of the gaps with Eisa noweher in the picture.&nbsp;

Down by a goal at the break, India were not to be disheartened and made their intentions clear in the second half.&nbsp;

Constantine brought in Jeje Lalpekhlua in place of Halicharan Narzary and the Mizo forward, who scored two minutes after coming off the bench in the 4-1 mauling of Thailand, nearly did an encore in the 53rd minute. Jeje's volley went inches off the post.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Three minutes later, India again experienced the so-near-yet-so-far moment when Udanta Singh's shot ricochets off the bar.&nbsp;

UAE got their act together and troubled the Indians occasionally and they also had one of their attempts blocked by the bar.

India left their scoring boots and luck behind while hosts United Arab Emirates found both after a subdued opener to record a 2-0 win in the AFC Asian Cup here Thursday.

India left their scoring boots and luck behind while hosts United Arab Emirates found both after a subdued opener to record a 2-0 win in the AFC Asian Cup here Thursday. Khalfan Mubarak (41') Ali Ahmed Mabkhout (88') scored for the home team, entering the game in some desperation after a 1-1 stalemate with Bahrain in the tournament opener. UAE moved top of the table in Group A with four points from two matches while second-placed India still remained in the hunt for a knockout berth with three points from two outings. India had drubbed Thailand 4-1 in their opening encounter Sunday but the Thais got their campaign back on a track with a 1-0 win over Bahrain in the evening fixture. India made a positive start in both the halves and created many chances, but paid dearly for lacking the finishing touch. The Blue Tigers missed three big chances in the first half and while they created opportunities after the break too, India were denied on two occasions by the framework. On expected lines, the United Arab Emirates enjoyed possession initially but, to the surprise of many, India had more shots at goal and dominated proceedings by keeping the opposition defence busy. Sandesh Jhingan's free header off a corner by Anirudh Thapa, which was won by Pritam Kotal, went off target. India could have been 1-0 up as early as the seventh minute at the Zayed Sports City Stadium. Then, unmarked at the far post, Sunil Chhetri's header after Thapa squared it for the second highest active goal-scorer in international football, was brilliantly saved by UAE custodian Khalid Eisa. If those misses in the eighth and 23rd minute gave India the belief that they will be able to fight their fancied opponents, in coach Stephen Constantine's words, toe-to-toe, they also may have made the Blue Tigers a bit restless. And UAE, positioned 18 places above the 97th ranked India in the FIFA chart, used that to their advantage when Mubarak charged forward and latched on to a ball by Ali Ahmed Mabkhout, who ran in from the right. It was not that the Indian defence was in disarray but they would have done well to clear the ball at first instance. Thapa, the team's youngest member at 20, could not get there in time while Anas Edathodika and Jhingan also could not come in the way of Mubarak, who scored his first international goal. Entering the game after a 1-1 stalemate with Bahrain, UAE required full points full points, and the relief was palpable in their camp when Mubarak broke the deadlock. The joy would have been short-lived for the home team had the talismanic Chhetri's attempt not missed the target by a whisker in the 43rd minute, this after the Indian captain had the UAE defenders in splits and managed to cut one through one of the gaps with Eisa noweher in the picture. Down by a goal at the break, India were not to be disheartened and made their intentions clear in the second half. Constantine brought in Jeje Lalpekhlua in place of Halicharan Narzary and the Mizo forward, who scored two minutes after coming off the bench in the 4-1 mauling of Thailand, nearly did an encore in the 53rd minute. Jeje's volley went inches off the post. Three minutes later, India again experienced the so-near-yet-so-far moment when Udanta Singh's shot ricochets off the bar. UAE got their act together and troubled the Indians occasionally and they also had one of their attempts blocked by the bar.

Asian Cup 2019: UAE defeat India 2-0

AFC Asian Cup: India Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh reflects on India's Historic win

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday agreed to work jointly towards <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-role-in-afghanistan-peace-process-crucial-pakistan-183213">stabilising peace and security in Afghanistan</a>.

According to Xinhua news agency, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held bilateral talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Sunday.&nbsp;

Both the leaders promised to make joint efforts towards eradicating terrorism and resolved to facilitate the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process.

A press statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said that this was the third interaction between the leadership of Pakistan and UAE in less than three months, "which is a testimony to the special nature of our brotherly relations with this important Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country."

UAE is Pakistan's largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments. It is home to more than 1.6 million expatriate community which contributes around $ 4.5 billion annually to the GDP.

"Pakistan and UAE are already working closely to transform the existing special relations into a 'Long-Term Strategic Economic Partnership', as agreed between the two leaders during the Prime Minister's visit to UAE on November 18, 2018," the statement read.

In addition, UAE also announced a generous $ three billion support to help Pakistan overcome its balance of payment crisis while the provision to provide deferred payment for oil facility is under discussion.

"UAE is our major development partner, with a tremendous contribution in education, health, energy, and infrastructure development. The most valuable support extended under UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme has been in the field of polio and education, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Muhamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan," Pakistan`s Foreign Ministry said.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi embarked on his official visit to Pakistan on January 6, at the invitation of Prime Minister Khan. The Crown Prince had last visited Pakistan in January 2007.

The Crown Prince had a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Khan, followed by delegation level talks. 
&nbsp;

According to Xinhua news agency, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held bilateral talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Sunday.

Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday agreed to work jointly towards stabilising peace and security in Afghanistan. According to Xinhua news agency, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held bilateral talks with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad on Sunday. Both the leaders promised to make joint efforts towards eradicating terrorism and resolved to facilitate the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process. A press statement released by Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday said that this was the third interaction between the leadership of Pakistan and UAE in less than three months, "which is a testimony to the special nature of our brotherly relations with this important Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country." UAE is Pakistan's largest trading partner in the Middle East and a major source of investments. It is home to more than 1.6 million expatriate community which contributes around $ 4.5 billion annually to the GDP. "Pakistan and UAE are already working closely to transform the existing special relations into a 'Long-Term Strategic Economic Partnership', as agreed between the two leaders during the Prime Minister's visit to UAE on November 18, 2018," the statement read. In addition, UAE also announced a generous $ three billion support to help Pakistan overcome its balance of payment crisis while the provision to provide deferred payment for oil facility is under discussion. "UAE is our major development partner, with a tremendous contribution in education, health, energy, and infrastructure development. The most valuable support extended under UAE Pakistan Assistance Programme has been in the field of polio and education, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Muhamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan," Pakistan`s Foreign Ministry said. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi embarked on his official visit to Pakistan on January 6, at the invitation of Prime Minister Khan. The Crown Prince had last visited Pakistan in January 2007. The Crown Prince had a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Khan, followed by delegation level talks.

Pakistan, UAE to closely work on Afghanistan peace reconciliation

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finalised a bail-out package worth around US $6.2 billion to assist <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/while-pakistan-seeks-imf-bailout-its-debt-and-liabilities-soar-to-rs-31-trillion-report-182294">Pakistan`s struggling economy</a>.

The package will enable Pakistan to deal with its balance-of-payments crisis.

Dawn newspaper has reported that the bail-out package will be announced by the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE, who will be embarking on his two-day visit to Pakistan on January 6.

The package involves US $3.2 billion worth of oil supplies on deferred payment, in addition to a cash deposit worth US dollar three billion.

Quoting a source, Dawn stated that the bailout package, finalised on January 3, was almost of the same size of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pakistan-receives-second-us-1-billion-bailout-package-from-saudi-arabia-184108">bail-out given by Saudi Arabia</a> to Pakistan last year in October.

The source said that the bail-out package would further help Pakistan to save around US $7.9 billion on oil and gas imports, accounting to more than 60 per cent of annual oil import bill of about US $12 to 13 billion, from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Pakistan is also negotiating with the Government of Qatar in order to seek some reductions in the prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG).&nbsp;

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finalised a bail-out package worth around US $6.2 billion to assist Pakistan`s struggling economy. The package will enable Pakistan to deal with its balance-of-payments crisis.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has finalised a bail-out package worth around US $6.2 billion to assist Pakistan`s struggling economy. The package will enable Pakistan to deal with its balance-of-payments crisis. Dawn newspaper has reported that the bail-out package will be announced by the Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE, who will be embarking on his two-day visit to Pakistan on January 6. The package involves US $3.2 billion worth of oil supplies on deferred payment, in addition to a cash deposit worth US dollar three billion. Quoting a source, Dawn stated that the bailout package, finalised on January 3, was almost of the same size of the bail-out given by Saudi Arabia to Pakistan last year in October. The source said that the bail-out package would further help Pakistan to save around US $7.9 billion on oil and gas imports, accounting to more than 60 per cent of annual oil import bill of about US $12 to 13 billion, from the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan is also negotiating with the Government of Qatar in order to seek some reductions in the prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

UAE finalises US $6.2 billion bail-out package for Pakistan

Chabahar is back in the news after a hiatus of about two years. The contexts of its importance are several but the first one in the current milieu is the fact that despite President Donald Trump’s avowed sanctions on everything related to Iran, India’s Chabahar-based relationship with Tehran has received a waiver. That puts on course the fructification of efforts which commenced many summers ago but got an impetus with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran in May 2016, leading to the signing of the trilateral tripartite agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan.

The US provided an “exception” from certain sanctions, to the Iranian port of Chabahar that India has developed and used for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. This exemption is in addition to temporary freedom from sanctions that the US announced for India and seven major importers of Iranian crude oil.

Why is Chabahar strategically important, for India, the US, Iran and Afghanistan? That will answer many questions. It starts with the fact that its geostrategic location, outside the Persian Gulf and yet on the Iranian coastline, puts it slightly out of harm’s way in the event of the Straits of Hormuz being forcibly closed; although, it is well appreciated that such a closure will no doubt presuppose an adverse effect on all of Iran’s port facilities.

To access Central Asia, often referred to as the heart of Asia, and Afghanistan, there are only two routes from the Indian Ocean. The first is from Pakistan’s Gwadar or Karachi ports and the second is from Chabahar which lies on the southeastern coast of Iran in the Sistan-Baluchistan province. Why the US agreed to waive sanctions for activities connected with the development of the port is simply because India is the nation providing alternatives for establishing communication arteries to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan.

