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“The biggest risk is that what happened in 2006 will occur again,” says Merhej Shamaa, a farmer in the picturesque south Lebanon village of Deir Mimas, nestled on a promontory surrounded by olive fields overlooking the Litani River.
That war between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese Shia militia whose exchanges of fire with the Israeli military have raised fears of a new conflict, caused significant damage to the village, injuring one resident and injuring several others, Mr Shamaa said.
The 60-year-old farmer said that despite being a Christian village, Deir Mimas was shelled heavily by the Israeli army.
“The bombings also severely affected the quality of our crops until now,” he said.
With the sound of bombs heard once again after Hamas, a Palestinian militant group and Hezbollah ally, carried out a deadly attack in southern Israel on October 7, residents of Deir Mimas are keenly aware that further escalation would be disastrous.
“Our economy hinges on tourism and agriculture, with a war, both will vanish,” Mr Shamaa said.
Sitting at a table, Mr Shamaa and his fellow farmers discuss the looming spectre of war over a dish of hummus and freshly pressed olive oil, the distant hum of Israeli planes in the background.
“In 2006, the whole village had to leave: this idea that Israeli bombs only target Shia villages is a misconception. Israel is against all Lebanese, regardless of their religion,” he said.
Villages in the deep south have, for the most part, become deserted as families escape the daily clashes. “Only journalists visit nowadays,” Mr Shamaa said with a smile.
Deir Mimas has remained untouched so far, allowing olive farmers like Michel Beshara, 27, to continue with their harvest even in the face of nearby shelling.
A dozen Syrian workers, mostly young men and women, use manual or electric olive rakes to shake the fruit from branches of the trees in his field.
“The main issue right now revolves around finding workers, who are predominantly Syrians,” Mr Beshara said.
Deir Mimas's farmers needed 400 workers for the olive harvest last year, he said, but this year some of them had left the conflict-affected border areas, “making it challenging for some farmers to find replacement”.
Asked whether he had a backup plan in case of escalation, Mr Beshara simply said: “For now I'm staying, I will leave with the workers if things get worse”.
Emergency plan
Mohamad Hussein, the head of the farmers' union for south Lebanon, said there had been no help from the government to cope with the situation.
“There is no official emergency plan in place for Lebanese farmers, leaving them to make individual decisions,” he said. “The government is always reactive rather than proactive when it comes to responding to emergency.”
Agriculture is crucial to the economy in southern Lebanon, where a significant portion of the population is engaged in farming. The crops affected by the continuing clashes so far are olives, of which the region accounts for 20 to 30 per cent of national production, and tobacco, said Mr Hussein.
“At present, the challenge is that some farmers are worried to approach areas frequently bombed to collect their crops.”
Other crops cultivated primarily in coastal areas of the south, such as bananas, citrus and exotic fruits, have not been affected, added Mr Hussein.
“However, in the event of a war, farmers might also encounter difficulties for the current season regarding these crops,” he said.
Mr Hussein said that about 90 per cent of banana production, 70 per cent of lemon production and 80 per cent of avocado production was concentrated in the south, between the coastal cities of Saida and Naqoura.
“A war could potentially lead to shortages,” he said.
The primary challenge in the event of a conflict would be the transportation of produce, he said, based on the experience of 2006 conflict when road infrastructure was systematically targeted and destroyed by Israeli raids.
“Of course, we are concerned, especially with a neighbour like this,” Mr Hussein said.
“Lebanese farmers are essentially left to fend for themselves. In 2006, they had to absorb their losses alone, as no one came to their assistance.”
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
