Live updates: follow the latest news on Russia-Ukraine
The US, Canada and Europe have announced the first tranche of sanctions against Russia in response to its military intervention in eastern Ukraine, with sweeping measures aimed at cutting the Kremlin off from western financial markets as Germany suspends the opening of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline.
US President Joe Biden said the “beginning” of the Russian invasion demanded a firm international response to impose tough initial costs that can be ramped up as Moscow pushes further into Ukraine.
“Who in the Lord's name does [Russian President Vladimir] Putin think gives him the right to declare new so-called 'countries' on territory that belongs to his neighbours?” Mr Biden said at the White House.
“We still believe that Russia is poised to go much further in launching a massive military attack against Ukraine … We will continue to escalate sanctions if Russia escalates.”
The sanctions are focused on Russian banks and sovereign debt, among others, the US leader said.
He also announced measures against Russian officials, joining the 27 EU member nations who unanimously agreed on Tuesday to levy their own set of sanctions against such figures.
The measures follow an executive order signed on Monday evening that takes punitive measures against the breakaway republics in Ukraine’s Donbas region. The order bars “new investment, trade and financing by US persons to, from, or in” the so-called Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
Meanwhile, Canada's leader Justin Trudeau announced “a ban from all financial dealings with the so-called independent states of Luhansk and Donetsk".
“We will sanction members of the Russian parliament who voted for the illegal decision to recognise these so-called republics,” Mr Trudeau said.
In Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said a “first barrage” of UK sanctions would hit five Russian banks and three wealthy oligarchs to punish Moscow for ordering troops to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Amid criticism from MPs who say the sanctions don't go far enough, Mr Johnson said more could follow if Britain's fears that Mr Putin is “bent on a full-scale invasion” prove correct. But even the planned deployment to Ukraine “amounts to a renewed invasion of that country”, Mr Johnson said.
The three businessmen hit by Britain's sanctions — Gennady Timchenko, Boris Rotenberg and Igor Rotenberg — will have their assets in the UK frozen and will be banned from entering the country.
All three made fortunes in the oil and gas sector, are regarded as close to Mr Putin — with Boris Rotenberg thought to have sparred at judo with the president — and have previously been sanctioned by the US government.
Mr Johnson said Britain's sanctions would aim at Russia itself as well as the breakaway regions and would “target Russian economic interests as hard as we can".
Despite frantic diplomatic efforts, western powers “have to face the possibility that none of our messages has been heeded and Putin is implacably determined to go further in subjugating and tormenting Ukraine”, he said.
It came amid global condemnation of Mr Putin's move to recognise separatist governments in the two regions and send troops there under the guise of a peacekeeping mission.
It was not clear whether the promised Russian forces had yet arrived and the Kremlin would not confirm this on Tuesday.
EU foreign ministers were to meet on Tuesday afternoon to approve a package of sanctions put forward by Josep Borrell, the bloc's foreign policy chief.
The European Commission said these sanctions would go after banks financing Russian military operations as well as “those involved in the illegal decision”, although Mr Borrell would not say whether this meant Mr Putin himself.
Before the EU meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia would not open for the time being while officials assess what he called a changed security environment.
Bowing to pressure from the US and others who fear Russia could use the pipeline as a geopolitical weapon, Mr Scholz said the regulatory rethink was a “necessary administrative step so that the pipeline cannot be certified at this time”.
Ten north European countries are to undertake naval exercises in the Baltic Sea in response to increased tension with Russia, it was announced on Tuesday,
The alliance of the Joint Expeditionary Force, which includes Nato countries as well as Finland and Sweden, said they would “shortly conduct an exercise demonstrating JEF nations' freedom of movement”.
The manoeuvres would “remain preventive and proportionate”, the defence ministers said following a meeting in central England.
“In acting together, we shall demonstrate the JEF's solidarity, capability and resolve to stand together for security and stability in our region,” the statement added.
European stock markets hit a seven-month low in early trading as traders responded to the escalation. Natural gas prices jumped, as pressure grows for countries to reduce their reliance on Russian fuel — a step which Mr Johnson said Europe had failed to take after the annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“We have got to recognise that we were not tough enough and in the end we didn’t do enough, as Europeans, to wean ourselves off Russian hydrocarbons, off Russian oil and gas,” he said.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the country was not afraid of anyone but said Kiev expected “clear support steps” from its allies after weeks of warnings to Russia. Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said the Kremlin had “taken another step towards the revival of the Soviet Union”.
Russia moved on Tuesday to cement its ties with the breakaway regions, with legislation put before its parliament that would rubber-stamp the deployment of troops. Mr Putin formally recognised them after an hour-long address scattered with references to the former USSR in which he questioned Ukraine's legitimacy as an independent state.
The escalation came despite weeks of attempts to calm the tension, including visits to Moscow by French President Emmanuel Macron and Mr Scholz. Russia said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was still due to meet his US counterpart Antony Blinken on Thursday.
Moscow’s moves on Monday prompted an emergency session of the UN Security Council, where Russia received no backing and even its ally China called for diplomacy and a peaceful solution.
UK ambassador Dame Barbara Woodward told the council that Russia has “brought us to the brink” and that its actions “will have severe and far-reaching consequences”.
She said a full invasion would unleash “the forces of war, death and destruction” on the people of Ukraine and that “the humanitarian impact will be terrible on civilians fleeing the fighting. We know that women and children will suffer most".
Some officials in Europe have called for Belarus to face additional sanctions after allowing the Russian military to stay on its territory indefinitely, increasing the troop contingent on Ukraine's borders.
Russian troops have been taking part in joint military drills in Belarus for the past few weeks. On Sunday the Belarusian Defence Ministry announced that 30,000 Russian troops would remain in the country.
Asked about Mr Putin’s order to send troops into eastern Ukraine, UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Russia’s military presence on Ukrainian soil meant Europe was “waking up to a very dark day".
Agencies contributed to this report.
MATCH INFO
Group B
Bayern Munich v Tottenham, midnight (Thursday)
Results
United States beat UAE by three wickets
United States beat Scotland by 35 runs
UAE v Scotland – no result
United States beat UAE by 98 runs
Scotland beat United States by four wickets
Fixtures
Sunday, 10am, ICC Academy, Dubai - UAE v Scotland
Admission is free
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000, 2,400m
Winner: Recordman, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 70,000, 2,200m
Winner: AF Taraha, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Dhafra, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000, 1,400m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000, 1,600m
Winner: AF Momtaz, Fernando Jara, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000, 1,600m
Winner: Optimizm, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
RACE CARD AND SELECTIONS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
The National selections
5pm: RB Hot Spot
5.30pm: Dahess D’Arabie
6pm: Taamol
6.30pm: Rmmas
7pm: RB Seqondtonone
7.30pm: AF Mouthirah
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)
Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)
Sunday
Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)
Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)
Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)
Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)
RESULT
Arsenal 2
Sokratis Papastathopoulos 45 4'
Eddie Ntkeiah 51'
Portsmouth 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470hp%2C%20338kW%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20620Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh491%2C500%20(estimate)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Company%20profile
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Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
Company%20profile
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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.
