The 28-year-old pop megastar - who was still little known 10 years ago - has been honoured with the Official Chart Record Breaker Award accolade by the Official Charts Company to recognise his achievement as the star with the most number ones, 12 across the Albums Chart and Official Singles Chart, and for spending 79 weeks at the top of the chart.

The 'Take Me Back To London' hitmaker follows in the footsteps of Sir Paul McCartney - who has had 22 number ones - and Justin Bieber, who became the first act to hold all top three positions in the Official Singles Chart at the same time.

The trio are the only artists to ever receive the Official Chart Record Breaker prize.

Ed - who is currently on a break - said: "Thank you to everyone who's supported me over the past 10 years, especially my amazing fans. Here's to the next 10!"

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, comments: "Ed truly has dominated this decade and is a worthy recipient of this amazing new award.

"At the start of the decade, he was a little known (albeit highly rated) young 18-year-old lad from Suffolk - but his catalogue of achievements since then are genuinely remarkable. Today, he is firmly established among the highest level of global music superstars."

Ed has also claimed the UK's biggest track of the decade, with 'Shape of You' from his record-breaking LP 'Divide'.

The catchy number spent 14 weeks at Number one in 2017, amassing over 4.5m chart sales.

'Thinking Out Loud' and his Christmas number one, 'Perfect', made the Top 5 End of the Decade List.

The flame-haired singer/songwriter has spent 38 weeks at number one on the Official Singles Chart to date, selling an impressive 53.8m combined singles, whilst his songs have been streamed a staggering 4.6 billion times in the UK alone.

In the Top 10 Singles of the Decade, 'Shape of You' is followed by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' mega-hit 'Uptown Funk', with 3.28 million sales.

Whilst Adele has beaten Ed to claim the top Albums of the Decade, with '21' at the top and '25' in second position, followed by Ed's 'X' and 'Divide'.

Sam Smith's 2014 'In The Lonely Hour' LP has claimed the biggest Debut Album of the Decade.

Take That's 2010 album 'Progress' is the biggest album by a group or band.

And Bon Jovi's 2010 'Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection' has claimed the Greatest Hits Album of the Decade.

The 'Never Say Never' hitmaker took to Twitter to upload a cryptic seven-second video which featured a starry night and the word "2020", but didn't elaborate further.

Fans have been speculating that it could be a new album, after Justin already confirmed in October that he will release his fifth record before this year is out.

Justin recently tweeted: "Finished something very special in the studio tonight."

And two months ago, he confirmed his new album, a follow up to 2015's 'Purpose', would be out by the end of the year - but he has less than three weeks to drop the hotly-anticipated record.

At the time, he and his wife Hailey Bieber took to social media to share an Instagram Live Video in which Justin could be seen roller-skating around his kitchen while announcing: "I'm putting out an album this year."

Hailey replied: "This year meaning before 2020? I thought you already were doing it this year?"

Justin said: "Album coming out this year ... legit though, like this year."

It came just days after his Dan + Shay collaboration '10,000 Hours' dropped.

Sharing a 26-second teaser clip of the track, he wrote on Twitter: "New music. Wedding music. @DanAndShay and this guy. FRIDAY "

Justin teased earlier this year that his new album is "coming soon".

Breaking his hiatus to perform with Ariana Grande at Coachella in April, he said: "So anyways this is my first time on stage in two years. I had to get my groove back, my swag back. By the way, album coming soon."

While he hasn't dropped an album for four years, Justin has appeared on a number of collaborations, including 'I Don't Care' with Ed Sheeran and a remix of Billie Eilish's 'Bad Guy'.

To mark the couple's first year as a married couple, the 'Baywatch' actress has announced the upcoming currently "untitled project", which is based on the Sangeet - a traditional Indian dance which celebrates the union of two people the night before their tie the knot.

The 37-year-old star - who married the Jonas Brothers star in a three-day wedding extravaganza in Jodhpur, India, last December - took to Instagram to tease the series, which is looking for couples who are "engaged to be married in the spring or summer next year" to take part.

In a lengthy post, she explained: "At our wedding, both of our families came together to perform a sangeet. A performance (dance-off competition style) that celebrated our love story, one of the most unforgettable moments from a very special time in our lives.

"@nickjonas and I are excited to announce a new, currently untitled project (we're still working on it!!) that celebrates the love and magic that comes from friends and family that join together through music and dance the night before a wedding. "It's our #SangeetProject Happy one year anniversary baby. It's our first together

"We want to share this amazing experience with couples set to be wed. SO...if you're engaged to be married in the spring or summer next year (2020), we want to be part of the celebration and help you make it even more spectacular. "#representationmatters #crosspollination #culturesblending

Visit the link in bio, and we'll have you dancing before you walk down the aisle! @amazonprimevideo @alfredstreetindustries (sic)"

The 'Quantico' star and 'Sucker' hitmaker marked their anniversary on December 1 on social media earlier this month.

Priyanka thanked her husband for "finding her".

Alongside a series of adorable snaps taken from their special day, she gushed: "My promise. Then..today.. forever. You bring me joy, grace, balance, excitement, passion.. all in the same moment...thank you for finding me..Happy First wedding anniversary Husband.. @nickjonas

"And Thank you to everyone for the love and good wishes. We feel blessed."

And the 27-year-old hunk also posted a picture of the couple taking their vows on his profile, and wrote: "One year ago today we said forever... well forever isn't nearly long enough. I love you with all of my heart @priyankachopra happy anniversary."

“In fact, he was the toughest of them all. He kept asking so many questions. ‘Why should I come? Why do you want me on your show? What Will I do there? What will we talk about?’ etc. He is my husband, but he does a lot of drama. He finally managed to convince him, but he troubled us a lot,” laughs Kareena in hindsight.

The actress, however, says that the nawab swells with pride at her work, but doesn’t display it. “Saif is always very proud of me in a very silent way. He is always smiling and silently watching me at work.

The other man in Kareena’s life – little Tim or Taimur Ali Khan has also started understanding his mother now. “He travels with me sometimes when I am working now and understands that I have to work. So when I tell him that I need to go for my shoot, he even says, ‘have a good show!’ I am sure when he grows up he will quickly understand what women want,” says Kareena.

The Official Host Broadcaster will play a vital role in managing and facilitating broadcasting activities from the Expo 2020 site and will be responsible for providing a unique broadcast experience to a global audience using cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions.

DMI is the official media organisation of the Government of Dubai, incorporating a number of print, radio and TV channels under its umbrella. It serves consumers regionally and internationally with content across multiple platforms, including Dubai TV, Dubai One, Al Bayan and Dubai Radio.

Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali, Executive Director, Expo 2020 Dubai Bureau, said: “The media holds a major role in informing global audiences about Expo 2020 and its messages, and is a key pillar in achieving our goals.

“The collaboration with DMI will significantly bolster the media coverage of Expo 2020, contribute to the event’s success and help to share a positive image of the UAE to millions of viewers around the world.”

The agreement was signed today by Najeeb Mohammed Al-Ali and Ahmed Saeed Al Mansouri, CEO, DMI.

Ahmed Saeed Al Mansouri, CEO of Radio and TV Sector, DMI, said “As Official Host Broadcaster for Expo 2020 Dubai, we are excited for the opportunity to create outstanding legacies for Dubai and the UAE in broadcast content production and delivery.”

Expo 2020 will present The World’s Greatest Show, offering a rich calendar of activities for all, from entertainment and food and beverage to arts and culture and the latest innovations from all over the world.

It will provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience to millions of visitors of all ages and nationalities, more than 60 daily live shows during for its 173-day duration.

The Expo 2020 site will boast a spectacular display of world-class architecture and the latest in technology and sustainable solutions from its opening on 20 October 2020 until its doors close on 10 April 2021.

Onboard the inaugural flight was a senior delegation led by Sudhir Sreedharan, Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations (UAE, GCC, Subcontinent and Africa) at flydubai. Upon its arrival in Yangon, the delegation was met by U Phyo Min Thein, Chief Minister of Yangon Region; Daw Nilar Kyaw, Minister of Electricity, Industry, Roads and Transport, along with U Htun Myint Naing, Chairman of Asia World Group of Companies, and Jose Angeja, COO of Yangon Aerodrome Company Limited.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Sreedharan said, "We are delighted to start our new daily service to Yangon, as we see flydubai’s network expand further East. We are confident that the new service will not only support the trade links between the UAE and Myanmar but also become a popular route for passengers travelling from the UAE and the GCC and for those connecting to Europe and the USA with Emirates. It is a wonderful way to conclude our 10th year of operations."

During his opening remarks at the event, U Phyo Min Thein said, "Yangon International Airport plays an essential role in tourism development of Myanmar. The airport is a gateway to international travel. We want to extend a warm welcome to flydubai's inaugural flight today and give thanks to developing our tourism sector, and secondly, recognise Dubai as an international transit hub."

Emirates will codeshare on this route and for bookings under the codeshare, Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy class.

Angeja said, "We are delighted to receive a new international airline, which will not only maintain a direct flight to the Middle East - Dubai, as the main feeder of the European and American markets to Yangon, but also for adding a new route to Krabi (Thailand), increasing YIA’s connections portfolio, which will increase the number of passengers and visitors to Myanmar, as well as promote tourism in this particular case, amongst the three regions."

The Dubai Health Authority’s, DHA, Blood Donation Centre announced the launch of the campaign for the year 2019 on 13th November, 2019, to encourage the community to donate blood and raise awareness about the importance of donating blood, as one blood unit can save up to three lives.

The campaign, which will continue until 16th December was introduced in 2012 under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council.

The Dubai Blood Donation Centre, which is under the Pathology & Genetics Department and Clinical Support Services and Nursing Sector, is the only blood donation centre in Dubai and provides around 50 percent of the total blood collected throughout the country.

As part of the campaign, the centre’s blood donation centre visited several entities to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation, including the Ministry of Defence, DEWA, Dubai Police, Dubai Executive Council, Dubai Municipality, the Red Crescent, DHA facilities, Nad Al Sheba Club, DP World and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.

