BERLIN // Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, met the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, yesterday for talks on issues including the nuclear standoff with Iran and the situation in Syria.
"The topics discussed were bilateral relations, possibilities for cooperation in the economy, energy, the environment, education and research," a spokeswoman for the German government said.
"The dispute over the Iranian nuclear programme and the situation in Syria were of particular interest."
The European Union imposed sanctions on seven Syrian cabinet ministers on Tuesday for their roles in the bloody crackdown on the opposition, in the latest move aimed at pressuring the president, Bashar Al Assad, to step down.
Sheikh Mohammed, also the Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Mrs Merkel had lunch together but no details of the discussions were given.
There was no comment on whether they had talked about the euro crisis or a possible financial contribution by the UAE towards bailout funds for struggling economies in the single- currency area.
The EU has been trying to secure support for the euro rescue from leading economies outside the bloc, especially China, as the crisis enters its third year with no sign of abating.
There are growing doubts in Germany, Europe's largest economy, about whether the crisis management is working.
An opinion poll published in the Bild am Sonntag newspaper this week showed almost two thirds of Germans, 62 per cent, were opposed to granting more aid to Greece. Mrs Merkel faced a backbench revolt on Monday in a parliamentary vote on a second, €130 billion (Dh638.76bn) rescue package for the beleaguered southern European nation.
The bill was passed with a large majority thanks to opposition support, but the chancellor fell short of the symbolically important absolute majority of all seats in parliament.
Commentators say Mrs Merkel has been politically weakened by dissent in her centre-right coalition, and by signs of a rift in her cabinet on euro policy.
Her position has been complicated further by Ireland's decision on Tuesday to hold a referendum on the new EU fiscal discipline pact she had hoped would be implemented quickly, and which represents a cornerstone of her strategy to end the debt crisis.
Germany has long been wooing investors from Gulf states including the UAE, which it values as reliable, long-term partners.
Recently, Etihad came to the rescue of Air Berlin when it agreed in December to become the largest single shareholder, with a stake of almost 30 per cent and a €73 million injection of capital.
The investment has led to strategic cooperation including codesharing and will help Etihad to expand its business in Europe.
Germany is also hoping the UAE will become involved in offshore wind-farm projects that have been suffering delays because undersea cables linking the turbines to the mainland grid are behind schedule.
Masdar, the green energy company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government, has said it may be interested in investing in German offshore wind power if the returns improve.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
The%20specs
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Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Day 3, Dubai Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Lahiru Gamage, the Sri Lanka pace bowler, has had to play a lot of cricket to earn a shot at the top level. The 29-year-old debutant first played a first-class game 11 years ago. His first Test wicket was one to savour, bowling Pakistan opener Shan Masood through the gate. It set the rot in motion for Pakistan’s batting.
Stat of the day – 73 Haris Sohail took 73 balls to hit a boundary. Which is a peculiar quirk, given the aggressive intent he showed from the off. Pakistan’s batsmen were implored to attack Rangana Herath after their implosion against his left-arm spin in Abu Dhabi. Haris did his best to oblige, smacking the second ball he faced for a huge straight six.
The verdict One year ago, when Pakistan played their first day-night Test at this ground, they held a 222-run lead over West Indies on first innings. The away side still pushed their hosts relatively close on the final night. With the opposite almost exactly the case this time around, Pakistan still have to hope they can salvage a win from somewhere.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
Royal wedding inspired menu
Ginger, citrus and orange blossom iced tea
Avocado ranch dip with crudites
Cucumber, smoked salmon and cream cheese mini club sandwiches
Elderflower and lemon syllabub meringue
MATCH INFO
Championship play-offs, second legs:
Aston Villa 0
Middlesbrough 0
(Aston Villa advance 1-0 on aggregate)
Fulham 2
Sessegnon (47'), Odoi (66')
Derby County 0
(Fulham advance 2-1 on aggregate)
Final
Saturday, May 26, Wembley. Kick off 8pm (UAE)
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
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.
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Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
Specs%20
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Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Race card for Super Saturday
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
Torque: 580 Nm
Price: From Dh399,000
On sale: Now
