Doha’s decision makers have a choice to make. They can lead their country to the fold of civilised nations, or continue down a destructive and isolating path, says Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.  EPA / Yoan Valat
Doha’s decision makers have a choice to make. They can lead their country to the fold of civilised nations, or continue down a destructive and isolating path, says Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber. EPA / YoaShow more

Qatar must stop changing the subject and start changing its behaviour



In the two weeks that have passed since the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain decided to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, Doha’s response has been to try to change the subject. But what needs to happen is a change in behaviour.

No amount of deflection alters this inconvenient truth. For too long, the State of Qatar has allowed money to flow to terrorist organizations, including Al Qaeda affiliated groups, Al Nusra Front, Hezbollah, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. It has provided shelter and support for known terrorists and directed its media assets to promote extremism.

This activity represents a clear and present danger to the stability and security of not only its neighbours, but the wider region and indeed anywhere the terrorists operate.

But please don’t take my word for it. For the last three years in succession, the US Treasury and State Department have consistently singled out Qatar for facilitating terrorist financing. In 2014, the US Treasury warned, “Qatar has become such a permissive terrorist financing environment that several major Qatar-based fundraisers act as local representatives for larger terrorist fundraising networks.”

The following year, the State Department asserted that nothing had changed, noting, “entities and individuals within Qatar continue to serve as a source of financial support for terrorist and violent extremist groups.”

Last year the picture was distressingly similar, with the Treasury concluding that Qatar “still lacks the necessary political will and capacity to effectively enforce their counter financing of terrorism laws.”

The pattern of behaviour is clear. Despite multiple promises, Qatar has failed to deliver and our patience has run out.

The time has come for the State of Qatar to follow through on the promises it made in 2014, when it signed the Riyadh agreement in response to our last determined effort to persuade the Doha Government to mend its ways: namely to cease acts of subversion and interference in the domestic affairs of GCC countries and other countries in the region; to prevent its media from being used as a platform for terrorist sympathisers and regional destabilisation; and forbid incitement by religious figures. Critically we want Doha to stop its revenue streams from being recycled to finance terrorist, extremist and related organisations.

However, despite Qatar’s pledges, unfortunately nothing has changed. When Qatar continues to allow extremist clerics to defend suicide bombings it should come as no surprise that it leads some people down a path toward evil, be they in Manchester, London, Paris or Kabul. Equally, when Qatar pays a billion dollar cash ransom to Hezbollah affiliates in Iraq and Al Qaeda affiliates in Syria, an uptick in terrorist incidents around the world is inevitable.

People should know that our decision to cut ties was taken with a heavy heart. It has consequences that its neighbours must bear alongside the State of Qatar. Our people have friends and relatives in Qatar, who have been affected by this. However, we all risk a much greater peril were we not to act.

Doha claims that the action taken by its neighbours is uncivilised. This is disingenuous. There is no blockade on the State of Qatar. The airport and seaports are open to the world, just not to bilateral trade with countries that, in the interest of national security, have suspended diplomatic and economic relations.

Yes, there is an impact to the measures we have taken, but it is one shared by all parties, and it pales in comparison to the human cost of the terror enabled by the State of Qatar.

We want nothing more than to resume normal, respectful and friendly relations with Qatar. A diplomatic solution is attainable, but the key to that outcome lies with the government of Qatar. Doha’s decision makers have a choice to make. They can lead their country to the fold of civilised nations, or continue down a destructive and isolating path. I truly hope they change course and choose wisely.

HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber is Minister of State

This article first appeared on CNN.com

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World Cup final

Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

Fines for littering

In Dubai:

Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro

Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle. 
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle

In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches 

The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

Torque: 475Nm

Transmission: 9-speed automatic

Price: From Dh215,900

On sale: Now

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

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Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
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Investment raised: $4 million 
La Mer lowdown

La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
 

Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.

Mia Man’s tips for fermentation

- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut

- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.

- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.

- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.

 

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Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

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2/5