US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has held a press conference with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv at the start of a Middle East tour on Tuesday, aimed at shoring up the Gaza ceasefire.
He described Washington's position of wanting to help reconstruction in Gaza, limit external support for Hamas and continue US military support for Israel.
"I hope to start to move things in a positive direction where we can make material progress in the lives of Israelis and Palestinians alike. We have a lot of work to do, but we’re grateful to have close parties," he said, on meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi.
Mr Blinken, who landed at Ben Gurion International Airport, is the highest-ranking US official to visit the region since President Joe Biden assumed office.
He was welcomed on the tarmac by Mr Ashkenazi and other officials.
Mr Blinken, who said earlier his trip would aim to support "efforts to solidify a ceasefire", will later meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
However, he will not meet Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza.
He will then travel to neighbouring Egypt and Jordan.
US President Joe Biden had previously said that Mr Blinken would meet "with Israeli leaders about our ironclad commitment to Israel's security," as well as seek to rebuild ties with the Palestinians.
"He will continue our administration's efforts to rebuild ties to, and support for, the Palestinian people and leaders, after years of neglect," Mr Biden said.
Mr Blinken on Sunday also reaffirmed US support for a two-state solution as the only way to provide hope to Israelis and Palestinians that they can live "with equal measures of security, of peace and dignity."
Israel commitments
Standing next to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Tuesday's press conference, Mr Blinken said he will specify an aid package to the Palestinians later on Tuesday. The US will ensure that Hamas — the militant group that governs Gaza that is also designated a terrorist group by the US, European Union and others — “does not benefit” from international efforts to rebuild the isolated enclave, Mr Blinken said.
Mr Blinken reiterated the US’s commitment to Israel’s right of self-defense, adding that he is working on replenishing Israel’s Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, which intercepted many rockets from Gaza that would have otherwise struck civilian targets.
While the two allies appeared in sync about their approach to the Palestinians, there appeared to be some distance between them about the Biden administration’s intention to revive a deal that would end economic sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs to its nuclear program.
Divided administrations
The visit comes as Mr Netanyahu faces mounting criticism from Israelis who say he ended the offensive prematurely, without halting all Palestinian rocket attacks or dealing a heavier blow to Hamas.
Amid these political tensions, Mr Blinken will face the same obstacles that have stifled a wider peace process for more than a decade.
These include a hawkish Israeli leadership, Palestinian divisions and deeply rooted tensions surrounding Jerusalem and its holy sites.
The 11-day Gaza conflict killed more than 250 people, mostly Palestinians, and caused widespread destruction in the impoverished coastal territory.
When meeting with Mr Abbas, Mr Blinken is expected to focus on co-ordinating reconstruction efforts. But previous reconstruction in Gaza, following the devastating 2014 conflict, was hampered by strict import controls sanctioning material that the Israelis feared could be used for military operations, including cement for underground tunnels.
The blockade was blamed by critics of Israel for worsening suffering in the impoverished enclave where thousands depend on construction material for jobs.
The truce that came into effect Friday has so far held, but it did not address any of the underlying issues.
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Five famous companies founded by teens
There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:
- Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg and his friends started Facebook when he was a 19-year-old Harvard undergraduate.
- Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc.
- Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway.
- Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
- Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
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Hydrogen: Market potential
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
Jetour T1 specs
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The specs: Aston Martin DB11 V8 vs Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
Price, base: Dh840,000; Dh120,000
Engine: 4.0L V8 twin-turbo; 3.9L V8 turbo
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; seven-speed automatic
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
