US President Joe Biden told Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy that America would deliver another $625 million military aid package to Kyiv that would include more High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars), the White House said.
The latest transfer from US stocks includes four Himars rocket launchers and ammunition, 16 howitzers and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday.
“President Biden pledged to continue supporting Ukraine as it defends itself from Russian aggression for as long as it takes,” the White House said.
Washington and Kyiv officials have hailed the capabilities of the Himars in Ukraine's defence against Russian aggression.
Last week the US Congress approved another $12.3 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine.
The legislation gives Mr Biden the authorisation for up to $3.7bn for the transfer of Ukrainian weapons from US supplies.
Mr Biden also told Mr Zelenskyy that the US remained committed to punishing those who provide support to Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory.
The Ukrainian president praised the "substantial support from the US".
"Our victories within the ongoing defence operation are a joint success of Ukraine, the US and the entire free world," he wrote on Twitter.
In the call between the two leaders, joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, Mr Biden said the US would never recognise Moscow's annexation of four Ukrainian regions.
“President Biden also affirmed the continued readiness of the United States to impose severe costs on any individual, entity, or country that provides support to Russia’s purported annexation,” the White House said.
The US last week imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian individuals and entities after Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that he had annexed the regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.
Mr Biden also highlighted US-led efforts to support Ukraine's fight for freedom and democracy, “as enshrined in the United Nations Charter”, the White House said.
The US has committed more than $16.8bn in military assistance to Kyiv since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 24, the Pentagon said.
Ukrainian medic Yuliia Paievska appears before US Congress on the Helsinki Commission on Thursday, on Capitol Hill in Washington. AP
Senator Ben Cardin shakes hands with Ms Paievska, a Ukrainian veteran and volunteer paramedic. Getty / AFP
Dr Hanna Hopko, a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament, and Ms Paievska testify on Capitol Hill in Washington. Getty / AFP
The witnesses discussed Russian war crimes and atrocities committed in Ukraine since the start of the war. Getty / AFP
Ms Paievska used a body camera to record her work in Mariupol while the port city was under Russian siege, and was later captured by Russian troops. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on June 17 that Russia had freed Ms Paievska. Invictus Games Team Ukraine / AP
Bodycam footage shows Ms Paievska's team's frantic efforts to bring people back from the brink of death. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ms Paievska assists as a serviceman is brought in on a stretcher. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Two wounded Russian soldiers arrive at a hospital to be treated on March 10, in Mariupol, Ukraine, two weeks after Russia invaded. Yuliia Paievska / AP
Ms Paievska was a member of the Ukraine Invictus Games team for military veterans, where she was set to compete in archery and swimming. Invictus Games Team Ukraine / AP
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Family: Wife, Pom; and daughters Kate, 18, and Ciara, 13, who attend Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS)
Favourite book or author: “That’s a really difficult question. I’m a big fan of Donna Tartt, The Secret History. I’d recommend that, go and have a read of that.”
Dream: “It would be to continue to have fun and to work with really interesting people, which I have been very fortunate to do for a lot of my life. I just enjoy working with very smart, fun people.”
Strait of Hormuz
Fujairah is a crucial hub for fuel storage and is just outside the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route linking Middle East oil producers to markets in Asia, Europe, North America and beyond.
The strait is 33 km wide at its narrowest point, but the shipping lane is just three km wide in either direction. Almost a fifth of oil consumed across the world passes through the strait.
Iran has repeatedly threatened to close the strait, a move that would risk inviting geopolitical and economic turmoil.
Last month, Iran issued a new warning that it would block the strait, if it was prevented from using the waterway following a US decision to end exemptions from sanctions for major Iranian oil importers.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
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.