For 17 years, the US has fought in Afghanistan and depended on a single artery for its logistics; through Karachi and Pakistan-Baluchistan into Afghan territory. Due to its animosity with Iran, the clearly viable alternative via Chabahar through Iranian territory, to West Afghanistan could not be exploited. The lack of development of Chabahar placed Afghanistan in a predicament because of its reliance on Karachi with all strings in the hands of none-too-friendly Pakistan.

India’s stakes in Afghanistan being high, the realization perhaps came late that Chabahar had serious transformational strategic potential to bypass Pakistan. Once India demonstrated its deep interest and the tripartite agreement with Iran and Afghanistan was signed in mid-2016, the movement of a consignment of wheat from Kandla port in Gujarat to Kabul via Chabahar went through smoothly; that experiment spurred further movement on Chabahar.

With portents of conflict termination in Afghanistan, the US too realised the important role India could play at this stage, such that all eggs were not in Pakistan’s basket. Otherwise all Pakistan needed to do in order to bring down the Afghan National Unity Government (NUG) was to establish a blockade from Karachi and the landlocked state of Afghanistan would have few options.

The tripartite agreement resolved that problem and increased India’s significance in Afghanistan. With India’s access via Chabahar, the viability of maintaining Afghanistan as a state under current dispensation, with minimal US presence, exponentially increases and there is considerable risk reduction. The joint Indian and US strategic interests in Afghanistan aim at the dilution of Pakistani influence and capability.

For the US the option of India in control is far more positive than leaving this to the stranglehold of China, Russia and Pakistan with the latter continuing to improve relations with Iran. For the Afghan NUG, this is as blissful a situation as it can expect with reduction of dependence on Pakistan and an avenue open to trade and assistance from India.

The Indian firm India Ports Global Limited has formally taken over operations at the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar. The routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries have been finalised but this will remain work in progress as subsequent infrastructure caters for railway connectivity and eventual linkage to the INSTC.

While India has successfully completed a major geostrategic venture on one flank of the Persian Gulf, it needs to be mindful of the fact that its interests are divided on both sides of the Gulf. That is where the last few years of straddling diplomacy, which the Ministry of External Affairs has done with a fair degree of aplomb, will hopefully pay a dividend. India remains one of those unique countries which the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of Iran visited within two weeks of each other.

India has long and extremely important relationships with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait which are as strategic as any of its relationships. The world of multilateralism is a sphere in which India is getting increasingly competent. That is why it needs to believe that Chabahar is the opening to the long-awaited strategic and civilisational relationship with Iran which need not be at the cost of the same which must be pursued with the Arab Gulf countries with equal vigour. 2018 was a good year for this, 2019 promises to be better.

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-iran-a-port-of-call-for-india-2704295">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Chabahar is back in the news after a hiatus of about two years. The contexts of its importance are several but the first one in the current milieu is the fact that despite President Donald Trump’s avowed sanctions on everything related to Iran, India’s Chabahar-based relationship with Tehran has received a waiver.

Chabahar is back in the news after a hiatus of about two years. The contexts of its importance are several but the first one in the current milieu is the fact that despite President Donald Trump’s avowed sanctions on everything related to Iran, India’s Chabahar-based relationship with Tehran has received a waiver. That puts on course the fructification of efforts which commenced many summers ago but got an impetus with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tehran in May 2016, leading to the signing of the trilateral tripartite agreement between India, Iran and Afghanistan. The US provided an “exception” from certain sanctions, to the Iranian port of Chabahar that India has developed and used for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. This exemption is in addition to temporary freedom from sanctions that the US announced for India and seven major importers of Iranian crude oil. Why is Chabahar strategically important, for India, the US, Iran and Afghanistan? That will answer many questions. It starts with the fact that its geostrategic location, outside the Persian Gulf and yet on the Iranian coastline, puts it slightly out of harm’s way in the event of the Straits of Hormuz being forcibly closed; although, it is well appreciated that such a closure will no doubt presuppose an adverse effect on all of Iran’s port facilities. To access Central Asia, often referred to as the heart of Asia, and Afghanistan, there are only two routes from the Indian Ocean. The first is from Pakistan’s Gwadar or Karachi ports and the second is from Chabahar which lies on the southeastern coast of Iran in the Sistan-Baluchistan province. Why the US agreed to waive sanctions for activities connected with the development of the port is simply because India is the nation providing alternatives for establishing communication arteries to Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. For 17 years, the US has fought in Afghanistan and depended on a single artery for its logistics; through Karachi and Pakistan-Baluchistan into Afghan territory. Due to its animosity with Iran, the clearly viable alternative via Chabahar through Iranian territory, to West Afghanistan could not be exploited. The lack of development of Chabahar placed Afghanistan in a predicament because of its reliance on Karachi with all strings in the hands of none-too-friendly Pakistan. India’s stakes in Afghanistan being high, the realization perhaps came late that Chabahar had serious transformational strategic potential to bypass Pakistan. Once India demonstrated its deep interest and the tripartite agreement with Iran and Afghanistan was signed in mid-2016, the movement of a consignment of wheat from Kandla port in Gujarat to Kabul via Chabahar went through smoothly; that experiment spurred further movement on Chabahar. With portents of conflict termination in Afghanistan, the US too realised the important role India could play at this stage, such that all eggs were not in Pakistan’s basket. Otherwise all Pakistan needed to do in order to bring down the Afghan National Unity Government (NUG) was to establish a blockade from Karachi and the landlocked state of Afghanistan would have few options. The tripartite agreement resolved that problem and increased India’s significance in Afghanistan. With India’s access via Chabahar, the viability of maintaining Afghanistan as a state under current dispensation, with minimal US presence, exponentially increases and there is considerable risk reduction. The joint Indian and US strategic interests in Afghanistan aim at the dilution of Pakistani influence and capability. For the US the option of India in control is far more positive than leaving this to the stranglehold of China, Russia and Pakistan with the latter continuing to improve relations with Iran. For the Afghan NUG, this is as blissful a situation as it can expect with reduction of dependence on Pakistan and an avenue open to trade and assistance from India. The Indian firm India Ports Global Limited has formally taken over operations at the Shahid Beheshti port in Chabahar. The routes for trade and transit corridors between the three countries have been finalised but this will remain work in progress as subsequent infrastructure caters for railway connectivity and eventual linkage to the INSTC. While India has successfully completed a major geostrategic venture on one flank of the Persian Gulf, it needs to be mindful of the fact that its interests are divided on both sides of the Gulf. That is where the last few years of straddling diplomacy, which the Ministry of External Affairs has done with a fair degree of aplomb, will hopefully pay a dividend. India remains one of those unique countries which the Prime Minister of Israel and the President of Iran visited within two weeks of each other. India has long and extremely important relationships with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait which are as strategic as any of its relationships. The world of multilateralism is a sphere in which India is getting increasingly competent. That is why it needs to believe that Chabahar is the opening to the long-awaited strategic and civilisational relationship with Iran which need not be at the cost of the same which must be pursued with the Arab Gulf countries with equal vigour. 2018 was a good year for this, 2019 promises to be better. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Iran: A port of call for India

The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus Thursday, the latest sign of efforts to bring the Syrian government back into the Arab fold.

The UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012, as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war.

Nearly seven years later, the Emirati flag was raised again during a ceremony attended by diplomats and journalists.

An acting charge d'affaires has already started working, an Emirati statement said, stressing that the UAE was "keen to put relations back on their normal track".

It said that the resumption of ties aimed to "support the sovereignty and independence of Syria" and face "the dangers of regional interferences".

Rumours of the Emirati embassy reopening had circulated in recent days as renovation work was spotted getting under way at the building.

A visit to Damascus by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir earlier this month had been interpreted by some observers as a sign of regional efforts to end Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's diplomatic isolation.

Pariah no more?

Syria was suspended from the Arab League in November 2011, as the death toll was escalating and several regional powers bet on Assad's demise.

The conflict has now killed more than 360,000 people.

Assad's seat at the helm, which he inherited from his father in 2000, appeared to be hanging by a thread until Russia's 2015 military intervention turned things around.

Government forces and allied militia have since steadily regained significant ground. They now firmly control the Damascus region and several key trade routes in the country.

The past few days have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity that looks set to continue until the next summit of the Arab League, due in Tunis in March.

"Recent discussions on this issue have not yielded a consensus," Hossam Zaki, the League's deputy secretary general, told reporters in Cairo on Monday.

"This does not rule out a possible change of the Arab position in the future," he added.

Ali Mamluk, Syria's intelligence chief and a key figure in the Assad regime, travelled to Egypt last week on an official visit.

With military operations winding down in several parts of the country and the capital fully secure, Damascus is also working on breaking its physical isolation.

Saudi money

Trade with Jordan resumed in recent weeks after the reopening of a border crossing and Thursday saw the first commercial flight to Tunisia in years.

A Cham Wings Airlines jet completed the first flight between the two countries since 2011.

"This trip is the reopening of tourism links between Syria and Tunisia," Moataz Tarbin, the head of the tourism firm that organised the flight, told AFP.

It is not yet clear if other Arab countries, several of which were accused by Assad of once supporting jihadists and rebels, will follow in the UAE's footsteps.

The UAE is one of six Gulf Cooperation Council nations that took a tough stance on Damascus in 2012 and eventually recognised an opposition umbrella group as the representative of Syria.&nbsp;

Warming up to Assad is seen by some regional powers as a way of luring Syria away from the exclusive regional influence of Iran.

"An Arab role in Syria has become even more necessary to face the regional expansionism of Iran and Turkey," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter.

Tehran has been a staunch supporter of Assad's government and has expanded its military footprint in Syria throughout the course of the conflict.

Last week's announcement by the White House that US troops would be pulled out also cleared the path for Turkey to muscle in on Kurdish areas in northeastern Syria.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional archfoe, had agreed to finance Syria's huge reconstruction needs.

"Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria, instead of the United States," Trump said on social media.

The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus Thursday, the latest sign of efforts to bring the Syrian government back into the Arab fold. The UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012, as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war.

