Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
Every night before bed, Gideon Harari unclips his pistol from his right hip and places it on his bedside table. This is not a lifelong routine for the retired military man but one he started two weeks ago following Hamas’s surprise attack on southern Israel.
Mr Harari lives in a moshav, a co-operative community similar to a kibbutz, in the far north, less than 3km from Israel’s northern border with Lebanon.
Hezbollah has long been a part of life for Israeli communities in the north but their presence, just beyond the border, has taken on added significance in recent weeks.
“People cannot bear now, because of what happened in the south, to see Hezbollah on the fence,” Mr Harari, 66, said. “You cannot live under a terror organisation that is 2km from your house.”
He leads his small community’s emergency response team.
His moshav, which usually consists of 700 people, is nearly empty as fears mount that a second front in the Israel-Gaza war could break out on the northern border with Hezbollah.
“The guys that are left in the moshav are the hardcore farmers that won't leave their farms … but for wives and children there is no reason to be here now,” Mr Harari told The National as the sound of Israeli artillery echoed in the distance.
Israel has partially evacuated 42 towns and cities along the border with Lebanon as clashes with Hezbollah have steadily intensified over the course of the last 18 days.
In the city of Kiryat Shmona, the normally bustling streets were empty save for a gaggle of soldiers and civilians, many of whom carry rifles and ammunition.
At a barber shop near the centre of town, which is the largest border city in the north, guns are strewn around.
Soldiers and civilians get hair cuts as they chat about the situation.
One local, who grew agitated after speaking with The National when he learnt the paper was based in the UAE, said while he was afraid, he would never leave the city of his birth and would defend it at all cost.
“This is my home,” the 23-year-old said, “I’m going to defend my home until I die probably.”
Omri Gigi, who runs a Moroccan food shop in Kiryat Shmona, said he sent his wife and four children to stay in a hotel an hour away in the south.
“Honestly, I'm scared,” Mr Gigi said. “And this is just the beginning.”
He said he was unsure how long he would stay in the city, which normally has a population of about 22,000 but has been reduced to a few thousand in recent days.
“The atmosphere is very, very difficult because you see nobody is here,” he said.
There is a feeling of deep uncertainty about what comes next that pervades all of Israel, but it is especially acute in the north where the tit-for-tat exchanges between the Israeli military and Hezbollah have become constant.
Armoured vehicles race down nearly deserted roads, and tanks are carried towards defensive positions along the mountainous border on the back of articulated lorries.
Mr Harari compared the military presence in the north to what it was like during the 1982 Lebanon war, when Israel invaded.
“Everyone is waiting,” said Mr Harari.
As Israel prepares for a widely anticipated ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, it has bolstered its military presence in the north and residents who have chosen to stay behind say they are ready.
“This is our place, our home. Good or bad. It doesn't matter. It's ours and we need to defend it,” Mr Harari said. “We don't have anywhere else to go.”
Hezbollah is a formidable rival, with an estimated 30,000 fighters at the ready and approximately 150,000 rockets and missiles in its arsenal, some of which can reach deep into Israel.
If another round of conflict breaks out between Israel and Hezbollah, there are fears it could drag in other countries, groups and perhaps even the US.
If the north does become a second front, Mr Harari believes the Israeli military must be decisive.
“We should finish with them for once and for all,” he said.
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
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Company%20Profile
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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.
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
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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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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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
War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
