US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived on his first official trip to Europe on Monday, stressing a unified front against China and repairing transatlantic ties damaged under the administration of Donald Trump.
Just as Mr Blinken left for Brussels, the US, the EU, Canada and the UK moved to place human rights sanctions on Chinese figures.
These included two officials in China's western Xinjiang province: Wang Junzheng, the secretary of the party committee of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and Chen Mingguo, director of the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau.
Mr Blinken raised the issue of a unified front across the Atlantic to co-ordinate measures on China.
The trip underscored “the Biden administration's determination to strengthen the transatlantic alliance and reinvigorate our ties with allies through Nato", the State Department said.
Mr Blinken, who is fluent in French and grew up in Paris, has a special affinity with the continent and has held several online meetings with foreign ministry officials there since taking office.
Although growing tension with China and dealing with Russia will top the agenda on his three-day trip, he is also expected to discuss Covid-19 efforts, Iran, Turkey, the war in Afghanistan, cyber security, terrorism, climate change and other topics.
The State Department said he would meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Belgium’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes, and Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
Mr Blinken will deliver a keynote address to the ministers and hold meetings with some foreign affairs leaders.
In a briefing before the trip to Brussels, Philip Reeker, US acting assistant secretary of state at the Bureau of European and Eurasian affairs, said the priority was to revitalise Nato ties.
“The secretary is going to also consult with the European Union on how we can work together on the basis of our shared values to address global challenges that come from Iran, Russia and China,” Mr Reeker said.
On Iran, the US is looking for “meaningful diplomacy” to achieve a mutual return to the nuclear deal.
“I think you’ve heard from others that unfortunately Iran has so far continued to take steps in excess of [nuclear] limits instead of actually engaging in the diplomatic process that’s been offered,” Mr Reeker said.
China said that its Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, would visit Tehran on Friday and Saturday to discuss bilateral co-operation.
Mr Reeker did not confirm if Mr Blinken would meet Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu.
“I don’t have any specific pull‑asides or other meetings to announce at this point, but clearly I’d let the Turkish government announce ... their attendance and plans,” he said.
Mr Reeker stressed Ankara and Washington's shared interests in counter terrorism and ending the conflict in Syria.
Media reports from Ankara have said Mr Blinken would meet Mr Cavusolglu.
Another matter of interest is Nord Stream 2, the $11 billion pipeline project that would carry gas under the Baltic Sea to Europe through Germany.
As Russian energy company Gazprom is involved with the project, it is subject to US sanctions.
Mr Blinken said last week that the Biden administration was committed to complying with those sanctions even if its ally Germany became a target.
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Company%20Profile
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The specs
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Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
About RuPay
A homegrown card payment scheme launched by the National Payments Corporation of India and backed by the Reserve Bank of India, the country’s central bank
RuPay process payments between banks and merchants for purchases made with credit or debit cards
It has grown rapidly in India and competes with global payment network firms like MasterCard and Visa.
In India, it can be used at ATMs, for online payments and variations of the card can be used to pay for bus, metro charges, road toll payments
The name blends two words rupee and payment
Some advantages of the network include lower processing fees and transaction costs
England ODI squad
Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
INDIA V SOUTH AFRICA
First Test: October 2-6, at Visakhapatnam
Second Test: October 10-14, at Maharashtra
Third Test: October 19-23, at Ranchi
The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
How The Debt Panel's advice helped readers in 2019
December 11: 'My husband died, so what happens to the Dh240,000 he owes in the UAE?'
JL, a housewife from India, wrote to us about her husband, who died earlier this month. He left behind an outstanding loan of Dh240,000 and she was hoping to pay it off with an insurance policy he had taken out. She also wanted to recover some of her husband’s end-of-service liabilities to help support her and her son.
“I have no words to thank you for helping me out,” she wrote to The Debt Panel after receiving the panellists' comments. “The advice has given me an idea of the present status of the loan and how to take it up further. I will draft a letter and send it to the email ID on the bank’s website along with the death certificate. I hope and pray to find a way out of this.”
November 26: ‘I owe Dh100,000 because my employer has not paid me for a year’
SL, a financial services employee from India, left the UAE in June after quitting his job because his employer had not paid him since November 2018. He owes Dh103,800 on four debts and was told by the panellists he may be able to use the insolvency law to solve his issue.
SL thanked the panellists for their efforts. "Indeed, I have some clarity on the consequence of the case and the next steps to take regarding my situation," he says. "Hopefully, I will be able to provide a positive testimony soon."
October 15: 'I lost my job and left the UAE owing Dh71,000. Can I return?'
MS, an energy sector employee from South Africa, left the UAE in August after losing his Dh12,000 job. He was struggling to meet the repayments while securing a new position in the UAE and feared he would be detained if he returned. He has now secured a new job and will return to the Emirates this month.
“The insolvency law is indeed a relief to hear,” he says. "I will not apply for insolvency at this stage. I have been able to pay something towards my loan and credit card. As it stands, I only have a one-month deficit, which I will be able to recover by the end of December."
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