The United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus Thursday, the latest sign of efforts to bring the Syrian government back into the Arab fold. The UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012, as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war. Nearly seven years later, the Emirati flag was raised again during a ceremony attended by diplomats and journalists. An acting charge d'affaires has already started working, an Emirati statement said, stressing that the UAE was "keen to put relations back on their normal track". It said that the resumption of ties aimed to "support the sovereignty and independence of Syria" and face "the dangers of regional interferences". Rumours of the Emirati embassy reopening had circulated in recent days as renovation work was spotted getting under way at the building. A visit to Damascus by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir earlier this month had been interpreted by some observers as a sign of regional efforts to end Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's diplomatic isolation. Pariah no more? Syria was suspended from the Arab League in November 2011, as the death toll was escalating and several regional powers bet on Assad's demise. The conflict has now killed more than 360,000 people. Assad's seat at the helm, which he inherited from his father in 2000, appeared to be hanging by a thread until Russia's 2015 military intervention turned things around. Government forces and allied militia have since steadily regained significant ground. They now firmly control the Damascus region and several key trade routes in the country. The past few days have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity that looks set to continue until the next summit of the Arab League, due in Tunis in March. "Recent discussions on this issue have not yielded a consensus," Hossam Zaki, the League's deputy secretary general, told reporters in Cairo on Monday. "This does not rule out a possible change of the Arab position in the future," he added. Ali Mamluk, Syria's intelligence chief and a key figure in the Assad regime, travelled to Egypt last week on an official visit. With military operations winding down in several parts of the country and the capital fully secure, Damascus is also working on breaking its physical isolation. Saudi money Trade with Jordan resumed in recent weeks after the reopening of a border crossing and Thursday saw the first commercial flight to Tunisia in years. A Cham Wings Airlines jet completed the first flight between the two countries since 2011. "This trip is the reopening of tourism links between Syria and Tunisia," Moataz Tarbin, the head of the tourism firm that organised the flight, told AFP. It is not yet clear if other Arab countries, several of which were accused by Assad of once supporting jihadists and rebels, will follow in the UAE's footsteps. The UAE is one of six Gulf Cooperation Council nations that took a tough stance on Damascus in 2012 and eventually recognised an opposition umbrella group as the representative of Syria. Warming up to Assad is seen by some regional powers as a way of luring Syria away from the exclusive regional influence of Iran. "An Arab role in Syria has become even more necessary to face the regional expansionism of Iran and Turkey," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said on Twitter. Tehran has been a staunch supporter of Assad's government and has expanded its military footprint in Syria throughout the course of the conflict. Last week's announcement by the White House that US troops would be pulled out also cleared the path for Turkey to muscle in on Kurdish areas in northeastern Syria. US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional archfoe, had agreed to finance Syria's huge reconstruction needs. "Saudi Arabia has now agreed to spend the necessary money needed to help rebuild Syria, instead of the United States," Trump said on social media.

UAE reopens Damascus embassy after seven years

United Arab Emirates media on Wednesday released images of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/dubais-missing-princess-latifa-is-she-dead-or-alive-184547">Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum</a>, following reports in international media that she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state.

After rights groups called for her whereabouts and condition to be disclosed, the UAE said on Monday that the princess, who is the daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, was at home and living with her family.

"At the request of the family, on 15th December 2018, Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, met with Her Highness Sheikha Latifa in Dubai," the UAE foreign ministry said.

"Photographs taken during the afternoon they spent together have been shared, with their consent. During her visit to Dubai, Mary Robinson was reassured that H.H. Sheikha Latifa is receiving the necessary care and support she requires."

It said: "The communique responds to and rebuts false allegations and provided evidence that Her Highness Sheikha Latifa was at home and living with her family in Dubai."

The ministry said the UAE Mission in Geneva shared the statement with the Office of Special Procedures at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Reports had said she escaped with the help of friends on a yacht owned by a Frenchman which was later intercepted off the coast of India. 
&nbsp;

United Arab Emirates media on Wednesday released images of Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, following reports in international media that she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state.

United Arab Emirates media on Wednesday released images of Princess Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed al-Maktoum, following reports in international media that she was forcibly returned after fleeing the Gulf Arab state. After rights groups called for her whereabouts and condition to be disclosed, the UAE said on Monday that the princess, who is the daughter of Dubai's ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, was at home and living with her family. "At the request of the family, on 15th December 2018, Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and former President of Ireland, met with Her Highness Sheikha Latifa in Dubai," the UAE foreign ministry said. "Photographs taken during the afternoon they spent together have been shared, with their consent. During her visit to Dubai, Mary Robinson was reassured that H.H. Sheikha Latifa is receiving the necessary care and support she requires." It said: "The communique responds to and rebuts false allegations and provided evidence that Her Highness Sheikha Latifa was at home and living with her family in Dubai." The ministry said the UAE Mission in Geneva shared the statement with the Office of Special Procedures at the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Reports had said she escaped with the help of friends on a yacht owned by a Frenchman which was later intercepted off the coast of India.

UAE media releases images of princess Latifa after reports of forcible return

Singer Mika Singh, who was arrested in Abu Dhabi on charges of sexual misconduct, was released on late Thursday night after the Indian Embassy intervened in the case.&nbsp;

Mika was arrested after a 17-year-old Brazilian model allegedly lodged a complaint about him sending inappropriate pictures. 
 
Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said that the singer is expected to appear in a court later.&nbsp; 
 
The envoy said although Mika was arrested in Dubai, the police took him to Abu Dhabi as the complainant was holding an Abu Dhabi residence visa.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/singer-mika-singh-detained-in-dubai-for-alleged-sexual-misconduct-182021">singer was arrested in the UAE on Thursday </a>for sending lewd pictures to the Brazilian teenager.

Singer Mika Singh, who was arrested in Abu Dhabi on charges of sexual misconduct, was released on late Thursday night after the Indian Embassy intervened in the case.

Singer Mika Singh, who was arrested in Abu Dhabi on charges of sexual misconduct, was released on late Thursday night after the Indian Embassy intervened in the case. Mika was arrested after a 17-year-old Brazilian model allegedly lodged a complaint about him sending inappropriate pictures. Navdeep Singh Suri, the Indian Ambassador to the UAE, said that the singer is expected to appear in a court later. The envoy said although Mika was arrested in Dubai, the police took him to Abu Dhabi as the complainant was holding an Abu Dhabi residence visa. The singer was arrested in the UAE on Thursday for sending lewd pictures to the Brazilian teenager.

Mika Singh released from UAE prison after Indian embassy intervenes

India, UAE sign currency swap agreement to boost trade

The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying, an official statement said.

Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day.

"Mr. Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed," the statement said.

On Wednesday, a UAE&nbsp;court had sentenced British student and researcher Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges. The arrest prompted a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally.

Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level.

Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security.&nbsp;

The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying, an official statement said. Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day.

The United Arab Emirates on Monday pardoned a British researcher who was sentenced last week to life in prison for spying, an official statement said. Matthew Hedges was among more than 700 prisoners pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan on the occasion of National Day. "Mr. Hedges will be permitted to leave the UAE once formalities are completed," the statement said. On Wednesday, a UAE court had sentenced British student and researcher Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges. The arrest prompted a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally. Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level. Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security.

UAE pardons British researcher Matthew Hedges sentenced to life for spying

The wife of a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uae-court-sentences-british-student-to-life-for-spying-178638">British scholar </a>who was sentenced to life for spying in the United Arab Emirates accused the Foreign Office on Thursday of ignoring her pleas for help.

The sentencing of 31-year-old Matthew Hedges on Wednesday shocked Britain and put political pressure on Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.

Britain views the UAE as a strategic Middle East ally which it supplies with arms.

Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada said upon her return from Dubai that the Foreign Office was putting its diplomatic interests above those of an innocent citizen who was placed under arbitrary arrest.

"I got the impression that they were putting their interests with the UAE above a British citizen's rightful freedom and his welfare and his right to just a fair trial, just to freedom," Tejada told BBC Radio's Today programme.

"They were stepping on eggshells instead of taking a firm stance."

Hedges was detained at Dubai airport on May 5 while researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011.

Hunt began to speak out about the case after Hedges's family went public with news of his arrest in October.

The scholar was released on bail on October 29 and top British officials appeared stunned by Wednesday's court decision.

Prime Minister Theresa May told a session of parliament she was "deeply disappointed" and instructed the Foreign Office to "continue to press this matter at the highest level with the Emiratis".

Hunt himself issued a statement minutes after the sentencing saying he was "deeply shocked".

Tejada said she pleaded with the Foreign Office to force the UAE to release Hedges from solitary confinement throughout his pre-trial detention.

"They just disregarded my requests. They said that it wasn't part of their job, that it wasn't part of their duty."

Her voice broke down several times as she described the fear that gripped her husband during the sentencing.

"He was very, very scared when he was standing in front of the judge," said Tejada.

"He started shaking when the translator told him the sentence. He actually had to ask to double-check if he had heard right."

The wife of a British scholar who was sentenced to life for spying in the United Arab Emirates accused the Foreign Office on Thursday of ignoring her pleas for help.

The wife of a British scholar who was sentenced to life for spying in the United Arab Emirates accused the Foreign Office on Thursday of ignoring her pleas for help. The sentencing of 31-year-old Matthew Hedges on Wednesday shocked Britain and put political pressure on Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Britain views the UAE as a strategic Middle East ally which it supplies with arms. Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada said upon her return from Dubai that the Foreign Office was putting its diplomatic interests above those of an innocent citizen who was placed under arbitrary arrest. "I got the impression that they were putting their interests with the UAE above a British citizen's rightful freedom and his welfare and his right to just a fair trial, just to freedom," Tejada told BBC Radio's Today programme. "They were stepping on eggshells instead of taking a firm stance." Hedges was detained at Dubai airport on May 5 while researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011. Hunt began to speak out about the case after Hedges's family went public with news of his arrest in October. The scholar was released on bail on October 29 and top British officials appeared stunned by Wednesday's court decision. Prime Minister Theresa May told a session of parliament she was "deeply disappointed" and instructed the Foreign Office to "continue to press this matter at the highest level with the Emiratis". Hunt himself issued a statement minutes after the sentencing saying he was "deeply shocked". Tejada said she pleaded with the Foreign Office to force the UAE to release Hedges from solitary confinement throughout his pre-trial detention. "They just disregarded my requests. They said that it wasn't part of their job, that it wasn't part of their duty." Her voice broke down several times as she described the fear that gripped her husband during the sentencing. "He was very, very scared when he was standing in front of the judge," said Tejada. "He started shaking when the translator told him the sentence. He actually had to ask to double-check if he had heard right."

