The EU on Friday said it had helped Ukraine to reach levels of grain exports that are close to pre-war numbers, but gave a warning that the ongoing conflict leaves European farmers at risk of a shortage of fertilisers.
Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskiy informed European agriculture ministers gathered for a meeting in Prague that his country’s grain exports had reached 4.5 million tonnes in August, the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, said.
“We have the same data in the European commission,” Mr Wojciechowski told reporters following the meeting which Mr Solskiy attended virtually.
Mr Solskiy’s predecessor Roman Leschchenko informed the EU in March that Ukraine’s grain exports had dropped from an average of five million tonnes a month to 200,000 tonnes after Russia’s invasion, according to Mr Wojciechowski.
Ukraine used to be the world’s fifth largest exporter of wheat and the disruption of its crop production, storage and export has had wide-ranging knock-on effects on food security across the world.
Mr Wojciechowski said that Ukraine’s recent increase in exports was largely due to the EU’s so-called “solidarity lanes” established in May to help Ukraine export its agricultural produce through its land borders with Poland and Romania.
They were a “successful initiative,” he said.
Most of August’s grain exports ― 3.5 million tonnes ― went through these solidarity lanes last month, said the EU’s agriculture commissioner. The rest was transported via the Black Sea.
Before the war, Ukraine used to export 90 per cent of its grain and oilseeds via the Black Sea, the EU said.
Mr Wojciechowski's comments came one day after the US slapped sanctions on dozens of Russian and Ukrainian officials and a number of Russian companies for human rights abuses and the theft of Ukrainian grain.
“We don’t know what Russia will do next and therefore we need to strengthen the lanes that go across the Polish border or the Romanian border,” said Czech Agriculture Minister Zedenek Nekula, who took part in a press conference with Mr Wojciechowski.
The EU also needs to focus on supporting farmers, who face skyrocketing energy bills and a shortage of fertilisers as a result of the war, said Mr Wojciechowski.
The European commission detailed on Wednesday its proposals to tackle energy costs and soaring inflation triggered by the war in Ukraine, including a windfall tax on fossil fuel producers and a cap on recent exceptional revenues made by energy firms with low production costs.
These measures are expected to be discussed among the bloc’s energy ministers at the end of the month.
The commission hopes to raise this way more than €140 billion for member states to redistribute among vulnerable households and industries.
Some of this money may be diverted to fertiliser producers, said Mr Wojciechowski.
“Fertiliser producers are mentioned in draft of regulation as companies that can be supported by member states as one of the most affected sectors,” he said. “This is chance to support producers of fertiliser and reduce prices for farmers.”
EU states also have the possibility of supporting individual farms affected by the war with up to €35,000 as part of an aid package unveiled by the commission in March.
Agriculture ministers will further discuss food security in Brussels on September 26.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
'Midnights'
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Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
SPECS
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Salah in numbers
€39 million: Liverpool agreed a fee, including add-ons, in the region of €39m (nearly Dh176m) to sign Salah from Roma last year. The exchange rate at the time meant that cost the Reds £34.3m - a bargain given his performances since.
13: The 25-year-old player was not a complete stranger to the Premier League when he arrived at Liverpool this summer. However, during his previous stint at Chelsea, he made just 13 Premier League appearances, seven of which were off the bench, and scored only twice.
57: It was in the 57th minute of his Liverpool bow when Salah opened his account for the Reds in the 3-3 draw with Watford back in August. The Egyptian prodded the ball over the line from close range after latching onto Roberto Firmino's attempted lob.
7: Salah's best scoring streak of the season occurred between an FA Cup tie against West Brom on January 27 and a Premier League win over Newcastle on March 3. He scored for seven games running in all competitions and struck twice against Tottenham.
3: This season Salah became the first player in Premier League history to win the player of the month award three times during a term. He was voted as the division's best player in November, February and March.
40: Salah joined Roger Hunt and Ian Rush as the only players in Liverpool's history to have scored 40 times in a single season when he headed home against Bournemouth at Anfield earlier this month.
30: The goal against Bournemouth ensured the Egyptian achieved another milestone in becoming the first African player to score 30 times across one Premier League campaign.
8: As well as his fine form in England, Salah has also scored eight times in the tournament phase of this season's Champions League. Only Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, with 15 to his credit, has found the net more often in the group stages and knockout rounds of Europe's premier club competition.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
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.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
