For Europe, this is the eve of its ultimate crisis.
Donald Trump’s candidacy for the US presidency is a movie that may have run before, but the prospect of a second term is sending shockwaves through the European elite. Leaders are scrambling to have an answer, preferably a readymade set of solutions, for what to do about such an eventuality.
One of those leaders is European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who last week took a significant step to raising Europe’s game in one key area where there is an almost complete void: intelligence.
The trade craft that surrounds intelligence is something that European member states have hitherto kept as a monopoly. Some countries have stellar reputations in this area, others have barely any capacity at all. With the world divided into blocs, Ms von der Leyen is now seeking the tools to match the EU’s economic might with its global strategic impact.
The organising feature is the need to have preparedness, by design, for whatever is coming down the track. Ms von der Leyen herself is currently transitioning for a second term. With Charles Michel and Josep Borrell leaving their posts as President of the European Council and High Representative for Foreign Affairs, respectively, the former German defence minister has a unique responsibility for drawing up the plans for after January 20, when the new American president is inaugurated.
Tariff wars have been much on the minds of some Brussels watchers, with Mr Trump vowing to impose levies of up to 60 per cent on goods. So, too, has been the fate of war-torn Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is one of a rare breed of Trump backers in Europe’s power circles, is predicting a pivot there should the former president seal a remarkable comeback. “If Americans switch to peace, then we also need to adapt,” Mr Orban said this week.
Creating an EU-wide intelligence organisation is both a chance to start afresh and presents a daunting series of choices
The outbreak of the war in Ukraine was a classic demonstration of disarray in European intelligence capabilities. The US had foreseen Russia’s actions and had a strategy of pre-emptive leaks to disrupt the Kremlin’s plans. Some European agencies rejected the US’s judgments, while others said there was nothing happening at all.
Suspicions linger that Russian infiltration in European spy agencies is part of the patchwork of intelligence across the continent. Even the best of the bunch has had their troubles. The French DGSE, for example, is still smarting from its failures in the Sahel, as Paris lost its foothold in a domino-effect collapse across that region after the Covid-19 pandemic.
The issue of intelligence has reared its head at a time when there is nostalgia on the continent for the Cold War spies in popular culture.
The relaunch of the late British author John Le Carre’s George Smiley Series of espionage novels along with compatriot Nick Harkaway’s novel Karla’s Choice underlines how the fascination with European spying has not really diminished.
The character George Smiley first appeared as an agent navigating Europe’s divisions in 1964. Karla in Harkaway’s novel is a Russian infiltrator from the 1974 Le Carre novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The key figure in the new book is Susanna, a Hungarian exile looking for her missing emigre boss.
Meanwhile, the advertising hoardings on the London Underground station next to the MI6, the UK’s external intelligence agency, have been taken over by ads for the remake of The Day of the Jackal movie, proclaiming that the protagonist is always “one step ahead of MI6”.
The report to Ms von der Leyen, written by former Finnish president Sauli Niinisto, seeks to make an arrangement called the “Single Intelligence Assessment Capacity” the centrepiece of Europe’s revamped espionage services. It recommends a fully fledged intelligence co-operation service at the EU level that can serve both the strategic and operational needs.
This is important because it goes to the heart of the debate in the agencies about how to change to meet both greater hostility, trending again to Cold War levels, and rapid technological vulnerabilities.
During a discussion in February, some former UK spy chiefs offered a glimpse behind the curtain. While the traditional model has seen a domestic agency evolve that is very focused on operational activities, other agencies are dominated by specialists in personal relationships – like the Smiley of Le Carre fame – while still others are prized for expertise in data and cyber warfare.
One of the big issues facing the spy chiefs is whether this needs to be brought together. Creating a new EU-wide intelligence apex organisation is both a chance to start afresh with structures designed for the current threats and presents a daunting series of choices at a time of maximum pressure.
The section on intelligence in Mr Niinisto’s report has three pillars, not just the enhanced analysis and co-operation of a Brussels-based agency, but the capability to deter threats by denial of the European space to meddle, and deterrence by the capacity to punish adversaries for orchestrating hostile campaigns.
All this comes within the wrapper of a European Defence Production Act that will make self-reliance a top priority. Scaling up Europe’s abilities to make its own choices in defence is no longer an urgent issue but a strategic imperative.
Whatever happens in America in the coming days and weeks, Ms von der Leyen has a framework for unavoidable change. The important question is, will it be implemented fast enough regardless of who goes on to occupy the White House in January?
WHAT%20IS%20'JUICE%20JACKING'%3F
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Captain Marvel
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law, Ben Mendelsohn
4/5 stars
The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Oppenheimer
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20IPHONE%2015%20PRO%20MAX
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The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
RACE CARD
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group 1 (PA) Dh119,373 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Turf) 1,800m
8.15pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial (TB) Dh183,650 (D) 1,400m
9.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,000m
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29 – Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30 - UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1 - UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2 – Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4 - Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6 – Final
Dubai World Cup prize money
Group 1 (Purebred Arabian) 2000m Dubai Kahayla Classic - $750,000
Group 2 1,600m(Dirt) Godolphin Mile - $750,000
Group 2 3,200m (Turf) Dubai Gold Cup – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Turf) Al Quoz Sprint – $1,000,000
Group 2 1,900m(Dirt) UAE Derby – $750,000
Group 1 1,200m (Dirt) Dubai Golden Shaheen – $1,500,000
Group 1 1,800m (Turf) Dubai Turf – $4,000,000
Group 1 2,410m (Turf) Dubai Sheema Classic – $5,000,000
Group 1 2,000m (Dirt) Dubai World Cup– $12,000,000
Most%20polluted%20cities%20in%20the%20Middle%20East
%3Cp%3E1.%20Baghdad%2C%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E2.%20Manama%2C%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E3.%20Dhahran%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E4.%20Kuwait%20City%2C%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E5.%20Ras%20Al%20Khaimah%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E6.%20Ash%20Shihaniyah%2C%20Qatar%3Cbr%3E7.%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E8.%20Cairo%2C%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E9.%20Riyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E10.%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MOST%20POLLUTED%20COUNTRIES%20IN%20THE%20WORLD
%3Cp%3E1.%20Chad%3Cbr%3E2.%20Iraq%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pakistan%3Cbr%3E4.%20Bahrain%3Cbr%3E5.%20Bangladesh%3Cbr%3E6.%20Burkina%20Faso%3Cbr%3E7.%20Kuwait%3Cbr%3E8.%20India%3Cbr%3E9.%20Egypt%3Cbr%3E10.%20Tajikistan%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cem%3ESource%3A%202022%20World%20Air%20Quality%20Report%3C%2Fem%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 4-cyl
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Power: 190bhp
Torque: 300Nm
Price: Dh169,900
On sale: now
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
Temple numbers
Expected completion: 2022
Height: 24 meters
Ground floor banquet hall: 370 square metres to accommodate about 750 people
Ground floor multipurpose hall: 92 square metres for up to 200 people
First floor main Prayer Hall: 465 square metres to hold 1,500 people at a time
First floor terrace areas: 2,30 square metres
Temple will be spread over 6,900 square metres
Structure includes two basements, ground and first floor
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
The%20Roundup
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C600rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E320Nm%20at%201%2C500-4%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E7-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10.9L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh119%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
MATCH INFO
Al Jazira 3 (O Abdulrahman 43', Kenno 82', Mabkhout 90 4')
Al Ain 1 (Laba 39')
Red cards: Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain)
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
