The coming elections in Poland and Slovakia have triggered a public spat with Ukraine over its grain exports, causing worry among European countries that it may undermine military and political support for Kyiv as the war drags on.
Following complaints, the EU had allowed earlier this a year a ban on some Ukrainian agricultural exports – wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed – to Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.
The ban was lifted last week after Brussels found that there were no more market distortions.
Yet Poland, Slovakia and Hungary defied Brussels and continued enforcing a ban, and in some cases extended it to other products, arguing that their farmers and industry could not compete with cheaper Ukrainian products
General elections scheduled for September 30 in Slovakia and October 15 in Poland have put politicians under pressure to please voters, including farmers, unhappy with the impact of the war on the economy.
This has soured relations with Ukraine, despite Poland and Slovakia being among the country's first weapon supplier after Russia's full-scale invasion last year.
Some leaders have expressed fear that the spat may benefit Russia, with Lithuania's president Gitanas Nauseda calling on Friday for dialogue “in a friendly way.”
“Once the elections are over, we will go back to the tasks that are key today,” he said.
Many EU diplomats in Brussels shared Mr Nauseda's viewpoint and said they hope that the damaging tension will fizzle out once elections are over.
“It's a distraction from the more important issue which is to continue supporting Ukraine, first of all providing military support,” one diplomat told The National.
“As long as Ukraine does not liberate its territories from Russia, the rest does not matter.”
In what seemed like an attempt at smoothing things over with Kyiv, Polish President Andrzej Duda signalled on Friday that he did not believe that the tension would have a “significant impact” on relations between the two countries.
A major route for Ukraine's exports, the Black Sea, has been all but closed since Russia pulled out in July of an agreement that allowed ships to transport cargo, including grain, to the rest of the world.
This has increased pressure on neighbouring European markets, although EU officials believe that the issue is mostly solved thanks to so-called “solidarity lanes” which support transit by land and onwards to countries in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Zelenskyy lashes out
In a speech in front of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seemed to sharply criticise the ban on some Ukrainian exports, saying that it was “alarming to see how some in Europe play out solidarity in a political theatre – making a thriller from the grain”.
“They may seem to play their own role but in fact, they are helping set the stage to a Moscow actor,” he added.
Ukraine also filed a complaint at the World Trade Organisation on Thursday against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.
Warsaw reacted angrily at Mr Zelenskyy's criticism and summoned Ukraine's ambassador to Poland in protest.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that it would no longer transfer weapons to Ukraine and would only carry out deliveries agreed before the spat.
“Raising the sectoral and de facto regional challenge of protecting the EU internal market from a flood of dumped products in a global UN forum in a confrontational tone does not serve to build a broad coalition of support for Ukraine,” a Polish official told The National.
The official said that lifting the ban on Ukrainian grain “is a real threat” to Polish farmers, who may as a result “abandon cereal and rape cultivation, which will threaten Poland's food security in the near future.”
They described Ukraine's complaint at the WTO as “questionable” and warned that it would, in the short-term, deteriorate “relations and the image of Ukraine in the eyes of the societies of neighbouring countries”.
Yet they also stressed that “Poland supports and will continue to support Ukraine.”
The tension between the allies has been noticed in Moscow. “We see that there are frictions between Warsaw and Kyiv. We predict that these frictions will increase,” the Kremlin's representative said on Friday.
Meanwhile, meetings in Brussels between representatives of the countries involved and the European Commission have continued, to try to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis.
Ukraine presented a plan to the Commission which is under study and involves a verification and authorisation mechanism for exports of wheat, maize, sunflower and rapeseed.
“There’s so far a constructive engagement with all parties” said a commission representative on Friday during a brief with journalists.
Slovakia is currently analysing Ukraine's proposal.
Poland's Agriculture Minister Robert Telus is due to hold talks with Ukrainian officials next week and has called on Kyiv to withdraw its WTO complaint, according to the national press agency.
But he has warned that Warsaw will not remove the ban until a “certain solution, and a safe solution, and an effective solution” was found in the interest of Polish farmers.
The National has contacted Ukrainian authorities for comment.
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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
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Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
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What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
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Mageed Yahia, director of WFP in UAE: Coronavirus knows no borders, and neither should the response
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
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Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
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Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
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Which products are to be taxed?
To be taxed:
Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
Not taxed
Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.
Products excluded from the ‘sweetened drink’ category would contain at least 75 per cent milk in a ready-to-drink form or as a milk substitute, baby formula, follow-up formula or baby food, beverages consumed for medicinal use and special dietary needs determined as per GCC Standardisation Organisation rules
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Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
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Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
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RESULTS
Lightweight (female)
Sara El Bakkali bt Anisha Kadka
Bantamweight
Mohammed Adil Al Debi bt Moaz Abdelgawad
Welterweight
Amir Boureslan bt Mahmoud Zanouny
Featherweight
Mohammed Al Katheeri bt Abrorbek Madaminbekov
Super featherweight
Ibrahem Bilal bt Emad Arafa
Middleweight
Ahmed Abdolaziz bt Imad Essassi
Bantamweight (female)
Ilham Bourakkadi bt Milena Martinou
Welterweight
Mohamed Mardi bt Noureddine El Agouti
Middleweight
Nabil Ouach bt Ymad Atrous
Welterweight
Nouredine Samir bt Marlon Ribeiro
Super welterweight
Brad Stanton bt Mohamed El Boukhari
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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.
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
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- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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- 600-seat auditorium
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
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North Pole stats
Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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Goalkeepers Pickford (Everton), Pope (Burnley), Henderson (Manchester United)
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Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
