Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
The Gaza war has spilt over into Yemen in the past 48 hours after Israel struck a main port under the control of Iran-aligned Houthi militants in retaliation for a drone attack on Tel Aviv on Friday evening.
The drone that killed one man after piercing Israeli air defences was the first fatal strike on Tel Aviv, the heartbeat of Israel’s economy, since the start of the war in October.
It also boosted the Houthis as a wild card among Iran’s regional militia allies and a potential long-term power player in the Middle East, even if Israel comes on top in the Gaza war, observers said.
“The Houthis have been wanting escalation,” Yemeni political researcher Ahmed Al Shargabi told The National, adding that it grants the group its perceived “regional legitimacy".
Mr Al Shargabi warned that if a ceasefire is not reached in Gaza, Houthi targets could expand to include US interests in the Middle East, as well as more attacks on international Red Sea shipping.
However, he added that Israel will keep retaliating by raiding Houthi areas, particularly infrastructure in Yemen.
The Israeli attack on Friday caused a huge fire in Hodeidah. Six people were killed, with Israeli media saying the attack led to the port being shut down, hampering Iranian weapons deliveries.
Western warplanes have been striking Houthi targets in Yemen since the group started attacking Red Sea shipping near Bab Al Mandeb in December.
The Houthis have also fired numerous drones and missiles at Israel, particularly targeting its Red Sea port of Eilat, but most of these attacks were intercepted, or caused few casualties, until the latest attack on Tel Aviv.
The attack on Hodeidah was the first known direct Israeli response, having previously relied on the US to take the battle to the rebel group by attacking Houthi targets in Yemen.
Ihsan Al Shammari, head of the Iraqi Political Thinking Centre in Baghdad, said the apparent failure of the US administration to strike a deal to stop the attacks on Red Sea shipping by offering incentives to the Houthis has been a main factor behind the recent escalation.
The Houthis, he said, are seeking to raise their projection of power ahead of any potential change of administration in Washington.
He said that although the attack on Hodeidah was a demonstration of strength to Iran's allies, "there is no doubt that we are seeing a different scene now".
“We no longer can talk only about Gaza or southern Lebanon, but now we can talk about four fronts: Gaza, southern Lebanon, Houthis in Yemen and Iraqi armed factions,” Mr Al Shammari said.
Soon after the start of the Gaza war on October 7, Tehran and the transnational non-state groups it supports vowed to carry out a multifront offensive action against Israel. The aim, they said, was to relieve pressure on Hamas, as the group sought to survive the punishing Israeli invasion of Gaza.
The attack on Tel Aviv occurred as the Houthis maintained their Red Sea raids that have disrupted global trade, particularly traffic through the Suez Canal. The Houthis, however, have kept channels open with Saudi Arabia, which relies on the Red Sea to export a large proportion of its oil.
Riyadh is the founder of an Arab Coalition that intervened in Yemen in 2015 on the side of the internationally recognised government, a year after the Houthis overran the capital Sanaa. But in the past three years Riyadh has sought a negotiated settlement with the group.
Although Saudi Arabia is an established ally of Washington, it has not participated in the US-led international coalition in the Red Sea to protect ships from Houthi attacks.
Yoel Guzansky, a senior researcher at Israeli think tank INSS, said the Israeli raid on Hodeidah "tells the US and the international coalition in the Red Sea that their current efforts are not doing enough".
The Houthis, Mr Guzansky said, have launched more than 220 missiles and drones at Israel over nine months. Israel, however, has retaliated against the Houthi "economic oxygen" by attacking Hodeidah, where "the flames are still burning" more than a day after the raid.
"Now they know there’s a price for what they’re doing – a high price," said Mr Guzansky, predicting more escalation.
"You cannot plan a one-off. You need a retaliation to a retaliation," he said. "Perhaps the next one will be even stronger than Hodeidah. As much as I fear that and don’t want another front to be opened, you cannot run away from it."
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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
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
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
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
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Results
1. Mathieu van der Poel (NED) Alpecin-Fenix - 3:45:47
2. David Dekker (NED) Jumbo-Visma - same time
3. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
4. Emils Liepins (LAT) Trek-Segafredo
5. Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO UAE Team Emirates
7. Anthony Roux (FRA) Groupama-FDJ
8. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:00:03
9. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep
10. Fausto Masnada (ITA) Deceuninck-QuickStep
The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
The%20specs
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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is an ETF?
An exchange traded fund is a type of investment fund that can be traded quickly and easily, just like stocks and shares. They come with no upfront costs aside from your brokerage's dealing charges and annual fees, which are far lower than on traditional mutual investment funds. Charges are as low as 0.03 per cent on one of the very cheapest (and most popular), Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, with the maximum around 0.75 per cent.
There is no fund manager deciding which stocks and other assets to invest in, instead they passively track their chosen index, country, region or commodity, regardless of whether it goes up or down.
The first ETF was launched as recently as 1993, but the sector boasted $5.78 billion in assets under management at the end of September as inflows hit record highs, according to the latest figures from ETFGI, a leading independent research and consultancy firm.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five largest providers BlackRock’s iShares, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisers, Deutsche Bank X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
While the best-known track major indices such as MSCI World, the S&P 500 and FTSE 100, you can also invest in specific countries or regions, large, medium or small companies, government bonds, gold, crude oil, cocoa, water, carbon, cattle, corn futures, currency shifts or even a stock market crash.
