Militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket and detonated an explosive on Wednesday, Israel said, hours after its soldiers killed six Palestinians in a raid in Jenin.
Those who died in the Israeli operation in the flashpoint West Bank town on Tuesday included a man suspected of shooting two Jewish brothers near Huwara last week. The raid left 26 wounded.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday congratulated the commanders of the Jenin raid, saying it was an “exceptional intelligence and operational achievement”.
“By your actions, you are sending a clear and sharp message to all who are thinking about murdering an Israeli citizen: we will settle accounts with you,” he said.
Israeli security forces named 49-year-old Abdul Fattah Kharushah as a Hamas militant who killed the Israeli brothers in Huwara.
Hamas issued a statement identifying Kharushah as a member.
Hamas’s Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades called for further escalation of “armed resistance in the face of the occupation and its usurpers” in response to the latest developments.
On Wednesday afternoon, Israel’s military said an explosive device detonated near troops operating on Gaza’s border.
No Israeli casualties were reported. Palestinian reports said two Hamas militants were lightly injured after Israeli forces responded to the explosion with artillery fire.
Israeli forces were carrying out an engineering operation near the Gaza security barrier.
The military released a statement saying “[Israeli] tanks struck a military post belonging to the Hamas terrorist organisation in the southern Gaza Strip.
Farmers were told to temporarily leave the area.
The attack is the latest case of fighting in the West Bank following a deadly rampage by Israeli settlers a little more than a week ago in Huwara, outside Nablus.
During the attack, hundreds of Israelis set fire to Palestinian homes and businesses, resulting in the death of one Palestinian and about a dozen injuries.
Calls for de-escalation
The UAE has condemned the continued Israeli raids in the Jenin camp.
In a statement on Wednesday, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation called on Israeli authorities to stop escalation and not take steps that exacerbate tension and instability in the region.
The ministry stressed the need to support all regional and international efforts to push forward the peace process in the Middle East.
It also called for an end to the illegitimate practices that threaten the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Wednesday, Jordan condemned Israel's killing of six people in the raid on the West Bank, calling it an escalation against the Palestinians, less than two weeks after a meeting between the two sides convened in the kingdom to reduce the violence.
Foreign ministry spokesman Sinan Al Majali said “continued Israeli aggression” on occupied Palestinian territory would “lead to more deterioration and expanding the torrent of violence, and undermine the efforts for reaching calm”.
“Immediate actions are needed to halt unilateral steps and protect the [possibility of] the two-state solution, and stopping all these illegal and illegitimate Israeli campaigns and measures”, he said.
On February 26, Jordan hosted a meeting between security officials from Israel and the Palestinian authority in the city of Aqaba, which committed the two sides to “de-escalate and prevent further violence”. Officials from the US, Jordan and Egypt also attended.
Jordan portrayed the meeting as a prelude to a possible breakthrough in the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
Tor Wennesland, the UN Middle East peace envoy, also urged Israel and the Palestinians to calm surging violence in the occupied West Bank.
“We are in the midst of a cycle of violence that must be stopped immediately”, he said.
“The Security Council has spoken with one voice, calling on the parties to observe calm and restraint, and to refrain from provocative actions, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric."
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin is set to arrive in Israel on Wednesday for a two-day visit as part of his Middle East tour, before visiting Jordan. He made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Tuesday. He is expected to visit Egypt after Israel.
In Israel, Mr Austin is expected to raise concerns about the surge in violence in the occupied West Bank.
He will discuss diplomatic efforts to reduce tension before Ramadan and Passover, US officials said.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Teaching in coronavirus times
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
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Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
THE%20SWIMMERS
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ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
The Uefa Awards winners
Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)
Best players of the 2018/19 Uefa Champions League
Goalkeeper: Alisson (Liverpool)
Defender: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)
Midfielder: Frenkie de Jong (Ajax)
Forward: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Uefa President's Award: Eric Cantona
Richard Jewell
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley
Two-and-a-half out of five stars
The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The UAE's journey to space
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham
Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate
Final: June 1, Madrid
Du Plessis plans his retirement
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis said on Friday the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in two years' time will be his last.
Du Plessis, 34, who has led his country in two World T20 campaigns, in 2014 and 2016, is keen to play a third but will then step aside.
"The T20 World Cup in 2020 is something I'm really looking forward to. I think right now that will probably be the last tournament for me," he said in Brisbane ahead of a one-off T20 against Australia on Saturday.
Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
THE BIO
Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai
First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne
Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
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