Turbines at Lillgrund, Sweden's largest offshore wind farm. The Swedish government has rejected new 13 sites. Arterra
Turbines at Lillgrund, Sweden's largest offshore wind farm. The Swedish government has rejected new 13 sites. Arterra
Turbines at Lillgrund, Sweden's largest offshore wind farm. The Swedish government has rejected new 13 sites. Arterra
Turbines at Lillgrund, Sweden's largest offshore wind farm. The Swedish government has rejected new 13 sites. Arterra

Sweden drops windfarm plans over threat to missile-detecting radar


Thomas Harding
  • English
  • Arabic

A major windfarm project has been rejected by Sweden over the “unacceptable consequences” that their turbines could block military radar detecting incoming Russian missiles and aircraft.

Thirteen offshore sites in the eastern Baltic Sea earmarked to produce renewable energy have now been vetoed by the government.

Pål Jonson, Sweden’s Defence Minister, said the warning time “in the event of a missile attack” would go from two minutes to just 60 seconds “with wind farms in the way”.

“Based on the assessment of the armed forces, building offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea would have unacceptable consequences for Swedish security,” Mr Jonson stated.

Russia concerns

“With war in close vicinity, Sweden finds itself in a serious security situation,” he warned. “Defence interests must carry significant weight when these kinds of decisions are made.”

With Sweden only joining Nato in March, forgoing its traditional neutrality following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the country had a “special responsibility” within the alliance for Baltic Sea security.

A Russian Yar missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. EPA
A Russian Yar missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. EPA

Mr Jonson argued that Sweden’s military needed to be able to operate at full capability in the zones where the windfarms would have been built.

The government therefore rejected all 13 windfarms on its east coast, which faces towards Russia, including its exclave of Kaliningrad that lies just under 300km from Sweden and 500km from the capital, Stockholm.

Radar clutter

The main security issue was the wind turning the blades “make it really hard for radars [which] end up with a whole load of interference at low level going back onto the radar screen”, Nick Brown, a radar expert at Janes, the defence intelligence company, told The National.

The turbines added to the “clutter of the operating picture” and there were concerns that “if you don't pay attention to this particular area you might miss a cruise missile or a low-flying aircraft on its way in, because the radar will categorise it as a bad return from the wind farm”. He argued that windfarms give an enemy the chance “to hide in the clutter” they generate.

A man walks on the frozen Baltic Sea in front of a wind turbine. AFP
A man walks on the frozen Baltic Sea in front of a wind turbine. AFP

Submarine noise

Mr Jonson highlighted that the windfarms would reduce the country’s intelligence-gathering capabilities while also disrupting sensors used to detect submarines.

Because windfarms generate a lot of noise this could be used by submarines to “mask their own signature”, said Mr Brown.

“The Baltic is challenging because it’s full of noise from busy sea lanes so this just adds another layer of noise that operators need to filter out to detect submarines,” he added.

A MiG-31K fighter fitted with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. EPA
A MiG-31K fighter fitted with Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. EPA

Kaliningrad threat

Mr Jonson also highlighted the proximity of “the heavily militarised Kaliningrad area” that he said was “important in this context”.

Russia has a vast array of weapons in its Baltic coast exclave that neighbours Poland and Lithuania, including the advanced Kalibr land-attack cruise missiles with a range of 2,500km.

It also has warplanes that can carry Kinzhal hypersonic missiles that can allegedly travel at 10 times the speed of sound, at more than 12,000kph. It is also said to have nuclear weapons stationed in the area.

Dr Sidharth Kaushal, the maritime specialist at the Rusi think tank, agreed that the turbines interfered with coastal radar on which the navy relies.

“This is an issue in the Baltic Sea where some of these sites are directly opposite the approaches to Kaliningrad, which the Swedish navy needs to monitor for obvious reasons.”

After several disagreements with power companies the navy had “put its foot down on the issue”, he added.

Windfarms UK

There have been substantial objections by Britain’s Ministry of Defence and the UK’s National Air Traffic Services that many of the almost 3,000 wind turbines around the country present a security threat.

However, the British government decided that the need for renewable energy outweighed the national security risks.

Sweden’s proposed windfarms would have been between Åland, the autonomous Finnish region, and Øresund, the strait between southern Sweden and Denmark.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Labour dispute

The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.


- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass

Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)

Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm

Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Quick%20facts
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Voy!%20Voy!%20Voy!
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Hurricanes 31-31 Lions

Wellington Hurricanes: 
Tries: Gibbins, Laumape, Goosen, Fifita tries, Barrett
Conversions: Barrett (4)
Penalties: Barrett

British & Irish Lions:
Tries: Seymour (2), North
Conversions: Biggar (2)
Penalties: Biggar (4)

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

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Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?

The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.

A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.

Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.

The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.

When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Red flags
  • Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
  • Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
  • Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
  • Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
  • Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
  • A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
  • Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Other must-tries

Tomato and walnut salad

A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.

Badrijani nigvzit

A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.

Pkhali

This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMascotte%20Health%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMiami%2C%20US%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bora%20Hamamcioglu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOnline%20veterinary%20service%20provider%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results:

5pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,200 metres

Winner: Jabalini, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Younis Kalbani (trainer)

5.30pm: UAE Arabian Derby (PA) | Prestige | Dh150,000 | 2,200m

Winner: Octave, Gerald Avranche, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round 3 (PA) | Group 3 Dh300,000 | 2,200m

Winner: Harrab, Richard Mullen, Mohamed Ali

6.30pm: Emirates Championship (PA) | Group 1 | Dh1million | 2,200m

Winner: BF Mughader, Szczepan Mazur, Younis Al Kalbani

7pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (TB) | Group 3 | Dh380,000 | 2,200m

Winner: GM Hopkins, Patrick Cosgrave, Jaber Ramadhan

7.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) | Conditions | Dh70,000 | 1,600m

Winner: AF La’Asae, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

FIXTURES

All games 6pm UAE on Sunday: 
Arsenal v Watford
Burnley v Brighton
Chelsea v Wolves
Crystal Palace v Tottenham
Everton v Bournemouth
Leicester v Man United
Man City v Norwich
Newcastle v Liverpool
Southampton v Sheffield United
West Ham v Aston Villa

Updated: November 08, 2024, 3:19 PM`