The EU’s foreign ministers will impose two new rounds of sanctions on Iran on Monday to address growing concerns in the Gulf and Europe over Iranian drones.
Two separate sanctions packages, one aimed at human rights violations and another at Iran’s drone transfers to Russia for use in its war in Ukraine, are expected to be adopted on Monday, EU diplomats said.
“Our approach is to increase pressure,” said an EU diplomat.
It will be the third time in less than two months that Brussels has punished Iran for its brutal repression of anti-government demonstrators. This included the hanging on Thursday of a 23-year old man accused of wounding a member of the pro-regime Basij militia three months ago.
Activists say more than 500 people have been killed since the protest movement began on September 16, with least 18,000 detained.
The UK on Friday in parallel announced sanctions against 10 Iranian officials and 20 other people from different countries.
The EU also adopted a first package of sanctions aimed at Iranian drone transfers to Russia on October 20.
Sanctions include travel bans, asset freezing and forbidding EU citizens and companies to make funds available to Iran.
Britain’s Ministry of Defence said that for the first time in three weeks, there have been reports of attacks by Iranian drones on Ukraine.
“It is likely that Russia exhausted its previous stock of several hundred Shahed-131s and 136s and has now received a resupply” said the ministry on Twitter.
Earlier this week, White House national Security Council spokesman John Kirby said that Russia continues to use Iranian drones “to hit civilian targets and kill innocent Ukrainians nearly every day”.
An EU diplomat said that European foreign ministers will have a lengthy discussion on Iran on Monday “for the first time in a very long time”. It will include “the impact of Iran’s destabilising actions in its regional environment and on European security”.
The diplomat added that the EU would take a “series of actions” in addition to adopting new sanctions.
“We’re talking about how to avoid the circumvention via Iran of sanctions imposed on Russia,” they said.
“We’re talking about how we can react to limit military support given by Iran to Russia. We are talking with our partners in the Gulf about how we can help them to face such actions.”
The diplomat declined to give further details before the announcements are made public on Monday.
The diplomat’s statements come three weeks after the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gave a speech in Bahrain indicating that the use of Iranian drones on European soil had been a game-changer for the continent.
She said that Europe wanted to strengthen its engagement in the Gulf region via closer co-operation on maritime security to ensure safe shipping lanes.
In her speech, she referenced a drone attack on November 16 on an oil tanker off of Oman, which western officials have attributed to Iran.
“Several Gulf countries have been warning for years about the risk that Iran feeds rogue nations around the world with drones,” she said.
Ms von der Leyen said that it took Europe “too long to understand” that it should work on preventing Iran from developing both nuclear weapons and more conventional weapons such as drones.
Europe and the Gulf “should work on a co-ordinated approach to Iran — with a broader focus than nuclear,” she added, referring to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
“Gulf security matters to Europe, as Europe's security matters to the Gulf,” she said.
This is one of the reasons that the EU will soon appoint its first special representative for the Gulf, she added.
“Let us join forces for our collective security,” said Ms von der Leyen.
Reports that Brussels’s choice may be Italian diplomat Luigi Di Maio have caused controversy in the Gulf.
The former Italian foreign minister in 2021 triggered a diplomatic crisis between Italy and the region over a weapons deal.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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
Essentials
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes.
Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes.
In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes.
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.
Fines for littering
In Dubai:
Dh200 for littering or spitting in the Dubai Metro
Dh500 for throwing cigarette butts or chewing gum on the floor, or littering from a vehicle.
Dh1,000 for littering on a beach, spitting in public places, throwing a cigarette butt from a vehicle
In Sharjah and other emirates
Dh500 for littering - including cigarette butts and chewing gum - in public places and beaches in Sharjah
Dh2,000 for littering in Sharjah deserts
Dh500 for littering from a vehicle in Ras Al Khaimah
Dh1,000 for littering from a car in Abu Dhabi
Dh1,000 to Dh100,000 for dumping waste in residential or public areas in Al Ain
Dh10,000 for littering at Ajman's beaches
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
Tickets
Tickets start at Dh100 for adults, while children can enter free on the opening day. For more information, visit www.mubadalawtc.com.
England v West Indies
England squad for the first Test Cook, Stoneman, Westley, Root (captain), Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Moeen, Roland-Jones, Broad, Anderson, Woakes, Crane
Fixtures
1st Test Aug 17-21, Edgbaston
2nd Test Aug 25-29, Headingley
3rd Test Sep 7-11, Lord's
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