Dr. Hussain Al Samt, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical laboratories and Genetics, said that the Dubai Blood Donation Centre is committed to providing a safe and adequate supply of blood to all DHA hospitals and private hospitals in Dubai, to save the lives of patients who require blood transfusions by ensuring that the services provided are up to international standards.

Dr. Mai Raouf, Director of the Dubai Blood Donation Centre, added that there is a continuous demand for all blood types, as blood lasts for only 42 days. People can donate blood every eight weeks. Platelets, which can be donated up to 24 times a year, are also important to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or those recovering from surgery and suffering from blood loss.

Dr. Raouf said that the Dubai Blood Donation Centre is open from Sunday to Thursday from 07:30 to 19:00 for blood donation and 07:30 to 13:00 for apheresis donation.

During the meeting, members of the Executive Council approved a number of initiatives that seek to improve healthcare insurance in Dubai, and simplify government insurance coverage and improve the efficiency of government hospitals. Dubai Health Authority presented a series of proposed initiatives that aim to integrate and connect the services of healthcare providers, and promote healthy culture, and adequate transfer of patients. The initiatives include unification of health insurance programmes, and update them to include some specific categories. Other improvement initiatives include update of the general medicines policy, and sick leaves policy, for more efficient healthcare services at lower costs, and to reduce unnecessary visits to the doctor.

Sheikh Hamdan also approved the 2020 agenda of the Executive Council, and of the Strategic Affairs Council, which seeks to implement the leadership’s vision for excellence through a number of programmes and initiatives. This includes 30 topics including housing for Emiratis, regulate and review school transportation in Dubai to reduce the burden on parents, in addition, to qualify and train government human resources among others.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said that investing in people will always reap dividends. "Our objective is to continuously develop new leaders. We will continue our search for young leaders, and prepare them to take on new responsibilities for a country that is always on the move," His Highness said.

Sheikh Mohammed’s remarks came while honoring the 32 graduates of the programme, in the presence of Mohammed Al Gergawi, Chairman of the Executive Office of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Impactful Leadership is the first programme to launch under the Mohammad bin Rashid Leadership Framework, based on the new approach of the Mohammad bin Rashid Centre for Leadership Development.

The centre seeks to consolidate the vision of His Highness to make the UAE one of the most advanced countries in the world by 2071, under the UAE Centennial 2071 goals.

The programme was designed in collaboration with three international universities - UC Berkeley, the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland and Imperial College London - incorporating global trends in leadership development.

Khalifa Port, strategically situated halfway between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, was officially inaugurated on 12th December 2012, by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Of particular note is the investment of AED2.2 billion in the development of South Quay and Khalifa Port Logistics, as well as the AED1.6 billion expansion at Abu Dhabi Terminals, ADT.

The South Quay development, which will be completed by Q1 of 2021 comprises a 3km quay-wall with 18.5 metres along-side draft for general cargo, ro-ro and bulk usage. It will also include eight berths and 1.3 million square metres of the terminal yard.

The Khalifa Logistics expansion, for multi-purpose usage, will encompass a 3.1km quay wall with an 8-metre draft, 15 berths and land plots, which can be tailored to individual customers.

Phase 1 of the South Quay expansion will be completed by Q4 of 2020, while Phase 2 and the Khalifa Logistics expansion will be completed by Q1 of 2021. These two expansion projects will create more than 2,800 direct and indirect jobs and contribute more than AED3.2 billion to the emirate’s GDP by 2025.

The expansion at ADT will include an extension of the quay from 1,400 to 2,265 metres and an addition of 10 new ship-to-shore quay cranes effectively doubling ADT’s handling capacity from 2.5 million to 5 million TEUs.

With this capacity expansion project in place, Khalifa Port will see its container handling capacity jump from the current 5 million to 7.5 million TEUs, which sets it firmly on the path towards its 9 million TEU milestone over the next five years.

Capt. Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, Group CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, said, "As global trade volumes increase over time, the world’s leading port operators must think decades ahead in their planning and execution. Through strategic collaboration with partners and top industry players, such as ADT, MSC, China’s CSP, and Autoterminal Barcelona, Khalifa Port is developing sustainably and has become one of the fastest-growing ports in the world.

Ahmed Al Mutawa, CEO, ADT, said, "The latest investment of AED1.6 billion, which doubles our handling capacity to 5 million TEUs by 2020, will see ADT take its place among the top 40 largest container terminals in the world, and positions us well for future growth."

Naser AlBusaeedi, Deputy CEO, CSP Abu Dhabi Terminal, said, "COSCO continues to view Abu Dhabi as a logistics and trade hub of tremendous strategic global importance. We look forward to the complete optimisation of the CSP terminal, raising cargo volumes to new highs and bolstering trade between markets far and wide."

Mohamed Eidha Tannaf Al Menhali, Acting Director, Khalifa Port, said, "The South Quay and Khalifa Logistics expansion delivers enormous competitive advantages for Khalifa Port and KIZAD, as industrial producers and cargo owners shipping to global markets value deep-water access and the ability to base operations on prime land in investor-friendly Abu Dhabi."

Featuring state-of-the-art maritime infrastructure, including 23 (current) of the world’s largest ship-to-shore quay cranes, Khalifa Port will be the first in the UAE to be linked to the new Etihad Rail network, which is currently under construction.

One of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, DISC has been organised under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, every year since 2006 and today it is one of the world’s premium football forum, where the game’s top stakeholders assemble for extensive discussions on challenges facing the ever-evolving world of football.

Organised by Dubai Sports Council, this year’s Conference is taking place under the theme, "Future Football Accelerators", and Van der Sar, who is making his first appearance at DISC, will get the ball rolling alongside former England manager Fabio Capello and Ferran Soriano, Chief Executive of Manchester City Football Club, and its parent company City Football Group, in the first of the day’s four sessions titled, "English Football Back to the Top".

Welcoming the speakers, Saeed Hareb, Secretary-General of DSC and Chairman of DISC’s Organising Committee, said, "We are delighted to announce the participation of one of the best goalkeepers to ever play the game, Edwin van der Sar.

"Now the CEO of Ajax, the club where his senior professional career started, Van Der Sar is in a unique position, with experience of both sides of the fence – as goalkeeper, which is one of the most demanding positions in the game, and as a club chief executive.

"The experience he brings and the insights he will offer at the conference, will really enrich the discussions we are going to have under the theme "Future Football Accelerators".

"We are also delighted to welcome back Fabio Capello and Ferran Soriano, who have been two of the staunchest supporters of the Dubai International Sports Conference. Soriano will be making his third consecutive appearance, while Capello will be attending for the ninth time.

"Again, both will have some amazing insights to offer as we discuss the resurgence of English club football - the finals of both the 2019 UEFA Champions League (Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspurs) and the 2019 UEFA Europa League (Chelsea vs Arsenal) were all-English affairs. It was the first time ever that four clubs from the same nation contested the two major European finals in the same season, and we have three top men to discuss the ascent of English football."

Considered one of the best goalkeepers to ever don the gloves in football, Van der Sar is the second most capped player in the Netherlands national team’s history and has played for top clubs like Ajax, Juventus and Manchester United in a celebrated professional career that spanned 21 years.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Jamal Al Muhairi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Secretary-General of the Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance, and several officials.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the cooperation and joint programmes between the foundation and the EFQM, as well as ways of enhancing them and developments to the "the Hamdan – EFQM Educational Excellence Award."

Longmuir presented Sheikh Hamdan with the "Certificate of Strategic Partnership," which is granted to the EFQM’s strategic partners and recognises Sheikh Hamdan’s role in supporting the partnership between the two foundations, contributing to the launch of the model, to assess educational quality and is a leading international programme in this area.

Sheikh Hamdan welcomed the delegation and praised the efforts of the EFQM and its role in consolidating the culture of quality and supporting institutional strategies towards using the best scientific standards, to achieve customer satisfaction and sustainable development.

"The Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation for Distinguished Academic Performance continues to deserve the merits of its support for education, especially in the UAE, to advance its development efforts, in light of the support received by the education sector from the country’s leadership and government," he said.

Longmuir highlighted the importance of the partnership between the EFQM and the foundation, which resulted in the development of a global model of education.

"The EFQM is looking forward to adopting this model, in cooperation with the foundation, in the UAE and internationally," he said.

The model is the first joint model between the foundation and EFQM that evaluates educational performance in schools. It will be available for application and assessment in the 2020/2021 academic year.

The Ruler of Sharjah toured the 31 exhibitions held in the Sharjah Art Museum, which included a variety of artistic works that included sculptures, calligraphies, and others that reflect the splendour of Islamic arts.

During the tour, H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan listened to a detailed overview of the exhibited artworks by the organisers of the exhibition and the artists participating in the festival.

The festival touches on historical, aesthetic, and human themes, revealing the historical symbol of ancient Islamic art by attracting the finest international artists, and providing a link between the old and the modern, under the theme ‘Prospect’, as it prompts contemplation and venturing on a journey towards visual realms that exist beyond the limits of space. It is about admiring beauty while being blindfolded. It is the practice of imagination that can invoke the absent beautiful and undiscovered realms.

The festival includes 253 events, exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and murals, with 108 participating artists from 31 countries showcasing 241 artworks.

The opening of the Festival was also attended by Sheikha Nawar Al Qasimi Director of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture, and a number of senior officials, ambassadors, and representatives of artistic institutions and local and international media.

During the meeting, Sheikh Saud highlighted the strong and deep overall ties that bind the UAE and Singapore.

He also wished Tan success in his future duties and praised his efforts to enhance the overall cooperation between the two friendly countries.

Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance, the event addresses the World Bank’s Doing Business Report, bringing together a host of renowned policymakers and experts in economics and business to explore opportunities and exchange expertise.

The four-day meeting themed ‘Global Aspiration Towards Business Growth and Economic Prosperity", brings together more than 350 experts from 45 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, MENA, and Asia. The agenda includes several panel discussions, workshops, lectures, and field trips to explore best practices in government entities around the UAE that have earned high global rankings on the Doing Business Report.

