Even amid the coronavirus pandemic that has wreaked havoc in both the United States and Iran, political and military escalation has continued between the two countries as they pursue conflicting interests in Iraq and the region.
Friday marked 100 days since a heightened US-Iran confrontation led to Iranian forces shooting down a Ukrainian passenger jet leaving Tehran, killing all 176 people on board, but the tensions have not dissipated. The “Green Zone” in Baghdad where the US embassy is located was targeted sporadically with rockets fired by Iraqi militias in January and February. A major attack on March 11 killed three service members, two of them American and one British, at a joint base north of Baghdad. The US responded with air strikes, hitting five locations of the pro-Iran Kataib Hezbollah militia in Iraq on March 13. It also increased sanctions and designations on pro-Iran militias and Iranian officials.
On April 1, US President Donald Trump warned Iran of “a heavy price” if its militias attacked American forces or installations. He even threatened the possibility of retaliation inside Iran. The next day the US deployed Patriot missiles in Iraq, against Iran’s wishes.
The tensions stoked by the exchange of threats and bitter rivalry, especially over influence in Iraq, took another military turn this week.
On Wednesday, the US Navy accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of harassing five American ships in the Gulf. The US Fifth Fleet tweeted that 11 Iranian vessels “repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches" towards five US Navy ships in the north Arabian Gulf.
The escalation has raised questions in Washington about the status of US deterrence against Iran that the Trump administration claimed after the killing of IRGC general Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad on January 3.
The “repeated dangerous and provocative behaviour by Iran’s navy against US ships on the Gulf is unacceptable”, Mr Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton said on Twitter.
The US has “been too lenient in responding to these incidents”, Mr Bolton, a hawk on Iran, said. “We must act to re-establish deterrence.”
But the US strategy remains vague beyond imposing sanctions and maintaining a military presence in Iraq and the Gulf. Mr Trump is also under pressure to avoid military escalation from Congress, which passed legislation in March that would block a US president from taking unilateral military action against Iran. Mr Trump is expected to veto it.
On March 27, Democratic leaders in Congress wrote a letter to Mr Trump urging discussions on any military action overseas. The US administration has been focusing its efforts on fighting the pandemic that has caused more than 34,000 deaths in the country, and Mr Trump is consumed by its impact on the US economy and his prospects for re-election.
For the next six months, as the US effectively enters election season ahead of the vote on November 3, the scope of any US-Iran escalation will have an impact on the race between Mr Trump and his Democratic opponent Joe Biden.
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE SQUAD
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Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
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Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
