As-salamu alaykum - Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa welcomed to Windsor (plus a quick roundup)
As-salamu alaykum - a quick friendly note about the visit and other headlines.
Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah of Jordan and HRH Princess Rajwa were welcomed at Windsor Castle this week by Britain’s Prince William and Princess Catherine. The couple shared a short clip from the meeting, saying it was a pleasure to receive the Jordanian royals. The video shows the four posing for a photo inside the castle, then the two princesses chatting as they walk down the stairway, followed by the two princes deep in conversation. Princess Catherine wore a camel-coloured trouser suit with a cream tie-neck blouse, and Princess Rajwa chose a modest white shirt layered under a black fitted top with matching trousers - mashallah, very elegant. Both princes wore navy suits.
This was the Jordanian royals’ first visit to the UK as a married pair; Prince William and Princess Catherine had attended their wedding in 2023. Prince Hussein also visited RAF Benson in Oxfordshire with Prince William. William spoke warmly about his time flying Sea King helicopters on rescue missions, saying the sound still “goes straight to my heart.” He served three years with the RAF Search and Rescue Force, carrying out 156 search-and-rescue operations and helping rescue 149 people before leaving the Armed Forces in 2013. RAF Benson hosts squadrons including 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, which trains aircrew on Chinook helicopters, and the two princes took part in some maintenance tasks with technicians while there.
Also in brief:
- Music: Turkish Ladies - Various artists (Sony Music Turkey).
- Sport: UEFA Champions League final - Real Madrid v Liverpool at NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine. Kick-off Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE). TV: BeIN Sports.
- Book pick: Globalization and its Discontents Revisited by Joseph E. Stiglitz (W. W. Norton & Company).
- Emirates: images and notes on UAE coins and banknotes - Dh5, Dh10, Dh20, Dh50.
- Cities are getting noisier - and it’s more than just annoying. There’s a guide available on how to make a noise complaint in the UAE if you need it.
- Transport: the internal combustion engine is at a turning point - Volvo announced plans to stop making petrol cars by 2021, and some European countries have pledged to ban sales before 2040. The story looks at how one of the last century’s most successful technologies has shaped life in the UAE.
Read part two: how climate change pushed the search for alternatives.
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins.
Read part four: classic car fans still have a soft spot.
Safety tips (courtesy Crystal Intelligence):
- Always use regulated platforms for transactions.
- Stop all transactions and communication if you suspect fraud.
- Save all evidence: screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs.
- Report to local authorities.
- Warn others to help prevent further harm.
Features and opinion highlights:
- Daham Alasaad: “Where are our beautiful camels?” - a look at Syria’s Bedouin traditions.
- Charlie Mitchell on naval actions intercepting terror financing and narcotics in the Indian Ocean.
- Nick Webster on wildlife trade feeding organised crime in the region.
- Chitrabhanu Kadalayil on stresses facing India’s federal system.
- C Uday Bhaskar: why India’s main party needs fresh faces.
- Charlie Mitchell: Only Congress can hold Modi to account.
- Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: why more women should be at the frontlines of climate action.
- Shelina Janmohamed: should a spouse be fairly compensated for housework?
- Justin Thomas: rethink the idea that “men are from Mars, women are from Venus.”
- The National Editorial: taking stock on International Women’s Day 2021.
Car specs quick look:
- Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
- Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
- Torque: 405Nm at 1,750–3,500rpm
- Transmission: 9-speed auto
- Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
- On sale: Now
- Price: From Dh117,059
Human interest and culture:
- How our nine-month-old has made the Canadian winter feel a little warmer for us.
- Canadians rallying to support a targeted Syrian restaurant - a sign about attitudes to migrants.
- Don Cherry and the wider issue raised by his comments.
If you want, I can expand any of these items or focus on the royal visit in more detail. JazakAllah khair.
https://www.thenationalnews.co