In her opening speech, Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, said, "The UAE has established partnerships with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation that have led to a host of successes and accomplishments across various sectors. Our cooperation to support competitiveness is one of our most successful; the UAE believes in the Doing Business Report, welcomes its findings with an open mind, and implements its recommendations to advance through the ranks and assume the top spots among the countries of the world on the index."

"Our journey with competitiveness has had its fair share of challenges and successes that have propelled the UAE to the top ranks on numerous international competitiveness indexes," she added. "What the UAE accomplished in the past few decades, and what it still plans to accomplish, will serve as a solid foundation upon which we can build a competitive knowledge economy driven by human skills, and capable of materialising the 4th Industrial Revolution as on-the-ground projects and initiatives that serve to achieve the UAE Centennial 2071 Plan."

"We are gathered here today to discuss the Doing Business Report, but there are other reports we need to focus on as well," Hessa Buhumaid explained, citing the report titled ‘Women, Business, and the Law’ and the Human Capital Index. "With an abundance of reports available, governments now look to technical committees in the World Bank to listen to opinions and suggestions from relevant entities in their respective countries, and accept their feedback with an open mind."

For his part, Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the FCSA, said, "We take international reports very seriously here in the UAE; we use them to launch projects and update legislations and procedures to be in line with reality and pave the way for a better future. We all have a common goal: to develop a single, unified approach for analysing and understanding the Doing Business Report and its projections for the upcoming years. We are here to exchange expertise and connect with experts and specialists."

"I have no doubt that the World Bank team will be taking this opportunity to have a closer look at the countries covered by the report, and exploring ways for countries to work together and make the study more credible and pertinent," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Matthew Hawkins, New Zealand’s Ambassador to the UAE, said, "The ease of doing business in the UAE is one of the leading factors that have made it an important business and commercial hub for our country. The UAE’s success is our success; we are delighted to see the momentous leaps it has taken in the past decades on the Ease of Doing Business Report."

The defending XCAT world champions, who opened the season with back-to-back race wins in Italy, hope that a repeat performance will be enough to see them retain the title they secured with a victory in China’s Hangzhou Grand Prix last year.

"Our focus is purely on getting maximum points this weekend, and the entire team will have nothing else on their minds," team manager, Talib Al-Sayed said.

After a third-place finish in race three during last month’s Shanghai Grand Prix, Torrente and Al Mansoori thought they would arrive in this weekend’s final round of the championship in Dubai holding a five-point lead over the Dubai Police crew of Arif Al Zaffain and Nadir Bin Hendi.

But XCAT Racing later reversed their decision to penalise Al Zaffain and Bin Hendi for hitting a boy, removing a 30-second time penalty. They also imposed two 30-second time penalties on Torrente and Al Mansoori in Abu Dhabi 4 for buoy infringements at the start.

Team Abu Dhabi appealed against the penalties, but as no decision has yet been reached, Al Zaffain and Bin Hendi currently lead the championship by six points from Australians, Tom Barry-Cotter and Ross Willaton, in Maritimo, with Torrente and Al Mansoori another point behind in third place.

Rashed Al Tayer and Majed Al Mansoori return to action in Dubai looking to build on an impressive run of performances in China where they claimed a hat-trick of podium finishes in Abu Dhabi 5.

The XCAT boats take to the water at the Dubai International Marine Club for two official practice sessions on Thursday starting at 11:00 and 15.30.

The pole position qualifier gets underway at 9:00 on Friday, with race one roaring to life at 15:00 and race two following at the same time on Saturday.

Launched and endorsed during the final day of the sixth Assembly of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies in Abu Dhabi, the "New Alliance of Virtue", aims to elevate religious freedom, cooperation, and tolerance from mere possibilities to necessary ethical commitments and legal obligations, especially in relation to the protection of places of worship whose attacks have threatened freedom of religion in many parts of the world. This initiative draws direct inspiration from the earliest traditions of Islam.

The three-day interfaith meeting was held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, with the theme "The Role of Religions in Promoting Tolerance: From Possibility to Necessity".

The new charter was welcomed by more than 1000 government officials, leaders of the Abrahamic faiths, thought-leaders, experts, policymakers and media persons.

Considering the current state of global affairs, the signatories affirm that religion continues to play a vital role in global governance and cultural diplomacy, and there is a dire need for a 21st Century Alliance of Virtue.

The fifth Assembly of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies, was held from 5th to 7th December 2018 under the theme ‘An Alliance of Virtues for the Common Good’.

The New Alliance of Virtue is built upon the following principles: Human Dignity; Freedom of Conscience and Religion or Belief; Tolerance; Justice; Peace; Mercy; Kindness; Keeping Covenants and Solidarity.

Delegates at the sixth global gathering discussed and examined the central question: How can we promote the principles of tolerance that are so necessary for the modern world? What is the role of religion? What is the role of the law? What is the role of society? What is the role of education? The Assembly discussed the practical implementation of these principles. The highlight of the discussion was the charter for the Forum’s "New Alliance of Virtues" initiative, drawing different religions together to fight for the common good.

The new initiative was built upon international law and the resolutions of the United Nations; the Amman Message (Nov. 2004), the "Common Word" open letter (Oct. 2007), the Marrakesh Declaration for the Rights of Religious Minorities in Muslim-Majority Lands (Jan. 2016), the Washington Declaration of the Alliance of Virtue for the Common Good (Feb. 218), Human Fraternity Declaration (Feb.2019), Makkah Declaration (May 2019), and acknowledged the Roman Catholic Church’s Declaration of Religious Freedom.

The original Alliance of Virtue (Hilf al-Fudul) was established in early 7th century AD (late 1st century BH) Mecca, in the house of Abdullah ibn Judan. Its purpose was to defend the weak and the innocent against the rapaciousness of those more powerful.

Last February in Washington D.C., Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah, President of the Forum for Promoting Peace, led a panel of over 200 individuals from the three Abrahamic faiths and others, comprising religious leaders and senior politicians in creating the modern Alliance of Virtue between religions.

The charter of the New Alliance of Virtue follows the model of the original, on a global scale. It brings together those of good-will for the benefit of humanity, an effort across religions to enable its members to live side-by-side in peace and happiness.

"These extraordinary entry portals will welcome 25 million visits -- equal to the population of Australia -- and, likewise the logistics required for these shipments, is nothing short of monumental," said Nando Cesarone, President of UPS International. "Whether it’s delivering a 21 metre entry way or a small package for an international visitor at the Expo 2020 site, our world-class logistics are made possible by a dedicated team that will grow to up to 600 for this global undertaking."

The 21x30 metre, carbon-fibre structures were placed at the three main entrances to the site, roughly a year before Expo 2020 opens on 20th October 2020. The entryways will transform the skyline of the Expo 2020 site and symbolize the futuristic spirit of the international exposition.

Sanjive Khosla, Expo 2020 Dubai’s Chief Commercial Officer, said, "Transporting the iconic entry portals to our fast-developing site in Dubai was a major organizational and logistical challenge but as ever our Official Logistics Partner, UPS, delivered without a hitch. We will be continuing to rely on their expertise and unmatched network all the way to 20 October 2020 when those portals will welcome millions of visitors to the World’s Greatest Show."

The MoF said the UAE’s decision to apply value-added tax, VAT, was positively reflected in the country’s overall budget.

It added that 2018 witnessed a budget surplus of 2.2 percent compared to deficits of 0.2 percent, 1.3 percent and 6.4 percent in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Federal Government adopted a VAT rate of 5 percent at the start of 2018, to promote economic growth in isolation from oil revenues and increase the state’s ability to continue providing educational and health services and public facilities.

Recent studies by the ministry pointed out that the budget surplus in 2018 resulted from the growth of general revenue by 13.3 percent, which surpassed the rate of public spending growth of 4.2 percent.

Total overall revenues in the government budget amounted to AED456 billion in 2018, including tax revenues worth AED25 billion.

In a statement, Dubai Airports said that it is working with airlines and other service partners to ensure a smooth flow of traffic through the airport and minimise the impact of the seasonal rush on the quality of customer service across DXB.

Dubai Airports has also issued tips to help passengers make their journeys during the holiday travel peak smoother.

His Highness and his accompanying delegation were received at the King Abdulaziz Air Base by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, along with several Saudi Sheikhs and senior officials.

Upon his descent from the aircraft, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid was greeted with a Guard of Honor.

Accompanying His Highness were H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future; Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister of Economy; Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Obaid bin Humaid Al Tayer, Minister of State for Financial Affairs; Reem bint Ibrahim Al Hashemy, Minister of State for International Cooperation; Sheikh Shakhbut bin Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and Khalifa Saeed Sulaiman, Director-General of the Dubai Protocol and Hospitality Department.

Sheikh Hamdan praised the policy of openness in Dubai and the support extended to innovative projects and entrepreneurship, which has made the city an ideal investment destination at a regional level and a gateway to promising regional markets. He noted the key role played by government initiatives and investments, as well as the Expo 2020 projects, in promoting growth and supporting greater productivity and investor confidence in the Dubai economy.

Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai Economy, commented: "Under the leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai., and the follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council, the Government of Dubai took decisive action in the second half of 2018 to accelerate the rate of economic growth in the Emirate.

Major policy initiatives were introduced and contributed to bolstering domestic demand, reducing the cost of doing business, boosting SME liquidity, and supporting the tourism and real estate sectors. Inflows of foreign direct investment, FDI, into Dubai also accelerated and reached AED38.5 billion in 2018, an increase of 41 percent over its 2017 level.

These and other initiatives contributed to accelerating growth in the second half of 2018 to 2.2 percent, up from 1.7 percent in the first half of 2018, resulting in overall real GDP growth in 2018 of 1.9 percent.'' Importantly, GDP growth in 2018 was also supported by growth in productivity, which increased by 2 percent in 2018 over its 2017 level. This was driven by the quest for business efficiency gains and supported by ongoing efforts to transition into a knowledge-based economy.

Between 2011 and 2018, the stock of capital, or investments net of depreciation, increased by an average of 4.2 percent per year, reflecting business investments in machinery and equipment, and also the government’s investments in infrastructure making Dubai the 5th ranked city worldwide in terms of its quality of infrastructure, according to the 2018 World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report. In 2018, the capital per worker ratio increased by 2.7 percent over 2017, its highest increase since 2011.

