The European Union's reshuffled leadership vowed “unwavering support” to Ukraine in its war against Russia as it took office on Sunday for a new term clouded by the return of Donald Trump.
Antonio Costa, the new European Council president, and Kaja Kallas, the EU's new foreign affairs chief, visited Kyiv in a show of solidarity on their first day in office. They were joined by Marta Kos, the new enlargement commissioner who has the job of helping Ukraine qualify for EU membership.
“My message is clear: the European Union wants Ukraine to win this war,” Ms Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister known for her hawkish stance towards Russia, wrote in a social media post. “We will do whatever it takes for that.”
Mr Costa, who replaces Charles Michel as council president, said the EU was “reaffirming our unwavering support to the Ukrainian people”. The former Portuguese prime minister will share the role of representing the EU at leaders' summits with re-elected commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
"We have stood with you since the very first day of this war of aggression and you can count on us to continue to stand with you," he said. "These are not just words. We will continue giving humanitarian, economic, diplomatic, military and energy assistance."
The European Parliament formally approved Ms von der Leyen's new commission on Wednesday, drawing a line under six months of horse-trading following EU elections in June. She plans to develop the EU's military clout and has identified the bloc's enlargement as a “geopolitical imperative”.
But after almost three years of war, western backing for Ukraine could falter once Mr Trump returns to the White House in January. During his campaign he criticised “never-ending” US aid and said he would negotiate an end to the war “in 24 hours”, without giving details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalled on Friday that he could make a concession to end the “hot stage” of the war by leaving Russian-controlled territory out of a Ukrainian membership bid for Nato, at least initially. He has said 2025 should be a “year of peace”.
Mr Costa said at a handover ceremony on Friday that he was “yearning for peace” but that it “cannot mean capitulation” or reward Russian aggression. Moscow's troops control part of eastern Ukraine and have gone back on the offensive to gain ground in the Donbas region.
Ukraine's air force said on Sunday that 78 drones were fired in an overnight barrage of which 32 were shot down. Three people were killed in the southern city of Kherson and seven others wounded, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin.
Foreign policy aims
The EU's new top team also faces a complex picture in the Middle East as diplomats push for a ceasefire in Gaza and rebel militants gain ground in Syria. Ms Kallas has been tasked with drawing up a comprehensive EU Middle East strategy to prepare for the “day after” the Israel-Gaza war.
Her jobs also include “promoting all the steps needed for the two-state solution” in Israel and Palestine, and working on a new Pact for the Mediterranean to “reshape our essential relationship with the region”, according to a mission letter from Ms von der Leyen dated Sunday.
During confirmation hearings, Ms Kallas told the European Parliament that the four cornerstones of the EU's policy on Gaza were an immediate ceasefire and hostage release, asking for “utmost restraint” from all parties, providing humanitarian aid and promoting the two-state solution.
She deflected questions on whether the EU will designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, a long-debated issue. She suggested a “new approach” to Iran would take into account its nuclear programme and allegations of interference in European countries such as Sweden.
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
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%202-litre%20direct%20injection%20turbo%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%207-speed%20automatic%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20261hp%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20400Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20From%20Dh134%2C999%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Tips for entertaining with ease
· Set the table the night before. It’s a small job but it will make you feel more organised once done.
· As the host, your mood sets the tone. If people arrive to find you red-faced and harried, they’re not going to relax until you do. Take a deep breath and try to exude calm energy.
· Guests tend to turn up thirsty. Fill a big jug with iced water and lemon or lime slices and encourage people to help themselves.
· Have some background music on to help create a bit of ambience and fill any initial lulls in conversations.
· The meal certainly doesn’t need to be ready the moment your guests step through the door, but if there’s a nibble or two that can be passed around it will ward off hunger pangs and buy you a bit more time in the kitchen.
· You absolutely don’t have to make every element of the brunch from scratch. Take inspiration from our ideas for ready-made extras and by all means pick up a store-bought dessert.
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Directed by Sam Mendes
Starring Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays
4.5/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UNpaid bills:
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN budget in 2019
USA – $1.055 billion
Brazil – $143 million
Argentina – $52 million
Mexico – $36 million
Iran – $27 million
Israel – $18 million
Venezuela – $17 million
Korea – $10 million
Countries with largest unpaid bill for UN peacekeeping operations in 2019
USA – $2.38 billion
Brazil – $287 million
Spain – $110 million
France – $103 million
Ukraine – $100 million
'The Sky is Everywhere'
Director:Josephine Decker
Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon
Rating:2/5
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Meatless Days
Sara Suleri, with an introduction by Kamila Shamsie
Penguin
more from Janine di Giovanni
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
