The US imposed sanctions on nine entities on Thursday over claims they have played a "critical role" in the production, sale and shipment of "hundreds of millions of dollars’" worth of Iranian petrochemicals to Asia.
The Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence released a statement on the measures put in place.
Its undersecretary Brian E Nelson said: “Iran is increasingly turning to buyers in East Asia to sell its petrochemical and petroleum products, in violation of US sanctions.”
Six of the companies are based in Iran, including Amir Kabir Petrochemical Company, which was listed by the British government in 2009 as an entity of potential concern for WMD-related procurement, according to online nuclear tracker Iran Watch.
Washington on Thursday said the Tehran-based petrochemical company had produced and sold millions of dollars’ worth of low-density polyethylene to Triliance Petrochemical Company, also under US sanctions.
Simorgh Petrochemical Company, Laleh Petrochemical, Marun Tadbir Tina, Marun Sepehr Ofogh and Marun Supplemental Industries were among the other Iranian companies in question.
The latest sanctions extended to entities outside of Iran.
Two Singapore-based firms, Asia Fuel PTE Ltd and Unicious Energy PTE Ltd, were designated over claims they "have facilitated Triliance’s sale of petroleum products to customers in East Asia".
The US Treasury Department also sanctioned Malaysia-based Sense Shipping and Trading SDN BHD, which it described as "a front company that has facilitated the shipment of tens of thousands of metric tonnes of petrochemicals for Triliance".
The new designations mean all property and interests in property of these entities that are in the US or in the possession or control of US citizens "must be blocked and reported" to the Office of Foreign Assets Control.
Additionally, any foreign financial institution that "knowingly facilitates a significant transaction" for any of companies could be subject to US sanctions, the Treasury said.
"The United States remains focused on targeting Tehran’s sources of illicit revenue, and will continue to enforce its sanctions against those who wittingly facilitate this trade,” Mr Nelson added.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
RESULT
Bayer Leverkusen 2 Bayern Munich 4
Leverkusen: Alario (9'), Wirtz (89')
Bayern: Coman (27'), Goretzka (42'), Gnabry (45'), Lewandowski (66')