Human capital, which is measured by the average number of years of schooling weighted by the returns to the different levels of education, also contributed to the increase in labour productivity in Dubai. The index of human capital (with the level in the base year 2006 equal to 100) which, since 2015 has been steadily rising and reached its highest level in 2018, with average schooling equal to 12.2 years, corresponding to an improvement in the quality of labour by 6 percent compared to the base year 2006.

The impact of government policy initiatives continues to support growth in productivity and business and consumer confidence, stimulating economic expansion in Dubai this year and beyond. This is the case despite the considerable headwinds that the world economy is facing due to rising trade policy tensions and geopolitical risks including uncertainty about Brexit. Unsurprisingly, most international economic organisations, including the World Bank, OECD and International Monetary Fund, IMF, have revised downward their global growth outlooks for 2019 and beyond.

In January 2019, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid announced his 50-year Charter. As has always been the norm, His Highness’ Charter anticipated the challenges ahead and articulated a set of balanced, integrated, and flexible policy initiatives that will accelerate development and ensure sustainability and prosperity in the Emirate. Importantly, the Charter reaffirmed Dubai’s fundamental policy principles as a free and open market economy, and a preferred destination for foreign and domestic investments.

Dubai continues to develop new growth strategies to be fully prepared for future changes in the global and regional economic landscapes, including in areas related to artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It seeks to create an enabling environment that will attract the private sector to invest in new innovative sectors and expand to regional and global markets.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, also sent two similar messages to President Kabore, as well as to Paul Kaba Thieba, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso, on the occasion.

Intel Corp (INTC.O) on Monday announced a chip that it hopes will change that. The Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker announced a chip called “Horse Ridge” that is designed to take all the work being done by the wires and shrink it down to a chip and electronics about the size of a tea cup saucer.

Quantum computers remain years away from everyday use but have drawn the interest of major technology companies. In October, researchers at Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google said they had created a machine that can outpace conventional computers. Other major technology firms such as International Business Machines (IBM.N) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) are also pursuing the technology.

Intel has two quantum efforts, each examining a different way of building the core of a quantum computer. That central part of a quantum machine uses what are known as “qubits.”

In many quantum computers, the qubits must be kept very cold, near the temperatures where atoms stop moving, inside a special refrigerator. That makes it very difficult to connect wires to the qubits to send and receive information. Most of those wires and additional electronics have to sit outside the special refrigerator.

Intel said its chip - which is named for one of the coldest spots in the U.S. state of Oregon, where many of its factories are located - is designed to be able to sit inside the quantum refrigerator. The company hopes the chip will make its quantum computers more practical to produce in the future.

“Intel recognized that quantum controls were an essential piece of the puzzle we needed to solve in order to develop a large-scale commercial quantum system,” Jim Clarke, Intel’s director of quantum hardware, said in a statement.

That is the very time when two big stars from Bollywood the Eid specialist Salman Khan and by then Indian citizen Akshay Kumar will clash at the box office with their respective films India’s Most Wanted Cop: Radhe and Laxmmi Bomb respectively.

While Radhe and Laxmmi Bomb will be carpet bombing the theatres with multiple screens Fast And Furious 9 drives into Indian theatres in the very big way powered by Vin Diesel.

This will mean that there will be a huge fight for who manages to grab the most screens. The seventh and the eight editions of the film steamrollered their Indian opposition mercilessly and hence the distributors of these films have also turned quite wary though there are no doubts about the efficacy of Salman and Akshay in the Indian market.

While Fast and Furious 7 thrashed Byomkesh Bakshy starring Sushant Singh Rajput for Yash Raj Films, Fate of the Furious – the eighth part decided the fate of the Vidya Balan starrer Begum Jaan for Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt.

And this basically means that the films will certainly cannibalise into each other.

“When two big films are releasing there is an expected loss of 15 percent in revenue, because of the growth of multiplexes and the availability of screens these days. It was much higher earlier. But if there are three big films like what we see now, it will be tough for all films to get the best collections,” says Atul Mohan, editor Complete Cinema.

The fact that Salman Khan’s Bharat was just above par this year during his favourite release time- Eid after two bad performances in 2017 and 2018 in the form of Tubelight and Race 3, means that he would have a lot at stake. Add to that the fact that his staple cop drama Dabangg 3 also releases later this month. “A lot will depend on what happens with the collections of Dabangg 3,” adds Mohan.

“Even Radhe is a cop film and Akshay’s Sooryavanshi where he plays a cop will be out in March and then there is Akshay bang opposite Salman. Vin Diesel is no pushover as well in the series whose last film Fate of the Furious collected over Rs 100 crores in gross collections at the Indian box office and that would mean that the younger generation feeding on a staple diet of Hollywood flicks may well desert the Bollywood films for a Hollywood one,” says another trade analyst.

The thespian who ha been known for some brilliant performances in films ranging from Mughal E Azam to Deedar, from Ram Aur Shyam to Azaad, from Madhumati to Naya Daur was seen in a nondescript film called Qila in 1998 after his last film with a big star cast – Saudagar for Subhash Ghai along with Raaj Kumar.

However, the family is not keen on having a large celebration on the occasion. “It will be a small celebration but only with close members of the family and very close family friends. There is no big celebration on the cards,” says a close aide for the family, Murshid Khan.

Dilip Kumar has been hospitalised a few times for pneumonia but has come out unscathed.

For those who came in late, Dilip Kumar actually wanted to quit films after the phenomenal success of Ram Aur Shyam but only did 21 years ago after Qila..

“He actually wanted to quit after Ram aur Shyam. The huge success of Ram aur Shyam did not overwhelm him and he confided to me that he was contemplating taking a bow. I pleaded with him not to take any such decision. The fact is that he had the guts and the confidence to work selectively in only one film at a time even when he was a young actor on the threshold of stardom. It did not scare him that he may be out of work if that one film did not succeed. He put his entire being into the work he did and he knew that his dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence would not go unrewarded,” his wife and former actress Saira Bano told us recently.

The 49-year-old supermodel only will let one person work on her brows and she admits she doesn't even trust herself to do it.

She said: "The one thing I cannot do is eyebrows ... As long as my eyebrows are done by the one and only Anastasia [Anastasia Beverly Hills founder, Anastasia Soare]. She's the only person I let touch my eyebrows in the world. As long they're done, then I can do the other stuff."

Meanwhile, Naomi previously revealed she doesn't think she is an icon.

She said: "It's an honour to be called it, it is. I don't think of myself as an icon but I respect and am very honoured to receive and blessed that they consider me to be one. Does it come with age and how many years? Possibly, right? So is the word icon associated with age? Is it? Is it for longevity? ... I'm not trying to compete with anybody, I just like what I do and I don't do the same thing every day so it's a bit of a mix-up and I like it that way."

Naomi had previously admitted that whilst she has been in the industry for several decades, but says she's never had a "strategy" when it comes to her work, and says her biggest tip is just to make sure people "take time out" for themselves and do the things they want to do.

She added: "I don't have a strategy. I would work, and then I would not work. You'd see me, and then I'd disappear and do something else and come back.

"That's how I've basically kept ... That's been the way of my path. I would never quit, I would just take time out. And I think you have to take time out for yourself in life, period, you have to go and do the things you want to do."

The 'Brown Skin Girl' hitmaker suffered several miscarriages before the birth of her first child Blue Ivy - whom she has with her husband Jay-Z - in 2012, and has said the tragic losses helped her discover how to take better care of herself before having children of her own.

She said: "Success looks different to me now. I learned that all pain and loss is in fact a gift. Having miscarriages taught me that I had to mother myself before I could be a mother to someone else."

After giving birth to Blue Ivy, Beyonce - who also has two-year-old twins Rumi and Sir with her spouse - embarked on a quest to find her "purpose", and has since found that leaving a "legacy" has been far more "fulfilling" than scoring number one records.

The 38-year-old singer added to ELLE magazine: "Then I had Blue, and the quest for my purpose became so much deeper. I died and was reborn in my relationship, and the quest for self became even stronger.

"It's difficult for me to go backwards. Being 'No. 1' was no longer my priority. My true win is creating art and a legacy that will live far beyond me. That's fulfilling."

Meanwhile, Beyonce previously admitted she had to undergo an emergency caesarean section when she was pregnant with her twins, because one of their hearts stopped "a few times" in the womb.

She explained: "My body went through more than I knew it could. I was 218 pounds the day I gave birth. I had an extremely difficult pregnancy. I had high blood pressure. I developed toxaemia, preeclampsia.

"And in the womb, one of my babies' hearts paused a few times so I had to get an emergency C-section."

She told Conde Nast Traveller: "I just can't go to the gym and run - I'd rather die. I grew up outdoors, so my favourite thing to do is to make the most of the scenery. I cycle everywhere and swim in the sea at any spare moment."

Although she doesn't enjoy treadmills, Gigi does occasionally go to a specific boxing gym named Gotham Gym, and in 2016 she admitted she loved the gym's low-key atmosphere.

She said at the time: "When I walk in [to Gotham Gym], it's like my big brothers. They don't care about me as model or what my body looks like. They care that I give a good punch, and that's how I want to be judged in my athletic space, because that's what I find pride in."

The beauty has an active lifestyle, and takes part in a variety of different sports.

She explained: "I was a volleyball player for 12 years, I rode horses my whole life and now I box every day."

Meanwhile, Gigi was recently slammed for stepping outside wearing a simple outfit comprised of black leggings, white shoes and a puffer jacket, with some users blaming her stylist Mimi Cuttrell.

And the model hit back, insisting she wasn't looking for anyone's approval and was dressed casually because she was running errands and doesn't feel the need to look sexy.

She tweeted: "U guys need to calm tf down sometimes. It's called stepping out to do one errand- not dressing for your approval. Your unrealistic expectations & petty complaining all the time about my style or not being sexy enough isn't going to make me dress differently.

"Not just talking about this specific moment. U all talk about empowering women. I support and empower women that show skin and that don't. It's about choice. I show skin when I want to and still feel sexy covered head to toe & will continue to do so. Over the snarky comments."

