Does Qatar have any interest in resolving the crisis it has provoked in the region? Its conduct leaves us in no doubt as to its intentions. Doha's behaviour has gone from bad to worse since the Arab quartet – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt – called on Doha to abandon its sponsorship of extremists and reverse its policies of destabilisation in June.
First, Qatar tried to play the innocent victim. But as proof of its complicity in fuelling instability and terrorism began to mount, Doha changed tack. It made incendiary statements about Hajj and tried in vain to internationalise the dispute. It even attempted to make use of its soft power and money to lure western capitals to its side. None of this has worked. And yet instead of opting for conciliation, Qatar has chosen verbal combat, adopting a bellicose tone and intensifying tensions with a tone of defiance.
Tuesday's press conference in Doha, in which Qatar's foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, accused the quartet of fomenting tensions is a case in point. The reality is simply that the quartet has given Qatar numerous opportunities to bring this crisis to an end – only to be rebuffed on each occasion. In its rhetoric and truculent posturing, Qatar is beginning increasingly to resemble Iran, a pariah state with a record of financing terrorism and destabilising the region. Perhaps encouraged by this rift, Iran lashes out at sanctions and threatens to abandon the nuclear deal.
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Read more:
Qatar crisis: UN aviation agency rejects Doha bid to internationalise dispute
Qatar crisis: What you need to know
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Qatar clearly believes that its confrontational behaviour and aggressive rhetoric serves its long-term interests. It is profoundly mistaken. As the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, stated on Twitter on Tuesday, "Qatar is burning bridges with its neighbours, and is banking on external influences to mediate the crisis, which will result in deepening the crisis". The resolve of the quartet to hold Qatar to account will not be weakened just because Doha drags this out or supplicates to external parties to come to its aid. If anything, Doha is making matters worse for itself. It can no longer conceal its history of support for terrorism. A recent report in the pan-Arab newspaper Asharq Alawsat, for instance, revealed how Qatar had plotted with Iran and Hizbollah to ignite a war in the southern borderlands of Saudi Arabia.
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Also read:
How France ransomed itself to Qatar's money and 'soft power'
Bahrain says Qatar's media is making diplomatic crisis worse
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On Tuesday, Bahrain's minister of information, Ali Al Rumaihi, lamented Qatar's evident disdain for "the kinship of the Arabian Gulf countries". Doha's fanning of the flames is in stark contrast to the regional efforts to douse the flames. Qatar must realise the importance of a measured and pragmatic tone. Contrary to what Doha claims, the Arab states have not behaved unreasonably. Also on Tuesday, Dr Gargash once again urged Qatar's leadership to visit Riyadh and negotiate the demands placed before it by the quartet. Doha should heed his call.
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Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Ant-Man and the Wasp
Director: Peyton Reed
Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas
Three stars
'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
