Turkey fuels new eastern Mediterranean tensions after research vessel redeployed


Jamie Prentis
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Turkey’s redeployment of a research vessel to the eastern Mediterranean will cause new tensions in the region, the European Union warned on Monday, after Greece accused Ankara of lacking credibility in talks over disputed maritime boundaries.

EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said the return of the Oruc Reiss to conduct seismic studies was "regrettable".

“This will lead to new tensions instead of contributing to the de-escalation efforts that we were calling for at the last European Union Council,” he said, after meeting with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.

While there was no suggestion of sanctions being discussed on Monday, Brussels has previously said it would punish Turkey if it continued its operations in the region, which have angered Greece and Cyprus in particular.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warned Turkey earlier this month against taking provocative measures and said the EU would "use all its instruments and options available" if Turkish unilateral actions did not cease.

Ankara withdrew the vessel last month to allow for talks to resume with Athens over the contested boundaries before an EU summit at which Cyprus had pushed for sanctions on Turkey.

But on Monday, Turkey issued a maritime advisory that the Oruc Reis would be dispatched back to the region, leading to a stinging rebuke from Greece only days after the two countries' foreign ministers met in Slovakia in a sign that tensions could have been easing.

Turkey insists it is operating within its continental shelf and has rejected Greece’s objections. France, which has been particularly critical of Ankara, said Turkey must abstain from new provocations “and show concrete evidence of good faith”.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the “new unilateral act is a severe escalation on Turkey’s part”.

Greece’s foreign ministry also accused Turkey of lacking credibility and said it had proven itself to be unreliable in prospective talks over the dispute.

It said the planned return of the Oruc Reis constituted "a major escalation and direct threat to peace and security in the region".

It accused Turkey of undermining dialogue, ignoring international law and stoking tensions in the region by initiating surveys only 6.5 nautical miles from Greece’s continental shelf, south of the island of Kastelorizo.

“Just a few days after the meeting between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Greece and Turkey, during which the Turkish side committed to proposing a date for the exploratory talks, Turkey’s unreliability and the fact that it does not sincerely desire dialogue have once again become evident,” the Greek foreign ministry said.

“Turkey is persisting with the use of aggressive and illegal tactics of past centuries, thus confirming its role as the prime factor for instability and violation of international legality in the region.”

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said the move showed that Turkey “lacks credibility”.

Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez wrote on Twitter that the Oruc Reis had weighed anchor after undergoing maintenance.

"We will continue to explore, dig and protect our rights," he wrote.

Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey's navy would provide protection and support if necessary.

The standoff comes at a particularly tense time as Turkish-backed northern Cyprus goes to the polls for its presidential election.

It pits incumbent Mustafa Akinci, who supports the reunification of the Northern Territory with Greece-backed southern Cyprus, against Prime Minister Ersin Tatar, a favourite of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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About Proto21

Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:

- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools

- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say

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- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs

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Fixtures (all in UAE time)

Friday

Everton v Burnley 11pm

Saturday

Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur 3.30pm

West Ham United v Southampton 6pm

Wolves v Fulham 6pm

Cardiff City v Crystal Palace 8.30pm

Newcastle United v Liverpool 10.45pm

Sunday

Chelsea v Watford 5pm

Huddersfield v Manchester United 5pm

Arsenal v Brighton 7.30pm

Monday

Manchester City v Leicester City 11pm

 

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How to come clean about financial infidelity
  • Be honest and transparent: It is always better to own up than be found out. Tell your partner everything they want to know. Show remorse. Inform them of the extent of the situation so they know what they are dealing with.
  • Work on yourself: Be honest with yourself and your partner and figure out why you did it. Don’t be ashamed to ask for professional help. 
  • Give it time: Like any breach of trust, it requires time to rebuild. So be consistent, communicate often and be patient with your partner and yourself.
  • Discuss your financial situation regularly: Ensure your spouse is involved in financial matters and decisions. Your ability to consistently follow through with what you say you are going to do when it comes to money can make all the difference in your partner’s willingness to trust you again.
  • Work on a plan to resolve the problem together: If there is a lot of debt, for example, create a budget and financial plan together and ensure your partner is fully informed, involved and supported. 

Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible

Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465

Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

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Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

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The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT

Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000

Engine: 6.4-litre V8

Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
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Rating: 4.5/5

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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

THE LOWDOWN

Photograph

Rating: 4/5

Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies

Director: Ritesh Batra

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Race card

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
6.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m

Paatal Lok season two

Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy 

Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong

Rating: 4.5/5

HIJRA

Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy

Director: Shahad Ameen

Rating: 3/5

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.