UNGA 2021: Israeli PM attacks Iranian drone terror swarms


James Reinl
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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Monday called for international support to tackle Iran’s build-up of nuclear technology and its new squadrons of drone attackers that are wreaking havoc in the Arabian Peninsula.

Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, Mr Bennett also launched a personal attack on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, saying the “butcher” had in the 1980s feasted on cream cakes after overseeing the killings of Iranian civilians.

“Iran seeks to dominate the region — and seeks to do so under a nuclear umbrella,” said Mr Bennett.

“For the past three decades, Iran has spread its carnage and destruction around the Middle East, country after country … Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Gaza.”

This past year, Iran has launched a “new deadly terror unit” in the form of “swarms of killer UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] armed with lethal weapons that can attack any place any time".

“Iran has already used these deadly UAVs — called Shahed 136 — to attack Saudi Arabia, US targets in Iraq and civilian ships at sea, killing a Brit and a Romanian.”

He also launched a personal diatribe against Mr Raisi, highlighting the killings of some 5,000 Iranian activists during a political crackdown in 1988 and other historic abuses against civilians.

“His nickname is the Butcher of Tehran because that's exactly what he did — butchered his own people,” said Mr Bennett.

“One of the witnesses of this massacre stated in her testimony that when Raisi would finish a round of murder, he'd throw a party, pocketing the money of those he just executed … and then would sit down to eat cream cakes.”

Mr Bennett's fierce assault on Iran was reminiscent of the UN speeches made by his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu, who took a similarly tough line on Iran's reported pursuit of nuclear weapons — something that Tehran denies.

Mr Bennett also praised Israel’s recent deals to normalise relations with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco and encouraged UN members to follow Israel’s anti-Covid-19 strategy by rolling out vaccine booster shots.

Israel has trumpeted its normalisation of diplomatic relations with the UAE and Bahrain, brokered by Washington last year, as paving the way for economic co-operation and a regional stand against shared foe Iran.

Mr Bennett met senior ministers from the UAE and Bahrain in New York on Sunday before his UN address, his office said.

During his meeting with Bahrain’s Foreign Minster Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Mr Bennett said Israel hoped to further boost ties with both nations.

“We are stable and we believe in this relationship and we want to expand it as much as possible,” Mr Bennett said in a statement released by his office.

US President Joe Biden has started indirect talks with Iran over reviving the 2015 nuclear deal that his predecessor, Donald Trump, unilaterally pulled the US out of in 2018, reimposing sanctions that have destroyed Iran’s economy.

Iran's foreign minister on Friday said talks would start again “very soon”, but gave no specific date. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday urged the US to play a “more active” role in resuming stalled talks towards reviving the 2015 nuclear accord.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
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Checks continue

A High Court judge issued an interim order on Friday suspending a decision by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots to direct a stop to Brexit agri-food checks at Northern Ireland ports.

Mr Justice Colton said he was making the temporary direction until a judicial review of the minister's unilateral action this week to order a halt to port checks that are required under the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Civil servants have yet to implement the instruction, pending legal clarity on their obligations, and checks are continuing.

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Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

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Expo details

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia

The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.

It is expected to attract 25 million visits

Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.

More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area

It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South

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How to apply for a drone permit
  • Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
  • Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
  • Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
  • Submit their request
What are the regulations?
  • Fly it within visual line of sight
  • Never over populated areas
  • Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
  • Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
  • Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
  • Should have a live feed of the drone flight
  • Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

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Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

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How to register as a donor

1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention

2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants

3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register. 

4) The campaign uses the hashtag  #donate_hope

Ireland v Denmark: The last two years

Denmark 1-1 Ireland 

7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier 

Denmark 0-0 Ireland

19/11/2018, Nations League

Ireland 0-0 Denmark

13/10/2018, Nations League

Ireland 1 Denmark 5

14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier

Denmark 0-0 Ireland

11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier

 

 

 

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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 BIO

Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979

Education: UAE University, Al Ain

Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6

Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma

Favourite book: Science and geology

Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC

Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.

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What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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Started: November 2017

Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport and logistics

Size: 150 employees

Investment: approximately $8 million

Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar

Dhadak 2

Director: Shazia Iqbal

Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri 

Rating: 1/5

Updated: September 27, 2021, 4:14 PM