Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting Israel, where he is expected to pressure officials to de-escalate tensions in Gaza and southern Lebanon, as fears mount in Washington that the Middle East is on the brink of a wider regional war.
Mr Blinken will focus discussions on Israeli plans to shift to a lower-intensity phase in the war against Hamas, Palestinian and Arab officials told The National.
Israel said last week it was moving to the "third phase" of the war in Gaza, which has killed more than 23,000 Palestinians. The war began on October 7 with the worst attack in Israel's history, carried out by the Gaza-based militant group Hamas.
Fallout is gradually spreading to Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq, all of which host armed groups connected to Iran, Israel's arch enemy.
The Secretary of State is due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, various Israeli Cabinet ministers and opposition leader Yair Lapid. It is Mr Blinken's fifth visit to Israel since the war began.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked Mr Blinken at the beginning of his trip for supporting Israel with “humanity and with the values of the free world”.
Mr Blinken also held a meeting with his Israeli counterpart, Israel Katz, about the need to build closer ties with Arab states and the “real opportunities” such efforts would yield.
“But we have to get through this very challenging moment and ensure that October 7 can never happen again and work to build a much different and much better future,” Mr Blinken added.
Former Israeli deputy national security adviser Chuck Freilich described the transition to lower-intensity fighting in Gaza as a sign that “Israel is moving towards the American position,” despite the US wanting it to happen earlier.
A steady stream of senior US officials has travelled to Israel in the past four months to offer support and press the government to introduce a longer-term strategy that brings peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Mr Freilich expected the Secretary of State to press the Israelis to outline an “endgame” in Gaza.
“I know that work has been done on this in the [Israeli] government, but the cabinet hasn’t made a decision yet,” he said.
“Netanyahu has political difficulties in moving to phase three [of the Gaza War] because the right wing in his coalition doesn’t want to acknowledge the transition, but he seems to be managing that,” he added.
After arriving in Tel Aviv on Monday, Mr Blinken posted on X, formerly Twitter, that the US had a “vision for a regional approach that delivers lasting security for Israel and a state for the Palestinian people”.
President Joe Biden's administration has nonetheless come under intense criticism at home and abroad over its continued support of Israel despite the massive humanitarian toll it is inflicting on Gaza's population.
US Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Mr Herzog on Monday to reaffirm “steadfast support” for Israel, discuss joint efforts to stop the war spreading in the region and the need to reduce the intensity of fighting in Gaza.
Despite reports that rifts are growing between Israel and the US, Mr Freilich said there is still “broad strategic agreement on what this war is about: Hamas cannot be tolerated and should be destroyed”.
“Cutting off military aid [to Israel] is not on the cards,” he added.
“Could there be a slowdown of deliveries? That would still be a very extreme step.”
“The US has a variety of ways of expressing its displeasure. There could also be another Security Council resolution that it doesn’t block if it’s not viewed as a particularly bad one,” he said.
“The US always finds ways of conveying messages to Israel without leaping to what I would call the nuclear option of cutting off military aid.”
In the US, a small group of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza interrupted what had been billed as a key campaign speech by Mr Biden.
His address at a South Carolina church that suffered a racist mass shooting in which nine people were killed in 2015 was aimed at gathering support from the black community.
“If you really care about the lives lost here, you should honour the lives lost and call for a ceasefire in Palestine,” yelled a woman, while several others shouted, “ceasefire now”.
Mr Blinken also faces criticism from the Israeli far right. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir tweeted on Tuesday: "Mr Secretary Blinken, it’s not the time to speak softly with Hamas, it’s time to use that big stick."
Before arriving in Israel, Mr Blinken met President Sheikh Mohamed in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
During their meeting, Sheikh Mohamed emphasised the need to work towards a ceasefire and ensure humanitarian relief is delivered to the residents of Gaza while preventing their displacement, Wam reported.
His latest Middle East tour comes as Israel said it was shifting the focus of its war in Gaza.
The “third phase” of Israel's offensive appears to be aimed at carefully navigating between achieving its military objectives and external political pressure.
Although Israel will maintain the freedom to strike anywhere and at any time, it is moving towards more specialised operations and assassinations.
Last week, Israel assassinated Saleh Al Arouri in a missile strike in Beirut, a move that was widely interpreted as a severe escalation in retaliatory fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based militant group and Hamas ally Hezbollah.
Another Israeli strike on southern Lebanon on Monday killed a senior commander in Hezbollah's elite Radwan force.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Price: From Dh149,900
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Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEjari%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYazeed%20Al%20Shamsi%2C%20Fahad%20Albedah%2C%20Mohammed%20Alkhelewy%20and%20Khalid%20Almunif%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPropTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%241%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESanabil%20500%20Mena%2C%20Hambro%20Perks'%20Oryx%20Fund%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Ducati SuperSport S
Price, base / as tested: Dh74,900 / Dh85,900
Engine: 937cc
Transmission: Six-speed gearbox
Power: 110hp @ 9,000rpm
Torque: 93Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.9L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
England World Cup squad
Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wkt), Tom Curran, Liam Dawson, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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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
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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