This came as the UAE top diplomat received the Arab League chief and they discussed the global fight against COVID-19 and reiterated the importance of ensuring pan-Arab collaboration..reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has reviewed the Arab and international conditions and latest developments on the global stage, with the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboulgheit.
This came as the UAE top diplomat received the Arab League chief at the ministry’s headquarters where they discussed the global fight against COVID-19 and reiterated the importance of ensuring pan-Arab collaboration in confronting the fallout of the pandemic and supporting international efforts to develop a vaccine to the disease and secure it for all Arab peoples.
Sheikh Abdullah re-affirmed the UAE leadership’s determination to continue to support joint Arab action in a way that fulfils the ambitions of Arab peoples for development, progress and prosperity.
He also commended the efforts of the Arab League and its chief to solidify Arab ranks and enhance their unity in the service of Arab issues
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, discussed the prospects of reviving the Palestinian-Israeli peace track with the UN Envoy for the peace process in the Middle East, Nikolai Miladinov.
This came as the UAE top diplomat welcomed the UN envoy at the ministry’s HQ where they reviewed ways of putting the peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis back on track in a way that contributes to strengthening security and stability in the Middle East.
Sheikh Abdullah affirmed that achievement of peace in the Middle East will herald development and progress for the region and help ensure prosperity for its peoples and for generations to come.
He also underlined the UAE’s keenness to further cement cooperation with the United Nations and support all international efforts to promote stability and peace across the world.
The exercise is being held to develop and reinforce the military ties between Egypt and other Arab countries…reports Asian Lite News
Units from the UAE Armed Forces are participating in the joint military exercise, entitled, “Saif Al Arab,” held in Egypt and attended by many friendly countries.
Dubbed ” The Sword of Arabs”, the exercise began on Tuesday and will continue until 26th November at the Mohamed Naguib Military Base and other parts of the Northern Military Region.
Over the past few days, units and equipment arrived from the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan via airbases and marine ports. Saudi Arabia will participate as an observer.
The exercise is one of the leading military exercises in the Arab region and aims to promote military cooperation and joint military action between the Egyptian Armed Forces and the armed forces of other Arab countries using advanced weapons and equipment.
The exercise’s early phases will include holding a coordination conference between participating countries to unify concepts, exchange training expertise, and deploy participating units, in addition to organising several theoretical and practical lectures.
The exercise is being held to develop and reinforce the military ties between Egypt and other Arab countries
Ties between Washington and its strategic NATO ally have remained tense despite a personal friendship between US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan…reports Asian Lite News
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid a fraught visit to Istanbul on Tuesday that included no official meetings and an agenda focused on religious freedoms that Ankara dismissed as “irrelevant.” Arab News Reports
Ties between Washington and its strategic NATO ally have remained tense despite a personal friendship between US President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
A group of 20 to 30 Turks shouted “Yankee go home!” as the evangelical Christian Pompeo headed in for a meeting with the Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople – the spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox world – to express his “strong position” on religious freedoms.
Earlier, Pompeo had publicly criticized Erdogan’s controversial conversion of Istanbul’s emblematic Hagia Sophia monument into a mosque in July.
The US administration and Europe need to work jointly on addressing actions led by Turkey in the Middle East over the past few months, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told French daily newspaper Le Figaro. Arab news reports
“France’s president Emmanuel Macron and I agree that Turkey’s recent actions have been very aggressive,” Pompeo said, citing Turkey’s recent support to Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Armenia as well as military moves in Libya and the Mediterranean.
“Europe and the US must work together to convince Erdogan such actions are not in the interest of his people,” Pompeo said, referring to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Earlier on Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye told the cabinet in an online meeting that a Fatah delegation would head to Cairo to discuss with about elections with the Hamas….reports Asian Lite News
Leaders of the Islamic Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah have resumed reconciliation talks in Cairo aimed at ending the internal division between the two sides and achieving unity.
Abdulatif al-Qanoua, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza, told reporters on Monday that the two movements’ delegations had convened on Monday afternoon in Cairo to continue their reconciliation dialogue that has been going on for more than a month, reports Xinhua news agency.
“We will work to overcome obstacles and solve some of the existing problems, and we are all concerned with the success of our path of reconciliation,” al-Qanoua said.
