European powers on Wednesday vowed to get to get to the bottom of the mysterious leaks on Baltic Sea gas pipelines that prompted suspicions of Russian sabotage.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, said all available information suggested a “deliberate act” had caused the leaks from the Russian-owned Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines.
Swedish prosecutors began inquiries into the leaks as a rescue ship patrolled the bubbling plumes on the Baltic surface. Denmark said explosions were to blame, while Nato spoke of an act of sabotage.
Russia on Wednesday denied involvement, amid speculation that the blast was a warning from Moscow that it could tamper further with European energy supplies.
It intended to call a UN Security Council meeting over damage to the pipelines, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.
Danish authorities said it could be one or two weeks before the waters calm sufficiently to investigate what happened below the surface. Sweden's coastguard offered divers and underwater craft to aid the inquiry.
"It is a very large blast that has taken place, therefore it will take time before we can get down there," Danish Defence Minister Morten Bodskov said.
Scientists in Denmark, Sweden and Germany said two tremors were picked up on seismographs in the area where the leaks were discovered, adding to suspicions of a man-made blast.
The Danish geological survey said the tremors "do not resemble signals from earthquakes ... they do resemble the signals typically recorded from blasts".
Norway, now the biggest gas supplier to Europe instead of Russia, said it would increase security around its terminals and drilling platforms. It came after reports of increased drone activity on Norway's continental shelf.
Norway said there was much to indicate sabotage on Nord Stream 1 and 2, while Germany said there was nothing to suggest a natural cause.
The Kremlin hit back at suggestions of Russian involvement by describing them as "predictable and predictably stupid".
"This is a big problem for us," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "The entire system is ready to pump gas and the gas is very expensive. Now the gas is flying off into the air."
Helicopters and navy vessels patrolled the turbulent waters where three separate leaks were detected along the route of the pipelines, which pass through Swedish and Danish waters on their way from Russia to Germany.
Although there is no immediate loss of gas supply to Europe because the pipelines were already at a standstill, the leaks raised environmental and security concerns and were described as an attack on critical infrastructure.
“These incidents are not a coincidence and affect us all,” Mr Borrell said.
“Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response.”
Nato too said it saw the leaks as an act of sabotage. It said it was discussing the protection of key infrastructure in Denmark and was holding talks with prospective Nato member Sweden.
Ships were told to avoid the boiling seas where gas was leaking, for fear the fuel would ignite or that vessels would lose buoyancy. Sweden told aircraft to steer clear of the source of the leaks.
There were also concerns about the environmental impact of the escaped natural gas, which consists primarily of methane - a greenhouse gas many times more potent than CO2.
"It would have a very large environmental and climate impact indeed, even if it released a fraction" of the gas in the pipes, said Dr Paul Balcombe, a chemical engineer from Imperial College London.
Many politicians suggested Russian involvement, saying Kremlin agents might have sought to spook markets and cause concern in western Europe about energy supplies this winter.
"It is likely that Russia is trying on the one hand to sow unease in the European population, and on the other hand to signal on a state level the threat of an attack on critical infrastructure," German MP and former army officer Roderich Kiesewetter told public radio.
Charles Michel, the president of the European Council, said the apparent attacks "appear to be an attempt to further destabilise energy supply to the EU", but did not name any potential aggressor.
Some politicians thought the timing was significant, just as Poland opened a new energy link with Norway and Denmark, interpreting an attack on Nord Stream as a threat to do the same to other pipelines.
A former Polish foreign minister, Radek Sikorski, offered an alternative theory by hinting at a possible American operation against a pipeline route that Washington has always viewed with suspicion. The US described the gas leaks as apparent sabotage.
Nord Stream 1 has been out of action for weeks because of what Russia says are technical problems but Germany describes as spurious excuses to squeeze Europe’s supplies.
The parallel Nord Stream 2 was completed last year but had yet to start delivering gas before German Chancellor Olaf Scholz suspended the project in February, days before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russia more recently dangled the possibility of opening Nord Stream 2 if Europe has a change of heart, a course of action supported by a minority of German politicians.
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Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30:
- UAE bt Nepal by 78 runs
- Hong Kong bt Singapore by 5 wickets
- Oman bt Malaysia by 2 wickets
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Fixtures
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EWednesday%2C%20April%203%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EArsenal%20v%20Luton%20Town%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Aston%20Villa%2C%2011.15pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EThursday%2C%20April%204%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ELiverpool%20v%20Sheffield%20United%2C%2010.30pm%20(UAE)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Top Hundred overseas picks
London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith
Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah
Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott
Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz
Oval Invincibles: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw
Trent Rockets: Colin Munro
Birmingham Phoenix: Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson
Southern Brave: Quinton de Kock
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Respawn%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electronic%20Arts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20Playstation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%20and%20S%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Charlotte Gainsbourg
Rest
(Because Music)
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
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
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
