Adonis Spyrou looks up at the sky as an RAF fighter jet roars overhead on its way to land at the nearby Akrotiri base on the island of Cyprus.
His grandparents were relocated from their homes to make way for RAF Akrotiri decades ago and he still feels a sense of resentment towards the base. The facility, near the port city of Limassol, sits within one of two Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus that are British Overseas Territories.
Soon after Israel attacked Iran earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer ordered the deployment of 14 Typhoon fighters like those flying above Mr Spyrou’s house, along with two tankers, in a show of force.
Over the past decade or so, the base has also been used by the RAF for action in the Middle East against ISIS and the Houthis. RAF Typhoon jets aided Israel in April 2024, when they shot down an unspecified number of drones fired by Iran, but were not called into action this time around.
The base is also regularly used in evacuations of civilians from the Middle East and North Africa, including flights last week from Israel and in 2023 from Sudan as that country descended into civil war.
But for Mr Spyrou the presence of the planes has reinforced his concern about the base being at the front line of Britain’s military involvement in the Middle East.
The scrap metal dealer was hard at work with his hammer in the yard beside the house he owns with his Filipino wife Marilou when The National called.
He took time off to have a cigarette and share his views about the base, which he believes are shared by others in the village who are too afraid to speak out.
“We can say nothing but we are thinking that maybe something will happen with the bases and everybody will be killed,” he said, with his wife helping to translate.
“The base, they do what they want. They don’t talk to us, they don’t care about us. They don’t care what we think.”
Mr Spyrou accused the government of Cyprus of potentially putting its citizens in harm’s way.
“The government of Cyprus tells [the UK] they can do whatever they want,” he said. “People here in Cyprus don’t have a voice. Who is listening? I’m angry about this.”
The presence of RAF planes has also attracted the attention of pro-Palestinian activists, who have attached their own signs pointing to “Britain’s Genocide Base” to road signs. They alleged the base was being used to transport “lethal cargo”, such as weapons and ammunition, to Israel. The base strenuously denies the allegation.
The claim that Britain was using Akrotiri to assist Israel in its war in Gaza was also behind an attack on military aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in the UK.
Three people were arrested on Thursday on suspicion of a terror offence in connection with the incident.
Palestine Action had posted footage online showing people inside the Oxfordshire base, with one person appearing to ride an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker, before spray painting into its engine.
RAF Akrotiri also appears to have attracted the attention of the Iranians.
A British man has been arrested in Cyprus on suspicion of spying and terror-related offences. Cypriot outlet Philenews reported that the man had links to “Iranian operatives” and had arrived on the Mediterranean island last month, posing as a tourist.
It said high-resolution cameras, telephoto lenses, notes, computers and three mobile phones were discovered at the suspect’s apartment. It described the suspect as being of Azeri descent.
The UK’s military presence on the island dates from 1878 when it received Cyprus as a protectorate from the Ottoman Empire in exchange for its support against Russia.
After Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the UK retained sovereignty over approximately 98 square miles of territory for military bases at Akrotiri and Dhekelia.
Those locals who left Akrotiri were given compensation to relocate. In the end it was decided not to move the entire village.
The base itself is around 3.5km from the village and has several quirks that mark it out as a little piece of Britain.
On the main road, Queen Elizabeth Street, is The Hamlet pub and George’s Fish and Chips, while the chatter of British service personnel gathering for a coffee can be heard in a cafe.
Mr Spyrou lives on a hill a few blocks back. While business appears to be ticking over well down on the main street, he says things have been tough for him recently.
He owns a plot of land but has been unable to obtain planning permission from the base authorities to expand his business there.
His wife explained that “this piece of land is yours and maybe you want to do something like build a business but without their permission you can’t do anything even though it’s yours”.
Other businesses in the village, including a nearby mechanic’s workshop, have struggled to obtain planning permission.
Many people in the village believe it could be more prosperous if more permission was given to develop land, “but they don’t voice their opinions” said Mrs Spyrou.
Other villagers seem to want to keep their opinions to themselves. A neighbour of Mr Spyrou drew his finger across his lips and smiled when The National asked for his views of the base. “During the war in Iraq, the television crews came and everyone was quiet,” he said.
Others, though, have grown accustomed to the base being a potential target.
A coffee shop worker, who asked not be identified, said: “It’s ongoing all the time, isn’t it, so who knows what will happen.”
Company%C2%A0profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMay%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHusam%20Aboul%20Hosn%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDIFC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%E2%80%94%20Innovation%20Hub%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EEmployees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epre-seed%20funding%20raised%20from%20family%20and%20friends%20earlier%20this%20year%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?
The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.
Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.
New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.
“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.
The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.
The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.
Bloomberg
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A little about CVRL
Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.
One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases.
The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Why does a queen bee feast only on royal jelly?
Some facts about bees:
The queen bee eats only royal jelly, an extraordinary food created by worker bees so she lives much longer
The life cycle of a worker bee is from 40-60 days
A queen bee lives for 3-5 years
This allows her to lay millions of eggs and allows the continuity of the bee colony
About 20,000 honey bees and one queen populate each hive
Honey is packed with vital vitamins, minerals, enzymes, water and anti-oxidants.
Apart from honey, five other products are royal jelly, the special food bees feed their queen
Pollen is their protein source, a super food that is nutritious, rich in amino acids
Beewax is used to construct the combs. Due to its anti-fungal, anti-bacterial elements, it is used in skin treatments
Propolis, a resin-like material produced by bees is used to make hives. It has natural antibiotic qualities so works to sterilize hive, protects from disease, keeps their home free from germs. Also used to treat sores, infection, warts
Bee venom is used by bees to protect themselves. Has anti-inflammatory properties, sometimes used to relieve conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nerve and muscle pain
Honey, royal jelly, pollen have health enhancing qualities
The other three products are used for therapeutic purposes
Is beekeeping dangerous?
As long as you deal with bees gently, you will be safe, says Mohammed Al Najeh, who has worked with bees since he was a boy.
“The biggest mistake people make is they panic when they see a bee. They are small but smart creatures. If you move your hand quickly to hit the bees, this is an aggressive action and bees will defend themselves. They can sense the adrenalin in our body. But if we are calm, they are move away.”
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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
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Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
VERSTAPPEN’S FIRSTS
Youngest F1 driver (17 years 3 days Japan 2014)
Youngest driver to start an F1 race (17 years 166 days – Australia 2015)
Youngest F1 driver to score points (17 years 180 days – Malaysia 2015)
Youngest driver to lead an F1 race (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest driver to set an F1 fastest lap (19 years 44 days – Brazil 2016)
Youngest on F1 podium finish (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest F1 winner (18 years 228 days – Spain 2016)
Youngest multiple F1 race winner (Mexico 2017/18)
Youngest F1 driver to win the same race (Mexico 2017/18)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Results
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