Wife of UK scholar jailed in UAE blames London

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally.

Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level.

"We can confirm that he was sentenced to life in prison," a family spokesperson told AFP.

"The hearing lasted less than five minutes, and his lawyer was not present."&nbsp;

Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security.&nbsp;

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "deeply shocked and disappointed" by the UAE court's decision and warned of repercussions.

"Today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances," he said.

"The handling of this case... will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust.

"I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider," he added.

Hunt said he had personally raised the case at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during a visit to Abu Dhabi on November 12.

The case comes with relations already tested by the UAE's heavy involvement alongside Saudi Arabia in a military coalition battling Yemeni rebels since March 2015.

The deployment of Emirati ground troops, trainers and advisers alongside government forces advancing on the lifeline rebel-held port of Hodeida has prompted calls for Britain to halt or place conditions on its huge arms sales to the UAE.&nbsp;

'Nightmare even worse'

Hedges's temporary release on bail on October 29 had raised a glimmer of hope in his case but he was constantly monitored until Wednesday's court hearing, only his third since his arrest.

Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada, who had campaigned vigorously for his release, said the court ruling showed that the UAE was not a genuine ally.

"They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price."

Tejada, who was in court for sentencing, said it had been devastating for her husband and for herself.

"This has been the worst six months of my life, let alone for Matt who was shaking when he heard the verdict," she said.

"The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice. I am very scared for Matt. I don't know where they are taking him or what will happen now. Our nightmare has gotten even worse."

She had previously expressed concern for his safety saying he was being held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location with limited access to the British consulate and his family.

'Take a stand'

Tejada was deeply critical of the British government over the failure of its discreet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy in the case.

"Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them. This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning with no one taking Matthew's case seriously," she said.

"The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens."

UAE attorney general Hamad al-Shamsi said earlier this month that Hedges was accused of "spying for a foreign country, jeopardising the military, political and economic security of the state".

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally.

A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a "shocked" Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally. Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence ever since his arrest at Dubai airport on May 5 and British ministers had raised his case at the highest level. "We can confirm that he was sentenced to life in prison," a family spokesperson told AFP. "The hearing lasted less than five minutes, and his lawyer was not present." Hedges was researching the UAE's foreign and internal security policies after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011, studies that Britain insisted were entirely innocuous but which the UAE said threatened its political and economic security. British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he was "deeply shocked and disappointed" by the UAE court's decision and warned of repercussions. "Today's verdict is not what we expect from a friend and trusted partner of the United Kingdom and runs contrary to earlier assurances," he said. "The handling of this case... will have repercussions for the relationship between our two countries, which has to be built on trust. "I regret the fact that we have reached this position and I urge the UAE to reconsider," he added. Hunt said he had personally raised the case at the highest levels of the UAE government, including during a visit to Abu Dhabi on November 12. The case comes with relations already tested by the UAE's heavy involvement alongside Saudi Arabia in a military coalition battling Yemeni rebels since March 2015. The deployment of Emirati ground troops, trainers and advisers alongside government forces advancing on the lifeline rebel-held port of Hodeida has prompted calls for Britain to halt or place conditions on its huge arms sales to the UAE. 'Nightmare even worse' Hedges's temporary release on bail on October 29 had raised a glimmer of hope in his case but he was constantly monitored until Wednesday's court hearing, only his third since his arrest. Hedges's wife Daniela Tejada, who had campaigned vigorously for his release, said the court ruling showed that the UAE was not a genuine ally. "They say that the UAE is an ally, but the overwhelmingly arbitrary handling of Matt's case indicates a scarily different reality, for which Matt and I are being made to pay a devastatingly high price." Tejada, who was in court for sentencing, said it had been devastating for her husband and for herself. "This has been the worst six months of my life, let alone for Matt who was shaking when he heard the verdict," she said. "The UAE authorities should feel ashamed for such an obvious injustice. I am very scared for Matt. I don't know where they are taking him or what will happen now. Our nightmare has gotten even worse." She had previously expressed concern for his safety saying he was being held in solitary confinement at an undisclosed location with limited access to the British consulate and his family. 'Take a stand' Tejada was deeply critical of the British government over the failure of its discreet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy in the case. "Matthew is innocent. The Foreign Office know this and have made it clear to the UAE authorities that Matthew is not a spy for them. This whole case has been handled appallingly from the very beginning with no one taking Matthew's case seriously," she said. "The British government must take a stand now for Matthew, one of their citizens." UAE attorney general Hamad al-Shamsi said earlier this month that Hedges was accused of "spying for a foreign country, jeopardising the military, political and economic security of the state".

UAE court sentences British student to life for spying

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which lead a military coalition against the Huthi rebels in Yemen, announced Tuesday US $500 million in aid to the country on the brink of famine.&nbsp;

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will each give US $250 million in response to the food crisis to support more than 10 million people, said Abdullah Rabeeah, general supervisor at King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre.&nbsp;

He added that donations will go through the United Nations as well as other international and local aid groups.&nbsp;

Rabeeah spoke at a joint news conference in Riyadh with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy.

The latest aid package comes after the two countries and Kuwait offered US $1.25 billion to the UN's humanitarian response plan in Yemen for 2018, according to Rabeeah.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in the Yemen war in 2015 to bolster Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Huthis took over the capital Sanaa.&nbsp;

Both the military coalition backing the government and the Huthi rebels stand accused of acts that could amount to war crimes.

The World Health Organization says nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition intervention in March 2015, but rights groups believe the toll may be five times higher.

The war in Yemen -- already one of the world's most impoverished countries -- has left the nation on the edge of mass starvation in what the UN calls the worst humanitarian crisis.

The UN is already providing food aid to some eight million Yemenis but that number could reach 14 million next year, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned last week.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which lead a military coalition against the Huthi rebels in Yemen, announced Tuesday US $500 million in aid to the country on the brink of famine.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which lead a military coalition against the Huthi rebels in Yemen, announced Tuesday US $500 million in aid to the country on the brink of famine. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will each give US $250 million in response to the food crisis to support more than 10 million people, said Abdullah Rabeeah, general supervisor at King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre. He added that donations will go through the United Nations as well as other international and local aid groups. Rabeeah spoke at a joint news conference in Riyadh with UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem al-Hashimy. The latest aid package comes after the two countries and Kuwait offered US $1.25 billion to the UN's humanitarian response plan in Yemen for 2018, according to Rabeeah. Saudi Arabia and the UAE intervened in the Yemen war in 2015 to bolster Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the Huthis took over the capital Sanaa. Both the military coalition backing the government and the Huthi rebels stand accused of acts that could amount to war crimes. The World Health Organization says nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since the coalition intervention in March 2015, but rights groups believe the toll may be five times higher. The war in Yemen -- already one of the world's most impoverished countries -- has left the nation on the edge of mass starvation in what the UN calls the worst humanitarian crisis. The UN is already providing food aid to some eight million Yemenis but that number could reach 14 million next year, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned last week.

Saudi, UAE announce $500 million in aid to war-torn Yemen

Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi on Sunday and discussed matters of bilateral, regional and mutual interest, amid reports that the UAE is ready to extend financial assistance to Pakistan to minimise the cash-strapped country's dependence on an IMF bailout package.

Khan, who is visiting the UAE for the second time in the last two months, met Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces, at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi.

He was accompanied by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Khan is also expected to meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and prime minister of the UAE.

During his last visit to Abu Dhabi on September 19, the two countries had agreed to strengthen their economic, trade and investment relations.

The government had, during a later visit of an Emirati delegation to Islamabad, made a formal request for assistance, the daily said.

The signals from the UAE were positive and the government was hopeful of getting what officials are calling "a good package", the paper said.

The paper said the financial assistance is likely to be comparable with the Saudi bailout of US $6 billion&nbsp;US $3 billion in balance of payments support and a deferred payment facility on oil imports worth US $3 billion.

The UAE is one of the major oil suppliers to Pakistan.

The government has also been in talks with the Chinese government for an assistance package after Khan's visit to Beijing.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a loan facility are concluding next week, with Finance Minister Umar optimistic about reaching a basic agreement with the Fund by November 20.

Finance Minister Umar, however, had denied that there is any link between the IMF conditions and the PM's UAE visit.

Pakistan is facing a US $12 billion financing gap for the current fiscal year.

The Pakistan government is keen to minimise the amount borrowed from the IMF by getting loans from "friendly" countries like Saudi Arabia, China and Malaysia as officials in Islamabad believe that the global lender could attach tough conditions.

Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi on Sunday and discussed matters of bilateral, regional and mutual interest, amid reports that the UAE is ready to extend financial assistance to Pakistan to minimise the cash-strapped country's dependence on an IMF bailout package.

Prime Minister Imran Khan held talks with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi on Sunday and discussed matters of bilateral, regional and mutual interest, amid reports that the UAE is ready to extend financial assistance to Pakistan to minimise the cash-strapped country's dependence on an IMF bailout package. Khan, who is visiting the UAE for the second time in the last two months, met Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE's Armed Forces, at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. He was accompanied by Finance Minister Asad Umar, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Khan is also expected to meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, vice president and prime minister of the UAE. During his last visit to Abu Dhabi on September 19, the two countries had agreed to strengthen their economic, trade and investment relations. The government had, during a later visit of an Emirati delegation to Islamabad, made a formal request for assistance, the daily said. The signals from the UAE were positive and the government was hopeful of getting what officials are calling "a good package", the paper said. The paper said the financial assistance is likely to be comparable with the Saudi bailout of US $6 billion US $3 billion in balance of payments support and a deferred payment facility on oil imports worth US $3 billion. The UAE is one of the major oil suppliers to Pakistan. The government has also been in talks with the Chinese government for an assistance package after Khan's visit to Beijing. Meanwhile, the negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a loan facility are concluding next week, with Finance Minister Umar optimistic about reaching a basic agreement with the Fund by November 20. Finance Minister Umar, however, had denied that there is any link between the IMF conditions and the PM's UAE visit. Pakistan is facing a US $12 billion financing gap for the current fiscal year. The Pakistan government is keen to minimise the amount borrowed from the IMF by getting loans from "friendly" countries like Saudi Arabia, China and Malaysia as officials in Islamabad believe that the global lender could attach tough conditions.