The Vice President’s Cup is an important stop on the 2019-2020 Jiu-Jitsu calendar and has been organised by the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation and will provide a valuable opportunity for a large section of the Jiu-Jitsu community and various sports clubs to compete for the prestigious title.

The Vice President’s Cup will be conducted in an "open belt" format across the different weights, allowing competitors holding different belts to face-off against each other. The tournament will have three age categories - men’s (over 18), under-21, and under-18. The men’s and under-21 category will see competitions spread across seven weight classes ranging from 56 kg to 110 kg. The under-18 category will have seven divisions from 46 kg to 94 kg.

The duration of the bouts for the under-18 category will be four minutes, the under-21 category will have five-minute bouts, while the men’s category will see athletes competing in six-minute bouts. The official weigh-in for the Vice President’s Cup will begin at 11:00 on 13th December, 2019, with bouts beginning at 14:00 on the same day.

The second round comes in the wake of an extremely successful run by the UAE National Team in the recently-concluded Jiu Jitsu World Championship in Abu Dhabi, where the UAE National Team won 52 medals which included 18 Golds, 14 Silvers, and 20 Bronze.

Youseff Abdullah Al-Batran, board member of the UAE Jiu Jitsu Federation, said that the timing of the second round of the Vice President’s Cup and the euphoria around the successes of the UAE National Team in the World Championship would be beneficial for further development of Jiu-Jitsu in the country and also provide an excellent platform for elite competition.

The second round will see fierce competition with athletes from 16 clubs across the UAE will take to the mats in Fujairah. The participating clubs are - Al Ain, Al Jazira, Al Wahda, Emirates, Al Wasl, Fujairah Martial Arts, AFNT, Baniyas, Ajman, Al Ahly Youth Club Dubai, Sharjah Sports Club, Team 777, Commando Group, Al Dhafra, Sharjah Club for Self Defense Sports, and Al Nasr.

It will also see several distinguished and talented players in action with Al Wahda fielding UAE National Team regulars Zayed Al Katheeri, Mohammed Al Hashemi, Hazza Al Qubaisi, Hamed Al Hinai, Saif Theban, and Mohammed Al Amiri. Al Ain will also put up a strong challenge having listed Khaled Al Shehhi, Khasib Al Meqbali, Maher Taher, Mohamed Al Qubaisi and Saeed Al Haj on their roster.

Salem Ali Zayed, Omar Al Suwaidi, Majid Al Shehhi, Mahdi Al Awlaki, and Muhammad Al Suwaidi will be leading the charge for Baniyas, while Saleh Al Dharaibi from Al Jazira, Saif Al Mansoori from Commandos, and Mohammed Al Menhali from AFNT will be looking to add to the Gold medals they won in the first round of the Vice President’s Cup.

The Japanese delegation discussed child abuse and exploitation cases in Japan in which offenders used social media platforms to commit their crimes. They presented the efforts taken to ensure safe internet usage by young people. Both sides exchanged prevention practices and reviewed international situations surrounding the movement to end violence against children.

During the visit, the delegation was briefed about the services provided by the "Child Protection Oasis", which aims to provide a friendly and secure environment for abused children, promote confidence among children in the police, and provide human resources capable of handling children with high professionalism.

The Japanese delegation included Ibe Shinnosuke, Consul at the Consulate-General of Japan in Dubai; Akihito Fukuda, Chief Inspector of Juvenile Division at the Community Safety Bureau at the National Police Agency; and Kurita Masayuki, Superintendent of Juvenile Division at the Community Safety Bureau at the National Police Agency.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdulla Ali Al Mahyan, Chairman of the UHS Board of Trustees and Chairman of the Sharjah Health Authority, said, "We have been involved in strengthening international partnerships that have helped attract renowned doctors and services from across the globe, including best practices from South Korea. This will positively reflect on our efforts to provide international expertise, using leading medical technologies. None of this would be possible without the support and wisdom of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi."

The official launch of the Himchan-UHS Spine and Joint Centre was attended by UHS and Korean delegates. Dr. AbdelAziz Saeed Al Mheiri, Vice Chairman of Board of Trustees, UHS; Dr. Ali Obaid Al Ali, UHS CEO; Dr. Su Chan Lee, President-Himchan Hospital; and Dr. Hye Young Park, Chairman-Sangwon Medical Foundation, and the media were also present.

Since its soft launch in November 2018, the Himchan-UHS Spine and Joint Centre with its very spacious physiotherapy and rehabilitation facility has become the central hub for spine and joint treatments for the UAE and neighbouring countries.

Founded in Korea, Himchan Hospital specialises in spine and joint treatment and has utilised a carefully selected team from its expert home-grown talent to practice at Himchan-UHS. Headed by the eminent Dr. Seung Jun Park, MD and Consultant Orthopaedics, and Dr. Dae Won Cho, MD, Consultant Spine Surgeon, the remainder of the team comprises two additional orthopaedic surgeons, two spine surgeons, three physical therapists, and two operating theatre nurses to provide the much-needed expert support.

To further enhance spine and joint treatment, Himchan-UHS has added the futuristic AI-driven robotic machine to perform surgeries and a Rehab Centre for quick recovery from joint & spine pain. Providing even further value to its healthcare services, Himchan-UHS has also introduced endoscopic technology for spine surgeries, allowing the surgical wound to be no less than 1cm in size.

The latest machines to grace the Himchan-UHS include Robotics Antalgic-Trak Technology, the most advanced spinal decompression machine with a 10-way spine positioning system; the Hubor 360, which analyses patients’ flexibility, mobility, and balance and provides improvement strategies; Cryotherapy, and focus-type Electric Shock Wave Therapy to relieve pain and accelerate the self-healing process.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, "The world is witnessing a new phase of political, economic and technological transformations that bring new challenges and opportunities ahead of us. We need to work together to explore the impact of these transformations on people, the main pillars of humanity’s development process throughout history."

He added, "Foreseeing and analysing the future is and will remain the major tool that enables us to remain ahead of the race and adopt the best solutions to build an integrated vision for the future.

The next decade brings us challenges full of contradictions. Establishing an open dialogue is our hope towards building a brighter future where potential and capabilities are directed to serving humanity."

He concluded, "Dubai and the UAE will continue to provide the platform that brings together global expertise for the benefit of mankind."

The annual gathering kicked off with an opening keynote from Mohammad Al Gergawi, President of the Arab Strategy Forum, who expressed optimism that the Arab world will become a major contributor to the growth of the world economy in the coming decade, despite its below-par performance in recent years.

"We are on the verge of a new global economic reality. How can we be a part of this new economic reality? The Arab world is capable of building a bright future, especially since our region now has increasing strategic importance and possesses huge human potential. It has a great future, provided that we take advantage of the upcoming opportunities," he said.

The event’s highlight was the concluding session, moderated by Sean Cleary, Chairman of Strategic Concepts and Founder and Executive Vice-Chair of the FutureWorld Foundation, former US Vice President Dick Cheney and former Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing engaged in what the moderator called a "candid political exchange" on the role the two global economic powerhouses will play in the world order by 2030.

In the first session of the day, Nick Allan, CEO of Control Risks, outlined a comprehensive geopolitical risk map for 2020 that identified five key threats to global security.

In the second session, Cleary told ASF 2019’s packed audience that the centre of economic gravity is shifting away from G7 states as the rise of China, India and Southeast Asia will move the power balance in a new direction by 2030.

The refreshingly honest and heated panel discussion titled ‘The Future of Islamism in the Next Decade’, moderated by Faisal J. Abbas, Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, resulted in a call to establish an ‘Arabosphere’ to carry the identity of the Arab and Muslim population into the future.

Dr Vikram Mansharamani, Harvard University lecturer and author of Boombustology: Spotting Financial Bubbles Before They Burst, then took to the stage for a session titled ‘Is the World Heading Towards a Global Economic Recession?’ He announced that the world could be looking at a cyclical recession within the next three years, with performance across nearly 10 indicators showing alarming similarities to the period prior to the technology boom in the late 1990s that was followed by a significant global downturn.

A panel discussion titled ‘Economic Transformations in the Arab Region in the Next Decade’, moderated by Zeina Soufan from Dubai TV, saw Abdulrahman Al Hamidy, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of the Arab Monetary Fund, declare that the greatest challenge currently faced by the Arab world is its 18 percent average unemployment rate, which sits nine percent higher than the rest of the world. The panel outlined a major challenge facing the Arab region being the fact that Arabs represent 8.5 per cent of the global population, yet Arab economies contribute only 3.4 percent of global gross domestic product.

The ‘Residency’ service facilitates the transactions and procedures required to issue residency visas for members of the community. Flexible and efficient, the process takes less than 40 minutes, saving time and effort for all applicants. Users need only 10 minutes to complete their application, which then takes 30 minutes to two working days to be approved.

Dr Aisha Bint Butti Bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai, explained: "Developing the bundle of government services offered through the Dubai Now app is in line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy 2021, through which Dubai government is looking to digitise all internal and external government transactions, establishing itself as a fully paperless administration by December 2021 and saving more than one billion pieces of paper consumed by Dubai Government entities every year."

"The cluster of ‘Residency’ services on the Dubai Now application will, without a doubt, serve a significant segment of the community, making their lives easier," Dr Aisha added. "It is a notable new addition to the bundle of services we offer through the app, where our objective has always been to positively affect people’s lives in the emirate. This overarching purpose drives our endeavours to offer a single platform for all city services, saving people’s time and effort, and ensuring their happiness."

Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, noted: "So far, all residency services were only available through our smart channels and ‘Amer’ service centres located around the Emirate of Dubai. The services include issuance, renewal, amendment, and cancellation of residencies, in addition to amendment of status and transfer of sponsorship."

"All these services are now available on the Dubai Now application," Maj. Gen. Al Marri continued. "In collaboration with Smart Dubai, the Directorate is introducing its services on the app in successive stages, the first of which will be transferring the ‘Visa Status’ service to Dubai Now, allowing users (individuals or organisations) to determine whether or not their residency is valid, as well as the ‘Residency Management’ service, where users can renew their residencies or those of their spouses, children, and parents. Phase one will also include a service allowing users to obtain entry permits for their spouses, children, or parents."

