POLITICS

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum met with UK's Economic Secretary to the Treasury Andrew Griffith at the Dubai International Financial Centre on Wednesday

The United Arab Emirates said on Wednesday it was no longer taking part in operations by a U.S.-led task force protecting Gulf shipping, which has been subjected to renewed tanker seizures by Iranian naval forces in recent weeks. The UAE was responding to a Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday which, citing U.S. and Gulf sources, said the Gulf state was frustrated by the lack of U.S. response to recent tanker seizures by Iran. This was a "mischaracterisation" of conversations between the two countries, a UAE statement said.

The Ministry of Culture and Youth and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the UAE announced it will support world heritage, document conservation and capacity-building programs across many sites in Africa. The announcement was made during an event led by the Africa Group at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. Launched in 2006, AWHF is an inter-governmental organization aiming to support the conservation and protection of natural and cultural heritage in Africa

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a call from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday. Albanese called the UAE President to discuss the longstanding ties between the two nations and ways to build on their strategic partnerships in various fields. During the call, they also exchanged views on some regional and international issues, particularly recent developments impacting both countries