Pakistan PM meets Abu Dhabi crown prince amid reports of UAE package

US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from November 8 to 20 to push for peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, the State Department said on Thursday.

Khalilzad met Taliban leaders in Qatar last month as part of efforts to find a way to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan, according to the Islamist group that was ousted from power by US-led forces in 2001.

"On his last trip to the region in October, Special Representative Khalilzad called on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to organise authoritative negotiating teams, and has been encouraged to see that both parties are taking steps in that direction," the State Department said in a statement.

"The United States remains committed to a political settlement that results in an end to the war and to the terrorist threat posed to the United States and the world."

The Taliban are fighting the US-backed Kabul government to re-impose strict Islamic law and have stepped up attacks in strategic provinces.

A senior Taliban official said after last month`s talks that Khalilzad had asked the Taliban leadership, based in the Qatari capital Doha, to declare a ceasefire in Afghanistan for six months.&nbsp;

In exchange, the Taliban want the Afghan government to release fighters from jails and the swift removal of foreign forces fighting alongside Afghan troops. 
A statement by the US embassy in Kabul about Khalilzad`s diplomatic tour in October did not confirm his meeting with the Taliban.

US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from November 8 to 20 to push for peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, the State Department said on Thursday.

US special envoy for peace in Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, will visit Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from November 8 to 20 to push for peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, the State Department said on Thursday. Khalilzad met Taliban leaders in Qatar last month as part of efforts to find a way to end the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan, according to the Islamist group that was ousted from power by US-led forces in 2001. "On his last trip to the region in October, Special Representative Khalilzad called on the Afghan Government and the Taliban to organise authoritative negotiating teams, and has been encouraged to see that both parties are taking steps in that direction," the State Department said in a statement. "The United States remains committed to a political settlement that results in an end to the war and to the terrorist threat posed to the United States and the world." The Taliban are fighting the US-backed Kabul government to re-impose strict Islamic law and have stepped up attacks in strategic provinces. A senior Taliban official said after last month`s talks that Khalilzad had asked the Taliban leadership, based in the Qatari capital Doha, to declare a ceasefire in Afghanistan for six months. In exchange, the Taliban want the Afghan government to release fighters from jails and the swift removal of foreign forces fighting alongside Afghan troops. A statement by the US embassy in Kabul about Khalilzad`s diplomatic tour in October did not confirm his meeting with the Taliban.

US peace envoy to visit Afghanistan, Qatar, Pakistan, UAE

Opener D'Arcy Short hit an unbeaten half-century to help Australia register a seven-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a one-off Twenty20 International in Abu Dhabi.

Short slammed 68 runs in 53 balls which included eight boundaries while chasing a modest target of 118 runs.&nbsp;

After winning the toss, UAE opted to bat first but were restricted to 117 for the loss of six wickets.&nbsp;

Short overcame the loss of skipper Aaron Finch (one) and Chris Lynn (20). The 23-year-old was adjudged man of the match for his match-winning knock.

The home team got off to a poor start, losing Ashfaq Ahmed for a duck in the first over of the match. Skipper Rohan Mustafa, too walked back without scoring.

Australia will now play a three-match T20I series against Pakistan scheduled to start from October 24.&nbsp;

The first match will be played in Abu Dhabi while the second and third T20Is will be played on October 26 and 28 in Dubai respectively.&nbsp;

Opener D'Arcy Short hit an unbeaten half-century to help Australia register a seven-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a one-off Twenty20 International in Abu Dhabi.

Opener D'Arcy Short hit an unbeaten half-century to help Australia register a seven-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in a one-off Twenty20 International in Abu Dhabi. Short slammed 68 runs in 53 balls which included eight boundaries while chasing a modest target of 118 runs. After winning the toss, UAE opted to bat first but were restricted to 117 for the loss of six wickets. Short overcame the loss of skipper Aaron Finch (one) and Chris Lynn (20). The 23-year-old was adjudged man of the match for his match-winning knock. The home team got off to a poor start, losing Ashfaq Ahmed for a duck in the first over of the match. Skipper Rohan Mustafa, too walked back without scoring. Australia will now play a three-match T20I series against Pakistan scheduled to start from October 24. The first match will be played in Abu Dhabi while the second and third T20Is will be played on October 26 and 28 in Dubai respectively.

Australia beat UAE by seven wickets in One-off T20I

Pakistan has permitted an export of 150 falcons to the United Arab Emirates despite the ban on hunting of rare and migratory birds; Pakistani media reported.

According to local media reports, falcons are being exported to UAE's Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

“The esteemed Embassy may export 150 falcons from Pakistan to UAE, for personal use of His Highness Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” the letter sent to UAE embassy dated September 27 stated.

The letter further said that the falcons can be exported from Karachi airport.

Pakistan has completely banned the hunting of the endangered birds. Prime Minister Imran Khan&nbsp;has also banned the hunting of falcons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.&nbsp;

Hunting migratory birds including Houbara -- another vulnerable species in Pakistan -- and falcons is the hobby of Arab princes. Every year falcons flock to Pakistan along Sindh's coastal belt and the desert area in summers to avoid winter in Siberia. With this, the federal government invites Arab dignitaries to hunt these birds as a sport every year.&nbsp;

Though the country has placed a complete ban on the hunting of such rare birds but, every year special licenses are issued to invite Arab dignitaries to hunt these migratory birds.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Faisal Karim Kundi said the move is ''illegal''.

"Will these 150 falcons be bought from hunters and smugglers?" he asked while criticising the government over permission to export.&nbsp;

Pakistan has permitted an export of 150 falcons to the United Arab Emirates despite the ban on hunting of rare and migratory birds; Pakistani media reported. According to local media reports, falcons are being exported to UAE's Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum.

Pakistan has permitted an export of 150 falcons to the United Arab Emirates despite the ban on hunting of rare and migratory birds; Pakistani media reported. According to local media reports, falcons are being exported to UAE's Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. “The esteemed Embassy may export 150 falcons from Pakistan to UAE, for personal use of His Highness Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” the letter sent to UAE embassy dated September 27 stated. The letter further said that the falcons can be exported from Karachi airport. Pakistan has completely banned the hunting of the endangered birds. Prime Minister Imran Khan has also banned the hunting of falcons in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Hunting migratory birds including Houbara -- another vulnerable species in Pakistan -- and falcons is the hobby of Arab princes. Every year falcons flock to Pakistan along Sindh's coastal belt and the desert area in summers to avoid winter in Siberia. With this, the federal government invites Arab dignitaries to hunt these birds as a sport every year. Though the country has placed a complete ban on the hunting of such rare birds but, every year special licenses are issued to invite Arab dignitaries to hunt these migratory birds. Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Faisal Karim Kundi said the move is ''illegal''. "Will these 150 falcons be bought from hunters and smugglers?" he asked while criticising the government over permission to export.

Pakistan allows export of 150 falcons to UAE despite hunting ban

Three recent developments lay bare the fragility of Middle Eastern alliances and a rebalancing of their priorities: the Russian-Turkish compromise on an assault on the rebel-held Syrian region of Idlib, the fate of troubled Abu Dhabi airline Ettihad, and battles over reconstruction of Syria.

These developments highlight the fact that competition among Middle Eastern rivals and ultimate power within the region’s various alliances is increasingly as much economic and commercial as it is military and geopolitical. Battles are fought as much on geopolitical fronts as they are on economic and cultural battlefields such as soccer.

As a result, the fault lines of various alliances across the greater Middle East, a region that stretches from North Africa to north-western China, are coming to the fore.

The cracks may be most apparent in the Russian-Turkish-Iranian alliance but lurk in the background of Gulf cooperation with Israel in confronting Iran as well as the unified front put forward by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Russia, prevented, at least for now, a rupture with Turkey, by delaying an all-out attack on Idlib despite Iranian advocacy of an offensive. Turkey, already home to three million Syrians, feared that a Syrian-Russian assault, would push hundreds of thousands, if not millions more across its border.

If Iran was the weakest link in the debate about Idlib, it stands stronger in its coming competition with Russia for the spoils of reconstruction of war-ravaged Syria.

Similarly, Russia appears to be ambivalent towards a continued Iranian military presence in post-war Syria, a potential flashpoint given Israel’s opposition and Israeli attacks that led earlier this month to the downing of a Russian aircraft.

By the same token, Turkey, despite its backing of Qatar in its 15-month-old dispute with a Saudi-UAE-led alliance that is boycotting the Gulf state diplomatically and economically, poses perhaps the greatest challenge to Qatari efforts to project itself globally by operating one of the world’s best airlines and positioning itself as a sports hub.

Turkey, despite its failure this week to win the right to host Euro 2024 and its lack of the Gulf’s financial muscle, competes favourably on every other front with Qatar as well as the UAE that too is seeking to project itself through soft as well as hard power and opposes Mr. Erdogan because of his Islamist leanings, ties to Iran, and support of Qatar. Turkey wins hands down against the small Gulf states when it comes to size, population, location, industrial base, military might, and sports performance.

That, coupled with a determination to undermine Qatar, was likely one reason, why the UAE’s major carriers, Emirates and Etihad that is troubled by a failed business model, have, despite official denials, been quietly discussing a potential merger that would create the world’s largest airline.

Countering competition from Turkish Airlines that outflanks both UAE carriers with 309 passenger planes that service 302 destinations in 120 countries may well have been another reason. Emirates, the larger of the two Emirati carriers, has, a fleet of 256 aircraft flying to 150 destinations in 80 countries.

These recent developments suggest that alliances, particularly the one that groups Russia, Turkey and Iran, are brittle and transactional, geared towards capitalizing on immediate common interests rather than shared long-term goals, let alone values.

That is true even if Russia and Turkey increasingly find common ground in concepts of Eurasianism. It also applies to Turkey and Qatar who both support Islamist groups as well as to Saudi Arabia and the UAE who closely coordinate policies but see their different goals put on display in Yemen.

The fragility of the alliances is further underwritten by Turkish, Russian and Iranian aspirations of resurrecting empire in a 21st century mould and a Saudi quest for regional dominance.

Notions of empire have informed policies long before realignment across Eurasia as a result of the focus of the United States shifting from the Middle East to Asia, the rise of China. increasingly strained relations between the West and Russia, and the greater assertiveness of Middle Eastern states like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran.

