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“The most important thing is to preserve the olive trees,” fireman Anis Abla, who heads the Civil Defence centre in southern Lebanon's Marjayoun, says with exhaustion in his voice. After half an hour of battling the blaze, his team managed to control the flames before they reached a field of Mediterranean plants further up the hill.
But repeated fires have scorched the rest of the land, and past blazes have burnt dozens of olive trees, leaving their blackened skeletons standing on the torched soil.
This is not an uncommon scene in south Lebanon, which has been battling a surge of fires ignited by Israeli shelling, including the use of controversial white phosphorus, exacerbated by abnormally high temperatures, drought and heatwaves.
Over nearly nine months, firefighters in south Lebanon have been exposing their lives to great danger since October 8th, the day Hamas's Lebanese ally Hezbollah opened a “pressure” front along the border with Israel to divert it away from its war in Gaza.
Tensions have risen in recent weeks both on the ground and in terms of rhetoric exchange, sparking fears of a full-fledged conflict. On Thursday, Hezbollah launched more than 200 rockets and a swarm of drones at 10 Israeli military sites, one of its biggest salvos so far, in response to the assassination of a senior commander by an Israeli strike.
With the violence increasing, firefighters are now bracing for a challenging summer of fires.
“The bombing and the heat together are like fuel for the fires,” Mr Abla says, back in the centre in Marjayoun, a few kilometres away from the Israel-Lebanon border, which has been the scene of daily exchange of fire between Hezbollah and Israel.
During the three days spent at the barracks, The National heard multiple Israeli strikes and shelling attacking the nearby town of Khiam and several sonic booms from Israeli jets breaking the sound barrier.
Once ignited, these fires are also difficult to control, and spread easily, Mr Abla said, because rescue teams have a hard time reaching the location due to constant Israeli shelling.
Mr Abla says that the fire they fought that day was not caused by shelling; it was relatively small compared to what they have seen since the fire season began. In June alone, they responded to 21 missions, a significant increase from around four missions for the whole month of June last year.
A “recipe for catastrophic fires”
“It's a disastrous recipe for catastrophic fires,” George Mitri, director of the Land and Natural Resources Program, Institute of the Environment, University of Balamand, told The National.
“This year, temperatures are already abnormally high,” he added. In June, they were three degrees above the monthly average, Mr Mitri added, warning that forecasts for July and August predict similarly alarming trends.
South Lebanon is already one of the “hot spot areas”, he added, a region considered at very high risk of fires, with land covered in dense and highly flammable vegetation.
This, combined with Israel's constant use of white phosphorus, an incendiary chemical that can reignite when in contact with oxygen, even weeks after it has been used, and the reported use of at least one trebuchet to launch flaming projectiles into south Lebanon, has sparked widespread blazes in the region, destroying large areas of farmland and forests.
Right groups have condemned Israel for repeatedly using the shell in south Lebanon, calling for an investigation into potential war crimes.
Since the war started, white phosphorus shells and incendiary weapons have sparked about 812 fires, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the latest update from the National Early Warning System Platform, managed by the National Council for Scientific Research and based on satellite images, about 1,698 hectares of land have been burnt by Israeli attacks as of June 13.
But, the worse might be yet to come. “We expect a continuous increase, burnt agriculture area and lands,” Mr Mitri said.
Yet the cash-strapped country, battling with an economic crisis now in its fifth year, has scarce resources to tackle the danger and is unable to provide firefighters with the adequate equipment.
“The civil defence lacks basic resources, even in normal times, and even more so now with the situation being much more challenging this year,” Mr Mitri said.
Mr Abla told The National that their main lorry is almost 30 years old, and belongs either to “a museum or the bin”. His team, he said, uses COVID masks against toxic white phosphorus fumes.
Making the land 'unlivable'
The fires have torched parts of the particularly rich biosphere in the southern part of the country. But they have also deeply impacted the social and economic fabric.
Mohammad Hussein, head of South Lebanon's Agricultural Union, slammed what he said is a deliberate strategy by Israel to make the land there uninhabitable.
“Most villages rely on their plantations for resources. Burning their land destroys their livelihoods and prevents them from returning to their villages for a years to come.”
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Israeli shelling has destroyed more than 60,000 olive trees.
Mr Hussein says the damages will take a long time to recover.
“The Israeli army is burning trees, some of which are 200 years old. It's going to take at least a decade to grow back. Can the farmers who rely on these plantations wait that long?” he asked.
Other crops, he said, would recover quicker, such as tobacco and fruits. When it comes to torched land, the issue lies in the financing of a restoration programme. “The municipalities can't finance it, who else will?” he said.
“Lebanon needs to address social recovery and economic recovery for the day after,” Mr Mitri said.
“The destruction goes far beyond the land itself”.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
WHAT IS GRAPHENE?
It was discovered in 2004, when Russian-born Manchester scientists Andrei Geim and Kostya Novoselov were experimenting with sticky tape and graphite, the material used as lead in pencils.
Placing the tape on the graphite and peeling it, they managed to rip off thin flakes of carbon. In the beginning they got flakes consisting of many layers of graphene. But when they repeated the process many times, the flakes got thinner.
By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly, they managed to create flakes that were just one atom thick. Their experiment led to graphene being isolated for the very first time.
In 2010, Geim and Novoselov were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The biog
Name: Sari Al Zubaidi
Occupation: co-founder of Cafe di Rosati
Age: 42
Marital status: single
Favourite drink: drip coffee V60
Favourite destination: Bali, Indonesia
Favourite book: 100 Years of Solitude
Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
- SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income.
- Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Visa changes give families fresh hope
Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income
Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.
Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process
In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.
In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.
To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
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
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERemedy%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Microsoft%20Game%20Studios%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%204%20%26amp%3B%205%2C%20Xbox%3A%20360%20%26amp%3B%20One%20%26amp%3B%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20Nintendo%20Switch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3
Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)
Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)
Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)
Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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