The UK stands “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine, Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said on Friday as he unveiled “hands-on support” for the country in its fight against Russia.
Mr Cleverly made the remarks on a visit to Ukraine, which is struggling to keep up with repairs to critical energy infrastructure caused by Russian missile strikes.
He said words alone "won't keep the lights on" or "defend against Russian missiles".
"The UK isn't just talking about Ukraine, we're providing concrete support for the defence of Ukraine," he tweeted on Friday.
Mr Cleverly announced that the UK will send 35 more emergency vehicles, including 24 ambulances and six armoured vehicles, to the country, plus a further £3 million ($3.63 million) for the rebuilding of local infrastructure, including schools and shelters, as well as additional funding to support survivors of sexual assault.
The package comes days after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Ukraine, where he met Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and unveiled £50 million in defence aid, comprising 125 anti-aircraft guns and technology to counter Iranian-supplied drones, including dozens of radar and anti-drone electronic warfare systems.
Mr Cleverly, who will also hold a meeting with Mr Zelenskyy during his trip, said: "As winter sets in, Russia is continuing to try and break Ukrainian resolve through its brutal attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure. Russia will fail.
"The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine.
"I have today announced a package of hands-on support for our Ukrainian friends in their fight, from ambulances to crucial support for survivors of the sexual violence carried out by the Russian military.
"I've seen here first-hand how the UK's efforts are helping brave citizens to resist and rebuild. Our support will continue for as long as it takes for this remarkable country to recover."
The UK is also committing £5 million to a Ukraine-led initiative, delivered through the UN World Food Programme, to ship grain to countries most at risk of famine, including Yemen and Sudan.
The news comes as satellite images taken by Nasa show how Ukraine has become a dark patch on the globe at night because of the repeated Russian missile attacks.
The images, taken from space, show Ukraine in total darkness, surrounded by bright spots from other countries.
Russia has launched regular strikes since October with the aim of destroying the Ukrainian power grid.
The country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, told the Financial Times this week's strikes had created a situation not seen for 80 or 90 years ― "a country on the European continent where there was totally no light".
"The situation with electricity remains difficult in almost all regions," he said in his nightly address on Thursday.
"However, we are gradually moving away from blackouts ― every hour we return power to new consumers."
British military intelligence said Russia continues to struggle in its partial mobilisation, with many troops being compelled to serve in Ukraine with serious health problems.
A number of "common themes" are emerging in the experience of Moscow's mobilised reservists, according to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), with their deployment often characterised by inadequate training and personal equipment.
An MoD defence intelligence update suggests the Kremlin will be concerned that an increasing number of families are prepared to risk arrest by protesting against the conditions their relatives face at war.
Most mobilised reservists have previously served, it says, with "numerous examples" suggesting it is highly probable they are not having their medical status "adequately reviewed".
"Many are being compelled to serve with serious, chronic health conditions," the update states.
It also suggests there are likely to have been "particularly heavy casualties" among those committed to dig "ambitious trench systems" while under artillery fire around the city of Svatove, in the Luhansk region.
Meanwhile, reservists have been killed in "large numbers" in frontal assaults into well-established Ukrainian defensive zones in the Donetsk region, around the city of Bakhmut, it says.
"Two months after President [Vladimir] Putin announced a 'partial mobilisation', common themes are emerging in the experience of mobilised Russian reservists," the update states.
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
MATCH INFO
Newcastle 2-2 Manchester City
Burnley 0-2 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 0-1 West Ham
Liverpool 2-1 Brighton
Tottenham 3-2 Bournemouth
Southampton v Watford (late)
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
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The%20specs
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
More on Quran memorisation:
MWTC
Tickets start from Dh100 for adults and are now on sale at www.ticketmaster.ae and Virgin Megastores across the UAE. Three-day and travel packages are also available at 20 per cent discount.
Defined benefit and defined contribution schemes explained
Defined Benefit Plan (DB)
A defined benefit plan is where the benefit is defined by a formula, typically length of service to and salary at date of leaving.
Defined Contribution Plan (DC)
A defined contribution plan is where the benefit depends on the amount of money put into the plan for an employee, and how much investment return is earned on those contributions.
The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
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Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
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6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
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8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Profile Box
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Mohammed Toraif
Based: Manama, Bahrain
Sector: Sales, Technology, Conservation
Size: (employees/revenue) 4/ 5,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($100,000)
Investors: Two first-round investors including, 500 Startups, Fawaz Al Gosaibi Holding (Saudi Arabia)