Al Marri noted that visa applications have been made easy and can now be submitted via the smart application and completed in minutes, provided all requirements are met.

As many as 350 people have used the Dubai Now application to issue or renew residency visas for their dependants since the service was announced last month. Furthermore, the ‘Residency’ section allows users to undertake a host of actions, such as issuing, renewing, and cancelling residency visas, as well as managing dependants, in addition to offering detailed information about these services. It points users to the steps they need to go through, which include medical tests and extracting IDs, among others, in addition to sending push notifications to alert users when their residencies are approaching their expiry dates.

The festival, which embodies the spirit of heritage in this part of the world, is organised by the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi from December 9-25, in order to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the people of the United Arab Emirates.

This yearly festival, which is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, is an occasion to celebrate heritage within the young generation who lives in a globalised society open to the cultures of the world.

Major General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, and Chairman of the Cultural Programs and Heritage Festivals Committee, assured that such events reflect the legacy of the founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in preserving the heritage and the continuing support of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region.

"Sheikh Mohamed’s directives are aimed at preserving and transmitting cultural heritage to successive generations and promote heritage festivals. Therefore, the festival will witness a huge expansion in terms of organisation and competitions year after year," said Al Mazrouei.

Organisers said that the value of the festival prizes has been increased to AED20 million. The total amount of festival prizes in its current edition has been increased to around AED60 million; AED25 million of which for the prizes of camel race and AED8 million for the prizes of other various heritage competitions.

The festival will be attended by the largest number of camel owners who are participating in the camel races comprising 81 rounds to win 695 prizes.

There are hundreds of prizes allocated for numerous heritage and popular camel competitions and races in addition to daily prizes for visitors of the festival during the various events of Al Dhafra’s traditional souq.

In addition to the main camel race and camel-milking contest, the festival is organising nine competitions reflecting the UAE and Gulf cultural heritage. These nine competitions have been allocated around 245 prizes in addition to 16 heritage-related handicrafts and cooking competitions designed for women, men and children in the centre of Al Dhafra’s traditional souq.

The events of the festival include a falconry contest which is organised by Abu Dhabi Falconers Club.

The heritage-related Arabian Saluki (greyhound) competition championship for 2500 meters will be held this year.

Al Dhafra’s Traditional Souq will witness the Best Dates and Dates packaging competitions. The competition has allocated 25 prizes distributed to 5 categories (Dabbas, Khalas, Sheeshee, Fard and dates packaging).

There is also the sour milk competition which has been allocated 50 prizes distributed to five competitions over five days. In addition, the Souq will witness various traditional competitions including (traditional dress stitching competition, Al Telli’ (embroidery), Sadu (weaving cotton and wool), Al Saff competition, perfume competition, frankincense competition, women fashion show competition, girls fashion show competition, women popular food competition, men popular food competition, Burqa competition, Thaml and weaving competition, traditional carpet (Zarabeel) weaving, milking competition, making dolls using the old way).

The Hercules C130 aircraft took off at 4:55 pm (19:55 GMT) from the southern city of Punta Arenas and operators lost contact with it shortly after 6:00 pm.

"On board the C130 Hercules are 38 people, of which 17 are crew members of the aircraft and 21 are passengers," Reuters quoted the Air Force as saying in a statement.

A state of alert was declared after communication with plane was lost, and a search and rescue team was activated.

The aircraft was travelling to perform logistical support tasks for the maintenance of Chilean facilities at the Antarctic base.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Oriente (Ecuador), Zafiro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

The Foundation launched the roundtables in partnership with the Knowledge Centre for Data and Society in Brussels, GovLab in New York, and Project Syndicate.

The series began in the UAE and will also be carried out in Belgium and the United States. The series first kicked off in Area 2071 in Dubai, with the participation of local and global experts from the public and private sectors, in addition to representatives of international institutions and technology solutions providers.

Participants discussed the impact of big data, AI, and robotics on future functions and environments, how the ecosystem and infrastructure impact regulatory frameworks, and assessed ways to leverage the tools of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to deliver significant benefits in vital sectors. They also evaluated current and future challenges, and proposed solutions to cope with emerging market needs.

Abdulaziz Al Jaziri, Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer at Dubai Future Foundation, highlighted the importance of adopting modern technology tools to find innovative solutions to the challenges humanity faces. He said, "Hosting the first gathering focused on the value of AI and robotics in Dubai underlines its global leadership in adopting advanced technologies to achieve rapid leaps in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

"Through our partnership with international institutions and stakeholders from Belgium and the US, we seek to exchange experience and establish a global platform to enhance the role of AI and robotics at present and in the future."

Khalifa Al Qama, Head of Future Labs at the Foundation, said that the launch of the series marks the beginning of a new global partnership. The series, he explained, help contribute to educating government agencies and private companies about the vital role of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics in creating new business opportunities and economic sectors that are abreast with the rapid changes in many areas.

According to the Foundation, the roundtables will focus on three main themes including, enabling emerging technology ecosystems and infrastructure; exploring how institutions can integrate new tech in traditional business models; and leveraging AI to create and capture value within new business models.

In a series of tweets, H.H. Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the UAE Gender Balance Council, highlighted the announcement, adding, "I am proud of this accomplishment which emphasises our ability to participate in further defining the future on the world stage."

She went on to note how a clear goal was set by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, when establishing the UAE Gender Balance Council in 2015, to place the UAE among the world's top 25 countries in the field of gender balance by 2021.

"We are committed to continue our efforts with our partners to achieve this goal," Her Highness continued.

Sheikha Manal bint Mohammed added, "Achieving this ranking on a renowned global report would not have been possible without the support of our wise leadership and the cooperation of all ministries and institutions to make the Emirati experience in gender balance a model to be followed regionally and internationally."

The Gender Inequality Index, GII, is an index for measurement of gender disparity that was introduced in the 2010 Human Development Report by the UNDP. It measures gender inequalities in three important aspects of human development: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic status.

The two leaders explored ways of providing decent living standards to Emiratis under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Those who attended the meeting included H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Deputy Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain; H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region; H.H. Suroor bin Mohammed Al Nahyan; H.H. Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs; H.H. Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of Abu Dhabi Executive Council; H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination; H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President; H.H. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Court; H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan; and Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance.

Dr. Al Nuaimi has extensive experience in academia and government work. He was awarded the Prime Minister's Medal for the 'Distinguished Assistant Under-Secretary' category in January 2019, for his role at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

Dr. Al Nuaimi has chaired the Abu Dhabi Dialogue General Secretariat. The Abu Dhabi Dialogue, ADD, was established in 2008 as a forum for dialogue and cooperation between Asian countries of labour origin and destination. The ADD consists of 17 member countries.

He has also represented the UAE during the United Nations intergovernmental negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.

The newly appointed FNC Secretary-General has served on several boards, including the UAE Gender Balance Council Board, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments Board of Directors, and the Board of Trustees of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in Ajman. Dr. Al Nuaimi was also a faculty member at the United Arab Emirates University.

He holds a PhD in Business Administration specialising in change management and information systems from the United States of America, and he is also a graduate of the UAE Government Leadership Programme.

Since the pledge was announced in June 2019, Dubai Airports has been working closely with more than 250 of its concession and hospitality partners to fulfil the promise by the beginning of the new year. With 90 million passengers passing through Dubai’s two airports – DXB and DWC – every year, consuming tens of thousands of plastic items from straws to water bottles to coffee lids daily, the plastic-free initiative has presented some serious challenges for those involved.

Eugene Barry, EVP Commercial at Dubai Airports, said, "This pledge is another step on a long journey to becoming a more environmentally responsible airport. Along with our partners, including global brands such as McDonalds, Costa Coffee and Starbucks, we are committed to not only removing single-use plastics but in their place providing appropriate and importantly sustainable alternatives."

The phased approach will see plastic cutlery, drinking straws, take-away food packaging and polythene bags removed from cafés, restaurants and shops at the airport from 1st January, 2020. During the next twelve months additional products will be replaced both in customer spaces and behind the scenes.

"Among the challenges faced, the biggest is sourcing alternatives for plastic bottles, one of the most frequently used and discarded pieces of single-use plastics. As we work to reduce and ultimately eliminate plastics from our airports, we are increasing our recycling facilities in the customer spaces and a new partnership that will allow us to properly dispose of thousands of tonnes of single-use plastic, each year," Barry continued.

A stuntman performs on the well of death during the "Gadhimai Mela" festival at Bariyarpur in Nepal December 4, 2019.

Dry cliffs are seen following a prolonged drought at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, December 4, 2019. Picture taken December 4, 2019.

Aerial view of the migrant camp in Vucjak near Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, December 6,2019.

Hindu devotees sit together on the floor of a temple to observe Rakher Upabash, in Narayangonj near Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 5, 2019.

A car drives along a five-kilometre-long road, which is supervised by regional traffic services to connect the banks of the ice-covered Yenisei River during winter season, south of Krasnoyarsk, Russia March 3, 2019.

Hindu women worship the Sun god in the polluted waters of the river Yamuna during the Hindu religious festival of Chatth Puja in New Delhi, India, November 3, 2019.

A general view shows the art installation "Visions in Motion", made of 30.000 ribbons with written wishes and messages at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, November 1, 2019.

A person takes a picture of Wotruba church as the sun sets in Vienna, Austria November 3, 2019.

A general view from the Teleferico cable car shows the city of La Paz, Bolivia, October 31, 2019.

A girl dressed as an angel, participates in a parade called "La Calabiuza" on the eve of the Day of the Dead in Tonacatepeque, November 1, 2019.

Photos: Reuters

A woman fills her basket with marigold flowers, used to make garlands and offer prayers, as she plucks them before selling to the market for the Tihar festival, also called Diwali, in Kathmandu, Nepal October 25, 2019.

Japan's Empress Masako makes her appearance during a ceremony to proclaim Emperor Naruhito's enthronement to the world, called Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan October 22, 2019.

People play with water from a fountain near the "Warrior on a horse" monument in Skopje, North Macedonia October 22, 2019.

A handout photo shows female Chinese panda bear Meng Meng with one of the panda twins at Zoo Berlin, Germany, October 24, 2019. Picture taken October 24, 2019.

