Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
Like most of the residents at the Hotel Montana in southern Lebanon, Ali Hammoud is counting the days until he can leave.
Dozens of families live at the hotel in Marwanieh, a village about halfway between the cities of Saida and Nabatieh, after being forced to flee their homes near the southern border with Israel because of an escalating conflict there that began in October.
Mr Hammoud describes the monotonous routine of their days as they wait for the fighting to end, a hope that is fast fading as the exchange of attacks between the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Israeli army grow only more intense.
Typically mornings start with a coffee, but after that there is little else to do. “Sometimes in the afternoons if we are feeling a bit better about the situation we might have a game of football,” he says.
“And maybe at night someone might break out a deck and play cards, but basically there’s nothing to do.”
After five months away from their home in the village of Rab Al Thalathine, Mr Hammoud, a barber by trade, says he worries about the effect the forced displacement is having on his family.
He lowers his head and becomes emotional. “My oldest son has had a mental breakdown three times,” says the father of three children, who are 17, 13 and 11.
“I’m really scared about the impact on my kids, on their social life, no academic life. I’m really worried they will be stunted by this year.”
According to the International Organisation for Migration, about 90,000 people have been displaced since the near daily cross-border attacks began on October 8, a day after Israel launched a devastating military offensive in Gaza against Hamas, a Hezbollah ally.
They have been provided with free board and assistance from NGOs, but the uncertainty of their situation is taking its toll. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reported seeing an increase in anxiety disorders and depression among the displaced people.
Initially they were hopeful they could return home soon, says Dr Aida Hassouni of the MSF, which provides health care for the displaced, including mental health counselling.
“Now more than four months have passed, and their needs are increasing, whether in terms of health, social, economic or psychological,” Dr Hassouni says.
“They are in a confined, stagnant place where they cannot organise activities or lead their usual daily lives. Their mental state has begun to deteriorate, especially as they deal with uncertain conditions and ambiguous circumstances."
Their surroundings at the Hotel Montana, with its the large – but now empty – outdoor swimming pool, tall ceilings and marble flooring, speak of better days. Abandoned in 2005, it was reopened to accommodate more than 65 displaced families, says Salam Badreddine, the head of the disaster management committee for the Saida-Zahrani area. He says there is one family to each unit, so they are able to retain some dignity.
“The men, for example, they've been here four or five months not being able to be productive and work. That's causing a lot of stress; they feel useless, cooped up.
“There's no TV, no recreational activities. It's taking a toll on the people here – five months with no clear end in sight.”
Mr Badreddine says the stress they feel is largely related to their forced displacement and the war in Gaza, where more than 30,700 people have been killed.
The children do their schooling online but the weak internet connection makes studying a constant battle.
“Everything here is online classes, but the internet is almost non existent. There’s almost no point really,” Mr Hammoud says.
Manahel, a widow from the border village of Odaisseh, says her family is completely separated, with her daughter studying for a masters degree in Beirut and her son elsewhere.
“Mentally it’s been a lot for me to take on, because it’s so difficult to be outside your own home, far from your own land,” she said.
“I have been a widow for eight years and I’ve only just got out of the trauma of losing my husband, and now war is upon us.”
For Mr Hammoud, the biggest problem is keeping his family warm. The family left their home in a hurry in October, when the weather was still warm, and took only limited supplies. They have a heater but cannot afford the gas.
For the first two months of the war they lived in Beirut but then ran out of money, after which they came to the displacement centre.
“My patience and ability to cope ran out a long time ago,” Mr Hammoud says.
“But the thing is there is no alternative, there is no place to be. If someone had a magic lantern and was able to send us back to our towns, we’d go right now.”
Unresolved crisis
Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine’s Kremlin-friendly president was ousted, Moscow annexed Crimea and then backed a separatist insurgency in the east.
Fighting between the Russia-backed rebels and Ukrainian forces has killed more than 14,000 people. In 2015, France and Germany helped broker a peace deal, known as the Minsk agreements, that ended large-scale hostilities but failed to bring a political settlement of the conflict.
The Kremlin has repeatedly accused Kiev of sabotaging the deal, and Ukrainian officials in recent weeks said that implementing it in full would hurt Ukraine.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes.
The trip
From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE
Price, base / as tested Dh274,000 (estimate)
Engine 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 245hp @ 4,200rpm
Torque 500Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.4L / 100km
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
LIVERPOOL SQUAD
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Joe Gomez, Adrian, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Andy Lonergan, Xherdan Shaqiri, Andy Robertson, Divock Origi, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
HAJJAN
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Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylturbo
Transmission: seven-speed DSG automatic
Power: 242bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Price: Dh136,814
India team for Sri Lanka series
Test squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Priyank Panchal, Mayank Agarwal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharath (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Sourabh Kumar, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
T20 squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Deepak Chahar, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan
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
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Tuesday's fixtures
Kyrgyzstan v Qatar, 5.45pm
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
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
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.
The Specs
Price, base Dh379,000
Engine 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 503bhp
Torque 443Nm
On sale now
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