ISIL militants parade in the city of Raqqa, the group's stronghold in Syria, in an undated image put out by its media centre. Associated Press
ISIL militants parade in the city of Raqqa, the group's stronghold in Syria, in an undated image put out by its media centre. Associated Press

UAE State Security Court rejects appeals in terror and spying cases



The State Security Court of the UAE Federal Supreme Court has rejected six appeals, including a number relating to terrorism and spying cases.

“With these rejections, the verdicts issued by the Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal Court are final and cannot be appealed,” reported the state news agency WAM.

The first case was an appeal by Iranian "S. M. A. M.”, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for sharing intelligence with Iran and attempting to illegally export electricity generators and devices used in the Iranian nuclear programme he had imported from the United Kingdom.

The second appeal was by Emirati "M. S. E. N.”, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for joining the terrorist organisation ISIL in Syria, establishing a social media site to promote their ideas and recruit youth, in addition to insulting the UAE online.

The court also rejected appeals by two Gulf citizens sentenced to three years imprisonment and a fine of Dh500,000 each for broadcasting on WhatsApp sectarian phrases and slogans of the Iraqi Popular Crowd Forces and Iranian militias in Iraq to instigate hatred.

The State Security Court rejected an appeal by a Sudan national "A. S. E. E.”, serving two years imprisonment for joining various terrorist organisations in Syria and Iraq and establishing social media sites to promote their ideas and recruit others, in addition to for insulting the polices of the UAE and Saudi Arabia through articles and videos.

The fifth appeal was by Emirati "F. A. E. M.” , sentenced to five years imprisonment for joining the Muslim Brotherhood and subverting the principles of the country’s ruling establishment.

Finally, the court rejected an appeal by Emirati "E. A. A. Y.” who is serving five years imprisonment for joining ISIL in Syria.

The session was presided over by Judge Mohammed Al Jarrah Al Tunaiji.

Six pitfalls to avoid when trading company stocks

Following fashion

Investing is cyclical, buying last year's winners often means holding this year's losers.

Losing your balance

You end up with too much exposure to an individual company or sector that has taken your fancy.

Being over active

If you chop and change your portfolio too often, dealing charges will eat up your gains.

Running your losers

Investors hate admitting mistakes and hold onto bad stocks hoping they will come good.

Selling in a panic

If you sell up when the market drops, you have locked yourself out of the recovery.

Timing the market

Even the best investor in the world cannot consistently call market movements.

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

THE BIO

Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.

Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.

She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.

Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring  the natural world.

'Morbius'

Director: Daniel Espinosa 

Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith, Adria Arjona

Rating: 2/5

The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos

Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km

Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.

BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES

SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities

Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails

Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies

Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments

%3Cp%3EMATA%0D%3Cbr%3EArtist%3A%20M.I.A%0D%3Cbr%3ELabel%3A%20Island%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now

 

 

NO OTHER LAND

Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal

Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham

Rating: 3.5/5