People walk on the bridge over the river Garry, Pitlochry, Scotland, Britain October 26, 2019.

A man makes earthen lamps which are used to decorate temples and homes during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, at a workshop in Ahmedabad, India, October 15, 2019.

 
A fisherman looks on at a boat during a local festival marking the start of a fishing period following months of fishing moratorium at the Dian Lake in Kunming, Yunnan province, China October 16, 2019.

Zorica Rebernik, obsessed with the red color, drinks coffee in her house in the village of Breze near Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 16, 2019.

A view shows a giant foot print, which was trodden on the ground following an early snowfall in the Siberian city of Omsk, Russia October 18, 2019.

A red squirrel stockpiles walnuts in Pitlochry, Scotland, Britain October 8, 2019.

Victor, a nine year old white-tailed eagle equipped with a 360 camera, flies over glaciers and mountains in Chamonix, France, during a preparation flight of the Alpine Eagle Race, an event aiming at raising awareness on global warming, in this still image taken from a video released to Reuters on October 8, 2019.

Extinction Rebellion protestors pose outside Government Buildings on Budget day in Dublin, Ireland October 8, 2019.

A man uses his phone to take a picture of the sky after sun set in Encinitas, California, U.S. October 7, 2019.

A devotee lies covered with oil lamps placed by other devotees while offering prayers as part of a ritual during "Dashain", a Hindu religious festival, in Bhaktapur, Nepal, October 8, 2019.

A Palestinian woman sorts freshly picked olives at a farm in the central Gaza Strip October 8, 2019.

An aerial photo shows Asahidake, Mount Asahi, covered with snow in Taisetsuzan Group in Hokkaido on Sep. 21, 2019.

People stroll around red kokia in full bloom at Hirugano Picnic Park in Gujyo, Gifu Prefecture on Oct. 2nd, 2019, as the season of autumn leaves is arriving.

Students wearing helmets make a formation depicting Mahatma Gandhi as they take part in an event to mark Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary and to create awareness for road safety, at a school in Chennai, India, September 30, 2019.

A zompopa ant, reared for human consumption, is pictured in the insect farm of biologist Federico Paniagua, as he promotes the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica July 13, 2019. Picture taken July 13, 2019.

Tourists watch the sunset in the Caucasus mountains outside Krasnaya Polyana near Sochi, Russia September 30, 2019. Picture taken September 30, 2019.

Photos: Reuters

People take part in the autumn festival of traditional culture "Bagach", which marks the end of the harvest, at the Yanka Kupala State Literary Museum near the village of Vyazynka, Belarus September 29, 2019.

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen in the sky in Ivalo of Lapland, Finland September 27, 2019.

A man walks at the terminal hall of the newly launched Daxing International Airport ahead of the 70th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China, on the outskirts of Beijing, China September 28, 2019

Formula One F1 - Russian Grand Prix - Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia - September 28, 2019 Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel during practice

Yaks graze on a grassland in Madoi county, Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai province, China September 1, 2019. Picture taken September 1, 2019.

Photos: Reuters

A man walks on a tsunami wall at Otsuchi Bay near the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium in Unosumai, Japan September 24, 2019.

An art installation by Turkish artist Vahit Tuna with 440 pairs of high heels, the number of women murdered by men in Turkey in 2018, symbolizing the victims of domestic violence, is pictured in Istanbul, Turkey, September 11, 2019.

A heron is seen near the Sevres river in Vertou near Nantes, France, September 23, 2019.

People dressed in historical clothes take part in the Oktoberfest parade in Munich, Germany, September 22, 2019.

A Bat-Signal is projected onto a building at night as Batman fans celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of the DC Comics superhero, in Mexico City, Mexico September 21, 2019.

Photos: Reuters

People wait for Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez to shout the "Cry of Independence" as Mexico marks the 209th anniversary of its independence from Spain at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico, September 15, 2019.

A passenger plane passes in front of the moon as it makes its final landing approach to Heathrow Airport in London, Britain September 12, 2019.

The Tribute in Light shines in downtown Manhattan to commemorate the 18th anniversary of September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City, U.S., September 11, 2019.

A seal sits on a rock in front of the "Ile aux moutons" island in front of Loctudy, Brittany, France, September 11, 2019.

The Villarrica volcano spews lava at night, as seen from the town of Pucon, Chile, September 11, 2019.

Workers collect grapes in a Taittinger vineyard during the traditional Champagne wine harvest in Pierry, near Epernay, France, September 10, 2019.

A Palestinian man refines sesame to be sold in markets, near Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, September 1, 2019.

A groomer combs a dog during "Pet Experience," an event that gathers for pets and owners, in Sao Paulo, Brazil August 30, 2019.

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen in the sky over Lake Ladoga in Leningrad Region, Russia September 1, 2019.

Tricia Cheshire, a resident of Amelia Island sunbathes for the last few minutes before storms hit the coast before Hurricane Dorian in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. September 1, 2019.

Lava spurts from the Stromboli volcano a day after an eruption unleashed a plume of smoke on the Italian island of Stromboli, Italy, August 30, 2019.

Photos: Reuters

Jurgen Klopp's men are used to getting through to the knockout stages the hard way. In each of the past two seasons they have needed home wins to secure a place in the last 16 before going on to make the final.

However, the spectre of a free-scoring Salzburg, led by the Champions League's top scorer in Erlin Braut Haaland spells trouble for an injury-hit Liverpool backline that has consistently leaked goals this season despite streaking clear at the top of the Premier League.

The Reds' recorded a first clean sheet in 14 games in Saturday's 3-0 win at Bournemouth, but lost another centre-back as Dejan Lovren limped off in the first half.

Should the Croatian miss the trip to Austria, Joe Gomez will be Klopp's only fit partner for Virgil van Dijk in central defence.

Van Dijk narrowly missed out to Lionel Missi in the battle for the Ballon d'Or last week in recognition of the transformative effect he has had on Liverpool's fortunes over the past two years.

But even the towering Dutchman has been incapable of stopping the steady flow of goals against in recent months.

Injuries have meant there has been a constant rotation of Lovren, Gomez and Joel Matip alongside Van Dijk, while the attacking impetus offered by full-backs Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold leaves space in behind to be exploited.

Goalkeeper Alisson Becker also missed the first two months of the season due to a calf injury to further unsettle the backline.

The Brazilian is now back, but another injury to Fabinho has robbed the back four of the best player to protect them in the holding midfield role.

Topsy-turvy first meeting

"I forgot how it feels, to be honest," said Klopp on finally ending the long wait for a clean sheet at the weekend.

"It's great, we should have them more often. It was the most-used word in the dressing room by the boys – 'clean sheet, clean sheet, clean sheet'.

"Obviously everybody was desperate for that, now we have it so let's have it more often.

"The next game where a clean sheet would be useful is already around the corner, against Salzburg on Tuesday."

That is easier said than done as Liverpool know from their first meeting with Jesse Marsch's men in October.

The hosts seemed to be cruising to another Anfield win in the Champions League as they raced into a 3-0 lead, but Salzburg hit back to level at 3-3 before Mohamed Salah's winner ensured Liverpool edged a seven-goal thriller.

Salzburg have scored 87 goals in 24 games in all competitions this season, 28 of which have come from Norwegian wonderkid Haaland in just 21 appearances.

The 19-year-old started on the bench when the sides met at Anfield due to injury, but came on to inspire the visitors' revival in the second half and scored one of his eight Champions League goals.

"He's not the only threat from Salzburg but he's a proper one," said Klopp of the danger posed by Haaland ahead of the sides' first clash.

Salzburg need to win to make the last 16 on their first appearance in the group stage in 25 years.

A point would be enough for Liverpool to progress, but they need to win to secure top spot in Group E ahead of Napoli.

Given Liverpool's paucity of clean sheets and Salzburg's thirst for goals, attack would appear to be the best form of defence for the European champions.

The eruption began about 2:30 p.m. local time (0130 GMT) on the island, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the east coast of North Island, authorities said, throwing smoke and debris into the air.

"I'm not sure if these people were on the island or near it, but there was definitely one group out there and they definitely needed medical care," said Whakatāne Mayor Judy Turner. "There were some injuries and focus is on getting these injured people back safely and to get them to a hospital."

She added that there seems to be no danger for the people in the coastal areas, farther from the volcano.

The eruption made the area immediately around the island hazardous, the National Emergency Management Agency said in an emailed statement.

Police told Reuters that they were responding to the eruption but did not comment on whether anyone was injured. New Zealand's national emergency crisis centre has been activated.

Smoke from the eruption was visible from the mainland, and the emergency management agency said falling ash might affect some areas.

Local media reports said there were many people on or near the island during the eruption. Online news group Stuff reported that up 20 people may have been on White Island.

The White Island volcano is one of New Zealand's most active volcanoes.

The 'When I Grow Up' hitmakers debuted a new single 'React' for their recent comeback performance on 'The X Factor: Celebrity' and have promised the track will be followed by even more music next year.

Discussing the possibility of a new album, Jessica Sutta said: "It's all in the works."

Carmit Bachar added: "We have a lot of exciting things in the pipeline."

The 'Buttons' singers will also embark on their 'Unfinished Business' tour in April and have promised fans will be delighted with the show.

Jessica teased to 'Entertainment Tonight': "You're going to get all the elements of the Pussycat Dolls: Water, fire."

Jessica admitted the band - which also includes Nicole Scherzinger, Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt - were all "so emotional" when they got back together following a 10-year break.

She said: "It was so emotional. We all had tears in our eyes when we first got into the room together again.

"We love this group. We love being together. It's just an amazing experience all around."

Carmit added: "It's been incredible. It's been a whirlwind, for sure. Everybody wanted this to happen, not just fans, but we did and we call it divine timing."

And the pair believe it was important for the band to go their separate ways in order to "flourish and evolve".

Carmit said: "We all had things that we needed to do in our lives and go our separate ways to kind of flourish and evolve and grow as women.

"It feels so good to be back with my girls. It's like a sisterhood. We went through a lot together...We are these women that were ready to come back."