Then president Suleyman Demirel told this writer already in the 1990s in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent, mostly ethnically Turkic Central Asian republics that “Turkey’s world stretches from the Adriatic to the Great Wall of China.”

In a world in which globalization is shaped by geopolitical zones rather than individual countries, Russia’s imperative is to be a region by defining itself as an Asian rather than a European power that would be on par with China, the European Union, and a US zone of influence.

“Putin does not think along national lines. He thinks in terms of larger blocks, and, ultimately in terms of the world order,” said former Portuguese minister for Europe, Bruno Macaes in a recently published book, The Dawn of Eurasia.

In doing so, Russia is effectively turning its back on Europe as it reinvents itself as an Asian power on the basis of a Eurasianism, a century-old ideology that defines Russia as a Eurasian rather than a European power.

The Eurasian Economic Union, that groups Russia, Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Armenia, is a vehicle that allows Russia to establish itself as a block in the borderland between Europe and Asia.

Similarly, Eurasianism has gained currency in Turkey with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who enabled by the demise of the Soviet Union and the re-emergence of a Turkic world, projects his country as a crossroads between Europe, Africa and Asia rather than a European bridge to Asia.

In that vein, Turkish columnist Sinan Baykent projected this week’s fence-mending visit to Germany by Erdogan and his proposal for a summit on Syria of Turkish, Russian, German and French leaders as a Eurasian approach to problem solving.

The meeting between Erdogan and German chancellor Angela Merkel was meant “to pave the way for a Eurasian solution for the region… There is a new axis forming today between Berlin, Moscow, Ankara, Tehran and maybe Paris… All of these countries are fed up with American unilateralism and excessive policies displayed by the Trump administration.,”&nbsp;Baykent said.

If Turkey and Russia’s vision of their place in the world is defined to a large extent by geography, Iran’s topology dictates a more inward-looking view despite accusations that it is seeking to establish itself as the Middle East’s hegemon.

“Iran is a fortress. Surrounded on three sides by mountains and on the fourth by the ocean, with a wasteland at its centre,” noted Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence platform. Gulf fears are rooted not only in deep-seated distrust of Iran’s Islamic regime, but also in the fact that the foundation of past Persian empire relied on control of plains in present-day Iraq.

As a result, the manoeuvring of Gulf states, in contrast to Turkey and Russia, is driven less by a conceptual framing of their place in the world and more by regional rivalry and regime survival. Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE walk a fine line focusing geopolitically on an increasingly unpredictable United States and economically on China and the rest of Asia, including Russia, Korea and Japan.

What the plight of Idlib, potential change in aviation and competition for reconstruction contracts highlight is the brittleness of Middle Eastern alliances that threatens to be reinforced by economics becoming an increasingly important factor alongside geopolitics.

“Stakes for all parties are starting to divert from each other in Syria and the prospects of cooperation with Russia and Iran are becoming more challenging,” said Turkish columnist Nuray Mert commenting on the situation in Idlib. Her analysis is as valid for Idlib as it for the prospects of many of the Middle East alliances.

 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Three recent developments lay bare the fragility of Middle Eastern alliances and a rebalancing of their priorities: the Russian-Turkish compromise on an assault on the rebel-held Syrian region of Idlib, the fate of troubled Abu Dhabi airline Ettihad, and battles over reconstruction of Syria.

Three recent developments lay bare the fragility of Middle Eastern alliances and a rebalancing of their priorities: the Russian-Turkish compromise on an assault on the rebel-held Syrian region of Idlib, the fate of troubled Abu Dhabi airline Ettihad, and battles over reconstruction of Syria. These developments highlight the fact that competition among Middle Eastern rivals and ultimate power within the region’s various alliances is increasingly as much economic and commercial as it is military and geopolitical. Battles are fought as much on geopolitical fronts as they are on economic and cultural battlefields such as soccer. As a result, the fault lines of various alliances across the greater Middle East, a region that stretches from North Africa to north-western China, are coming to the fore. The cracks may be most apparent in the Russian-Turkish-Iranian alliance but lurk in the background of Gulf cooperation with Israel in confronting Iran as well as the unified front put forward by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Russia, prevented, at least for now, a rupture with Turkey, by delaying an all-out attack on Idlib despite Iranian advocacy of an offensive. Turkey, already home to three million Syrians, feared that a Syrian-Russian assault, would push hundreds of thousands, if not millions more across its border. If Iran was the weakest link in the debate about Idlib, it stands stronger in its coming competition with Russia for the spoils of reconstruction of war-ravaged Syria. Similarly, Russia appears to be ambivalent towards a continued Iranian military presence in post-war Syria, a potential flashpoint given Israel’s opposition and Israeli attacks that led earlier this month to the downing of a Russian aircraft. By the same token, Turkey, despite its backing of Qatar in its 15-month-old dispute with a Saudi-UAE-led alliance that is boycotting the Gulf state diplomatically and economically, poses perhaps the greatest challenge to Qatari efforts to project itself globally by operating one of the world’s best airlines and positioning itself as a sports hub. Turkey, despite its failure this week to win the right to host Euro 2024 and its lack of the Gulf’s financial muscle, competes favourably on every other front with Qatar as well as the UAE that too is seeking to project itself through soft as well as hard power and opposes Mr. Erdogan because of his Islamist leanings, ties to Iran, and support of Qatar. Turkey wins hands down against the small Gulf states when it comes to size, population, location, industrial base, military might, and sports performance. That, coupled with a determination to undermine Qatar, was likely one reason, why the UAE’s major carriers, Emirates and Etihad that is troubled by a failed business model, have, despite official denials, been quietly discussing a potential merger that would create the world’s largest airline. Countering competition from Turkish Airlines that outflanks both UAE carriers with 309 passenger planes that service 302 destinations in 120 countries may well have been another reason. Emirates, the larger of the two Emirati carriers, has, a fleet of 256 aircraft flying to 150 destinations in 80 countries. These recent developments suggest that alliances, particularly the one that groups Russia, Turkey and Iran, are brittle and transactional, geared towards capitalizing on immediate common interests rather than shared long-term goals, let alone values. That is true even if Russia and Turkey increasingly find common ground in concepts of Eurasianism. It also applies to Turkey and Qatar who both support Islamist groups as well as to Saudi Arabia and the UAE who closely coordinate policies but see their different goals put on display in Yemen. The fragility of the alliances is further underwritten by Turkish, Russian and Iranian aspirations of resurrecting empire in a 21st century mould and a Saudi quest for regional dominance. Notions of empire have informed policies long before realignment across Eurasia as a result of the focus of the United States shifting from the Middle East to Asia, the rise of China. increasingly strained relations between the West and Russia, and the greater assertiveness of Middle Eastern states like Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iran. Then president Suleyman Demirel told this writer already in the 1990s in the wake of the demise of the Soviet Union and the emergence of independent, mostly ethnically Turkic Central Asian republics that “Turkey’s world stretches from the Adriatic to the Great Wall of China.” In a world in which globalization is shaped by geopolitical zones rather than individual countries, Russia’s imperative is to be a region by defining itself as an Asian rather than a European power that would be on par with China, the European Union, and a US zone of influence. “Putin does not think along national lines. He thinks in terms of larger blocks, and, ultimately in terms of the world order,” said former Portuguese minister for Europe, Bruno Macaes in a recently published book, The Dawn of Eurasia. In doing so, Russia is effectively turning its back on Europe as it reinvents itself as an Asian power on the basis of a Eurasianism, a century-old ideology that defines Russia as a Eurasian rather than a European power. The Eurasian Economic Union, that groups Russia, Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan, Belarus and Armenia, is a vehicle that allows Russia to establish itself as a block in the borderland between Europe and Asia. Similarly, Eurasianism has gained currency in Turkey with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who enabled by the demise of the Soviet Union and the re-emergence of a Turkic world, projects his country as a crossroads between Europe, Africa and Asia rather than a European bridge to Asia. In that vein, Turkish columnist Sinan Baykent projected this week’s fence-mending visit to Germany by Erdogan and his proposal for a summit on Syria of Turkish, Russian, German and French leaders as a Eurasian approach to problem solving. The meeting between Erdogan and German chancellor Angela Merkel was meant “to pave the way for a Eurasian solution for the region… There is a new axis forming today between Berlin, Moscow, Ankara, Tehran and maybe Paris… All of these countries are fed up with American unilateralism and excessive policies displayed by the Trump administration.,” Baykent said. If Turkey and Russia’s vision of their place in the world is defined to a large extent by geography, Iran’s topology dictates a more inward-looking view despite accusations that it is seeking to establish itself as the Middle East’s hegemon. “Iran is a fortress. Surrounded on three sides by mountains and on the fourth by the ocean, with a wasteland at its centre,” noted Stratfor, a geopolitical intelligence platform. Gulf fears are rooted not only in deep-seated distrust of Iran’s Islamic regime, but also in the fact that the foundation of past Persian empire relied on control of plains in present-day Iraq. As a result, the manoeuvring of Gulf states, in contrast to Turkey and Russia, is driven less by a conceptual framing of their place in the world and more by regional rivalry and regime survival. Countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE walk a fine line focusing geopolitically on an increasingly unpredictable United States and economically on China and the rest of Asia, including Russia, Korea and Japan. What the plight of Idlib, potential change in aviation and competition for reconstruction contracts highlight is the brittleness of Middle Eastern alliances that threatens to be reinforced by economics becoming an increasingly important factor alongside geopolitics. “Stakes for all parties are starting to divert from each other in Syria and the prospects of cooperation with Russia and Iran are becoming more challenging,” said Turkish columnist Nuray Mert commenting on the situation in Idlib. Her analysis is as valid for Idlib as it for the prospects of many of the Middle East alliances. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Fragility of Middle East alliances becomes more apparent

Brazil's reputation as a&nbsp;soccer-mad country has been dented by a report which found that only 60 per cent of those interviewed said they were interested in the sport.

The United Arab Emirates came top of a table compiled by global information, data and measurement company Nielsen Sports which ranked 30 countries according to the percentage of the population who described themselves as interested in football.

The UAE, where the figure was 80 per cent, was followed by Thailand (78 per cent) and Chile, Portugal and Turkey (all 75) while five-times world champions Brazil ranked a modest 13th.