Earlier on Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye told the cabinet in an online meeting that a Fatah delegation would head to Cairo to discuss with about elections with the Hamas.
“I hope for speeding up an agreement on setting a date for holding consecutive and inclusive elections for the Legislative Council and the Presidency to strengthen democratic life and end of internal division,” Ishtaye said.
After Hamasseized control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, an internal political and geographical division over administrative, financial and security issues has remained between the two sides despite a series of Arab and international mediations.
In March 2018, then Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah survived an explosion when his convoy entered Gaza, an incident that was blamed on Hamas.
Despite a history of strife, Fatah and Hamas recently announced their agreement to put differences aside.
EU Slams Erdogan Over Varosha Visit; UAE, S. Arabia Unite Study on Nuke Power; A PROMISED LAND: Obama on India; ‘BAKSAL idea wrongly interpreted’ – all in Asian Lite Daily – please click here to read the story.
Washington, Oct. 2, 2020 (Xinhua) -- File photo taken on Sept. 3, 2020 shows U.S. President Donald Trump participating in a campaign rally in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the United States. Trump said early Friday morning that he and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for COVID-19, after a close aide had contracted the virus. (Xinhua/Liu Jie/IANS)
Soon after taking office, Miller, a US special forces veteran who fought wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, indicated he might accelerate the pace to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan…reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump formallt accepts Republican nomination.
US President Donald Trump will issue a formal order to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq as soon as this week, according to media reports on Monday.
US media quoted officials as saying that the Pentagon had issued a notice to commanders to begin planning to decrease the number of troops to 2,500 level in both Afghanistan and Iraq by mid-January, the Xinhua news agency reported.
The 2,500-troop level in reports was in line with what Trump’s National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien said last month that US troops in Afghanistan would be reduced to around 2,500 by early 2021. Currently, there are approximately 4,500 US troops in Afghanistan and 3,000 troops in Iraq.
The reports came after a reshuffle of Pentagon leadership last week. President Trump last Monday appointed the director of the National Counterterrorism Center Christopher Miller as acting defense secretary to replace former Pentagon chief Mark Esper, who reportedly had been pushing back on a premature withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Soon after taking office, Miller, a US special forces veteran who fought wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, indicated he might accelerate the pace to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan.
Both parties discussed potential cooperation in regulatory aspects related to nuclear safety, nuclear security, nonproliferation, legal and regulatory framework, emergency preparedness and response…reports Asian Lite Newsdesk
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANR, of the UAE and the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission, NRRC, of Saudi Arabia convened a meeting to explore and strengthen mutual collaboration.
Both parties discussed potential cooperation in regulatory aspects related to nuclear safety, nuclear security, nonproliferation, legal and regulatory framework, emergency preparedness and response.
The meeting was held as part of the bilateral agreement on the Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy between the UAE and Saudi Arabia that was signed in 2019. FANR’s Director-General Christer Viktorsson and NRRC’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Khalid A. Al Eissa presided over the meeting, attended by the senior leadership team of both sides.
The Saudi Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission presented the status of its nuclear programme and regulatory framework. Meanwhile, FANR showcased latest updates with the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme and following the operation of Unit 1 of Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.
FANR also briefed about its regulatory framework in terms of nuclear and radiological sectors in the UAE and efforts to protect the public, workers, and environment from radiation risks.
The Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, FANR, of the UAE and the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission, NRRC, of Saudi Arabia convened a meeting to explore and strengthen mutual collaboration.
“We are delighted to meet with our partner, the NRRC of Saudi Arabia. We stand ready to provide necessary support to the NRRC and share with them UAE’s journey into building the peaceful nuclear programme as well as offering various training and workshops in this regard,” said Viktorsson.
Dr. A. Al Eissan thanked FANR for accepting such virtual meeting to look into future cooperation and expressed NRRC’s willingness to strengthen the cooperation by conducting a series of meetings to explore and identify detailed areas of cooperation, and formulating topical technical groups with emphasis on human capacity building, environmental monitoring, nuclear security, radioactive sources control, in particular, customs ports between KSA and the UAE.
Both parties also agreed to hold topical workshops and form working groups to exchange information and knowledge related to regulatory framework, radiation protection, nuclear safety and security as well as nuclear nonproliferation and emergency preparedness. It also agreed to discuss smart licensing systems and public communications.
