Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for fresh peace talks on Thursday after almost six months of war between Ukraine and Russia, as he warned that the standoff at a nuclear power plant could lead to "a new Chernobyl".
Mr Erdogan, who has kept a foot in both camps during the conflict, was showered with warm words by senior Ukrainian officials as he made his first visit to the country since Russia invaded in February.
He held three-way talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the western city of Lviv, away from the front line of fighting.
Mr Zelenskyy described the visit by Mr Erdogan, who helped to broker a deal last month to resume grain exports via the Black Sea, as "a strong message of support from such a powerful country as Turkey".
The Turkish leader said the three men had discussed "transforming the positive atmosphere created by the Istanbul consensus [on grain] into permanent peace".
"I maintain my belief that the war will eventually end at the negotiating table," said Mr Erdogan, who said Turkey was willing to assist with further talks. "What matters is to find the shortest and fairest way to the negotiating table."
He said: "While continuing our efforts to find a solution, we remain on the side of our Ukraine friends."
The visit came as the conflict nears the six-month mark and took place in the shadow of missile strikes around Kharkiv that killed at least six people and injured 25, Ukrainian officials said.
Russia and Ukraine continued diplomatic sparring over the perilous situation at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which they accuse each other of shelling.
Mr Erdogan expressed concern about the fighting around Zaporizhzhia and invoked memories of the 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine by saying: "We do not want to experience a new Chernobyl."
The Turkish president has twice held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent weeks and sought to maintain amicable ties with the Kremlin despite criticising the invasion of Ukraine.
But the Ukrainian leader hailed Mr Erdogan for his personal "leading role" in brokering a deal between the UN, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia to restart grain exports via the Black Sea.
"I am sure that the further expansion of co-operation between Ukraine and Turkey will strengthen both sides," Mr Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine's overtures to Turkey did not end there, with Infrastructure Minister Oleksandr Kubrakov announcing an agreement with a Turkish counterpart on reconstruction of the war-torn country.
This could lead to Turkish businesses becoming involved in rebuilding roads and bridges, such as a crossing between Kyiv and the outlying towns of Romanivka, the Ukrainian side said.
"Turkey is our strategic ally," Mr Kubrakov said. "We are grateful to our Turkish partners for their willingness to co-operate in the recovery of the infrastructure destroyed by Russia."
Mr Zelenskyy said after his talks with Mr Guterres that the UN should step in to secure the safety of the Zaporizhzhia plant.
"The UN must ensure the security of this strategic object, its demilitarisation and complete liberation from Russian troops," he said.
But Russia rejected such an arrangement and hinted it could shut down Zaporizhzhia if the situation deteriorates.
"Proposals on a demilitarised zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are unacceptable. Their implementation will make the plant even more vulnerable," Russian news agency Interfax quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesman as saying.
Mr Guterres is due to continue to Odesa to see the restarted grain exports from the southern port under the deal negotiated with Turkey.
He said on Thursday that the UN was aiming to scale up its operations before winter to ease an evolving global food crisis.
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Tank warfare
Lt Gen Erik Petersen, deputy chief of programs, US Army, has argued it took a “three decade holiday” on modernising tanks.
“There clearly remains a significant armoured heavy ground manoeuvre threat in this world and maintaining a world class armoured force is absolutely vital,” the general said in London last week.
“We are developing next generation capabilities to compete with and deter adversaries to prevent opportunism or miscalculation, and, if necessary, defeat any foe decisively.”
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In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs
Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: nine-speed
Power: 542bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh848,000
On sale: now
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
