US-Israel relations under strain after Biden and Netanyahu's tense call

Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza

Relations between Israel and the US hit a new low after a tense phone call between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night that widened a growing rift between Israel’s embattled leader and his most strategic ally.

The phone call between the two leaders comes at a critical juncture in the Gaza war. Officials in the prime minister’s office are straining to keep details of the discussion away from coalition partners, political sources told The National.

Mr Biden reportedly told Mr Netanyahu that future US support now depends on Israel “addressing civilian harm” and “humanitarian suffering” in Gaza.

The US President “emphasised that the strikes on humanitarian workers and the overall humanitarian situation are unacceptable”, the White House said in a statement.

Aid to Gaza threatened after Israeli strike forces World Central Kitchen to pause work

Israel has become increasingly isolated globally after it struck a Gaza aid convoy belonging to NGO World Central Kitchen this week, killing seven aid workers, six of whom were foreign nationals from countries including the US and the UK, two of Israel's most vocal supporters.

Shortly after the strike on WCK personnel, reports surfaced that Mr Biden was “furious” over the killings. He publicly said he was "outraged and heartbroken" about the death of the aid workers.

Monday's attack fuelled international anger towards Israeli actions preventing aid from getting into Gaza, where relief organisations and the UN warn that a humanitarian crisis is fast expanding.

After Thursday’s call, Israel said it would open two new aid routes into northern Gaza, but concerns remain that dire needs will still not be met, particularly as humanitarian organisations are limiting or pausing their operations out of fear for the security of their staff.

Clothes of World Central Kitchen workers inside their car after it was hit by an Israeli strike near Deir Al Balah, southern Gaza, on Monday. EPA

The prospect of a widespread Israeli operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is also a source of tension with the US, which views military action there as potentially disastrous for the roughly 1.5 million Gazans seeking shelter from bombardment elsewhere in the strip.

A wave of condemnation this week, even from close allies that so far have stuck by Israel staunchly throughout the war, comes as tensions between Israel and Iran also spiked after a deadly strike on the Iranian embassy in Damascus earlier in the week.

The Israeli military said it had halted leave for all combat units on Thursday based on the “situational assessment” as it braced for a potential attack by Iran or one of its allied militias.

With a regional war pitting Israel against Iran and its many proxy forces increasingly likely, many in Israeli political circles deplore Mr Netanyahu’s combative approach to the Biden administration, which remains Israel's most important ally.

Despite fears Israel’s deep defence relationship with the US could be at risk, ministers from the current far-right government continue to confront the Biden administration.

Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, one of Mr Netanyahu’s closest confidantes, reportedly shouted and waved his arms at senior Biden administration officials on Monday during a meeting about an operation in Rafah.

Despite the mounting distrust, the US nonetheless welcomed Israel's announcement that it is opening new aid routes.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken welcomed the move, but added that “the proof is in the results, and we will see those unfold in the coming days, in the coming weeks”.

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THREE

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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 Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.

A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.

Dates for the diary

To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:

September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet

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1987

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1921

1888

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Company%20Profile

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

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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

COMPANY%20PROFILE

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

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Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground

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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%20SWIMMERS

%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

The biog

Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology

Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India

Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur

How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993

Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters

Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo

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Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks

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Various Artists
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Know before you go

Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

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Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

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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
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Duration: Can linger for days
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Source: Can be carried from distant regions

F1 The Movie

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Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net

Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.

Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.

A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.

Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.