The Saudi NRRC expressed its interest to participate in ConvEx-3, which will be hosted by the UAE in 2021. ConvEx-3 is the largest and most complex exercise conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency and involves Member States and international organisations. It requires continuous, 24/7 operations for several days and tests arrangements for severe radiological and nuclear emergencies.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, and General Supervisor of the ‘Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy Initiative’ said that the UAE has accumulated extensive expertise in the field of Islamic Economy and established a robust fintech infrastructure that places it in a strong position to become a global leader in developing the sector.
The Crown Prince attributed the success that Dubai has achieved in the sector to the progressive vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, which laid the foundations for the Islamic Economy sector to become an important pillar of the national economy.
Sheikh Hamdan’s remarks came on the occasion of the announcement of the results of the 2020-2021 State of the Global Islamic Economy Report today.
Speaking about the global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheikh Hamdan pointed out that the Islamic Economy sector has the potential to lead post-pandemic global economic recovery. He stressed the need to take advantage of fresh opportunities that can open new economic horizons and help both the region and the world overcome the repercussions of the pandemic.
He called for strengthening channels of cooperation with partners around the world, and harnessing the potential of the ‘Dubai: Capital of Islamic Economy Initiative’ to attract investment and capital into the Islamic Economy sector, which in turn will enhance both Dubai and the UAE’s roles as major players in expanding regional and global growth opportunities post-COVID-19.
The Dubai Islamic Economy Development Centre, DIEDC, on Monday announced the results of the annual State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/21 (SGIE Report 2020/21), produced by DinarStandard, a US-based research and advisory firm, in partnership with SalaamGateway, the largest news and media platform focused on the Islamic economy. First published in 2013, the Report serves as an annual update on the Islamic economy, encompassing the halal food and beverages, Islamic finance, and lifestyle sectors.
In its eighth edition this year, under the theme ‘thriving in uncertainty’, the Report estimates that Muslims spent US$2.02 trillion in 2019 on halal food, modest fashion, family-friendly travel, halal pharmaceuticals, halal cosmetics, and halal media and recreation. While the figures reflect a 3.2 per cent year-on-year growth, expenditure in 2020 is expected to shrink by approximately 8 per cent, due to the economic impact resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. However, spending across these Islamic economy sectors, excluding family-friendly travel, is forecast to rebound by end-2021, and is slated to reach US$2.4 trillion by 2024.
The UAE was ranked one of the top three countries in the Report’s much-anticipated Global Islamic Economy Indicator, which covered 81 countries this year. New entrants, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Singapore joined the top 15 rankings while Saudi Arabia and Indonesia moved up in the rankings compared to last year’s SGIE Report.
Malaysia once again topped the overall Global Islamic Economy Indicator as well as the Islamic finance sector, the family-friendly travel sector, halal food and beverages sector, halal pharmaceuticals and cosmetics sectors indicators. The UAE ranked in first place in the remaining two sectors — Modest Fashion and Halal Media and Recreation.
Fatah and Hamas delegations will head to Cairo to continue their negotiations on internal reconciliation, senior Palestinian officials said.
“The Fatah delegation is headed by its Central Committee Secretary-General Jibril Rajoub, and two other senior leaders — Rawhi Fattouh and Ahmed Helles,” Abbas Zaki, a senior Fatah leader, told Xinhua news agency on Sunday.
“These meetings aim to continue the reconciliation efforts between Fatah and Hamas to end the internal division that will lead to the Palestinian presidential and legislative elections as soon as possible,” Zaki added.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
He praised Egypt’s role in sponsoring Palestinian reconciliation, stressing that “those efforts will achieve success in ending the Palestinian division”.
Hazem Qassem, spokesman of Hamas in Gaza, said in a press statement that Hamas will meet Fatah in Cairo to prepare for building a joint strategy to face all challenges against the Palestinian cause.
Hamas had seized control of the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007 and since then, an internal political and geographical division over administrative, financial and security issues has remained between the two sides despite a series of Arab and international mediations.
In March 2018, then Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah survived an explosion when his convoy entered Gaza, an incident that was blamed on Hamas.
Despite a history of strife, Fatah and Hamas recently announced their agreement to put differences aside to confront Israeli plan to annex parts of the West Bank.