Former Doll Melody Thornton is not involved in the reunion.

ITC stated that the implementation of the project comes within its keenness to achieve the objectives of Abu Dhabi Plan to provide a sustainable infrastructure. It pointed out that the project will increase the efficiency of the road and facilitate the traffic and transport of goods to and from Abu Dhabi City. Al Faya-Saih Shuaib Road (E75) is one of the main trucks roads between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

ITC and Musanada said that more than 100 workers, engineers and consultants cooperated to complete the project and deliver it in mid-2020, just before the launch of the Expo 2020 Dubai on 20th October, 2020. The project will serve the increasing movement of trucks during the hosting of the event by accommodating and facilitating the traffic and raising the efficiency of traffic safety.

The Project includes the implementation of a dual carriageway with a centre median, in addition to the development of the intersection on (E611) road, through the implementation of an under pass, and the extension of the existing tunnel to allow traffic in both directions separately.

Additionally, the project includes an extension of a camel crossing tunnel under pass, and removing the existing roundabout at Al Ghadeer area, and constructing a new roundabout to provide access and connectivity with the existing Al Ghadeer area and for future plans in the area. In addition to the development of road lighting network and the establishment of storm water drainage system.

Musanada stated that it is committed to the environmental sustainability requirements of the facilities, services and procedures through the use of recycled materials in the pavement, and use of materials to strengthen the pavement layers and reduce the size of asphalt, in accordance with the highest international standards.

All the products are manufactured by small and medium enterprises, SMEs, registered with the Expo 2020’s Licencing and Retail programme. Up to 5,000 unique products will be retailed in the run up to and during the mega event, which runs from 20th October 2020 to 10th April 2021.

The Expo 2020-branded merchandise will be initially available across 35 ZOOM stores, including 28 located at ENOC service stations, five stand-alone stores in Dubai and other emirates, and two outlets at the Dubai Metro stations.

Commenting on the promotion, Saif Humaid Al Falasi, Group CEO of ENOC, said, "We are excited to see our partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai come to life through visionary concepts, such as ‘Reimagine Energy’ and our extensive retail network, which saw more than 100 million customers visit so far in 2019. Doing so while supporting UAE-based SMEs is a remarkable opportunity to contribute to Dubai’s position as a global hub for retail, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship."

Manufacturers of the Expo 2020 Dubai merchandise retailed at ENOC’s ZOOM stores include Gallery One, Basamat, Karam Foods, Dates Bar Company, Camel Soap Factory and Trofe.

The winter aid campaign has assisted one million individuals across Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon and Greece.

According to Sheikh Hamdan, the ERC will continue providing aid and assistance to Syrian refugees, and support host countries to improve their conditions during the winter months.

The ERC aims to widen the scope of beneficiaries of its winter aid campaign in Jordan. It has distributed aid to Syrian refugees in the Mrajeeb Al Fhood Refugee Camp, as well as other camps and shelter centres, both inside and outside the country.

The number of beneficiaries of the UAE’s winter aid campaign, costing AED4.84 million in Jordan, totalled 135,000 people, while in Lebanon, 100,000 people have benefitted, especially in the country’s mountainous areas. Emirati aid distributed in Beirut, Bekaa, Arsal, Akar, North Lebanon, Mount Lebanon and Sidon, valued at AED2.21 million.

The ERC also provided aid to refugees in Kurdistan in Iraq, which has witnessed the arrival of a significant number of displaced persons from other Iraqi cities, along with Syrian refugees.

The UAE aid authority provided winter aid worth AED2.03 million to some 225,000 individuals in the Erbil governorate, including refugees situated in the Kawergosk Refugee Camp, Darashakran Camp, Camp Karemlesh, and Baharka Camp.

The ERC also supported 125,000 individuals affected by severe climate conditions in Greece, especially refugees in the Ritsona and Larissa Camps - both funded by the UAE. The value of aid distributed to these camps totalled AED2 million, while in Egypt some AED1.21 million in aid was distributed by the ERC to 175,000 people.

According to the UAE aid authority, a further 240,000 individuals will receive assistance, valued at AED2.71 million, across neighbouring countries, as part of its winter aid campaign.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid stressed that the UAE is benefitting from its efforts and from the cultural diversity of its society to consolidate and institutionalise tolerance to become a sustainable value in the UAE society and the world as a whole. "Tolerance is part of our heritage and we will continue to consolidate it in our society to set an example for the world", said His Highness.

His Highness made his remarks while presiding over the Cabinet meeting, held on Sunday, in the presence of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, and H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs, during which the Cabinet approved a national initiative to promote the role of the government as an incubator for tolerance.

Sheikh Mohammed said, "At the end of the Year of Tolerance, which was a year of achievements and giving...we have issued our directives to launch a national initiative to further promote tolerance and dedicate it as a value in all our government programmes and activities."

His Highness affirmed, "The Government is the first incubator of tolerance. Its practices, laws and processes will continue with us...and everyone will be an ambassador for tolerance and responsible for promoting its values."

"We want the culture of tolerance to be a lifestyle in the fabric of our policies, work environments and society as a whole, such that the UAE be a leader in the field of tolerance and a unique model for spreading it globally," the Vice President continued.

The initiative aims to raise awareness among all employees working in federal and local entities by instilling the culture of tolerance in their everyday processes. In this manner, these entities, thanks to their values of tolerance, respect for coexistence and support of the innovation that stems from diversity, will echo well beyond their institutional confines and will make use of cultural diversity to spread the spirit of tolerance in society.

Five strategic priorities have been set to be the foundations for organising the initiatives; these include stimulation of tolerance, awareness and empowerment in tolerance, aligning tolerance with business policies and work processes, convergence and participation, and measuring tolerance.

The role of the government as an incubator for tolerance also includes 12 initiatives and 34 sub-activities, which constitute together realistic action plans based on the best local and international practices that contribute to achieving the general orientation and main goals of the national initiative.

Sheikh Mohammed also attended a ceremony marking the graduation of the first batch of graduates from the International Expert of Tolerance Programme, which is the first of its kind in the region organised by the International Institute for Tolerance in Dubai, one of the initiatives launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation to develop innovative methods to define tolerance and promote it as a culture and as an approach in all areas of life.

The International Expert of Tolerance Programme covers four main themes, provided by a network of experts and professors from the Mohammed bin Rashid School of Government as well as other specialists in tolerance. It was designed in accordance with best international practices, and the material and references were selected according to the UAE National Tolerance Programme based on a set of initiatives that were launched within the UAE. The Programme aims to enable students to acquire specialised knowledge and skills related to tolerance.

As part of the meeting’s agenda, the Cabinet approved a Resolution assigning the duties of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Authority of Sport to Abdul Rahman bin Mohamed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Minister of State for Federal National Council.

In legislative affairs, the Cabinet approved a Resolution on regulations of umbilical cord blood, stem cell centres, which aims at regulating and improving the services provided in these centres, in addition to achieving the desired benefitswithin a legislative framework that helps enhance public health.

The Cabinet also approved the amendment to some provisions of the Federal Law of 2018 on organising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and some provisions of the Law of 2019 regarding the diplomatic and consular corps.

Concerning organisational matters, the Cabinet approved the establishment of the Emirates Council for Food Security. This Council will be tasked to supervise the implementation of the National Food Security Strategy and follow on all its strategic directions, organisation of the food dossier in the country, developing the national food security system and the relevant legislation in a comprehensive manner covering the seven Emirates, and aligning and complementing national efforts and defining priorities in this regard.

The Cabinet also approved the Procedural Guideline for Concluding International Treaties, Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding, which organises procedures to be concluded by the specialised staff and agencies and to be signed according to best practices in line with the public interests of the State. The Procedural Guideline includes the definitions and classification of treaties, conditions of their validity, and the stages of concluding the international treaties and agreements, so that they constitute a reference and general framework for all federal and relevant authorities.

The Cabinet approved the restructuring of the Board of Directors of the General Authority for Islamic Affairs and Endowments, chaired by Dr. Mohammed Matar Al Kaabi, and membership of Seif Saeed Muhammad Al Zahmi, Dr.-Mohammed-Ateeq-Al-Falahi, Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, Jamal Salem Al Tarifi, Omar Abdul Rahman Salem Al Nuaimi and Abdullah Salem Saif Qanzoul and Sultan Ali Mohammed Abu Laila.

It also approved the restructuring of the Board of Directors of the Federal Transport Authority Land and Maritime, FTA, chaired by Minister of Infrastructure Development and membership of the Under-Secretary of the Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi, the Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority – Dubai, Chairman of the Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority, CICPA, Director General of Dubai Customs, the Chairman of Roads and Transport Authority - Sharjah, the Director General of Public Services Department – RAK, the CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports Company, the Executive Director of Dubai Maritime City Authority, a representative from Sharjah Ports and Customs Department and a representative from Ministry of Infrastructure Development.

The Cabinet also approved the budget of the Federal Tax Authority and the General Pension and Social Security Authority for the fiscal year 2020, and the Final Account of the Emirates Real Estate Corporation for the fiscal year 2018.

It also approved the application of mandatory standards in the electricity and food sector, to strengthen safety, security and health in society while ensuring that all segments of society are taken into account. These measures are equally geared towards raising the efficiency of products in the country in accordance with best practices and developing the relevant technical regulations and regulatory systems.

Also, the UAE Cabinet was briefed on the report about the UAE national accreditation system obtaining international recognition and on a report on the country's becoming member of the Board of Directors of the International Organisation for Standardisation, ISO, for the period 2020-2022.

It was also briefed on the recommendations of the Federal National Council regarding the Ministry of Justice’s policy on the legal profession.

In international relations, the Cabinet approved and ratified a number of agreements, which included the ratification of an agreement between the government of the UAE and the UNESCO regarding the Regional Centre for Educational Planning in the UAE, an agreement with the government of the Republic of Cameroon on facilitating the issuance of visas, an agreement with the Government of the Republic of Uganda on economic and technical cooperation and the ratification of an agreement with the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Seychelles and the Federal Republic of Brazil on cooperation and mutual administrative assistance in customs matters, as well as the signing of agreements to avoid double taxation of income with a number of countries.