The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany.

Brazilians can be very fickle about football and attendances at games in the country fluctuate wildly, depending on the form of the teams involved, whether they are at a decisive stage of a competition, the kickoff time of the match and even the weather.

Last season's Brazilian championship had a modest average attendance of 16,418.

The report said that the figure for China increased from 27 per cent in 2013 to 32 per cent in 2017, in India from 30 per cent to 45 per cent and in the U.S. from 28 per cent to 32 per cent.

The United Kingdom, despite boasting the English Premier League, was a modest 17th in the rankings with 51 per cent.

The report also said that Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the use of social media by players, well ahead of his rival Lionel Messi.

His 570 million engagements across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the first five months of this year were well ahead of Neymar, with 294 million, and Messi with 201 million.

The report pointed out that engagements, rather than number of followers, were the key to understanding the value of a social media account, as they showed how many people interacted with the account and gave a better idea of impact and influence.

Social media success was not always linked to success on the pitch, the report added.

"A broader range of factors comes into play, such as the ability to project a likeable personality or enviable lifestyle," it said.

Controversial Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was fourth with 158 million engagements and Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah fifth with 105.3 million.

In terms of social media followers, Ronaldo also led with 322.8 million across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook combined while Neymar had 194.2 million and Messi 181.9 million

The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany

Brazil's reputation as a soccer-mad country has been dented by a report which found that only 60 per cent of those interviewed said they were interested in the sport. The United Arab Emirates came top of a table compiled by global information, data and measurement company Nielsen Sports which ranked 30 countries according to the percentage of the population who described themselves as interested in football. The UAE, where the figure was 80 per cent, was followed by Thailand (78 per cent) and Chile, Portugal and Turkey (all 75) while five-times world champions Brazil ranked a modest 13th. The Brazilian figure had dropped from 72 per cent in 2013, the year before the country hosted the World Cup where the national team were humiliated 7-1 in the semi-finals by Germany. Brazilians can be very fickle about football and attendances at games in the country fluctuate wildly, depending on the form of the teams involved, whether they are at a decisive stage of a competition, the kickoff time of the match and even the weather. Last season's Brazilian championship had a modest average attendance of 16,418. The report said that the figure for China increased from 27 per cent in 2013 to 32 per cent in 2017, in India from 30 per cent to 45 per cent and in the U.S. from 28 per cent to 32 per cent. The United Kingdom, despite boasting the English Premier League, was a modest 17th in the rankings with 51 per cent. The report also said that Portugal and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo dominated the use of social media by players, well ahead of his rival Lionel Messi. His 570 million engagements across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram in the first five months of this year were well ahead of Neymar, with 294 million, and Messi with 201 million. The report pointed out that engagements, rather than number of followers, were the key to understanding the value of a social media account, as they showed how many people interacted with the account and gave a better idea of impact and influence. Social media success was not always linked to success on the pitch, the report added. "A broader range of factors comes into play, such as the ability to project a likeable personality or enviable lifestyle," it said. Controversial Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos was fourth with 158 million engagements and Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah fifth with 105.3 million. In terms of social media followers, Ronaldo also led with 322.8 million across Twitter, Instagram and Facebook combined while Neymar had 194.2 million and Messi 181.9 million

FIFA World Cup: Football craze in Brazil drops to 60 per cent

A Saudi-led coalition geared up on Tuesday for an assault on Yemen's main port, preparing to launch by far the biggest battle of a three-year-old war between an alliance of Arab states and the Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital.

The United Arab Emirates, one of the main members of the Western-backed alliance, has set a Tuesday deadline for the Iran-aligned Houthis to withdraw from the port of Hodeidah under UN-led negotiations or face an assault.

It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government that the foreign armies have attempted to capture such a well-defended major city.

Hodeidah, Yemen's biggest port and the only port controlled by the Houthis, serves as the lifeline for the majority of Yemen's population, which lives in Houthi-ruled territory.

The United Nations said it was engaged in "intense" shuttle diplomacy between the Houthis and coalition leaders Saudi Arabia and the UAE to avert the attack.

It estimates 600,000 people live in the area, and in a worst-case scenario a battle could cost up to 250,000 lives, as well as cutting off millions from aid and supplies.

Emirati-led troops have advanced along the southwestern coast to the outskirts of Hodeidah under a coalition strategy to box in the Houthis in the capital Sanaa and choke off their supply lines to force them to the negotiating table.

Local military sources said hundreds of Yemeni fighters as well as tanks and military supplies from the UAE arrived on Monday to reinforce troops, including Emiratis and Sudanese, in al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6.21 miles) south of Hodeidah.

The sources said Yemeni forces allied to the Saudi-led coalition -- drawn from southern separatists, local units from the Red Sea coastal plain and a battalion led by a nephew of late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh -- had advanced and were "at the doors" of Hodeidah airport.

The war pits the Houthis against the Western-backed Sunni Muslim states, which intervened in 2015 to restore the exiled government and thwart what Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see as expansionist aims of their Shi'ite Muslim foe Iran.

The Houthis, with roots in a Zaidi Shi'ite minority that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in Yemen until 1962, deny they are pawns of Iran. They say they have led a popular revolution against corruption and are defending the country from invaders.

"I think the Emiratis have done a good job in presenting compelling arguments about why an operation (on Hodeidah) could, in the end, tip the balance and apply enough pressure to bring the Houthis to the table," a Western diplomat said on Monday.

"The Emiratis' preparedness is crucial in this. This is possibly what we're most concerned about."

Grace period

European donor governments warned aid groups in Yemen on Saturday that "a military assault now looks imminent," according to a message seen by Reuters. It said: "The Emiratis have informed us today that they will now give a 3-day grace period for the UN (and their partners) to leave the city."

The UAE foreign ministry and government communication office did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.

The United Nations relocated foreign staff members from Hodeidah on Monday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week it had pulled 71 foreign staff out of Yemen.

The renewed push on Hodeidah comes amid increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and arch-foe Iran after the United States withdrew last month from an international nuclear agreement with Tehran, a move hailed by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia's Western allies, under increasing scrutiny for selling arms to the states fighting in Yemen, have not publicly made clear whether they approve of an assault on Hodeidah.

Riyadh says the Houthis use the port to smuggle Iranian-made weapons, including missiles that have been launched at Saudi cities -- accusations denied by the group and Tehran.

Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has warned the group will attack oil tankers in the event of an assault on Hodeidah.

The coalition says one of the main justifications for its intervention is to protect Red Sea shipping, which brings Middle East oil and Asian goods to Europe through the Suez Canal.

It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government

A Saudi-led coalition geared up on Tuesday for an assault on Yemen's main port, preparing to launch by far the biggest battle of a three-year-old war between an alliance of Arab states and the Houthi movement that controls Yemen's capital. The United Arab Emirates, one of the main members of the Western-backed alliance, has set a Tuesday deadline for the Iran-aligned Houthis to withdraw from the port of Hodeidah under UN-led negotiations or face an assault. It would be the first time since they joined the war on behalf of Yemen's exiled government that the foreign armies have attempted to capture such a well-defended major city. Hodeidah, Yemen's biggest port and the only port controlled by the Houthis, serves as the lifeline for the majority of Yemen's population, which lives in Houthi-ruled territory. The United Nations said it was engaged in "intense" shuttle diplomacy between the Houthis and coalition leaders Saudi Arabia and the UAE to avert the attack. It estimates 600,000 people live in the area, and in a worst-case scenario a battle could cost up to 250,000 lives, as well as cutting off millions from aid and supplies. Emirati-led troops have advanced along the southwestern coast to the outskirts of Hodeidah under a coalition strategy to box in the Houthis in the capital Sanaa and choke off their supply lines to force them to the negotiating table. Local military sources said hundreds of Yemeni fighters as well as tanks and military supplies from the UAE arrived on Monday to reinforce troops, including Emiratis and Sudanese, in al-Durayhmi, a rural area 10 km (6.21 miles) south of Hodeidah. The sources said Yemeni forces allied to the Saudi-led coalition -- drawn from southern separatists, local units from the Red Sea coastal plain and a battalion led by a nephew of late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh -- had advanced and were "at the doors" of Hodeidah airport. The war pits the Houthis against the Western-backed Sunni Muslim states, which intervened in 2015 to restore the exiled government and thwart what Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see as expansionist aims of their Shi'ite Muslim foe Iran. The Houthis, with roots in a Zaidi Shi'ite minority that ruled a thousand-year kingdom in Yemen until 1962, deny they are pawns of Iran. They say they have led a popular revolution against corruption and are defending the country from invaders. "I think the Emiratis have done a good job in presenting compelling arguments about why an operation (on Hodeidah) could, in the end, tip the balance and apply enough pressure to bring the Houthis to the table," a Western diplomat said on Monday. "The Emiratis' preparedness is crucial in this. This is possibly what we're most concerned about." Grace period European donor governments warned aid groups in Yemen on Saturday that "a military assault now looks imminent," according to a message seen by Reuters. It said: "The Emiratis have informed us today that they will now give a 3-day grace period for the UN (and their partners) to leave the city." The UAE foreign ministry and government communication office did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The United Nations relocated foreign staff members from Hodeidah on Monday. The International Committee of the Red Cross said last week it had pulled 71 foreign staff out of Yemen. The renewed push on Hodeidah comes amid increased tensions between Saudi Arabia and arch-foe Iran after the United States withdrew last month from an international nuclear agreement with Tehran, a move hailed by Riyadh and Abu Dhabi. Saudi Arabia's Western allies, under increasing scrutiny for selling arms to the states fighting in Yemen, have not publicly made clear whether they approve of an assault on Hodeidah. Riyadh says the Houthis use the port to smuggle Iranian-made weapons, including missiles that have been launched at Saudi cities -- accusations denied by the group and Tehran. Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi has warned the group will attack oil tankers in the event of an assault on Hodeidah. The coalition says one of the main justifications for its intervention is to protect Red Sea shipping, which brings Middle East oil and Asian goods to Europe through the Suez Canal.

Saudi-led alliance gears up for battle in key Yemeni port city

A popular Indian-origin chef in the United Arab Emirates has landed in a controversy after he allegedly posted an anti-Islam tweet, triggering calls for his sacking, a media report said today.

