European leaders will be under pressure to agree the toughest possible sanctions on Russia when they meet for two days of high-stakes diplomacy this week, after successive rounds of embargoes against Moscow’s elite and financial machine failed to persuade it to call off the invasion of Ukraine.
The US announced on Tuesday that a fresh sanctions package was coming after diplomats from northern and eastern Europe in particular lobbied Brussels to go further than in four previous rounds of measures.
Although western leaders say sanctions are biting Russia’s economy, they have not achieved their objective — as described by Estonia’s Foreign Minister Eva-Maria Liimets this week — of “making this war as costly as possible for Russia so that it would withdraw its troops from Ukraine”.
But calls for even tougher measures, such as banning Russian fossil fuel imports as the US has already done, have so far run into opposition from countries reliant on oil and gas deliveries from the east.
German officials fear that an embargo would drive up already alarming energy prices and threaten supply chains in Europe’s largest economy, amid doubts that the public would tolerate such a cost.
The sanctions debate will put the European Union's vaunted unity to the test when US President Joe Biden comes to visit this week for a meeting of Nato leaders in Brussels, talks between G7 countries and a cameo at a European Council summit.
The flurry of diplomacy will coincide with the invasion of Ukraine entering its second month and the list of alleged Russian atrocities growing as the Kremlin presses ahead with what it calls a special military operation. Western countries are providing financial and military aid to Ukraine as well as imposing sanctions on Moscow.
In meetings preparing for the EU summit, demands for a wider energy boycott on Russia have been accompanied by calls to block land and sea trade with Russia and widen its suspension from international payments system Swift.
They follow the measures taken so far to limit trade in key industries such as iron and steel, cut off sales of luxury goods to Russia and sanction prominent individuals in President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle.
Most of Europe has also closed its airspace to Russian planes, but Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofad took a proposal to Brussels to follow that measure by locking Russian ships out of Europe’s seaports.
Road vehicles from Russia and its ally Belarus could also be banned from crossing Europe by land if the EU adopts what Mr Kofad called the “strongest sanctions we can agree upon” in the 27-member bloc.
Another proposal being championed by Estonia is to expel Russia from the UN’s Human Rights Council, deepening its isolation from international relations.
The Council of Europe, the continent’s leading human rights body, has already expelled Russia and the country’s diplomats faced a walkout protest from European counterparts at a meeting of the UN body in Geneva.
Estonia's Ms Liimets said talks on an expulsion should come alongside an immediate fifth package of sanctions that “continues to raise the cost of war for Russia”.
Czech minister Jan Lipavsky said such a package should include a full removal of Russia from Swift, after the partial ban introduced in early March covered only certain Russian banks.
He said the aim was to cut off what he called Russia’s “money machine” and thereby choke funding for its military operations.
Sanctions “are not about overthrowing Putin or removing yachts from the possession of his oligarchs and crooks,” he said. “Sanctions are also about undermining the Russian ability to wage war.”
This explanation is also given by supporters of a full oil and gas embargo, who say that continued energy imports are effectively financing Russia’s onslaught in Ukraine.
Russia provides about 45 per cent of gas and coal imports and 25 per cent of oil imports in the EU, prompting its members to speed up efforts to reduce that reliance since the war began.
Germany’s government is promising to end its reliance on Russian energy as soon as possible by striking deals with other suppliers and accelerating its renewable energy push, but has so far resisted calls for a full embargo.
The German Economy Ministry said such a boycott could lead to lower economic growth, higher prices, disruption to supply chains and the threat of bankruptcies, which would have to be taken into account in a decision on sanctions.
Any embargo might have to be kept up for years rather than months and the social consequences “could not be ignored”, it said.
Other countries such as France and Austria have not ruled out further sanctions but have spoken of waiting for the right moment and ensuring that the measures taken so far are fully implemented.
Diplomats are discussing potential further measures and Europe will not hesitate to toughen sanctions if it becomes necessary, said France’s European Affairs Minister Clement Beaune.
But “it’s important that we keep a cool head”, said his Austrian counterpart Karoline Edtstadler. “The essential thing now is to maintain the unity of the EU.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
WTL%20SCHEDULE
%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2019%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EKites%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EAliassime%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3ESwiatek%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Tiesto%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDECEMBER%2020%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Wizkid%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2021%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Eagles%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Kyrgios%0D%3Cbr%3EBadosa%20v%20Garcia%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Ne-Yo%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2022%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EHawks%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EThiem%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3EKontaveit%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20deadmau5%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(2pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EEagles%20v%20Hawks%0D%3Cbr%3EKyrgios%20v%20Zverev%0D%3Cbr%3EGarcia%20v%20Rybakina%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2023%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFalcons%20v%20Kites%0D%3Cbr%3EDjokovic%20v%20Aliassime%0D%3Cbr%3ESabalenka%20v%20Swiatek%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Mohammed%20Ramadan%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EDECEMBER%2024%20(6pm)%0D%3Cbr%3EFinals%0D%3Cbr%3EEntertainment%3A%20Armin%20Van%20Buuren%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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SPEC%20SHEET
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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
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
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
ARGYLLE
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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