An Iranian warship was spotted in the English Channel and escorted through Danish waters on its way to Russia, where Iran will take part in a military parade this weekend.
Marine trackers showed the intelligence-gathering vessel Makran, which belongs to the Iranian navy, sailing off Britain’s south coast.
In satellite photos obtained by the US Naval Institute, the Makran and the Iranian destroyer Sahand were seen heading towards the Channel from the Atlantic Ocean.
The Makran, an oil tanker converted for military use, was subsequently sighted in the Strait of Dover at England’s south-eastern tip.
After transiting the Channel, it entered Danish waters to enter the Baltic Sea on its way to St Petersburg. The Sahand’s position was unclear.
The Makran was escorted by two Danish warships as it passed under Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge on Thursday morning, according to the website Tanker Trackers.
Denmark’s Navy Command said it had been notified through diplomatic channels of the Iranian passage.
“I cannot remember seeing Iranian warships in Danish waters,” Navy Command spokesman Per Hansen told local media.
He said Denmark’s military routinely monitors ships from non-Nato countries that pass through its waters.
Sunday’s parade celebrating the 325th anniversary of the Russian fleet will involve 54 ships from countries including Iran, India and Pakistan.
An Iranian Navy commander, Rear Admiral Hossein Khandazi, is expected to lead Iran’s delegation in Russia.
Iranian state media suggested that only the Sahand would take part in the parade itself because the Makran was too large to enter a necessary canal.
The two warships left the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas in May and sailed to the Atlantic Ocean.
Iran said their deployment to the Atlantic was an effort to test their durability in tricky conditions.
It rejected suggestions that they were heading for Venezuela, an ally of Tehran which like Iran is under US sanctions.
The USNI raised concerns that the Makran could be used as a tanker to deliver fuel under cover of military operations.
Believed to have entered service in November, it can carry small boats on its deck and is equipped with a helipad.
Iran’s largest warship, Kharg, caught fire and sank in the Gulf of Oman last month.
Remaining Fixtures
Wednesday: West Indies v Scotland
Thursday: UAE v Zimbabwe
Friday: Afghanistan v Ireland
Sunday: Final
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
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
Naga
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Classification of skills
A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation.
A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.
The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