Atul Kochhar, a Michelin-Star chef well known here for his Rang Mahal Indian restaurant at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel, received flak after taking a dig at Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra for her tweet over an episode in American television series 'Quantico' that purportedly portrayed Hindu nationalists as terrorists, the Khaleej Times reported.

"It's sad to see that you (Priyanka) have not respected the sentiments of Hindus who have been terrorized by Islam over 2000 years. Shame on You (sic)," Kochhar tweeted. He later deleted the tweet and apologised for the "major error" that was "made in the heat of the moment&nbsp;on Sunday", the paper said.

"There is no justification for my tweet ... I fully recognise my inaccuracies that Islam was founded round 1400 years ago and I sincerely apologise. I am not Islamophobic, I deeply regret my comments that have offended many," Kochhar tweeted yesterday.&nbsp;

The anti-Islam tweet created a furore on social media, with twitter&nbsp;calling for firing the chef. Popular commentator and Arab journalist Khaled Almaeena tweeted: "You (Kochhar) have offended me..As a person who loves India its people no matter what their caste or creed. As a secular and liberal, it truly is a horror statement."

Some said they would boycott the restaurant. "Chef celebrity showed his true colours. I won't eat here after reading the racist tweets by the head chef," a UAE resident posted on his Facebook page.

"I have cancelled my wedding anniversary meal for next month at your restaurant. You knew exactly what you meant as you tweeted that message," another Twitter user added.

JW Marriot hotel, however, distanced itself from the chef's comments. "We are aware of the comments made by Chef Atul Kochhar. We would like to stress that we do not share the same views as stated in the remark, nor is it a representation of the culture of diversity and inclusion that we pride ourselves on at the hotel," the hotel tweeted yesterday.

A popular Indian-origin chef in the United Arab Emirates has landed in a controversy after he allegedly posted an anti-Islam tweet

A popular Indian-origin chef in the United Arab Emirates has landed in a controversy after he allegedly posted an anti-Islam tweet, triggering calls for his sacking, a media report said today. Atul Kochhar, a Michelin-Star chef well known here for his Rang Mahal Indian restaurant at the JW Marriott Marquis hotel, received flak after taking a dig at Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra for her tweet over an episode in American television series 'Quantico' that purportedly portrayed Hindu nationalists as terrorists, the Khaleej Times reported. "It's sad to see that you (Priyanka) have not respected the sentiments of Hindus who have been terrorized by Islam over 2000 years. Shame on You (sic)," Kochhar tweeted. He later deleted the tweet and apologised for the "major error" that was "made in the heat of the moment on Sunday", the paper said. "There is no justification for my tweet ... I fully recognise my inaccuracies that Islam was founded round 1400 years ago and I sincerely apologise. I am not Islamophobic, I deeply regret my comments that have offended many," Kochhar tweeted yesterday. The anti-Islam tweet created a furore on social media, with twitter calling for firing the chef. Popular commentator and Arab journalist Khaled Almaeena tweeted: "You (Kochhar) have offended me..As a person who loves India its people no matter what their caste or creed. As a secular and liberal, it truly is a horror statement." Some said they would boycott the restaurant. "Chef celebrity showed his true colours. I won't eat here after reading the racist tweets by the head chef," a UAE resident posted on his Facebook page. "I have cancelled my wedding anniversary meal for next month at your restaurant. You knew exactly what you meant as you tweeted that message," another Twitter user added. JW Marriot hotel, however, distanced itself from the chef's comments. "We are aware of the comments made by Chef Atul Kochhar. We would like to stress that we do not share the same views as stated in the remark, nor is it a representation of the culture of diversity and inclusion that we pride ourselves on at the hotel," the hotel tweeted yesterday.

Call for sacking of Indian-origin chef in UAE after 'anti-Islam' tweet

Saudi Arabia has banned the import of frozen and processed fruits and vegetables from Kerala after the outbreak of the Nipah virus there, news reports said Tuesday.&nbsp

The UAE had on May 29 banned the import of fresh fruits and vegetables from Kerala.&nbsp

The Nipah virus can cause encephalitis — a dangerous swelling of the brain.

Symptoms of the virus vary from none to fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath, and confusion. This may worsen into a coma over a day or two.

The main host of the virus is said to be the fruit bat, with the virus passing from the bat to the fruits it touches.&nbsp

The virus can also be transmitted from animals to humans.&nbsp

Eighteen people have so far contracted the Nipah virus in Kerala. Of them, 16 have died while two are recovering well.&nbsp

Over 2,000 people who it is thought may have contracted the virus are currently being monitored in Kerala.&nbsp

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan meanwhile said on Monday that the spread of the virus has been contained, but that people should continue to be alert.

The UAE had on May 29 banned the import of fresh fruits and vegetables from Kerala. Sixteen people have so far died from the virus in Kerala

Saudi Arabia has banned the import of frozen and processed fruits and vegetables from Kerala after the outbreak of the Nipah virus there, news reports said Tuesday. The UAE had on May 29 banned the import of fresh fruits and vegetables from Kerala. The Nipah virus can cause encephalitis — a dangerous swelling of the brain. Symptoms of the virus vary from none to fever, cough, headache, shortness of breath, and confusion. This may worsen into a coma over a day or two. The main host of the virus is said to be the fruit bat, with the virus passing from the bat to the fruits it touches. The virus can also be transmitted from animals to humans. Eighteen people have so far contracted the Nipah virus in Kerala. Of them, 16 have died while two are recovering well. Over 2,000 people who it is thought may have contracted the virus are currently being monitored in Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan meanwhile said on Monday that the spread of the virus has been contained, but that people should continue to be alert.

Nipah virus scare: Saudi Arabia bans import of fruits, vegetables from Kerala

Sixteen Indian and Pakistani crew have been stranded on the MT Zoya 1 oil tanker for nearly a year due to a legal dispute.

The tanker is anchored 17 kilometres off the coast of UAE even as ship owners fight their case in a Sharjah court. The crew onboard the ship has been waiting inside the ship unpaid since December last year.

One of the sailors onboard the ship told WION that he had spent 11 months and he felt stressed and wanted to go back home. The Coastguard has refused to let the sailors deboard the ship.

Although the crew has been receiving regular food supply, but they are not being allowed to leave the ship until the owners settle their dispute.

Another sailor Rahul Kumar said: "We are suffering, our passport have been taken and we don't know the reason. Our company is not supporting us."

Ship owners said they could not discuss the matter as it is in court. 
&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The Coastguard has refused to let the sailors deboard the ship.

Sixteen Indian and Pakistani crew have been stranded on the MT Zoya 1 oil tanker for nearly a year due to a legal dispute. The tanker is anchored 17 kilometres off the coast of UAE even as ship owners fight their case in a Sharjah court. The crew onboard the ship has been waiting inside the ship unpaid since December last year. One of the sailors onboard the ship told WION that he had spent 11 months and he felt stressed and wanted to go back home. The Coastguard has refused to let the sailors deboard the ship. Although the crew has been receiving regular food supply, but they are not being allowed to leave the ship until the owners settle their dispute. Another sailor Rahul Kumar said: "We are suffering, our passport have been taken and we don't know the reason. Our company is not supporting us." Ship owners said they could not discuss the matter as it is in court.

Watch: India, Pak sailors stranded on MT Zoya 1 oil tanker off UAE, plead for help

Qatar said it was banning products originating from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain, almost a year after those states imposed an embargo on Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

"Products originating from the blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the Gulf Cooperation Council Customs Territory, have to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," a government statement said late on Saturday.

"To protect the safety of consumers in the State of Qatar and to combat improper trafficking of goods, the government issued a directive to find new suppliers of the variety of goods impacted."

The national Al Watan newspaper quoted a circular from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce telling traders and shops to stop dealing in products imported from the four countries. It said inspectors would monitor compliance with the policy.

The four states cut diplomatic and transport ties last June. Qatar, which had many of its imports trans-shipped from the UAE and received the bulk of its fresh food across the Saudi border, denied the accusations against it.

Imports into Qatar plunged about 40 percent from a year earlier in the initial weeks of the boycott, but they have since mostly returned to normal as Doha has found new sources of products in countries such as Turkey, and developed new shipping routes through places such as Oman. Qatar has also launched a drive to produce more things locally, including foods.

Since last June, some foods and other products from the embargo states have continued to find their way into Qatar through third countries.

A spokesman for Qatar's government declined to give details but said any imports coming to the country must go through proper import inspections.

He was not immediately able to give the value of the goods affected by the new measures, and whether the ban would cover all products trans-shipped through the embargo states in addition to goods produced there.

Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa told Alsharq Alawsat newspaper on Sunday he saw no resolution to the diplomatic row in sight.

The national Al Watan newspaper quoted a circular from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce telling traders and shops to stop dealing in products imported from the four countries

Qatar said it was banning products originating from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain, almost a year after those states imposed an embargo on Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism. "Products originating from the blockading states, which as a result of the blockade cannot pass the Gulf Cooperation Council Customs Territory, have to undergo proper import inspections and customs procedures," a government statement said late on Saturday. "To protect the safety of consumers in the State of Qatar and to combat improper trafficking of goods, the government issued a directive to find new suppliers of the variety of goods impacted." The national Al Watan newspaper quoted a circular from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce telling traders and shops to stop dealing in products imported from the four countries. It said inspectors would monitor compliance with the policy. The four states cut diplomatic and transport ties last June. Qatar, which had many of its imports trans-shipped from the UAE and received the bulk of its fresh food across the Saudi border, denied the accusations against it. Imports into Qatar plunged about 40 percent from a year earlier in the initial weeks of the boycott, but they have since mostly returned to normal as Doha has found new sources of products in countries such as Turkey, and developed new shipping routes through places such as Oman. Qatar has also launched a drive to produce more things locally, including foods. Since last June, some foods and other products from the embargo states have continued to find their way into Qatar through third countries. A spokesman for Qatar's government declined to give details but said any imports coming to the country must go through proper import inspections. He was not immediately able to give the value of the goods affected by the new measures, and whether the ban would cover all products trans-shipped through the embargo states in addition to goods produced there. Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa told Alsharq Alawsat newspaper on Sunday he saw no resolution to the diplomatic row in sight.

Qatar bans goods from UAE, Saudi as embargo anniversary approaches

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