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The US Navy has scaled back its nuclear-powered “super carrier” presence in the Middle East, with the USS Roosevelt returning home, leaving the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Gulf of Oman.
The cutback comes after defence analysts raised concerns that the US Navy was struggling to sustain a “naval surge” in both the Pacific – where an effort is under way to confront China – and the Middle East. A regional crisis involving multiple flash points in Gaza, the Red Sea, Israel and Lebanon, and Iran has left US carrier force stretched, they argue.
The US reinforced in the region in August, deploying the Lincoln in an effort to deter Iran from a widely anticipated direct attack on Israel, following the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
An Iranian attack on Israel in April – in retaliation for the bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus – had involved hundreds of ballistic and cruise missiles and drones. US, British and French air and naval forces, in conjunction with Israeli jets and missile defences, shot down more than 90 per cent of those missiles and drones. But experts say it is the carrier groups – aircraft platforms and supporting naval destroyers, each capable of launching up to 200 air strikes per day and firing hundreds of cruise missiles – that are optimum for deterrence.
When the Lincoln was deployed, the US claimed the presence of two carriers could give Iran pause for thought when considering how to retaliate for the July 31 assassination of Mr Haniyeh, which was widely blamed on Israel.
“We've moved capabilities into the region that I think it's fair to say have gotten into the headspace of Iran and will influence their calculation on how and if they choose to respond,” Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh said last month.
Some analysts pointed out that while the US had deployed two carrier groups on this deterrence mission, there were none in the Red Sea. There US naval forces have been battling the Iran-backed Houthi militia, which is trying to shut down the crucial waterway. About 30 per cent of global container trade passes through the Red Sea, and traffic has fallen by around 60 per cent since the Houthis began attacking ships last November.
A US Navy admiral had said in October, at the start of the Israel-Gaza war, that American ships would “support the safe navigation and free flow of commerce”. Last month, Pentagon press secretary Gen Patrick Ryder denied there was a “carrier gap”, insisting the US has “the ability to surge forces and capabilities to where we need them, when we need them”.
The US Navy has traditionally tried to keep one of its aircraft carriers – which weigh around 100,000 tonnes and can carry between 70 and 90 attack and reconnaissance aircraft – in the Middle East. In times of crisis, such as the first Gulf War against Iraq in 1990 and 1991, that number has surged to as many as seven, although some of those ships were not nuclear-powered.
Washington has maintained a set number of carriers over the years in compliance with a law stating that the Navy will have “not less than 11 operational aircraft carriers”.
About four are kept at sea at a given time, due to the massive maintenance requirements. All but one currently serving are ageing Nimitz class carriers, slowly being replaced by modern Ford Class ships. One of these is operational, with the rest being delivered through to the mid-2030s.
Pathaan
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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SPECS
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Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
MATCH INFO
England 19 (Try: Tuilagi; Cons: Farrell; Pens: Ford (4)
New Zealand 7 (Try: Savea; Con: Mo'unga)
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
SPECS
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PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
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
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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