Sixty Russian diplomats expelled from the US returned to Moscow on Sunday, a result of the biggest tit-for-tat expulsions in recent memory following the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, England.
Two planes from Washington and New York reportedly landed at Moscow's Vnukovo airport carrying US-based diplomats and their families. More than 150 Russian diplomats have so far been ordered out of the US, EU, NATO countries and other nations.
Britain has called it “highly likely” that Russia was responsible for the Skripal attack using the Soviet-designed Novichok nerve agent.
Writing in The Sunday Telegraph, UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said the world has entered “a new era of warfare”.
President Vladimir Putin is “investing in long-range missiles, boasting about nuclear systems and engaging brazen cyber operations. If we were in any doubt of the danger posed by Moscow, we only have to look at events in Salisbury, where our Armed Forces, including the RAF, have been responding to a cold-blooded chemical attack,” Mr Williamson wrote.
The Organisation for the Prohibition Chemical Weapons is in the midst of verifying a UK analysis of the nerve agents used to poison Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, found collapsed on a bench in Salisbury on March 4. Authorities said the highest concentration of the agent was found on their front door. The Skripals remain in hospital.
“This was an illegal and contemptuous use of force against our country by the Russian state, endangering innocent lives. The Kremlin’s response has been to unleash a tidal wave of smears, lies and mockery. The world’s patience with Putin’s malign behaviour has worn thin,” Mr Williamson wrote.
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Read more
Russia demands UK remove 50 diplomats in latest tit-for-tat move
Poisoned Russian spy's daughter 'improving rapidly'
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More than 20 countries have so far said that they would expel Russian diplomats in support of Britain. London expelled 23 Russian diplomats, while the US sent home 60 alleged "spies" and closed Russia's consulate in Seattle.
Moscow responded by expelling diplomats from more than 20 countries including the UK, US, Germany and Canada. Russia also ordered the closure of Britain’s consulate in St Petersburg and the British Council’s operations in Russia.
Russia denies any involvement in the Skripal attack and has warned its nationals to think twice before travelling to Britain, where they could be singled out for harassment.
Russian Ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko told Russian television on Sunday that there were “serious suspicions” that British intelligence services were linked to the poisoning.
"They are refusing to cooperate with us and are not giving us any facts. These realities naturally prompt us to conclude that this is a provocation made by the special services," Mr Yakovenko said in an interview aired on NTV Television, Tass reported.
Germany's foreign minister on Sunday said Berlin was open to dialogue with Russia and hoped to "rebuild trust".
"Russia's behaviour in recent years has undoubtedly caused a lot of trust to be lost," Heiko Maas told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag.
"At the same time, we need Russia as a partner, to resolve regional conflicts, for disarmament and as an important pillar for the multilateral order," he said.
"That's why we are open to dialogue and hope to rebuild trust bit by bit if Russia is willing to do so."
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
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UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
INFO
Everton 0
Arsenal 0
Man of the Match: Djibril Sidibe (Everton)
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
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Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
